Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors (Children of the Red King Series #4)

by Jenny Nimmo

Overview

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?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780439545280
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	05/05/2005
Series:	Children of the Red King Series , #4
Pages:	432
Product dimensions:	5.82(w) x 8.34(h) x 1.33(d)
Lexile:	770L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Jenny Nimmo is the author of the NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling Children of the Red King series as well as GRIFFIN'S CASTLE, THE DRAGON'S CHILD, and the award-winning Magician Trilogy, all published by Orchard Books. Several of her books have been awarded and shortlisted for the Smarties Prize, the Carnegie Medal, the Whitbread Award, and the WH Smith Mind-Boggling Books Award. She lives with her husband in an old mill in Wales.

Editorial Reviews

Booklist 9/1/05
\\\\\\\\Nimmo, Jenny. Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors. 2005. 432p. Scholastic/Orchard, $9.95 (0-439-54528-5).
Gr. 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 Bone. 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 Phelan
SLJ 10/1/05
NIMMO, Jenny. Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors. 411p. (Children of the Red King Series). Scholastic/Orchard. 2005. Tr $9.95. ISBN 0-439-54528-5. LC number unavailable.
Gr 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

VOYA 10/1/05
Challenges and dangers continue to follow Charlie Bone wherever he goes in this sequel to Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy. Evil Dr. Bloor believes that he has resurrected a despicable ancestor without realizing the B on the casket stood for Berenice, the good queen, rather than the warrior Borlath. The endowed children gain another protector, but three more endowed students arrive at the academy and use their gifts of magnetism and telekinesis to aid the Bloors. The balance literally shifts toward the dark side when it is discovered that Olivia has the ability to create illusions. The terrifying results are enough to cause the Bloors to give up their control over hapless Billy Raven. The children work together to restore the balance and all ends well – for now. Charlie, ever hopeful of being reunited with his missing father, receives a tantalizing clue on the last two pages.
As always, Nimmo spins an imaginative, absorbing tale that will not disappoint fans of Charlie and company. Characters continue to develop and grow while the introduction of new bad guys and girls promises future botherations for the ingenious bunch. It is a treat to see the team of endowed children and adults treated with respect by each other. Too often, authors fall back on portraying children as smart-mouthed independents and adults as clueless and useless. The question now is who will complete their quest first- Charlie or Mr. Potter?

From the Publisher

Gr 4-7-Charlie Bone is off on another action-packed adventure in this recording of Jenny Nimmo's fourth book (Orchard Books, 2005) in the Children of the Red King series. Listeners will need to be familiar with the previous books in the series in order to follow the extended cast of characters and their endowments-magical gifts that are bestowed upon descendents of the Red King-or they will become lost in the quickly moving plot. Charlie begins his second year at Bloor Academy with a bang, receiving detention his very first morning back at school. A literally magnetic new student, a mystical white horse, an ethereal woman with a gift for plants, and young Billy Raven, who can talk to animals, each play a substantial part while Charlie is swept up into a mystery revolving around the Castle of Mirrors during his ongoing search for his missing father. Subtle humor brings a lighter touch into the convoluted and shifting loyalties among the students and instructors at Bloor. Actor Simon Russell Beale reads with aplomb and grace, giving each character, whether man or beast, a distinct voice that makes the many players come to life. A good purchase for both school and public libraries where the series is popular.-Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

The new school year at Bloor's Academy doesn't begin well for Charlie Bone and forebodes hardship for the endowed descendents of the Red King. Will Charlie find his father? As she has done in the previous three books, Jenny Nimmo melds remarkable comrades, adventure, and fantasy into a whirlwind outing. Simon Russell Beale continues as narrator for the series. His commanding voice brings authority and depth to the tale. His Charlie is ever determined, if sometimes scared or chagrined. His supporting cast stands out--a scheming Ezekiel, a comforting and majestic Uncle Yewbeam, and an ethereal Alice Angel. Beale's pacing keeps the listener on edge. A.R. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine

JUN/JUL 06 - AudioFile