Kevin Crossley-Holland Books

In a dingy shack in the less-than-desirable Indian neighborhood he calls home, twelve-year-old Anand is entrusted with a conch shell that possesses mystical powers. His task is to return the shell to its rightful home many hundreds of miles away. Accompanying him are Nisha, a headstrong but resourceful child of the streets, and a mysterious man of indeterminate age and surprising resources named Abadhyatta. His quest will take him farther from home than he's ever been and will teach him more than he ever imagined -- and it will force him to make a poignant decision that will change him forever.

Annie lives with her elderly parents in a remote cottage. She is used to being alone. Every day she walks by the lonely marsh to school. Only in winter, when the wind howls in the trees, is Annie ever afraid. Her sister Willa is pregnant and Annie is overjoyed when she comes home to have her baby. Annie tells Willa the names of local plants and Willa tells Annie about the ghost, murdered by highwaymen, who is said to haunt the old forge nearby. Then, on a terrible night, with the phone lines down, Willa goes into labor. Annie is terrified of the ghost, but knows she must brave the storm to fetch help. As she ventures into the night, a horseman swings into view. He offers to take Annie to town. Before she can protest, Annie finds herself lifted on to his saddle and off they set on an intense, dream-like journey. Only once he has deposited her safely on the doctor's doorstep, does the horseman reveal that he is the ghost she fears.

A celebration in words and pictures of the world of King Arthur. All the romance of Camelot in this glorious book, where legend, fact and conjecture blend together in a text that sparkles with colour and wit. It's theme is how the Arthurian legend fascinated and inspired all Europe in the middle Ages. Kevin Crossley Holland writes of Knights and ladies, tournaments and troubadours, castles and quests and the rituals of courtly love. He is entertainingly informative about small boys training to be knights, how difficult it was to put armour on, how you ate and dressed and chose gifts for your lady. And he introduces us to the great characters of the Arthurian world, such as Lancelot and Guinevere, Merlin, Morgan le Fay and of course, the mysterious King Arthur himself.

Beowulf, The Battle of Maldon, The Dream of the Rood, The Wanderer, and The Seafarer are among the finest surviving Anglo-Saxon poems, alongside various historical documents, laws, letters, charters, and charms. This collection offers a vivid portrayal of a people who transitioned from paganism to Christianity within two centuries, establishing England as a center of missionary activity and a focal point of European civilization. Included are significant works such as Deor, the Finnesburh fragment, and the Battle of Brunanburh, alongside the laws of Wihtred and Canute's letter to the English people. The narrative spans key historical events, from Vortigern's invitation in 449 to the battles of Ashdown and Hastings in 1066. It features poignant poems like The Wanderer, The Seafarer, and The Wife's Lament, as well as notable accounts of figures like King Alfred and Cuthbert. Additional texts include Caedmon's vision, Bede's reflections, and various legal documents, agreements, and riddles, providing insight into the culture, beliefs, and daily life of the Anglo-Saxon era. This anthology encapsulates a rich literary and historical heritage that shaped early medieval England.

It is 1199 and young Arthur de Caldicot is waiting impatiently to grow up and become a knight. One day his father's friend Merlin gives him a shining piece of obsidian and his life becomes entwined with that of his namesake, the Arthur whose story he sees unfold in the stone. In this many-layered novel, King Arthur is seen as a mysterious presence influencing not just one time and place but many. The 100 short chapters are almost like snapshots not only of the mythic tales of King Arthur, but the earthy, uncomfortable reality of the Middle Ages.

Set in the ninth century, the story revolves around Wulfstan, a sailor who captivates King Alfred with his adventurous tales of storms, races, and a frozen ruler. The narrative highlights Alfred's dedication to storytelling and education, as he strives to make literature accessible to his people by translating works into English. This beautifully illustrated collaboration between Kevin Crossley-Holland and Chris Riddell combines lyrical prose with historical context, celebrating the legacy of a West Saxon king who defended his realm against Viking invaders.

In a dramatic companion volume to Norse Myths, a Carnegie Medal winner revisits an ancient world of magic, mythology, and mountain trolls.Step back into a sweeping landscape of green glades and glaciers where dwarves, frost giants, and ghosts roam and where gods and goddesses work their magic for Middle Earth, sometimes crossing the great rainbow bridge to come to the aid of humans. Five gripping new tales by Kevin Crossley-Holland plumb Norse mythology as never before, while Jeffrey Alan Love's illustrations give the epic figures bold new life. Eerie, lyrical, and arresting, this must-have companion book to Norse Myths: Tales of Odin, Thor, and Loki is the ideal gift for fantasy and mythology fans as well as newcomers to Viking lore.

'Burning ice, biting flame; that is how life began' The extraordinary Scandinavian myth cycle is one of the most enduring, exciting, dramatic and compelling of the world's great stories. The Penguin Book of the Norse Myths compellingly retells these stories for the modern reader, taking us from the creation of the world through the building of Asgard's Wall to the final end in Ragnarok. You'll discover how Thor got his hammer and how Odin lost his eye, the terrible price of binding the wolf Fenrir and why Loki the trickster can never be trusted. The Norse myths are as thrilling to read as they are of vast cultural and historical importance. In this gripping book Kevin Crossley-Holland brings alive the passion, cruelty and heroism of these unforgettable stories.

The definitive retelling of the legends of King Arthur, from Carnegie Medal-winner Kevin Crossley-Holland and former Children's Laureate Chris Riddell.Be enthralled by the world of Arthurian legend in this lavishly illustrated, masterful retelling. From King Arthur’s childhood to his final battle, the timeless tales of the sword in the stone, the quests of the Knights of the Round Table and the wizardry of Merlin are woven together into a breathtaking feat of storytelling. An extraordinary collaboration between the world-renowned Kevin Crossley-Holland and the three-time Kate Greenaway Medal-winner Chris Riddell, this is a beautiful edition to be treasured by all ages.