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Children's Book Reviews
Page One of Two
Drowned Wednesday
by Garth Nix
Scholastic, March, 2005
Hardcover, 389 pages
ISBN: 0439700868
Ages 9 and up
Ordering information:
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Arthur Penhaligon is flat on his back in a hospital bed with a painful broken
leg and the aftereffects of a rather bad asthma attack. After his adventures
defeating Mister Monday and Grim Tuesday, he knows that it won't be long before he is
swept back into the alternate dimension known as the House, where he must confront Lady
Wednesday. After all, the Will has declared him to be the Rightful Heir and he has conquered
two of the realms of the House. But Lady Wednesday surprises Arthur by sending him an invitation
to tea on Wednesday, which happens to be today. He's not sure how he's supposed to get there
with a broken leg. But when his good friend Leaf shows up to visit, suddenly his room is
in the middle of a large sea and the hospital bed is their raft. Leaf is found and taken
onto a ship called the Flying Mantis, while Arthur is left adrift on the Border Sea
wondering if he'll meet Lady Wednesday (she's been turned into a ravenous whale, by the way).
Not to worry, soon he's picked up by pirates and hurled headlong onto a high-seas adventure
full of danger, magic and thrills.
This third book takes "The Keys to the Kingdom" series to an entirely new level. Australian
author Garth Nix is one of the most inventive and talented young adult authors writing
today. He apparently has an inexhaustible trove of inventive ideas that he draws on at will.
Heaven knows what will happen to Arthur on Thursday (the hair-raising last scene gives a
bit of a clue), but whatever happens, Nix's legions of fans will be there.
--Claire E. White
Magyk: Septimus Heap
by Angie Sage
Katherine Tegen Books, March, 2005
Hardcover, 564 pages
ISBN: 0345460782
Ages 9 and up
Ordering information:
Amazon.com
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Amazon.co.uk
Septimus Heap was born the 7th son of a 7th son, and we all know what that means: a powerful
wizard has been born. But just after young Septimus is born to his
very pleasant wizarding parents, the baby is declared dead by the midwife. On his way home
through the forest, Septimus' father, Ordinary Wizard Silas finds an infant baby girl whom
he and his wife adopt at the urgings of the ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia. When the baby girl
Jenna is ten, Marcia tells the Heaps that the girl they have raised is really the long-lost
princess and heir to the Kingdom. Jenna's secret has come to the ears of the evil
necromancer DomDaniel, who has taken over the Kingdom, murdered wizards and taken over Marcia's
home in the wizards' pyramid. Now Marcia, Jenna, the Heaps and a hapless army guard named
Boy 412 are on the run to escape their fate. They make their way to the Marram Marshes to
shelter at Aunt Zelda's. But DomDaniel will not be defeated so easily, and he has the
dreaded Hunter on their trail.
Angie Sage is well-known as an author of picture books and chapter books, and she easily
makes the jump to full-length young adult novels with Magyk. Ms. Sage creates a
solid foundation for a projected series with this entertaining story full of wizards,
magic, legends and adventures. With the exception of some pacing problems in the middle
of the book, the story moves along quickly. Because Septimus is presumed dead, the attention
shifts to Princess Jenna as the heroine although she is somewhat one dimensional. But if
the children are not quite as fleshed out in this first book, Ms. Sage more than makes
up for it with the
hilarious ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia and her mentor, the ghost wizard Alther. Boy 412
is exceedingly grumpy for most of the book, but he becomes much more likeable when he
finds a magykal ring and really comes into his own. The magykal spells are set
off in bold type which makes it much
easier for any parent reading aloud to take her cue to read that word specially, which
is a nice innovation. Reminiscent of some of Diana Wynne Jones' works, Magyk is an
excellent start to what is sure to be a popular series.
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