'This night will be bad, and tomorrow will be beyond imagining

Its Christmas-time in the Stanton family house: presents, carol singing, good cheer. But for eleven-year-old Will Stanton something sinister has begun, inching round his subconscious, shouting silent warnings he cant decipher. Then on Midwinter Day Will wakes up to a different world silent, covered in snow and ancient forest, a world of another time. A world where evil lurks.

Because Will is not the ordinary boy he always thought he was. He is the last of the Old Ones and the power to vanquish the evil magic of the Dark lies within him.

Includes exclusive material: In the Backstory you can read an interview with the author and discover the ancient beliefs that inspired the story.

Vintage Childrens Classics is a twenty-first century classics list aimed at 8-12 year olds and the adults in their lives. Discover timeless favourites fromThe Jungle BookandAlices Adventures in Wonderlandto modern classics such asThe Boy in the Striped PyjamasandThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Susan Cooper is a world-renowned author of children's books. Born and brought up in England, she worked as a journalist before moving to America, where she now lives. Her fabulousThe Dark Is Risingsequence has won the Newbery Medal and was twice shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. Her Boggart titles have won the Scottish Arts Council Children's Book Award and been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and the Smarties Prize. King of Shadows was also shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. As well as writing novels, Susan Cooper writes successful plays, and screenplays for film and television.

Good battles evil as the future of the world hangs in the balance, in this Carnegie shortlisted novel.