Kaye Umansky has been writing children’s books for more than 15 years, and this February we are delighted to discuss her fantastic Solomon Snow series.
The first book in the series, The Silver Spoon of Solomon Snow, opens with infant Solomon Snow being left on the doorstep of a tumbledown cottage on a lonely moor, just outside the town of Boring. The only clue to his past is a silver spoon with the initials V.I.P. carved into it. Ten years later, Solly discovers his mysterious past and sets out to find his true parents. He is joined by Prudence Pridy (a nosy, irritable, know-it-all who manages to rub everyone the wrong way), the Infant Prodigy (perhaps one of the finest and most entertaining brats in literary history), and Mr. Skippy (the most useless pet in the world, period).
In the second book in the series, Solomon Snow and the Stolen Jewels, the gang reunites for adventure. Prudence’s father is arrested for poaching and they must rescue him. Their path gets crossed with those of Shorty the villenous dwarf, the nefarious Dr. Calamari, Gross the servant, and the Firestone of Toj - a ruby with a hefty curse.
The Solomon Snow books are absolutely hilarious from start to finish. Set in Victorian England, they are written in a clever, old-fashioned tongue and cheek way, with witty dialogue, interesting twists, and plenty of exquisite temper tantrums.