Franklin's Emporium: The White Lace Gloves

A positive review of this book from an Amazon customer:

I am delighted with the Franklin’s Emporium books I have read, The Pet Shop Mystery and The White Lace Gloves. The books are attractively produced and from the first two sentences of each I was hooked, intrigued to discover how the stories unfolded. The personality of Alex comes alive in each adventure, as do the other characters. Fantasy and magic are woven into the tales in a way that is plausible and amusing, while Aleksei Bitskoff’s illustrations enhance Gill Vickery’s superb story-telling. I couldn’t put the books down and am sending copies to my niece and nephew, for I know they will love to read them. We eagerly await the next in the series.

 

 "...Franklin's was a huge art deco department store, built about eighty years ago when Golden Bay was what my mum called, "a playground for the wealthy." Then the town went out of fashion and Franklin's closed down. It was put up for sale and let it out in "units"."

 

"...Even though it looked like a squashed toad I recognized the scowl. The green dress flapping round the bony shoulders was familiar as well. And the lace gloves on its clenched hands.

This mummy-thing was... "

 

"...She sat on the bed as if her legs had suddenly turned to jelly and slithered down against the pillows.

"I think I'll have a little nap," she murmured and snuggled up to her pillow like a baby resting against its mum's shoulder."

Mechanical Family

 Mechanical family. Father with his daughter and adopted son Boris. They fly from planet to planet in search of their mother. They have a small spacecraft that constantly breaks down and they have to fix it. They also have a holographic map of several galactic sectors.

Crystalolokatl - troll with phosphorus crystal formations on his back that glow in the darkness. 

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Forest Dweller and friends

1. Tookhiooku the Forest Dweller. He has a flask with the elixir of longevity and health. Forest Dwellers grow little trees on their heads, which bear delicious fruits, then trees fall off. Dwellers use them to build cradles for their babies. They eat mostly berries and mushrooms.

2. Rabbit Chu. He loves strawberry jam, lives under ferns. His one eye looks into the past and the other into the future.

3. Cheese Sage - very intelligent, but lonely creature. Some Cheese Sages are able to gather a crowd of students.

4. Rabbit Wha-wha-kee. They live near lakes and rivers and eat mostly fish.

5. Bearded Nuku-Nuku rabbit from the islands. He has prickly ears and good mood.

6. Pea Fairy has five talking peas inside, who can answer any 3 questions. 

1. Тукиуку Лесной житель. Он носит на шее фляжку с эликсиром долголетия и здоровья. Осенью у него на голове начинают расти деревца-рожки, которые плодоносят у началу декабря, а потом отваливаются. Из рожек Лесные Жители строят колыбельки для своих малышей. Питаются в основном грибами и ягодами.

2. Кролик Чу Первый. Любит земляничное варенье, живет под папоротником. Одним глазом смотрит в прошлое, а другим в будущее.

3.  Сырный мудрец - очень умный, но одинокий. Некоторые Сырные мудрецы могут собрать толпы учеников. 

4. Кролик Ва-ва-ки. Живет возле озер, питается рыбой.

5. Бородатый кролик Нуку-нуку с островов. У Нуку-нуку колючие уши и добрый нрав.

6. Горошковый фей. Внутри него пять говорящих горошинок.