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Arabel and Mortimer #2
Mortimer, Arabel and the Escaped Black Mamba (Arabel and Mortimer) by Joan Aiken
A black mamba has escaped from the zoo and Arabel and Mortimer are missing. This story was originally published in the collection Tales of Arabel's Raven.
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
89 people want to read
About the author
Joan Aiken
331 books599 followersJoan Aiken was a much loved English writer who received the MBE for services to Children's Literature. She was known as a writer of wild fantasy, Gothic novels and short stories.
She was born in Rye, East Sussex, into a family of writers, including her father, Conrad Aiken (who won a Pulitzer Prize for his poetry), and her sister, Jane Aiken Hodge. She worked for the United Nations Information Office during the second world war, and then as an editor and freelance on Argosy magazine before she started writing full time, mainly children's books and thrillers. For her books she received the Guardian Award (1969) and the Edgar Allan Poe Award (1972).
Her most popular series, the "Wolves Chronicles" which began with The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, was set in an elaborate alternate period of history in a Britain in which James II was never deposed in the Glorious Revolution,and so supporters of the House of Hanover continually plot to overthrow the Stuart Kings. These books also feature cockney urchin heroine Dido Twite and her adventures and travels all over the world.
Another series of children's books about Arabel and her raven Mortimer are illustrated by Quentin Blake, and have been shown on the BBC as Jackanory and drama series. Others including the much loved Necklace of Raindrops and award winning Kingdom Under the Sea are illustrated by Jan Pieńkowski.
Her many novels for adults include several that continue or complement novels by Jane Austen. These include Mansfield Revisited and Jane Fairfax.
Aiken was a lifelong fan of ghost stories. She set her adult supernatural novel The Haunting of Lamb House at Lamb House in Rye (now a National Trust property). This ghost story recounts in fictional form an alleged haunting experienced by two former residents of the house, Henry James and E. F. Benson, both of whom also wrote ghost stories. Aiken's father, Conrad Aiken, also authored a small number of notable ghost stories.
She was born in Rye, East Sussex, into a family of writers, including her father, Conrad Aiken (who won a Pulitzer Prize for his poetry), and her sister, Jane Aiken Hodge. She worked for the United Nations Information Office during the second world war, and then as an editor and freelance on Argosy magazine before she started writing full time, mainly children's books and thrillers. For her books she received the Guardian Award (1969) and the Edgar Allan Poe Award (1972).
Her most popular series, the "Wolves Chronicles" which began with The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, was set in an elaborate alternate period of history in a Britain in which James II was never deposed in the Glorious Revolution,and so supporters of the House of Hanover continually plot to overthrow the Stuart Kings. These books also feature cockney urchin heroine Dido Twite and her adventures and travels all over the world.
Another series of children's books about Arabel and her raven Mortimer are illustrated by Quentin Blake, and have been shown on the BBC as Jackanory and drama series. Others including the much loved Necklace of Raindrops and award winning Kingdom Under the Sea are illustrated by Jan Pieńkowski.
Her many novels for adults include several that continue or complement novels by Jane Austen. These include Mansfield Revisited and Jane Fairfax.
Aiken was a lifelong fan of ghost stories. She set her adult supernatural novel The Haunting of Lamb House at Lamb House in Rye (now a National Trust property). This ghost story recounts in fictional form an alleged haunting experienced by two former residents of the house, Henry James and E. F. Benson, both of whom also wrote ghost stories. Aiken's father, Conrad Aiken, also authored a small number of notable ghost stories.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 13, 2017
Chris Cross comes to babysit preschooler Arabel Jones and her pet raven Mortimer but, this being an Arabel and Mortimer book, mayhem naturally ensues. The comedy of errors plays itself out, of course, and all's well that ends well, but potential tragedy stalks our hapless innocents because this, after all, is a Joan Aiken book. Does it explain anything that there is no actual black mamba involved?
The action is initiated by a desire to procure some replacement milk for Chris while Mr and Mrs Jones are out at the Furriers' Freewheeling Ball in Rumbury Town. Joan's inventiveness includes Mortimer's head being stuck in a trumpet, hitting the jackpot on an arcade fruit machine and a pair of shady characters with guns. But while Arabel, Mortimer and Chris wander the streets, Mrs Jones' increasingly hysterical imagination and malapropisms make a drama out of a minor crisis. Quentin Blake's minimalist illustrations perfectly capture the insouciance of the babysitter and the babysat, along with the confused adults trying to make sense out of the chaos.
When the Halloween season approaches our minds turn to the supernatural, the spectral and the sinister, with ravens often symbolising the spooky atmosphere of graveyards and haunted houses. Luckily Mortimer only reflects the ungainly aspect of these marvellous corvids, their possibly undeserved reputation for shiny things fully exploited by his search for diamonds in the most unlikely places, like airing cupboards and coal scuttles. Joan's sense of the ridiculous surely appeals not only to this series' young readership but also anyone who still harbours that inner child.
https://wp.me/s2oNj1-mamba
The action is initiated by a desire to procure some replacement milk for Chris while Mr and Mrs Jones are out at the Furriers' Freewheeling Ball in Rumbury Town. Joan's inventiveness includes Mortimer's head being stuck in a trumpet, hitting the jackpot on an arcade fruit machine and a pair of shady characters with guns. But while Arabel, Mortimer and Chris wander the streets, Mrs Jones' increasingly hysterical imagination and malapropisms make a drama out of a minor crisis. Quentin Blake's minimalist illustrations perfectly capture the insouciance of the babysitter and the babysat, along with the confused adults trying to make sense out of the chaos.
When the Halloween season approaches our minds turn to the supernatural, the spectral and the sinister, with ravens often symbolising the spooky atmosphere of graveyards and haunted houses. Luckily Mortimer only reflects the ungainly aspect of these marvellous corvids, their possibly undeserved reputation for shiny things fully exploited by his search for diamonds in the most unlikely places, like airing cupboards and coal scuttles. Joan's sense of the ridiculous surely appeals not only to this series' young readership but also anyone who still harbours that inner child.
https://wp.me/s2oNj1-mamba
September 5, 2025
The audiobook was really good— especially when Sneha Mathan sings!
December 19, 2018
This is the third in the Arabel’s Raven series. They can be read aloud in about 45 minutes and are wonderful comfort-reading. The peril is only ever humorous, and it shows how absurd adults can be while the children are calm in their adventures. This one is up there with the standard of the first. These are little gems – do get the whole collection.
March 28, 2021
In which Arabel & Mortimer bamboozle their babysitter into a late night shopping trip, leading the Joneses to believe a crime has taken place. Mortimer spends 75% of the book jammed into a trumpet, which I enjoyed.
September 9, 2016
Even better than the first. Will come back and review this properly later. LOVED it. Will read the whole set.
July 27, 2022
Absolute chaos ensues and its wonderful
May 15, 2022
Flipping marvellous illustrations & writing
March 5, 2012
207 - 2012
July 2, 2016
A young girl and her pet raven have an adventure.
This story was too bizarre for me and the writing felt dated.
Rating 2.5
This story was too bizarre for me and the writing felt dated.
Rating 2.5
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews