The Talking Parcel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 
First edition
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| Author | Gerald Durrell |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Liza James |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's |
| Publisher | Collins |
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Publication date
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1974 |
The Talking Parcel (also published as The Battle for Castle Cockatrice) is a 1974 book by Gerald Durrell in which children are transported to the fantasy land of Mythologia to save it from cockatrices. They are aided by a talking parrot and encounter many other magical creatures, including a mooncalf.
The book has been translated into a number of languages, including Czech, Estonian, Italian, Russian, Spanish and Ukrainian.
Film adaptation
| The Talking Parcel | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Brian Cosgrove |
| Produced by | Brian Cosgrove Mark Hall |
| Written by | Gerald Durrell (novel) Rosemary Anne Sisson (writer) |
| Music by | Ravid Rohl Woolly Wolstenholme |
| Editing by | John McManus Dave Street |
| Studio | Cosgrove Hall Films |
| Release date(s) | 26 December 1978 (UK) |
| Running time | (US) 60 min (UK) 40 min. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
It was made into an animated feature for television by Cosgrove Hall Films in 1978, debuting on ITV. However, the film differs from the book mainly by introducing only one human protagonist, the girl Penelope.
Voice cast
- Lisa Norris ... Penelope
- Freddie Jones ... Parrot
- Mollie Sugden ... Hortense, the Flying Train
- Roy Kinnear ... Ethelred
- Edward Kelsey ... H.H. Junketbury
- Windsor Davies ... Chief Cockatrice
- Michael Hordern ... Oswald, the Sea Serpent
- Peter Woodthorpe ... Werewolf
- Harvey Ashby ... Duke Wensleydale
- Raymond Mason
- Daphne Oxenford
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The Talking Parcel Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.