Crystal

by Rebecca Lisle

Escaping from a grey, rule-bound city, a girl discovers her family and homelandCrystal is unusual. With her silvery blonde hair and blue eyes, there isn€™t anyone like her in the town except for her mom and everyone says her mom is crazy—or a witch. Crystal knows that the town leader has something to do with her mother€™s madness but how can she prove it? And how can she stop him when the town guard tramps the streets day and night, there's a curfew, and a strange creature in their house spies on them, recording their every move? When Crystal thinks she glimpses someone looking up at her from the depths of Lop Lake, she is amazed yet strangely hopeful—could this be the help she€™s been waiting for?

172 pages, Paperback

First published August 5, 2010

About the author

My name is Rebecca Lisle and I'm a writer. I have had 20 children's books published. I also like drawing and have illustrated some of my books. When I'm not writing I paint peculiar pictures of dogs. I live in Bristol and enjoy giving workshops and author visits in the South West.

I was born in Leeds and have always been very proud of my Yorkshire roots. My parents were born there too, and their parents: perhaps this is why I can cook Yorkshire puddings.

Boh my parents were artists. My father was the principal of the Jacob Kramer College of Art. He only had one eye so his students called him Popeye. My mother studied art too and still paints and draws. My parents always encouraged me and my brother and sister to be creative and we were. My sister is a painter and my brother does arty things with computers.

I went to School in Leeds, then studied botany at Newcastle University and one year at Oxford University. I had friends who had gone out to New York and they were having such a good time, I went out and joined them. I lived on Manhattan for a year and a half. Great fun.

Back in England, I did lots of jobs - waitressing, looking after small children, shop assistant, secretary, etc, but mainly I taught biology. I always taught part-time so that I could spend time writing because I dreamed of becoming a 'real' writer. By 'real' I mean published.

My first publication was a short story in a magazine. Seeing my name in print made me deliriously happy. I can honestly say it was one of the greatest moments of my life. If I saw someone with a copy of the magazine I wanted to rush up to them and, well, I don't know, just stand there and grin, I think.

I'm married with three teenage sons. My boys drive me mad. And make me laugh. They were the inspiration for many stories, particularily THE DOG IN THE DIAMOND COLLAR and THE BOY IN THE BIG BLACK BOX. They all play musical instruments - piano, guitar, drums and saxophone. Usually different tunes in different rooms, but always LOUD.

The other inspiration in all my books, just about, was Nike, our dog. Sadly Nike died last year. He did not do the dishes like Metal Mutt, worst luck.

After Nike died I started painting pictures of dogs in all different colours.

Reviews

[Marcia]

Stopped page 134

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about finding where you belong, though I feel that there ought to be a part two for Questrid.

[jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished it in a few hours

Got it for my daughter, she couldn't put it down. I would recommend to others and looking forward to the next book

[Sanuthi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book was amazing.......