Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors
Jenny Nimmo
Over 3.4 million Charlie Bone books in print!!!Charlie's power is taking on a new dimension as he meets a new cast of characters, including Mr. Pilgrim's replacement, Tantalus Ebony, and the mysterious new student Joshua Tilpin, who appears to be magnetic. But Charlie isn't the only one dealing with changes . . . Billy has been adopted by a child-hating couple called the O'Gres, who carry a gray bag of oaths wherever they go, pressuring Billy to sign an oath of obedience, and locking him behind a force field in an odd place called The Passing House. Will Charlie be able to rescue Billy and uncover the mystery behind Joshua's power?From School Library JournalGrade 5-8–Charlie Bone is starting a new school year and once again there are unpleasant surprises in store for him and his friends at Bloor's Academy. Little Billy Raven has finally been adopted, but the sinister de Greys have other plans for Billy, and it is up to Charlie and his friends to find a way to save him. Nimmo once again delivers an exciting, plot-driven tale that is sure to please fantasy and adventure fans. This new chapter in Charlie's saga is full of plot twists and thrills that will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series. While the character development is a bit lacking, fantasy fans will enjoy the story.–Anna M. Nelson, Collier County Public Library, Naples, FL Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistGr. 4-6. In the fourth book of the projected five in the Red King series, Charlie Bone and his friends (and enemies) begin a new term at Bloor's Academy, where many of the students and staff are endowed with magical abilities. Hoping to find his father and help a friend, Charlie travels to the ominous Castle of Mirrors. Nimmo adds several inventive elements to this magical world, including the transformation of Charlie's wand into a silent creature of mysterious power. Explaining the complex background story and introducing the many characters to new readers slows down the action quite a bit at the start, but the pace picks up nicely when Charlie goes to the rescue of his friend Billy. Prediction: this fantasy should do quite well, assuming a continuing demand for stories about a nice lad with magical powers who goes to boarding school, longs to see his father, has adventures, makes a few mistakes, and gets by with a little help from his friends. Carolyn PhelanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reservedAbout the AuthorJenny Nimmo lives in a converted watermill in Wales. Her husband, David, 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. She feels passionately that every child should have access to as many books as they want. Jenny enjoys writing about magic because it is inexplicable and unpredictable, and anything can happen. In 1986 her book, The Snow Spider, won the Smarties Grand Prix, and in 1987 it was awarded the Tir na n-Og by the Welsh Arts Council. The Rinaldi Ring, was chosen as Guardian Book of the Week and was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and received a commendation.
