Tales of the Peculiar

July 25, 2016
Riggs follows his bestselling Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and its sequels with an enticing collection of what purports to be “peculiar” folklore, “passed down from generation to generation since time immemorial.” Among the 10 tales—ostensibly collected, edited, and annotated by Millard Nullings, a peculiar from the novels—are “The Splendid Cannibals,” which concerns a town where people can regrow the lost limbs they regularly sell to rich cannibals at premium prices; “Cocobolo,” about a peculiar father and son in ancient China who turn into islands as they mature; and “The Pigeons of Saint Paul’s,” in which a peculiar named Wren makes a deal with London’s pigeons in order to get his cathedral built. Arriving just in time for the fall release of the Miss Peregrine film, these tales, which often reference events in the earlier novels, are alternately droll, somber, and a bit horrific, and they’re sure to appeal to fans of the series. Elegantly detailed engravings from Davidson open each story, setting the tone for the tale that follows. Ages 12–up. Author’s agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House.

British actor Simon Callow delivers a delightfully whimsical performance of the collected stories that comprise this companion to the hugely popular Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children series. His refined pronunciation gives the impression that the stories are, in fact, revered folklore handed down through the ages. Even as Callow maintains the scholarly tone of the omniscient narrator, he effortlessly navigates between Norwegian, American, and Irish accents, and perhaps most memorably, the voices of fantastical creatures. Bruce Mann and Garrick Hagon read the titles of each tale as well as the notes supposedly written by Millard Nullings, a central character in the Peculiar Children series. Devoted fans as well as newcomers to the world of the peculiar will be equally enchanted. E.M.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine