On the Island of Fire — Linda Talbot

The volcanic Greek island of Santorini evokes an eerie potential for fantasy. Chunks of solidified lava turn into a strange bestiary, the deep caldera might mask a multitude of monsters. On the Island of Fire comprises four improbable tales for children set on the island, and opens with The White Wings - in which Alizides, a donkey, dreams he is Pegasus, helping to defeat the Chimaera. Eruptions and earth tremors are endemic and In The Earthquake a bored boy tangles with Typhon, the monster trapped within the volcano. Mysterious waters lap the black sand and in Falling Stars, two children meet Atlas, taking a break under the waves from holding up the world, while weird mythology is recalled in The Harpies Move Home with disgruntled harpies causing chaos on Santorini, on their way to a zoo.