The Magnificent Nose and Other Marvels is a children's picture book written by Anna Fienberg

Anna Fienberg

Anna Fienberg is an Australian writer of young-adult fiction and children's literature.-Biography:Fienberg was born in 1956 in England before moving to Australia at the age of three. She has worked as an editor for School Magazine. In 1988 her first work was published, entitled Billy Bear and the...

 and illustrated by Kim Gamble. It won the 1992 Children's Book of the Year Award for Younger Readers

Children's Book of the Year Award: Younger Readers

The Children's Book of the Year Award: Younger Readers has been presented annually since 1982 by the Children's Book Council of Australia...

, and the 1992 Crichton Award for Children's Book Illustration

Crichton Award for Children's Book Illustration

The Crichton Award for Children's Book Illustration is one of several awards presented annually by the Children's Book Council of Australia ....

. It tells five interconnected stories about children with unusual gifts.

Plot

The book is divided into six parts. Each of the first five parts tells the story of a character, and the final part features all of the main characters together.

Lindalou

Lindalou is born with a golden hammer and nail, the use of which is her main interest. She learns to make wooden boxes, and meets Aristan, a magic spider. After making a trio of boxes, she opens them to find more tiny golden tools: a saw, a clamp and a plane. With these tools, she builds a house in the shape of a boat. Lindalou's story ends when she and her family fly the boat to Kathmandu.

Andy Umm

The timid boy Andy Umm becomes a Cleaner and Animal Feeder at Silliaza Circus. The lion tamer at the circus, Sir. Leonard, refuses to work with the bad-tempered lion Fidel the Ferocious, and leaves. Andy, who can speak to animals, is told by Aristan that Fidel is troubled by the departure of his friend Daphne, a mouse. So Andy finds Daphne in a field, who returns to the circus, appeasing Fidel. The circus show that night is successful, and Andy is made Head Lion Tamer of the circus.

Curious Ferdinand

Ferdinand Feedelbenz, a very curious boy, is fascinated by the human body. One day, he is given spectacles that allow him to see inside the bodies of others and diagnose their illnesses. He becomes a famous doctor, and is called to see the Prime Minister of the land. Aristan is found to be inside the Prime Minister's ear.

Ignatius Binz

Ignatius Binz grows up in a perfume factory, and has a highly sensitive nose. After meeting Aristan, Ignatius eaves home and searches for adventure. After successfully preventing a fire in a bottled gas factory, Ignatius becomes captain of a fire brigade.

Valentina Lookwell

Acting upon the advice of Aristan, Valentina Lookwell makes paintings that reflect the inner characters of people. After resolving a conflict between a postman and dog, it is discovered that Sir. Grimbald, the landlord of the street, is intending to replace the existing homes with a Crocodile Park. After Valentina makes a painting for Mr. Grimbald, the plans to replace the street are dropped.

The Last Word

Lindalou, Andy, Ferdinand, Ignatius and Valentina gather on an aeroplane and meet Aristan and a writer. The writer is implied to be the author of the book.