Interest Level: Ages 9 to 12
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Subjects/Themes: Magic, Death of a Family Member, Father and Son Relations,
Plot: A child’s birthday is usually a fun event but not Gwyn’s because four years ago that was the day that his sister went missing. His mother wants this birthday to be different but his father is still mourning. Then Gwyn's grandmother tells him that he's descended from a line of magicians and he may be one as well. She said as a magician it’s possible to get your heart’s desire. And more then anything else he desires, Gwyn wants his sister back. With the activation of five magical objects, Gwyn starts on a journey of understanding, both magical and real.
Personal Thoughts: There is a large amount of tension between Gwyn and his father. It is very apparent from the beginning that Gwyn's father blames him for the loss of his sister. When Gwyn is given the magical objects the reader hopes that he will do something good with them. Instead Gwyn repeatedly ignores his grandmother's warnings to be careful. The appearance of Eirlys, a ghostly reincarnation of his sister, changes the family dynamics. While there are some sad under tones and ghostly aspects to this story, it is still an easy read at only 146 pages. The vocabulary is simple and the story flows well.
Note: Book was originally published in the United Kingdom in 1986. This review refers to the United States 2006 edition.
Awards:
Nestlé Smarties Book Prize (1986)
Tir na n-Og Awards (1987)
Series Info: Book One of the Magician Trilogy
Sequel: Emlyn's Moon (2007)
Author Website: Jenny Nimmo's Offical Website
Other Books by the Author: Children of the Red King Series; The Dragon's Child (2008); Griffin's Castle (2007);
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