Walsh describes the environment with calm sensory detail, giving readers a palpably damp, frigid winter. Some evil is overt while some is difficult to identify, but William has a careful mind and a gentle core that serve him well. A wealthy leper, a cold fay warrior and rumors of a dead angel pull William into grave danger-danger he witnesses in a bloody slaughter of woodland animals. The dignified but privately vulnerable hob is only the first new thing in William's world. As a servant, William's treated badly there, but he makes do, and Brother Snail is kind. It moans but also talks, so despite his neck hairs hackling at this incomprehensible being, William brings the hob home to the single sympathetic monk at Crowfield Abbey. Collecting firewood in a frozen forest, William finds an unfamiliar cat-sized creature wounded in an animal trap. Walsh expertly mixes the fantastical with the humdrum necessities of medieval life.' - Booklist*Includes a timetable of daily life in the abbey and a glossary of monastic terms*Plus a sneak peek at the sequel THE CROWFIELD DEMON!A 2011 USBBY Outstanding International BookNew York Public Library's '100 Titles for Reading and Sharing'Kirkus 'Best Book of the Year'-*THE CROWFIELD CURSEAuthor: Walsh, PatIn 1347 at a country monastery, a wondrous mystery unfolds. The growing tension will compel young readers toward the climactic battle in the woods and its terrifying conclusion.' - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 'Dotted with evil curses, dead angels, and dark places. The hob, with his unintentional wit and well-timed comic relief, is the true standout of the cast. ' - School Library Journal, starred review'Walsh writes with a sure and steady hand, deftly blending the historical details of medieval monastery life with the magical elements of the mythical supernatural creatures. By the close of the novel, readers are hoping for more, and the ending suggests that more is to come.

With fascinating attention to detail and an edgy battle between evil and good, Walsh sweeps readers almost effortlessly into another time and place. Understatedly tender and mystical yet solid.' - Kirkus, starred review*'Suspenseful and spooky.

Walsh described the environment with calm sensory detail, giving readers a palpably damp, frigid winter. PRAISE FOR THE CROWFIELD CURSE*'A wondrous mystery.

The crowfield curse series