The Kingdom and the Cave

Joan Aiken is the author of many favourite children's books, including The Wolves of Willoughby Chase series. When she was just seventeen she wrote her first novel, The Kingdom and the Cave, a thrilling adventure about a cat and his boy.

'The Under People. They live in a huge Cave. They are thought to be boring upwards. Giant worms and flying ants. Underground magic.'

Mickle, the palace cat, knows the kingdom is in danger. He can feel it in his whiskers and he has found a mysterious note in the royal library... (Yes, of course he can read, and speak - if he chooses to!) Mickle can't trust the King and Queen with his mission, so he and Prince Michael, with the help of their animal friends (and quite a bit of magic!), set out on a perilous quest to find the sinister Under People, discover their secret power and save the Kingdom of Astalon.

In her first novel, written when she was only a teenager, Joan Aiken showcases the imagination, wit and storytelling zest that would lead to classics like Arabel's Raven and The Wolves of Willoughby Chase.

About the Author

Joan Aiken (1924-2004) was born in Rye, Sussex. She was the daughter of the American poet Conrad Aiken, and her step-father was English writer Martin Armstrong. For both Joan and her sister, novelist Jane Aiken Hodge, writing was in their blood.

Joan Aiken wrote over a hundred books for young readers and adults and is recognised as one of the classic children's authors of the twentieth century. Amanda Craig, in The Times,wrote, 'She was a consummate story-teller, one that each generation discovers anew', and Philip Pullman said, 'Joan Aiken's invention seemed inexhaustible, her high spirits a blessing, her sheer storytelling zest a phenomenon. She was a literary treasure, and her books will continue to delight for many years to come.'

Her best-known books are The Wolves of Willoughby Chase chronicles and the Arabel's Raven series, but she is also famous for her brilliant short stories. Joan Aiken received the Edgar Allan Poe Award in the United States as well as the Guardian Award for Fiction. She was decorated with an MBE for her services to children's books.