Frogspell by C J Busby
| Frogspell by C J Busby | |
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| Category: Confident Readers | |
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Reviewer: Jill Murphy
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| Summary: | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 128 | Date: September 2011 |
| Publisher: Templar | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 1848771398 | |
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Arthurian stories and settings never date, do they? I've been devouring them ever since I first learned to read and I'm still not tired of them [censored] years later. And hooray! Here's another.
Frogspell follows Max Pendragon, a peaceable little chap and without doubt the least bellicose of all Camelot's squires. He'd much rather be a wizard than a warrior. But being a wizard is, he finds, as tricky, if not trickier, than sword-wielding. Accidents abound. But when Max inadvertently invents a spell that turns people into frogs, he realises he's on to something and he enters the Novices' Spellmaking Competition. And then he finds himself embroiled in Morgana le Fay's plot to wrest the throne of Camelot from Arthur. Can Max, his sister Olivia and their friends Adolphus the dragon and Ferocious the rat help Merlin win the day?
Aww. I loved this little book. Perfect for those children just coming into reading "proper" books All By Themselves, it's cheerful and quaint and funny. It has a lively feel about it and readers will dance right through its pages. Busby hits exactly the right notes - she has well-rounded, loveable characters, in particular a super reluctant hero in Max. She has a great sense of humour that will make the kids guffaw and the grown-ups offer a wry smile. And her magic blends seamlessly with the adventure.
David Wyatt's illustrations cap each chapter perfectly, too, with energy and pizazz.
Recommended.
Slightly older readers will enjoy Pendragon Legacy: Sword of Light by Katherine Roberts, which follows Rhianna Pendragon, daughter of King Arthur. And no child should miss The Sword in the Stone by T H White.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Frogspell by C J Busby at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Frogspell by C J Busby at Amazon.com.
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