Home › Animals › The City Under the Back Steps
  • The City Under the Back Steps by Evelyn Sibley Lampman book cover
  • The City Under the Back Steps by Evelyn Sibley Lampman book cover
1 2

The City Under the Back Steps

by Evelyn Sibley Lampman Publisher: PURPLE HOUSE PR

A hidden city in the ant world

$18.74 USD
$23.43 USD $18.74 USD
Save 20%

Paperback New

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.
Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

AlbakiReads Editorial

A hidden city in the ant world

Jill and Craig’s unexplained shrinking brings them into an ant colony where they are made to work alongside its inhabitants. The colony’s strict hierarchy and division of roles give the story a miniature society to explore, while the arrival of rival red ants puts that community in danger. The adventure combines fantasy with a close look at ant life, and the edition includes 27 illustrations by Honor.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Children ages 9–12 interested in fantasy adventures.
  • Young readers curious about insects and the organization of ant colonies.
  • Readers who enjoy stories that pair an imaginative predicament with animal-world detail.

Themes

Ant colonies and social hierarchyCooperation and assigned rolesThreats to a communityFantasy and nature

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

Meet Jill and Craig, two children who mysteriously shrink and are taken prisoner by an ant colony.

 

Down beneath the ground they are herded, to the city under the back steps and the complex world of the ant colony. Here where the haughty Queen rules with an iron hand, each of her subjects has a vital role to perform, and Jill and Craig are put to work. But no sooner had they become involved in the daily routine of the colony when an army of red ants sweeps down, threatening the destruction of the city and its inhabitants, including Jill and Craig!

Evelyn Sibley Lampman's exciting fantasy, sure to ignite an interest in nature, accurately explores the fascinating hierarchy of the ant world.

 

27 original illustrations by Honor

Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews

M
AlbakiReads
Malaika Taylor

I highly recommend to for anyone looking for inner clarity

T
AlbakiReads
Thomas DiMassa

Great service and fast service

E
AlbakiReads
Ella

Great shopping experience! The book arrived quickly, was well packaged, and matched the description perfectly. I would definitely shop with you again

O
AlbakiReads
Olivia

Smooth.