The Old Tobacco Shop

Sometimes, being disobedient brings unbelievable surprises.

When five-year-old Freddie is warned by Toby Littleback, the proprietor of the local tobacco shop, never to touch the jar shaped like a man’s head, he can’t resist.

Suddenly Freddie is transported to the Spanish Main, as pirates pursue his sinking ship in the search for hidden treasure. How will he escape their clutches and return home?

A cross between ‘Peter Pan’ and ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, this action-packed fantasy story for children features flying carpets, skulduggery, and gold. Perfect for fans of fantasy adventure fiction.



William Alvin Bowen (1877-1937) was an American attorney and children’s author. His best-known work was fantasy novel ‘The Old Tobacco Shop: A True Account of What Befell a Little Boy in Search of Adventure’, which was runner-up in the inaugural Newbery Medal in 1922.

His other works include: ‘The Enchanted Forest’ (1920), ‘Solario the Tailor: His Tales of the Magic Doublet’ (1922), ‘Merrimeg’ (1923), ‘Philip and the Faun’ (1926), and ‘Gossip from the Sixteenth Century’ (1938).