'When Dotty starts hearing noises in the chimney she thinks it must be jackdaws. But the truth is altogether more strange and magical than she ever could have imagined.'Dotty Parsons is an ordinary nine year old girl from Cardiff. Following the tragic death of her parents in a house fire at their family home, she is sent to live with her Great Uncle Winchester at the Calendar House, a large country house in Yorkshire. As the days pass it very soon becomes clear that everything is not as it seems at the Calendar House, as Dotty is constantly disturbed by noises coming from the chimneys. The old cook tells Dotty that it is jackdaws nesting but Dotty struggles to believe her story. So what exactly is going on in the chimneys of the Calendar House?The story follows Dotty's exploration and discovery of the house and its secrets and could be said to fall within the adventure/fantasy genre. However, equally strong themes in the book are those of childhood loss, loneliness, and friendships. Dotty and the Calendar House Key is the first in a series of books about Dotty and her adventures in this world and in the parallel world accessed from the chimneys of the Calendar House. The second book in the series, DOTTY and the Chimney Thief, is due to be released next year. For more information and updates on the DOTTY series, go to: www.dottyonline.co.uk