The borrowers - Mary Norton

Puffin Classics: the definitive collection of timeless stories, for every child.

'Don't move!' said a voice, and the voice, like the eye, was enormous but somehow, hushed
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and hoarse like a surge of wind through the grating on a stormy night in March. Arrietty froze. 'So this is it,' she thought, 'the worst and most terrible thing of all: I have been "seen"!

The Borrowers live in the secret places of quiet old houses; behind the mantelpiece, inside the harpsichord, under the kitchen clock. They own nothing, borrow everything, and never forget their most important rule: you must never, ever be 'seen' by the human beans.

Arrietty is desperate to be an expert Borrower like her father, Pod. But it's dangerous work, and girls are forbidden to venture Upstairs. Arrietty is thrilled to be given a chance to prove herself - but disaster strikes on her very first outing: she is seen by The Boy! But to everyone's surprise, a wonderful, unlikely friendship is formed. But soon the Borrowers find themselves in terrible danger, and only The Boy can help.

Full of wonderfully inventive details and beautiful, gentle humour, The Borrowers is a timeless tale of bravery, friendship and borrowing . . .

"Beautifully written, poetic and almost always alarming, the Borrowers have something very mysterious, sad and exciting about them" - Sunday Times