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1996 · not illustrated yet

Ben's Den In Brightlingsea

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“A sofa, a kettle and a stream of visitors nobody could explain.”

Ben's den is the perfect hideout: a battered shed behind the sea wall with a sofa and a kettle. It is our private kingdom. Or so we think. We keep finding mugs that aren't ours and the biscuits keep disappearing. Who else knows about our secret spot, and what are they doing in there?

It was our den. So why did the teapot feel... warm?

From the back cover

Behind the sea wall at Brightlingsea sits a shed. To us, it's a palace. We have a sofa, a gas ring for tea, and total privacy. Or do we? Strange things keep happening – mysterious visitors, missing custard creams. It seems our secret den isn't so secret after all. The parents just thought we liked the sea air.

Where
A shed behind the sea wall, Brightlingsea
When
Long afternoons, summer
Who
Ben, Me, Visitors nobody could explain
Props
A sofa, A kettle, A dog that barked at the wrong people
The oblivious grown-up
Our parents thought we were fishing
Got away with
We honestly did not know what we were looking at