The Whatnot

Twelve-year-old Pikey Thomas is missing an eye, a family, and friends of any sort. Named for the box he was found in-Thomas Ltd. Crackers and Biscuits. Premium Quality-Pikey lives under the chemist's shop and does odd jobs for him. One day, running from bigger boys set on bullying him, Pikey finds himself in front of a grand, beautiful house. There he meets a black-winged faery who begs for his help. The faery's wing is damaged-cricked and hanging at an uncomfortable angle-and Pikey clicks it back into place. It's a small gesture of kindness and bravery in steam-powered Victorian London, where faeries, now banned, are on the run or imprisoned, where the human armies are preparing for war, and where the changeling Bartholomew Kettle, aided by Arthur Jelliby, still searches for his missing sister, Hettie.