The Road to Apple Dumpling Bridge

Book excerpt: It's 1939. The woodland creatures of Gosport are enjoying their annual fete at Fort Rowner, with dancing, cake-baking, and a dazzling air display by the Red Sparrows. But war will soon shatter their joy. Admiral Gizor, the evil grey squirrel that rules Portsmouth, dreams of a ‘pedigree' society and invades Gosport in order to exterminate its red squirrels. Gosport is alluring for another reason too: Gizor has long suspected that an ancient holy relic - an acorn carved by Hudsonicus, the animal god - is hidden there. With that in his grasp, he could rule the world. Agatha Mumby, a feisty red squirrel, joins a small band of resistance fighters. With her comrades - a moody mole, a dopey white rabbit and an eager-to-please seagull - she sets out on a perilous journey that will take her into the heart of enemy territory. Armed only with a riddle given to her by a friendly squirrel monk, can she crack the code in time? In this gripping novel for young adults (12+) and adults too, K L Knowles draws you into a world where the landscape seems familiar - from the Alver Valley and Priddy’s Hard to Portsmouth Dockyard and Portchester Castle - but is not the world you know.