Castle MacPelican is the home of Hector MacPelican, inventor of extraordinary machines and Head of the Clan MacPelican. When Thomas and Esmerelda arrive there for a visit, they find that Uncle Hector has set them each a treasure hunt, with lots of puzzles to solve and things to spot along the way. The setting of each highly-detailed double-page spread is a different room in the castle. As well as joining in the treasure hunt, the reader has, in every picture, to help the spiders Spinner and Webley find a route to escape from Dustina, the maid; find all twenty MacPelican dogs; help Aunt Forgetlia recover the things she has lost; discover if Great Uncle Figment is telling the truth; assist Snoddy the Butler in tidying the castle; spot the thief and find what it is he's stolen - and lots more besides! Scoular Anderson spent a number of years working as an illustrator for London University. He turned freelance in 1986 and has illustrated over a hundred books - around thirty of which he has written as well. These include many joke and puzzle books, picture books and non-fiction. He has also written a play and a number of stories for adults that have been broadcast on BBC Radio.