In this unpredictable novel, absent-minded Philip Breeze confronts Bartholomew Tullock, the man determined to control the village of Pinruit. Breeze comes from a family of inventors, and his greatest inventions happen to be fans of all shapes and sizes. Tullock resents Breeze for marrying Elizabeth, the girl Tullock had hoped to have for his own. In revenge, Tullock develops a machine that creates an eternal winter. As fan sales drop, Breeze struggles to preserve his business and his self-respect. In doing so, he learns that he values his wife and two children, Rufus and Madeline, more than his career and even his freedom.
Breeze’s family remains loyal to him, despite his idiosyncracies. They each sacrifice their pride and safety to preserve family unity. Rufus and Madeline enjoy a close relationship. Their father’s conflict with the tyrannical Tullock sends them on separate, but rather fantastic adventures. They overcome the challenges they encounter by imagining how their sibling would handle the situation. All of Williams’ protagonists stand by their principles and defend their personal freedom as well as that of their neighbors. This book should appeal to boys and girls alike.
Jennifer Minicus lives in Ridgewood, NJ. Her love for the formation of young people inspired her interest in children’s literature.
