Midnight Blue

This novel, Pauline Fisk's first, won the Smarties Prize and was short-listed for the Guardian Award. Bonnie escapes from her unhappy urban life via a hot-air-balloon into an idyllic parallel world, where she finds counterparts of her own family. Problems recur, however, when her domineering grandmother reappears as a sinister witch-like figure. Eventually, to save her new family, Bonnie is forced to return to real life, where she finds that matters have been resolved - somewhat unconvincingly - in her absence. There is an abundance of stock-in-trade fantasy elements - a necklace with supernatural powers, underground caverns, mythical guardian-figures, a magical mirror - and too many disparate threads for a satisfying whole. The evocative description will appeal, though.