This is a series of short stories about the Armitage family. Mrs, Armitage wished on a magic stone for strange and interesting things to happen in her life- mostly on Mondays. The stories cover ghosts, Furies, unicorns and other supernatural events that mostly happen on Monday.
There is no modern violence in these stories, they are creative, whimsical and sweet. ( )

When Mrs. Armitage finds a wishing stone at the beach on her honeymoon and wishes for children who will never be bored, she has little idea of the magical adventures she is setting in motion in this charming collection of ten short stories. Whether contending with unicorns unexpectedly turning up on a Tuesday (as opposed to the more customary Monday), being turned out of their home by the Board of Incantation, or struggling to rid themselves of a mythological apple that brings nothing but trouble (what a surprise...), Mark and Harriet Armitage are as far from bored as it is possible to get...

Perhaps best known for her series of alternative-historical adventures for children, which began with the brilliant The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Joan Aiken was also a prolific short-story writer, publishing well over twenty collections in the course of her career. Armitage, Armitage, Fly Away Home, originally published in 1965, was the fourth of these collections, and is unique, in that the stories all center around the same cast of characters: the Armitage family. Aiken is at the top of her game here, and her sly wit and engaging characters make for entertaining reading. The black and white illustrations by Betty Fraser are an added pleasure!

Addendum: Joan Aiken fans will be pleased to know that this collection of short stories has been reprinted, together with some unpublished material about the Armitage family, as The Serial Garden: The Complete Armitage Family Stories! ( )