An ancient school in the middle of nowhere for magical children – you might think Harry Potter – well yes and no. There are similarities but this series by jenny Nimmo is very different but will be very much enjoyed by fans of Harry Potter, particularly the 9-11 year olds. There are 8 in all and in each one the plots twist and turn unpredictably and the stories are truly magical, fun and very enjoyable. Ten year old Charlie King is a descendent of The Red King and like many of the descendents including Charlie’s father they’ve inherited some of the Red King’s magical powers. Charlie must continue to use his powers against the evil Bloors - werewolves, hypnotists, mind-readers, sorcerers and witches - to try and find his father. He has many loyal friends to help him do so but on his quest evil threatens him at every turn but Charlie’s indomitable spirit keeps him going. Alongside Olivia, Fidelio, Benjamin and Emma battles are won and their small victories are interwoven with Charlie's long and dangerous quest to find his father. Their struggles to find Charlie’s father all take place at Bloor's Academy, an ancient school where the endowed descendents of the Red King can be watched and controlled. But it’s not just the evil Bloors that Charlie has to contend with; he must also beware his sinister grandmother and her three grim sisters. Here the eternal conflict within families, the battles of siblings divided by jealousy and by their perceptions of good and evil, right and wrong.
Charlie's Uncle Paton has dashed off to try to stop the Yewbeam aunts' latest plan, but when Grandma Bone greets the arrival of Belle with delight, could this be what Paton left hoping to prevent? At Bloor's, Emma finds art teacher Mr Boldova is the brother of the mysterious Ollie Sparks, made invisible by the blue boa. Belle joins the more nastily endowed, and Charlie realises she is Yolanda, an evil shapeshifter who brought up Charlie's nasty aunts. She wipes Mr Boldova's mind, leaving only his rat, Rembrandt, to tell Billy Raven what's happened. Soon Charlie will have to face the terrible sorcerer Skarpo again to free his friend.
Jenny Nimmo lives in a converted watermill in Wales. Her husband, David Wynn Millward, is a painter and print-maker, and all three of her children speak Welsh fluently. She finds Wales, a land of legends, a very inspiring place to live.
For as long as she can remember, Jenny has loved books. At boarding school, reading was her way to overcome loneliness or boredom. However, she is aware that not everyone finds reading comes easily, and feels passionately that every child should have all the help they need, and access to as many books as they want.
Click here to read a Q&A with the author from top children's publisher Egmont.
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