The Forbidden Library

Chapter One: The Fairy

Much later, Alice would wonder what might have happened if she d gone to bed when she was supposed to.

It was a fluke, really, because she was the sort of girl who almost always followed the rules. But she d been doing schoolwork and she d lost track of time.

It was a Saturday night, and her tutor, Miss Juniper, had assigned her another chunk of algebra for Monday morning. Alice excelled in all her subjects she never would have allowed it to be otherwise but in algebra her excellence was born of hard work and long hours rather than natural talent, so she d determined to make an early start. She wouldn t be bothering anyone, either. Her room had its own little writing desk and even its own electric lamp, which her father had had installed three years before with the boast that no daughter of his was going to ruin her eyes scribbling by gaslight.

Her father had been working late again. When Alice heard the telltale creak of the front door, she weighed the odds and decided he d probably be happier to see her than angry that she was still up. She shrugged into her robe and padded into the hall and down the stairs.

The late-night silence was a little unnerving. Alice had grown up in a house that had practically bustled with servants and guests, even in the middle of the night, and she was used to seeing strangers about. But the servants had departed one by one as times had grown mean, until only Cook, Miss Juniper, and her father s man were left, and the visitors were less common than they used to be. The guest rooms that lined the hallway were all shut up now, with sheets draped over the furniture.

She passed the doors quickly, tugging her robe a little tighter, and ducked into the servants stairs that led to the kitchen. Her father would probably be there, fixing himself something hot to drink.

Django Wexler (www.djangowexler.com) is a self-proclaimed computer/fantasy/sci-fi geek and fulltime fantasy writer. Django s first book, an epic fantasy novel for adults, was published by Roc in Summer 2013. The Forbidden Library is his first novel for children.

Praise for The Forbidden Library:

"Vaguely reminiscent of Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland and Inkheart all rolled into one, it s good fun... Working in the grand tradition of children s fantasy, Wexler s off to a promising start." Kirkus Reviews

"By giving the richly textured literary adventures teeth and by placing subplots both inside and outside the books, Wexler dexterously avoids the it s only a story pitfall that might distance readers from the action, while the wondrous Library will gratify book lovers and fantasy experts alike." Horn Book

"Fans of Harry Potter and Cornelia Funke's Inkheart (2003) will relish that the library houses magical books . . . It's a joy to watch the dutiful Alice develop her innate curiosity and become a proactive, resourceful heroine, matching wits with snarky cats, dangerous beasts, and a certain smug boy. This is a charming, adventuresome fantasy from a promising new author." Booklist

"Wexler ingeniously creates an inventive world with interesting creatures and frightening situations." School Library Journal