'The Little White Horse was my favourite childhood book. I absolutely adored it. It had a cracking plot. It was scary and romantic in parts and had a feisty heroine.' - JK Rowling - The Bookseller Winner of the Carnegie Medal in 1946 and J.K. Rowling's favourite childhood book. This bestselling favourite fantasy classic is 'one of the most of the most magical stories in the world.' - The Independent. This is the story of a thirteen-year-old orphan, a Moon Princess, and a mysterious white horse. Maria Merryweather, a plain London orphan, is sent to Moonacre Manor to live with her only surviving relative, Sir Benjamin. Her initial sense of comfort starts to crumble when she learns an ancient mystery haunts Moonacre Manor and all who live in Moonacre Valley. With the help of her new friend Robin, can Maria right the wrongs of her ancestors and finally restore the peace to Moonacre Valley before it's too late? Beautiful, thrilling, and magical, The Little White Horse is a timeless classic.

'The Little White Horse was my favourite childhood book. I absolutely adored it. It had a cracking plot. It was scary and romantic in parts and had a feisty heroine.' - JK Rowling - The Bookseller Winner of the Carnegie Medal in 1946 and J.K. Rowling's favourite childhood book. This bestselling favourite fantasy classic is 'one of the most of the most magical stories in the world.' - The Independent. This is the story of a thirteen-year-old orphan, a Moon Princess, and a mysterious white horse. Maria Merryweather, a plain London orphan, is sent to Moonacre Manor to live with her only surviving relative, Sir Benjamin. Her initial sense of comfort starts to crumble when she learns an ancient mystery haunts Moonacre Manor and all who live in Moonacre Valley. With the help of her new friend Robin, can Maria right the wrongs of her ancestors and finally restore the peace to Moonacre Valley before it's too late? Beautiful, thrilling, and magical, The Little White Horse is a timeless classic.

One of England's best-loved children's book writers spins a fantasy adventure with animals, magic, and danger. When Nan, Robert, Timothy, and Betsy's father went off to explore in Egypt, he left the children with their grandmother who lived in the English countryside. Unfortunately she did not much like children, much less their dog, Absalom. So the children ran away to stay with their Uncle Ambrose, an eccentric, strict, and loveable retired school teacher who was determined to give them an Education, but in addition to Greek, Latin, and Literature, the Linnet children learned much more -- about nature and magic, the power of the past and Pan, and, of course, the importance of the bees. They used their knowledge to find the lost Valerians, undo some very wicked, ancient spells, and reunite a divided family. This is a story filled with Elizabeth Goudge's trademark mixture of realism and magic -- and like her classic The Little White Horse (adored by J. K. Rowling) it is set in Devon and inspired by its folklore and legends. A wonderful chapter book for fantasy-loving independent readers.

Vivid, exciting tales - earthquakes, shipwreck, encounters between New Zealand settlers and the indigenous Maori people - are paired with fascinating details of 19th-century life, from sailing ships and steamboats to women's fashions and the natural beauty of the British seacoast and the mountains and forests of New Zealand. When Marianne LePatourel meets William Ozanne in the 1830s on an island in the English Channel, she sets her heart on him. However, her sister Marguerite falls in love with him too. And so begins this sweeping novel that takes the characters on dramatic adventures from childhood through old age, on land and at sea, and from the Channel Islands to China to the New Zealand frontier. When William's naval career is cut short, he settles in New Zealand and writes to Mr. Le Patourel to ask for Marguerite's hand in marriage - but in his nervousness he pens the wrong name in his letter. It is Marianne who arrives aboard the ship The Green Dolphin, and William's gallant decision not to reveal his mistake sets in motion a marriage that is difficult, but teaches them both that steadfast love which is chosen is stronger than the passion of love at first sight.

"If you're giving one book for Christmas, make it this one." -Jim Trelease, author, The Read-Aloud Handbook They are some of the warmest childhood memories, those unhurried evenings around the fireplace, Christmas tree, or dinner table, when there was time for a story. Now, with this collection, you can keep the story-telling tradition alive in your family, and pass it on to your children or grandchildren. Home for Christmas includes twenty time-honored tales. Several are by world-famous authors; others are little-known treasures translated from other languages. Selected for their literary quality and spiritual integrity, they will resonate with readers of all ages, year after year. With original woodcuts by David Klein

The captivating story of the world's favorite saint is now retold for a modern audience by one of the great novelists of our time. Perhaps more than any other figure in Christian history since Jesus Christ, Saint Francis of Assisi has captured our imagination, for his is a story of extreme self-sacrifice, of love to God and man. How could this wealthy, handsome youth cast away all the advantages that were his by birth and choose instead a career of poverty and humility? How could he attract members of all strata of society to his mission? And how, when his order became established throughout Europe, could he renounce great personal power and humbly continue his life's work? Here is Francis, from his twelfth-century boyhood to his life as a missionary roaming the very boundaries of the known world. Here too are the men and women who followed him--Bernard de Quintavalle, the rich businessman; Peter Cathanii, the lawyer; Brother Giles, the farmer's son; Lady Clare; and so many others--all drawn together by the personal magnetism and humble faith of their leader, all re-created by bestselling novelist Elizabeth Goudge against a rich medieval canvas.

Despite the "crinkled pink petals strewn in the path of those who would have preferred red," four generations of Eliots have survived the War and are moving forward. The family's remarkable matriarch Lucilla is still with them, though she's facing the dark night of the soul. All is turned on its head with the arrival of Sebastian, another survivor of WWII. He has a story far more painful than any of the Eliots. While with them, he wrestles with questions about his own disconnected existence. They all yearn, in their own ways, to glimpse the high price of love. And through this they are ultimately able to love each other and God more fully. ""I can think of few authors whose writing I enjoy more than those of Elizabeth Goudge. She has the rare ability to express herself unforgettably and is able to transport you into another world and time, in which you find yourself immensely enriched and entertained."" --Ruth Bell Graham

The second in the classic trilogy about the Eliots of Damerosehay. War has left David Eliot a changed man. Returning to the family home, he slowly begins to put the pieces of his life together. Tormented by the failure of her love affair with David five years earlier, Nadine has misgivings about bringing her family to live in the enchanting old inn close to the Damerosehay estate. But as the tranquil Hampshire countryside casts its spell, both families come to discover a measure of peace and contentment.

Against the pomp and pageantry of turbulent seventeenthcentury England, Elizabeth Goudge weaves the poignant tale of Lucy Walter, the proud and beautiful secret wife of Charles II. From her early childhood in a castle by the sea in Wales-evoked as only Elizabeth Goudge can evoke the joys and pangs of childhood-to her tragic estrangement from the king and her death in Paris at the age of twentyeight, Lucy Walter lived to the full a life of intense joy and equally intense drama. Miss Goudge portrays brilliantly a young love almost too ecstatic to bear. Equally moving is her characterization of Lucy-a spirited woman caught up in the cataclysmic wars and disruptive revolution of a tumultuous era. London at the time of the Great Fire, Paris when British royalty fled to the sanctuary of the Louvre, Brussels and The Hague-against this rich panoramic background a master storyteller traces the life and loves of an extraordinary woman. The Child from the Sea is a superbly colorful and romantic historical novel alive with brilliant cameos and infused with a spiritual essence rare in our times.

The story of a quiet cathedral town, of an orphan who finds a new home, of two people who fight to separate themselves from the ghost of a man whose mystery has cast a spell that only his return can break, and of a dream that can only end with a new dawn.

A compelling saga of an unlikely friendship threaded together by redemption and grace The setting is a remote mid-nineteenth-century town in England and its grand cathedral. The cathedral Dean, Adam Ayscough, holds a deep love for his parishioners and townspeople, but he is held captive by an irrational shyness and intimidating manner. The Dean and Isaac Peabody, an obscure watchmaker who does not think he or God have anything in common, strike up an unlikely friendship. This leads to an unusual spiritual awakening that touches the entire community. A richly imaginative and inspiring story with appealing and unique characters, this novel is a favorite of Goudge s fans. "

Amid the chaos of the Second World War comes a charming story of courage and friendship, from the author of Green Dolphin Country and A City of Bells. In the summer of 1940, as the darkest days of the Second World War approach, a chance encounter on a train leads Miss Brown to become housekeeper at the Castle. Hidden in a quiet, rural corner of England, the crumbling castle is home to lonely historian Mr Birley and his nephews, fighter pilot Richard and fair, peace-loving Stephen. With young evacuees Moppet and Poppet, and mysterious violinist Jo Isaacson, this unexpected family of strangers come to rely on each other as the devastations of war rage on.

Set in seventeenth-century England at the outbreak of Civil War, "The White Witch" brings to life the fields, forests, and homes of rural Oxfordshire. In the manor house, Margaret Haslewood and her twin children wait for news of her husband Robert, who has gone to fight for the cause of Parliament. At the hearth of wise and gentle Froniga, whose skill in healing and clarity of moral vision brings life and vigor to the Romani community, and in the painter s brush of young Francis Leyland, who puts his life in the service of the king, Elizabeth Goudge weaves a tale of enduring insight into what makes us feel at home in the world, and the forces that threaten to tear our homes apart. Expansive and meditative, "The White Witch" explores the costs of zeal and the power of healing when the subtle lines of allegiance that hold village life together are strained and ruptured by national conflict."

The third in the classic family saga about the Eliots of Damerosehay. Despite the success and acclaim he has found as an actor, David Eliot struggles with the demands of his career. His brittle conversation and seeming arrogance earn him the dislike of his new secretary, Sebastian Weber. But when Sebastian visits David's family home, he discovers a different side to his employer. As Damerosehay and its inhabitants weave their magic, Sebastian slowly begins to lay his own demons to rest.

Lucilla has spent a lifetime making the Hampshire estate of Damerosehay a tranquil haven for the Eliot family. When her favourite grandson, David, falls in love with an unsuitable woman Lucilla feels is unsuitable, she sees her most cherished ambitions put at risk. But can she persuade David and Nadine to put duty before love?

"It was not for her to criticize the ways of Almighty God; if He liked to go to all that trouble over the snowflakes, millions and millions of them, their intricate patterns too small to be seen by human eyes, and melting as soon as made, that was His affair and not hers. All she could do about it was to catch in her window, and save from entire waste, as much of the squandered beauty as she could." -Elizabeth Goudge, The Rosemary Tree In the raw aftermath of World War II, this is the story of the Wentworth family. It is the story of John Wentworth-vicar of a church in Devon, England-and his wife Daphne, who feels trapped in the vicarage. While John's great aunt lives in the dilapidated family manor house, their three daughters attend a dysfunctional school, captive among embattled staff and their headmistress. It is only Harriet, John's aging former nanny, who holds the family together through her love and empathy. But when Michael Stone returns to town, recently released from prison and now searching for his former love, Daphne, he is a disruption to the lives of all-including his own-helping to free them from their prisons, both physical and metaphorical.

In 1842, thirteen-year-old orphan Maria Merryweather arrives at her ancestral home in an enchanted village in England's West Country, where she discovers it is her destiny to right the wrongs of her ancestors and end an ancient feud.

"A captivating story filled with English charm, luminous wisdom, and astounding spiritual insight"

Goudge's singular gift is the depth and insight she brings to her characters. Mary Lindsay is a born and bred Londoner who has enjoyed her city life--a prestigious job, and friends with whom she takes in the city pleasures of theatre, art and music. But fleeting memories of a childhood visit to her father's elderly cousin out in the country are revived with the news that the woman has willed her home, the Laurels, to Mary. She makes an uncharacteristically sudden and life-changing decision to leave London for the country. The gradual unfolding of her understanding of herself, of the now-deceased woman who has bequeathed her home to Mary, and of the people of Appleshaw, all weave together in a most memorable story of love's redemptive power.

Customer Reviews:
"I am not a person who re-reads books, but this is one that I feel the need to read again on a regular basis. I wish this would be published again so I could share it with more people. Just reading the book felt like someone had given me a special gift."

"It's hard to describe this lovely, enchanting book. It's one of my favorite books and I periodically reread it. It has lovely descriptions of Nature and is a story about the most sacred mystery there is: Love, all kinds of Love. This is probably one of the most life-affirming books I have ever read."

A rich and beautiful story, set in a quiet cathedral city. When cathedral dean Adam Ayscough encounters clockmaker Isaac Peabody, their unlikely friendship touches the lives of the entire community. Behind the dean's fearsome reputation lies a humble man crippled by shyness. Desperate to leave behind a lasting legacy of goodness, his only wishes are to serve God and his parishioners, and to be loved by his young and dissatisfied wife. Haunted by the memories of a miserable childhood, gifted clockmaker Isaac Peabody has spent a lifetime perfecting his craft and rejecting all belief in God. Despite their fundamental differences, both men find a common understanding, and discover that faith can come in many different guises. What readers are saying about THE DEAN'S WATCH 'Goudge in the class of Victor Hugo, or Dickens' - 5 STARS 'Beautifully written, simply couldn't put it down' - 5 STARS 'An unforgettable book' - 5 STARS 'Just plain delightful' - 5 STARS 'A wonderful book, full of atmosphere' - 5 STARS 'A must for all Goudge fans' - 5 STARS

"The stories come from all over the world and represent many genres, such as parables, animal fables, historical fiction, fairy tales, and Christian fantasy. Definitely read these stories at Easter, but keep the book close and pull it out whenever you and your family need a reminder of the great Easter themes of transformation, reconciliation and the triumph of life over death."—National Catholic Register Everyone who believes Easter is about more than bunnies and eggs will be grateful for this new collection of short stories that shed light on the deeper meaning of the season. Selected for their spiritual value and literary quality, these classic tales capture the spirit of Easter in a way that will captivate readers of all ages. Parents and grandparents will find that children love to hear these stories read aloud, year after year. Easter Stories includes time-honored favorites from world-famous storytellers such as C.S. Lewis, Leo Tolstoy, Selma Lagerlof, Oscar Wilde, Elizabeth Goudge, Maxim Gorky, Ruth Sawyer, and Walter Wangerin – as well as many you’ve never heard before. Illustrated with original woodcuts.

"One was born a certain sort of person, and though by ceaseless struggle one might become as nice as that sort of person ever is, one could never become as nice as a nicer sort of person." -Elizabeth Goudge, Towers in the Mist It is late sixteenth-century London when awkward teenage Faithful travels to Oxford to study in England's great university. When Canon Leigh takes him in, Faithful enters into a family as exciting and educational as the university itself. Woven into the narratives of Faithful and the canon's daughter Joyeuce is Oxford during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I with the pomp and sordidness of the spectacular era of England's Golden Age. Not only a historical journey, Towers in the Mist is also a coming-of-age tale of young love and hope.

For those who have grown tired of Christmas commercialism, who feel Santa Claus and red-nosed reindeer do not project the true Christmas spirit, this book may be the answer. With little-known classics by old and new masters of the genre, this unique anthology of Christmas stories, songs, and poems has long been a seasonal favorite of old and young alike.