The Various
Encyclopedia
The Various is a children's fantasy novel written and illustrated by Steve Augarde, published in 2003. It is the first book of the Touchstone Trilogy which continues with Celandine and Winter Wood. The trilogy tells the story of the hidden tribes of little people who live in a tangled forest on a hill in Somerset
, and their interactions with the children at the farm on whose land the hill stands. The tribes, who call themselves the 'Various', live difficult, self-sufficient lives, always in fear of discovery by the 'Gorji' , or giants, as they call the humans who now dominate the countryside.
The Various won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize
Bronze Award, was shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award
and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal
.
While Midge is accepted by the queen and her advisers as the saviour of Pegs, despite the news she brings of her uncle's plan to sell the forest land, Scurl and his archers believe that she is herself a danger to the tribes and intend to kill her. At the climax of the novel the archers attack the farm when Midge and her cousins are there alone.
Throughout the novel Midge senses another presence, the girl in the photograph on the kitchen wall: it is Celandine, who once lived at the farm and was thought mad for believing she had seen fairies. The story of Celandine is told in the second book of the trilogy, and the bond between her and Midge is explored in Winter Wood.
The Various
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, and their interactions with the children at the farm on whose land the hill stands. The tribes, who call themselves the 'Various', live difficult, self-sufficient lives, always in fear of discovery by the 'Gorji' , or giants, as they call the humans who now dominate the countryside.
The Various won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize
Nestlé Smarties Book Prize
The Nestlé Children's Book Prize, also known as the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize, was an annual award given to children's books written in the previous year by a UK citizen or resident. The prize was administered by Booktrust, an independent charity which promotes books and reading, and sponsored by...
Bronze Award, was shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award
Branford Boase Award
The Branford Boase Award is a British literary award presented annually to an outstanding novel for young people by a first-time writer.Wendy Boase, Editorial Director of Walker Books and Henrietta Branford worked together previously to produce a great number of books. Both Wendy Boase and...
and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal
Carnegie Medal
The Carnegie Medal is a literary award established in 1936 in honour of Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and given annually to an outstanding book for children and young adults. It is awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
.
Plot summary
Midge is sent to stay with her Uncle Brian at Mill Farm in Somerset while her mother is on tour with the orchestra. She comes across a small winged horse which is trapped and injured: her first introduction to the hidden world of the "Royal Forest", an impenetrable thicket on a hill within the farm boundaries. Meanwhile, all the tribes who live in the forest, the Ickri, Naiad, Wisp, Troggles and Tinklers, unite to send a group to search for the missing horse, Pegs. The adventures of the group demonstrate the dangers posed to the Various by the Gorgi world, as Lumst is killed by the ferocious tomcat Tojo.While Midge is accepted by the queen and her advisers as the saviour of Pegs, despite the news she brings of her uncle's plan to sell the forest land, Scurl and his archers believe that she is herself a danger to the tribes and intend to kill her. At the climax of the novel the archers attack the farm when Midge and her cousins are there alone.
Throughout the novel Midge senses another presence, the girl in the photograph on the kitchen wall: it is Celandine, who once lived at the farm and was thought mad for believing she had seen fairies. The story of Celandine is told in the second book of the trilogy, and the bond between her and Midge is explored in Winter Wood.
Characters
The humans, or Gorji- Margaret Walters, known as Midge, a 12-year-old London girl
- Christine, her mother, a professional musician, second violin in an orchestra
- Brian, Christine's brother, Midge's uncle, an unsuccessful farmer
- Katie, Brian's daughter, Midge's cousin
- George, Brian's son, Midge's cousin
The Various
- Pegs, a winged horse
- Glim the archer, of the Ickri
- Ba-betts, Ickri Queen of the Various
- Maglin, Ickri General
- Scurl, captain of the South and West Wood archers
- Little-Marten, young Ickri drummer ('Woodpecker')
- Tadgemole, leader of the underground tribes, the Troggles and Tinklers
- Henty, Tadgemole's beautiful daughter
- Maven-the-Green, an ancient hag
- Grissel, Ickri hunter, one of the group sent to look for Pegs
- Spindra, Naiad horse-breeder, one of the group sent to look for Pegs
- Tod, Wisp fisher, one of the group sent to look for Pegs
- Lumst, Troggle miner, one of the group sent to look for Pegs
- Pank, Tinkler smith, one of the group sent to look for Pegs