Sylvie Bartram lives alone with Mr. Jackson the dog and her eccentric composer father, who invents strange and wonderful musical instruments. One day she returns from school to find a message left in toothpaste on the bathroom mirror: her father has been kidnapped. Later that night, the house is visited by a terrifying apparition—a half-man, half-creature who is searching for something and will not rest until he has found it. . . .
Sylvie uncovers an underground world of magic and evil, and with help from her friends, she must hold off a power that threatens the lives of all beings in the world. The Songman is at large, and is determined to steal music and use it for his own evil ends. . . .
Starred Review, Booklist, June 1, 2009: “[T]he sheer force of what [Binding] realizes makes this an unforgettable tale, rife with thoughtful explorations of animal life, fascinating displays of instinctual communication, and breezy interpretations of the everyday magic we take for granted.”
Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, July 1, 2009: "This is an exceptionally honed story with levels of depth."
Tim Binding, formerly an editor at Viking Penguin in London, is the author of the novels In the Kingdom of Air and A Perfect Execution. He lives in England with his wife and daughter.
View titles by Tim Binding
Sylvie Bartram lives alone with Mr. Jackson the dog and her eccentric composer father, who invents strange and wonderful musical instruments. One day she returns from school to find a message left in toothpaste on the bathroom mirror: her father has been kidnapped. Later that night, the house is visited by a terrifying apparition—a half-man, half-creature who is searching for something and will not rest until he has found it. . . .
Sylvie uncovers an underground world of magic and evil, and with help from her friends, she must hold off a power that threatens the lives of all beings in the world. The Songman is at large, and is determined to steal music and use it for his own evil ends. . . .
Reviews
Starred Review, Booklist, June 1, 2009: “[T]he sheer force of what [Binding] realizes makes this an unforgettable tale, rife with thoughtful explorations of animal life, fascinating displays of instinctual communication, and breezy interpretations of the everyday magic we take for granted.”
Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, July 1, 2009: "This is an exceptionally honed story with levels of depth."
Author
Tim Binding, formerly an editor at Viking Penguin in London, is the author of the novels In the Kingdom of Air and A Perfect Execution. He lives in England with his wife and daughter.
View titles by Tim Binding
