Created by a husband and wife duo — acclaimed fantasy artist Rodney Matthews and writer Sarah Matthews — Oddney's Otherland is a madcap magical mystery that kicks off when retired naturalist Professor Oddney discovers a strange secret realm at the end of a tunnel beneath his shed.
Accompanied by his trusty sidekick, Magnus the talking magpie, Oddney enters Otherland and embarks on a quest to find The Two-Headed Firedrake — a seemingly impossible task, given that the firedrake is said to reside on “a volcanic island surrounded by a lake full of ferocious fiends”.
Presented as a fancy large-format hardback, each page is resplendent with a detailed illustrative style that melds Arthur Rackham with high fantasy, while the story is driven by Oddney’s quest and characterful dialogue that lends itself well to reading aloud. Quirkily comic, there definitely be dragons in Oddney's Otherland, alongside a whole of lot high jinks adventure and themes of friendship, to boot.
What would you do if you found a tunnel beneath your shed?
What if you knew it led to a whole other world?
And what if that world was home to a dragon with two heads?
Upon discovering Uncle Cuthbert’s old journal and a mysterious tunnel under the garden shed, retired naturalist Professor Oddney and his loyal magpie friend, Magnus, embark on a daring and delightfully absurd journey into the hidden world of Otherland.
Their mission: find the mighty beast known as The Two-Headed Firedrake. In this secret realm, they encounter a fantastic cast of characters and creatures, including a short-tempered Hobgoblin, the Rhubarbarian, the Great Leaping Buttock Biters, and the despicable Dragoner. As they navigate this strange new world, they must find out who to trust and who might help them in their quest.
Brimming with illustrations by acclaimed fantasy illustrator Rodney Matthews, and a whimsical and fun-filled story by Sarah Matthews, this book will captivate young readers.
Perfect for fans of fantasy, adventure and DRAGONS!
…you will love the illustrations by my favourite artist, Rodney Matthews, and this deliciously zany story” - John Cleese
Author
About Sarah Matthews
Sarah Matthews was born in 1979, in Peterhead, Scotland. Sarah has been writing children’s stories since she was old enough to hold a pen. Her love for words has earned her degrees in Language & Linguistics and Philosophy. Shelving a career in academia, she joined forces with Rodney Matthews in 2015 as his business partner – and in 2016 as his wife. Initially his agent, Sarah’s own creative talents quickly shone through. She edited and redesigned the 2020 publication of Rodney’s children’s book Yendor – the Journey of a Junior Adventurer, and then, in 2021, co- directed the short film adaptation, for which she provided an award-winning narration. Delighted to be back writing again, Sarah likes to pen her thoughts in the greenhouse. When not working she can be found tending her vegetable patch and playing with the couple’s dog.
Such a fun and mysterious story, loved every page, the pictures are awesome and fun. I love the two headed dragon. The book made me feel like I was apart of the story.
This book was really good, lots of mysteries, a whole new world, dragon and lots of weird but wonderful creatures/animals.... Read Full Review
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