Ella Minnow Pea is a novel told through a series of letters, set on the fictional island of Nollop, home to the great Nevin Nollop, inventor of the pangram “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog”. The islanders have erected a monument to their hero, but one day the letter ‘z’ falls from the statue’s inscription. To the despair of the residents, the island’s governing council interpret the falling tile as Nollop’s message from beyond the grave and the islanders are forbidden to write or even speak it. And then another letter falls, and another and another…

Mark Dunn tells the fable through the correspondence of Ella Minnow Pea and her family as they race to find the only thing which can save them all from being silenced: another pangram. Somewhere between a game and a political allegory, this hugely enjoyable book is a testament to the glory of language and freedom of speech. For more on Ella Minnow Pean, click here