The Witches of Autumn: The Glass Projector by Joseph Edward Ryan

Thistle is having a terrible week.

Her mother has been incarcerated after throwing a pickled pumpkin through a window of the War Office, and now Thistle has been sent to stay with her aunt in Lily Gate. Mappo,

Thistle's familiar seems distinctly unimpressed, and even making friends with a gargoyle called Mr Pepper and a scheming snark called Epona hasn't managed to improve his temper.

"An energetic story which is vibrant in both plot and language. I lent the book to a twelve year old last week and he returned it (rather reluctantly) simply saying 'more please!'" - Barbara Murison