When her parents journey to India, young Celia Anagusta Sinclair, known to all as Coppertop, finds herself alone in a grand but quiet house. Rather than succumb to loneliness, she invents an entire kingdom. She creates two invisible brothers so she won't be without family, and befriends the mischievous Tibbs and Kiddiwee, who introduce her to a hidden world where gnomes, fairies, and strange creatures stir each night after she falls asleep. Her mission: to conjure a proper December day for her parents' homecoming, bringing winter's magic to a land of endless sun. Written in the early 20th century, this whimsical fantasy captures something essential about childhood resilience, that tender alchemy by which a child transforms absence into adventure, and solitude into a world populated by friends both seen and unseen. It is for readers who remember believing in kingdoms that existed just past the edge of sleep.
