The Riddlemaster

Anouk, Ben and Cara dream of a fabulous treasure buried in the golden island across the harbour. A mysterious, grizzled old man offers them passage on his boat, but only if they can solve seven, vexing riddles. If they succeed, a strange and magical prize awaits them.

Kevin John William Crossley-Holland is an English translator, children’s author and poet. His best known work may now be the Arthur trilogy, published around age sixty, for which he won the Guardian Prize and other recognition.

‘…might easily be an allegory for the heroic journey all children make in learning to read.’ – School Library Journal
‘I’ve not been so impressed by a contemporary picture book in a very long time.’ – The Children’s BookShow
‘…this strange tale of adventure, cleverness, and storytelling.’ – Booklist
‘A jewel box for lovers of stories, filled with riddles and allusions that will test, but not daunt, even younger readers.’ – Kirkus
‘I like that the story focuses on the importance of words and story in more ways than one.’ – Evyerthing Mom (blog)
‘The thrill in this story comes from the unknown, and children will be practically begging you to turn each page.’ – ReadItDaddy (blog)
‘Crossley-Holland’s skill in strong, powerful language remains deeply pronounced and rather lovely.’ – Did You Ever Stop To Think And Forget To Start Again?