Gregory Maguire, master storyteller and bestselling author of Wicked, spins a magical and mesmerizing adventure set in Tsarist Russia.

Gregory Maguire, bestselling author of Wicked, combines fairy tale and folklore in this irreverent re-imagining of the classic story of mistaken identity - The Prince and the Pauper. Described by School Library Journal as "a beautiful reminder that fairy tales are at their best when they illuminate the precarious balance between lighthearted childhood and the darkness and danger of adulthood", this book will appeal to readers both young and old. Elena Rudina lives in the impoverished Russian countryside. Her father is dead and her mother dying, while her brother has been conscripted into the Tsar's army. Elena's future is as bleak as the wastelands surrounding her village of Miersk. That is until the night of a freak storm when a majestic steam train is forced to stop at the village's abandoned station. The train carries a fabulous Faberge egg and Ekaterina, a girl whose fate is now entwined with Elena's. When their lives collide, a complex, funny and engrossing adventure begins. An adventure that features the mythical Firebird, a prince travelling incognito, the awesome city of Saint Petersburg, the glacial lands of the north, and - in a starring role - Baba Yaga, the enigmatic witch of Russian folklore, and her shapeshifting house, Dumb Doma, perched on chicken legs.

About the Author
Gregory Maguire is the author of the incredibly popular books in the Wicked Years series, including Wicked, the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which spawned the hit musical. He is also the author of several books for children, including What-the-Dickens, which was a New York Times bestseller. Gregory Maguire lives outside Boston, Massachusetts.

Reviews
Set in early 20th-century Russia, a captivating blend of fantasy and reality. * The Bookseller Children's Buyer's Guide *



Book Information
ISBN 9781406361087
Author Gregory Maguire
Format Paperback
Page Count 512
Imprint Walker Books Ltd
Publisher Walker Books Ltd
Weight(grams) 351g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 30mm