This has been nagging me for years and years.  I am coming up 63 years of age now and I would be eternally grateful to anyone whom could help me.  It is a story that I read when I was about  10 – 12 years old …………… so probably from the 1950’s or 1960’s.  It haunts my dreams – although (however hard I try) I cannot recollect a title.  It is an English book (I am English – although, now, live in NZ) about a girl called PERDITA and a MOUNTAIN.  A mystery story, I think.  Hoping for some help! 

This story is one of many characters, and is beautifully illustrated. I recall one character as very tall, lanky man, dressed in oranges, reds, and browns, almost as if a medieval or early renaissance peasant. His hair is a very red-hued brown, spiky, and seems to have its own agenda. His face is freckled, ruddy, and very long. He has no facial hair, from what I recall. His ears are pointed, almost as if elven, and his neck is quite thin. Layers of these dark red and burnt-orange-colored and brown tunics fall over spindly legs covered in what looks like tights of the same colors. His shoes are pointed and seem to have no soles. He is also shrouded in fire, and at one point in the story, he cooks a feast of meats and vegetables for the group, as there were no ovens or other ways to cook. Another character is a large, green-hued man with a very round face, and maybe no neck. He is smiling and dressed in greens. His tunic is flowing and I believe his tights are brown. In the story, he grows tall, as a leafy tree, and protects the group of travelers from wind and rain. There are other characters, but I cannot remember many details. In the story, they are all traveling to meet a Czar, for what reason I do not know. The czar has a pointy beard. I also recall a character who resembles a bee, short, with a pointy nose, and wearing a yellow and black striped tunic. At one point, he turns into a swarm of bees to fight of an intruder. The illustrations are many, and greatly detailed. I know it is not a lot to go on….

I’m looking for a kid’s/youth book that had fantastic full page illustrations, and was fairly long. It featured a goblin/elf/hobbit-like creature who went on a quest, and at the end of the book, there was a large stone staircase where you would turn to stone/statue, but the main character managed to avoid being turned to stone and complete his quest. I can’t remember much more than that, but the illustrations were great, and very dark in colour.