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Mr. Longbottom explains how it all began.
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My first children's picture book, Princess Emily & The Secret Library, will be available in stores January, 2009. Stan Gorman is the marvelous illustrator for this story.
Princess Emily & The Secret Library
Princess Emily was a lucky girl. Her mother and father, the king and queen, loved her very much. She wore beautiful clothes and had everything a princess might want. Princess Emily also had a secret—she loved to explore her home, Castle Clarion.
The castle had towers, turrets, a drawbridge and a moat. Whenever the princess explored it, she discovered secrets and treasures hidden within its mysterious walls. The castle had hundreds of rooms, and she had only seen half of them. Each morning when she woke up, she decided which part she would explore that day.
One morning at breakfast, the queen said, “Eat your scones darling.”
“Yes mother,” Princess Emily replied.
“The carpenters will be here next week to begin renovations. Be sure to stay out of their way,” said the queen.
“Mother, why must we renovate? I like the castle the way it is,” pleaded Emily.
“Little princess, you know better than to question me!” said the queen.
“Yes mother,” Emily agreed.
After breakfast, the princess set out for a day of treasure hunting. She had no idea she was about to stumble upon her most amazing and magical discovery yet!
As Emily was strolling down one of the castle corridors she came to a door she had often passed by, but today, she noticed something strange. At the bottom and right in the middle, there was another door just six inches high.
“Hmmm … this must be a cat door,” she muttered, “but … cat doors don’t have doorknobs! Why would anyone make a tiny door with a doorknob?”
Before she could say “Castle Clarion!” the tiny door opened, and out strolled a mouse. He was dressed in a suit and top hat, and he carried an umbrella. When he spotted Princess Emily, he halted. The princess and the mouse stared at each other with huge eyes and gaping mouths. Then they both screamed at once and dashed in opposite directions.
“How incredible.” Emily mumbled. “I just saw a mouse all dressed up like a person. I must go back and find him at once!”
The princess crept back to the small door so she wouldn’t scare the mouse. But he was nowhere to be seen.
Unsure of what to do, she decided to knock.
Before she could lift her hand, the mouse peeked his head out the door. The girl and the mouse stared at each other. Then a huge smile crossed Princess Emily’s face, and the mouse smiled back.
“Allow me to introduce myself,” said the mouse. “Mr. Longbottom at your service! It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“I, sir, am Princess Emily. The pleasure is all mine,” the girl replied.
“Please come in,” said Mr. Longbottom as he waved towards the little door with his umbrella.
The princess looked at the door and giggled. “Well, I really don’t think …”
