After Hamelin picks up the story where the Browning poem and other tellings of The Pied Piper of Hamelin leave off. Told with a sense of adventure and humor, the author uses inventive wordplay and uninhibited imagination to spin a narrative tale through strange lands inhabited by characters both good and evil.

Penelope is now 101 years old, but as a child she was struck deaf on her eleventh birthday, the day the Pied Piper stole the town’s children. Spared that fate, she accepts the quest to find the evil piper and bring the stolen children back. She tracks them through dangerous terrain, into the belly of a mountain, to a lost city. Before their adventure is over, Penelope and her companions use their wits and talents to rescue the missing children—standing against human, animal, and supernatural forces in order to triumph. "

Bill Richardson is known across the country as the host of Richardson’s Round-up, heard daily on CBC Radio One. A writer, broadcaster and raconteur, Richardson originally wrote about the goings-on of Hector, Virgil, and company for broadcast on CBC Radio’s Gabereau. He has published eight books, including two sequels to Bachelor Brothers’ Bed & Breakfast: Bachelor Brothers’ Bedside Companion and Bachelor Brothers’ Bed & Breakfast Pillow Book. Bachelor Brothers’ Bed & Breakfast, was the winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour. A frequent contributor to newspapers and magazines, Richardson makes frequent public appearances reading poetry, narrating musical works, giving keynote speeches, and signing books. He lives in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia.

Bill Richardson's profile page

MICHAEL MARTCHENKO est né à Carcassonne, en France. Il s'installe au Canada avec sa famille alors qu'il a 7 ans. En 1966, il décroche son diplôme du Collège des arts de l'Ontario et devient bientôt directeur d'une agence publicitaire. C'est lors d'une exposition d'art graphique que Robert Munsch découvre le travail de Michael Martchenko. Michael a reçu le prix Libris 2006, Illustrateur de l'année.

MICHAEL MARTCHENKO has illustrated dozens of books, and is most famous for his work with Robert Munsch, including Smelly Socks (Tes chaussettes sentent la mouffette!), Makeup Mess (Maquillage à gogo) and We Share Everything! (On partage tout!). He lives in Burlington, Ontario.

Michael Martchenko's profile page

“Imaginative ... full of wonderful characters.” —School Library Journal

“This quest story harbors echoes of both Oz and Wonderland, with touches of their humor and a good helping of their darkness ... excellent fantasy.”—VOYA

“... brilliant new novel ... Along the way, a wonderful story unfolds, a story propelled in good part by a joy in language, and a belief in its powers. There are songs an rhymes, poems, skipping chants and incantations. The reader is with the story, enchanted, one might say, all the way to its resolution ...”—Vancouver Sun

“A fun, funky and fascinating read.”—St. Catharines Standard

“Blending aspects of classical myth and literary fantasy, the tale builds to a fine resolution and casts a hypnotic spell.”—Booklist

“Featuring a wild and unpredictable dreamscape ... First-time YA novelist Richardson provides an effective framework for his narrative, juxtaposing the poetic musing of 101-year-old Penelope against the childhood adventure she meticulously recalls ... Penelope’s wise, sometimes bitter voice remains fresh and provocative.”—Publishers Weekly