by Peter Bunzl
Hybrid: someone who is half-mech, half-human (such as Roach and Mould).
The Kraken: a legendary giant sea monster. Often depicted as a squid-like creature with long and large tentacles. It is a happy coincidence, then, that Mrs McKracken’s name so closely resembles this monstrous creature…
Mechanimal: a mechanical animal, such as Malkin.
Penny dreadful: exciting tales of famous criminals (such as the notorious Jack Door), detectives or supernatural mysteries, these magazines were published weekly and cost one penny (which gave them their name). They are not considered proper, but if you’re sneaky, you can put one between the pages of your book.
Perpetual motion machine: a machine which will run for ever, without the need for an external source of energy.
Port side / starboard side: the nautical words for left and right. If you are standing looking towards the front of a ship or airship, the port side is the left-hand side, and starboard is the right.
Zeppelin: a type of airship. It has an oval-shaped “balloon”, beneath which is a rigid metal framework filled with bags of gas to keep the ship afloat. The passenger and crew area – or gondola – is usually situated under the main balloon, and can be quite roomy. (Unless you’re hitching a ride in the Ladybird, in which case it’s a little bit cosy.)
Acknowledgements
Cogs and chronometers, this book has taken an age to write! Numerous splendid people have aided its progress. My profuse and prodigious thanks to all the following…
The tenacious early readers who gave their heartfelt wisdom, including: Richy, Danny, Sarah and Connor, the Runcible Spoons, the Blue Room Writers, the SCBWI gang, and most especially my sister Hannah.
The tremendous editorial team of Rebecca Hill and Becky Walker for their thoughtful edits and inspired characterful additions. Sarah Stewart for her capital copy editing. Katharine Millichope for her captivating cover and Becca Stadtlander for her stunning illustrations. Sarah Cronin for her beautiful text design. Amy, Stevie and Hannah for their masterful marketing and prolific PR. Everyone at Usborne for their exceptional assistance in making it happen – you have been the perfect home for Cogheart.
Thanks to my super agent Jo Williamson for all her ideas and enthusiasm, and for her unwavering belief in me. To Mum and Dad for their support and inspiration throughout my many crazy artistic endeavours. And above all, to Michael for always being there with good food, great company, sensible advice and silly jokes. Finally, as promised, a big hello to my splendid nieces and nephews: Lyra, Avery, Zander and Orly; Chloe, Tiffany and Kian. I hope one day you will read this book and thoroughly enjoy it!
About the author
Peter grew up in South London in a rambling Victorian house with three cats, two dogs, one sister an antique-dealer dad and an artist mum.
He is a BAFTA-winning animator, as well as a writer and film-maker. Like Lily and Robert, Peter loves adventures and reading penny dreadfuls, but wishes dearly that he had a mechanical fox called Malkin.
Cogheart is his first novel.
You can find out more about Peter at www.peterbunzl.com and on Twitter @peterbunzl
Head over to
www.cogheart.com
for more magic, mechanicals
and mystery…
First published in the UK in 2016 by Usborne Publishing Ltd., Usborne House, 83-85 Saffron Hill, London EC1N 8RT, England. www.usborne.com
Text © Peter Bunzl, 2016
Photo of Peter Bunzl © Thomas Butler
Cover and inside illustrations, including map by Becca Stadtlander © Usborne Publishing, 2016
Fir trees silhouettes © ok-sana / Thinkstock; Key © VasilyKovalek / Thinkstock; Brick wall © forrest9 / Thinkstock; Wind-up Key © jgroup / Thinkstock; Clock © Vasilius / Shutterstock; Hand drawn border © Lena Pan / Shutterstock; Exposed clockwork © Jelena Aloskina / Shutterstock; Metallic texture © mysondanube / Thinkstock; Plaque © Andrey_Kuzmin / Thinkstock; Burned paper © bdspn / Thinkstock; Crumpled paper © muangsatun / Thinkstock; Newspaper © kraphix / Thinkstock; Old paper © StudioM1 / Thinkstock; Coffee ring stains © Kumer / Thinkstock
The right of Peter Bunzl to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
The name Usborne and the devices are Trade Marks of Usborne Publishing Ltd.
All rights reserved. This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or used in any way except as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or loaned or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
EPUB: 9781474919302
Batch no: 03981-02