Emma in Winter facts for kids
Emma in Winter first edition (UK) cover, illustrated by Laszlo Acs
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| Author | Penelope Farmer |
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| Illustrator | Laszlo Acs (Chatto & Windus edition); James J. Spanfeller (Harcourt edition) |
| Cover artist | Laszlo Acs (Chatto & Windus edition); James J. Spanfeller (Harcourt edition) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | Chatto & Windus (UK); Harcourt (USA) |
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Publication date
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1966 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 160 pp (Chatto & Windus first edition, hardback) |
| ISBN | 0-7011-0105-9 (Chatto & Windus first edition, hardback) |
| Preceded by | The Summer Birds |
| Followed by | Charlotte Sometimes |
Emma in Winter is an exciting children's novel written by British author Penelope Farmer. It was first published in 1966. This book is the second in a series of three stories about two sisters, Charlotte and Emma Makepeace. People sometimes call these books the Aviary Hall series.
Contents
About the Book
How the Story Began
Penelope Farmer started writing when she was quite young. She had a story that was too long for a collection she was working on. This long story became the first chapter of her book, The Summer Birds, published in 1962. This book introduced the sisters, Charlotte and Emma.
The Summer Birds was very popular and even received an award mention. Emma in Winter came out a few years later in 1966. It focuses on Emma and happens about two years after the first book. The stories mostly take place in a small village school and at Aviary Hall, the girls' home in the South Downs of southern England.
The third book, Charlotte Sometimes, was published in 1969. It tells a story that happens just before Emma in Winter. It's about Charlotte's first term at a London boarding school.
Penelope Farmer said that the characters of Charlotte and Emma were inspired by her own mother and her mother's sister. They grew up without parents and had to rely on each other. One sister was responsible, and the other was a bit difficult.
Emma in Winter is dedicated to Penelope Farmer's older twin sister, Judy.
What Happens in the Story
Emma's Winter Adventure
The story begins in winter. Emma's older sister, Charlotte, leaves Aviary Hall. She goes to stay with a school friend. Then she returns to her boarding school in London. Emma is left at home.
At the same time, Emma and her classmate, Bobby Fumpkins, start having strange dreams. In these dreams, they can fly, just like the children could in The Summer Birds. Bobby is often teased by other kids because he is a bit heavy. Emma is not very friendly to Bobby at first. But she soon realizes that Bobby is not only in her dreams, but he is having the exact same dreams!
Since they are the oldest kids in their school, Emma and Bobby are chosen as head girl and head boy.
Flying Through Time
In their dreams, Emma and Bobby fly over their village. They soar above the South Downs, seeing the North Downs and the sea far away. But something scary is watching them. It first appears as a pair of eyes.
Strangely, the trees in their dreams keep shrinking into the ground. Bobby figures out that they are traveling backward in time in their dreams. With each dream, they go further and further into the past. They visit the Ice Age and see a huge mammoth. They even go back to a very old prehistoric time and see a giant dinosaur. They wonder if they will reach the very beginning of the world. They even think about seeing the Garden of Eden.
Facing the Past
Finally, in their last dream, Emma and Bobby are pulled all the way back to the beginning of the world. They stand on a rocky shore, looking out at the sea. The scary being appears again. It turns out to be a twisted, ugly version of their teacher, Miss Hallibutt.
This creature tries to scare them. It threatens to take away their memories of reality. It even changes into copies of Emma and Bobby themselves. But the children are strong. They focus on their real lives, their home, and their school. This helps them defeat the creature. They are then pulled out of the dream world and back into reality.
As the school term ends, the snow melts. The children at school are very happy. Emma realizes that Charlotte will soon be home from boarding school. Bobby and Emma walk home together. They know they will not return to the dream world. As Bobby runs to his house, Emma calls out, "Pleasant dreams, Bob, pleasant dreams!"
How the Books Connect
The Series and Time Travel
Emma in Winter takes place in the same village school as The Summer Birds. It happens about a year and a half after the first book. It also follows soon after the events of Charlotte Sometimes. Charlotte has left their small village school and is now in her second term at boarding school.
In The Summer Birds, the children could fly because of a mysterious bird-boy. In Emma in Winter, the bird-boy is gone. But Emma and Bobby can still fly in their dreams.
Emma in Winter also helps explain the idea of time travel. This is something that happens in both this book and Charlotte Sometimes. Emma and Bobby sneak into their Grandfather Elijah's study. They read an article that says time is like a coiled spring. This means that different moments in time can be very close to each other.
Different Versions of the Book
Editions Over the Years
- First UK edition: Published in 1966 by Chatto & Windus. It had 160 pages and pictures by Laszlo Acs.
- First USA edition: Published in 1966 by Harcourt, Brace & World. It also had 160 pages, with pictures by James J. Spanfeller.
- Later reprint: A version was reprinted in 1987 by Dell Yearling.
