| Celia Rees | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1949 (age 62–63) Solihull, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom |
| Occupation | Author |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of Warwick |
| Period | 1993 - present |
| Genres | Children's literature, horror, fantasy |
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www.celiarees.com |
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Celia Rees (born 1949) is an English author of children's literature, including some horror and fantasy books.
She was born in 1949[1] in Solihull, West Midlands but now lives in Leamington Spa with her husband and teenage daughter. Rees attended University of Warwick and earned a degree in History of Politics. After university, she taught English in Coventry secondary schools for seventeen years, during which time she began to write.
During her time in teaching she asked several of her pupils why they would not read the books they were given and what they wanted to read about. The pupils said that they wanted books with action, horror, danger, magic and pirates.
All of these are main themes in Rees' books.
Contents |
The series was repackaged in 2002 with the six books being combined to make a trilogie: two old books per new one. These were published using the new titles City of Shadows, A Trap in Time and The Host Rides Out.
In the seventeenth century, a girl named Mary Newbury discovered the cruelty of other people when her grandmother has been hanged. This was because Mary's grandmother was (wrongfully) accused of being a witch. After Mary was sent out of the little village where she grew up, and encouraged by a mysterious noblewoman- her long-lost mother- to leave England, Mary set out for America. Mary's mother gave Mary some things to take along with her, composing a story about who she was. Mary left with the Puritans, who were also leaving for America. Once she arrives there, she realized it's would be a lot harder than she thought just to survive there. As she made unexpected and new friends, struggled with some things, and helped others with theirs, she learns her way into this new world.
This book is set in the present day, with the main character being Agnes Herne ( in Haudenosaunee her name is Karonhisake, or Searching Sky), Mary's descendant. Agnes, a young Native American woman, gets visions that continue to tell Mary's story. Mary had gone to live with a Native American tribe, the Haudenosaunee. The Sorceress continues to explain Mary's life. Sorceress was shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Book Award in 2005.