The Weirdstone of Brisingamen - pure magic for all ages., 28 Jul 2008
I first came across this book in my english lessons as a first year at secondary school back in 1970. I was so enthralled by the book that I dragged my mum to the bookshop and got her to buy me a copy, which I then read in one marathon stint within a day, not stopping for food or sleep - it really was that good. Nearly 40 years on I still go back to it at least once a year and enjoy it as much now as I did then.

Set in a gentler, rural Cheshire (it was written in 1960) the setting now appears a little dated, as you would expect, but for those who were born close to this time, the nostalgia is very pleasant.

Weaving a story drawn from several celtic and norse tales as well as the legend of Alderley itself, and placing it in the real world (with locations you can visit readily) is the books great strength. Garner fleshes out the characters wonderfully and uses atmosphere and suspense to great effect. Having been underground in West Mine, this is one location he has captured to perfection - I kept thinking I could hear the patter of unshod feet and the scrape of hammers on the sandstone walls all the time I was there.

Children from 11 or so upwards will love this book, as will their parents. The book has an otherworldly quality with something tugging at your mind, but remaining just out of reach. If you enjoy this, then follow it with the sequel, The Moon of Gomrath.

A wonderful read , 28 Sep 2007
I bought this book, for my daughters, after reading the reviews, and read it myself, and was not disappointed !! It is excellent.My daughter is now captured, and a queue of her friends await her finishing the book so they too can join the adventure of Susan and Colin,and their car crash fall into the fight of good and evil.

The book is extremely well written, from start to finish both surprising and enchanting, leaving you will no option but to read The Moon of Gomrath the second book in the series. I would even go so far as to say, Harry Potter you have a rival.(High praise from our household). All in all, an excellent book and a very worthy read.

Even better than I remembered!, 05 Mar 2007
In my last year at primary school, my teacher used to spend the last hour or so on friday afternoons reading aloud to the class. He introduced us to this fantastic book and the memory of friday afternoons enthralled in this story are one of my fondest from my school years. I'm now 32 and bought this book to read again and the memories came flooding back. It's even better as an adult and I can't wait until my children are old enough to read it too.

Fact, Fantasy and Legend, brilliant., 16 Apr 2006
Combinng elements of fantasy, a factual landscape and an ancient lengend (that does exist, not a mere creation of Garners), the author writes with great fluency and creates fantastic characters. The secret about Cadellin and Grimnir at the end of the book nearly gave me a heart attack sheer drama. If it can do this to a 18 year old just imagine how exciting this book will be for young children! Well worth a read whether you are 7 or 70, fully recommended

Better than Harry could ever be, 07 Mar 2006
And don't get me wrong. I do like Harry Potter. But I LOVE The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and its sequel The Moon of Gomrath.

The novel tells the story of how the modern fallout of a century's old theft draws teenage brother and sister Colin and Susan inexorably into the otherworld and forces them to play a key part in the battle. Much to the distress of the wizard Cadellin Silverbrow who just wishes them to be safe and cannot initially figure out why the forces of darkness are apparently targetting them.

But this is no simple tale of good and evil or perhaps more correctly it is not just a simple tale of good and evil. Good and Evil are certainly there and recognisable but they exist at the extremes and most everybody else exists inbetween. There are times when you feel you would like to hit some of the forces of Light over the head with something large and heavy and tell them to stop being such assholes. And unlike in JKR's rather flat characterisations you are meant not to like these characters.(Note - while this is true of Weirdstone it is even truer of the sequel Moon which I will review another time.)

No Matter What is an excellent book in every way: it contains beautiful illustrations, simple rhyming phrases and a moving storyline. It is a simple but funny story of a mother fox's affirmation to her young cub of her unconditional love, and of how she sets her cub's mind at rest about all his worries. Accompanying the hardback book is a small and cuddly fox cub that can be used to illustrate scenes from the story. The set is attractively boxed, making a lovely and substantial gift. This book, illustrated and written by the award-winning Debi Gliori, is suitable for children of 3 years and above. --Susan Naylor

About this Book"A funny and moving expression of the unshakeability of love between parent and child..." --The Scotsman
"Love and warmth oozes through both the words and beautiful illustrations..." --Home and Family Children need to know that above all else they are loved. But in a hectic world where the stresses and strains of busy lives push emotions into the background and practicalities to the fore the little things can sometimes be forgotten, and while an adult can often be content with the mere assumption that those around them care and love them no matter what they do, a child often needs more reassurance.

In No Matter What Debi Gliori tackles this most important of issues with a sense of wit and style that belies the importance of her message, allowing her solemn hero Small to ask the Really Big Questions about the nature of unconditional love and answering them with an intelligence and spirit illuminated by frantic and often hilarious illustrations which tickle the funny bone while providing honest answers.

"Does love wear out?" said Small.
"Does it break or bend?
Can you fix it, stick it, does it mend?"

No Matter What is a deceptively simple and important picture book which tackles a mighty big issue with a stealth and humour that prevents it from slipping into sloppy sentimentality while giving comfort and reassurance to any child who has ever questioned the nature of love.

If you only ever buy one book for the child in your life make it this one. (Age 3 and over) --Susan Harrison

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen - pure magic for all ages., 28 Jul 2008
I first came across this book in my english lessons as a first year at secondary school back in 1970. I was so enthralled by the book that I dragged my mum to the bookshop and got her to buy me a copy, which I then read in one marathon stint within a day, not stopping for food or sleep - it really was that good. Nearly 40 years on I still go back to it at least once a year and enjoy it as much now as I did then.

Set in a gentler, rural Cheshire (it was written in 1960) the setting now appears a little dated, as you would expect, but for those who were born close to this time, the nostalgia is very pleasant.

Weaving a story drawn from several celtic and norse tales as well as the legend of Alderley itself, and placing it in the real world (with locations you can visit readily) is the books great strength. Garner fleshes out the characters wonderfully and uses atmosphere and suspense to great effect. Having been underground in West Mine, this is one location he has captured to perfection - I kept thinking I could hear the patter of unshod feet and the scrape of hammers on the sandstone walls all the time I was there.

Children from 11 or so upwards will love this book, as will their parents. The book has an otherworldly quality with something tugging at your mind, but remaining just out of reach. If you enjoy this, then follow it with the sequel, The Moon of Gomrath.

A wonderful read , 28 Sep 2007
I bought this book, for my daughters, after reading the reviews, and read it myself, and was not disappointed !! It is excellent.My daughter is now captured, and a queue of her friends await her finishing the book so they too can join the adventure of Susan and Colin,and their car crash fall into the fight of good and evil.

The book is extremely well written, from start to finish both surprising and enchanting, leaving you will no option but to read The Moon of Gomrath the second book in the series. I would even go so far as to say, Harry Potter you have a rival.(High praise from our household). All in all, an excellent book and a very worthy read.

Even better than I remembered!, 05 Mar 2007
In my last year at primary school, my teacher used to spend the last hour or so on friday afternoons reading aloud to the class. He introduced us to this fantastic book and the memory of friday afternoons enthralled in this story are one of my fondest from my school years. I'm now 32 and bought this book to read again and the memories came flooding back. It's even better as an adult and I can't wait until my children are old enough to read it too.

Fact, Fantasy and Legend, brilliant., 16 Apr 2006
Combinng elements of fantasy, a factual landscape and an ancient lengend (that does exist, not a mere creation of Garners), the author writes with great fluency and creates fantastic characters. The secret about Cadellin and Grimnir at the end of the book nearly gave me a heart attack sheer drama. If it can do this to a 18 year old just imagine how exciting this book will be for young children! Well worth a read whether you are 7 or 70, fully recommended

Better than Harry could ever be, 07 Mar 2006
And don't get me wrong. I do like Harry Potter. But I LOVE The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and its sequel The Moon of Gomrath.

The novel tells the story of how the modern fallout of a century's old theft draws teenage brother and sister Colin and Susan inexorably into the otherworld and forces them to play a key part in the battle. Much to the distress of the wizard Cadellin Silverbrow who just wishes them to be safe and cannot initially figure out why the forces of darkness are apparently targetting them.

But this is no simple tale of good and evil or perhaps more correctly it is not just a simple tale of good and evil. Good and Evil are certainly there and recognisable but they exist at the extremes and most everybody else exists inbetween. There are times when you feel you would like to hit some of the forces of Light over the head with something large and heavy and tell them to stop being such assholes. And unlike in JKR's rather flat characterisations you are meant not to like these characters.(Note - while this is true of Weirdstone it is even truer of the sequel Moon which I will review another time.)

Courtesy of Kids @ Teens Read Too, 01 Oct 2008
As Small puts it, "I'm grim and grumpy, and I don't think you love me at all."

So begins the story of a small fox, who while feeling grim and grumpy attempts to push the limits as to how far Large's love will go.

Large's love is boundless, though, whether Small would be a grumpy grizzly bear, a squishy bug, or a crocodile. Large's love won't wear out, and with time together it can even be fixed.

The glorious illustrations are what make this the perfect bedtime story, and young children will delight in knowing that a parent's love will always be there - no matter what.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

Perfect, 31 Aug 2008
Whenever its time for a bedtime story I always pick this book out (I think the kids might be getting a bit sick of it!) The wording is beautiful and I really love the ending, such a nice simple message for children about unconditional love. Pictures are great too.

Finally!, 29 Jun 2008
I first read about this book in a review column in a newspaper many, many years ago when my own children were small.

Every bookshop, I've been into since then, I've asked for and searched for this book. All the bookshops would point me to 'Guess How Much I love You' which is a nice book but too commercial now with its calendars and baby books and what have you.

So, in fact, I've been a long time searching and meanwhile my children were growing up.

Recently I read about it again on a family forum site. Having the publisher details now, I rushed to Amazon where I bought copies each for my children. Although grown up now, they loved the book and its 'always there' sentiment. All agree it was well worth the wait.

The board book is NOT the original version!!!, 26 Feb 2008
Having already bought this 5-star book for my daughter (who adores it) I bought this one for a friend thinking the board format would be a good idea. But the text is different! The whole part that addresses death in a very simple, clear manner has been replaced by some syrupy watered down text that avoids the subject completely. No mention of this in the introduction - if I buy an abridged version, I want to know about it in advance.

Simply beautiful..., 16 Dec 2007
A wonderful, clever and funny book about unconditional parental love, -what every parent should have bundles of...no matter what! And the most beautiful amd comforting message that love is eternal and enduring...I want my little boy to read this to his children one day and be able to look at the stars and know how much his Mommy STILL loves him.

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen - pure magic for all ages., 28 Jul 2008
I first came across this book in my english lessons as a first year at secondary school back in 1970. I was so enthralled by the book that I dragged my mum to the bookshop and got her to buy me a copy, which I then read in one marathon stint within a day, not stopping for food or sleep - it really was that good. Nearly 40 years on I still go back to it at least once a year and enjoy it as much now as I did then.

Set in a gentler, rural Cheshire (it was written in 1960) the setting now appears a little dated, as you would expect, but for those who were born close to this time, the nostalgia is very pleasant.

Weaving a story drawn from several celtic and norse tales as well as the legend of Alderley itself, and placing it in the real world (with locations you can visit readily) is the books great strength. Garner fleshes out the characters wonderfully and uses atmosphere and suspense to great effect. Having been underground in West Mine, this is one location he has captured to perfection - I kept thinking I could hear the patter of unshod feet and the scrape of hammers on the sandstone walls all the time I was there.

Children from 11 or so upwards will love this book, as will their parents. The book has an otherworldly quality with something tugging at your mind, but remaining just out of reach. If you enjoy this, then follow it with the sequel, The Moon of Gomrath.

A wonderful read , 28 Sep 2007
I bought this book, for my daughters, after reading the reviews, and read it myself, and was not disappointed !! It is excellent.My daughter is now captured, and a queue of her friends await her finishing the book so they too can join the adventure of Susan and Colin,and their car crash fall into the fight of good and evil.

The book is extremely well written, from start to finish both surprising and enchanting, leaving you will no option but to read The Moon of Gomrath the second book in the series. I would even go so far as to say, Harry Potter you have a rival.(High praise from our household). All in all, an excellent book and a very worthy read.

Even better than I remembered!, 05 Mar 2007
In my last year at primary school, my teacher used to spend the last hour or so on friday afternoons reading aloud to the class. He introduced us to this fantastic book and the memory of friday afternoons enthralled in this story are one of my fondest from my school years. I'm now 32 and bought this book to read again and the memories came flooding back. It's even better as an adult and I can't wait until my children are old enough to read it too.

Fact, Fantasy and Legend, brilliant., 16 Apr 2006
Combinng elements of fantasy, a factual landscape and an ancient lengend (that does exist, not a mere creation of Garners), the author writes with great fluency and creates fantastic characters. The secret about Cadellin and Grimnir at the end of the book nearly gave me a heart attack sheer drama. If it can do this to a 18 year old just imagine how exciting this book will be for young children! Well worth a read whether you are 7 or 70, fully recommended

Better than Harry could ever be, 07 Mar 2006
And don't get me wrong. I do like Harry Potter. But I LOVE The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and its sequel The Moon of Gomrath.

The novel tells the story of how the modern fallout of a century's old theft draws teenage brother and sister Colin and Susan inexorably into the otherworld and forces them to play a key part in the battle. Much to the distress of the wizard Cadellin Silverbrow who just wishes them to be safe and cannot initially figure out why the forces of darkness are apparently targetting them.

But this is no simple tale of good and evil or perhaps more correctly it is not just a simple tale of good and evil. Good and Evil are certainly there and recognisable but they exist at the extremes and most everybody else exists inbetween. There are times when you feel you would like to hit some of the forces of Light over the head with something large and heavy and tell them to stop being such assholes. And unlike in JKR's rather flat characterisations you are meant not to like these characters.(Note - while this is true of Weirdstone it is even truer of the sequel Moon which I will review another time.)

Courtesy of Kids @ Teens Read Too, 01 Oct 2008
As Small puts it, "I'm grim and grumpy, and I don't think you love me at all."

So begins the story of a small fox, who while feeling grim and grumpy attempts to push the limits as to how far Large's love will go.

Large's love is boundless, though, whether Small would be a grumpy grizzly bear, a squishy bug, or a crocodile. Large's love won't wear out, and with time together it can even be fixed.

The glorious illustrations are what make this the perfect bedtime story, and young children will delight in knowing that a parent's love will always be there - no matter what.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

Perfect, 31 Aug 2008
Whenever its time for a bedtime story I always pick this book out (I think the kids might be getting a bit sick of it!) The wording is beautiful and I really love the ending, such a nice simple message for children about unconditional love. Pictures are great too.

Finally!, 29 Jun 2008
I first read about this book in a review column in a newspaper many, many years ago when my own children were small.

Every bookshop, I've been into since then, I've asked for and searched for this book. All the bookshops would point me to 'Guess How Much I love You' which is a nice book but too commercial now with its calendars and baby books and what have you.

So, in fact, I've been a long time searching and meanwhile my children were growing up.

Recently I read about it again on a family forum site. Having the publisher details now, I rushed to Amazon where I bought copies each for my children. Although grown up now, they loved the book and its 'always there' sentiment. All agree it was well worth the wait.

The board book is NOT the original version!!!, 26 Feb 2008
Having already bought this 5-star book for my daughter (who adores it) I bought this one for a friend thinking the board format would be a good idea. But the text is different! The whole part that addresses death in a very simple, clear manner has been replaced by some syrupy watered down text that avoids the subject completely. No mention of this in the introduction - if I buy an abridged version, I want to know about it in advance.

Simply beautiful..., 16 Dec 2007
A wonderful, clever and funny book about unconditional parental love, -what every parent should have bundles of...no matter what! And the most beautiful amd comforting message that love is eternal and enduring...I want my little boy to read this to his children one day and be able to look at the stars and know how much his Mommy STILL loves him.

Once is enough..., 16 Sep 2008
Felix is a young Jewish boy that has been living in a poor orphanage within WWII, hoping for the day that his bookseller parents come to save him. One day, floating in the mush of the daily soup, he receives a whole carrot and strongly feels that this is a sign from his parents that they are alive and awaiting his return. So, once a gang of strange German men come to the orphanage and burn a pile of books in the front courtyard, Felix's initial thoughts are solidified, and he takes this as a further sign that his parents need his help and he must venture off in search of them.

In terms of children's books, `Once' is the darkest, most upsetting read I have ever read. Due to the constant train of life-shattering events mixed with the somewhat annoying naivety of the main character, this can become a struggling read with few rewards. It is my opinion that the style of writing can also become irritating, including the use of the word `Once' at the beginning of every paragraph, as well as several key characters that seem to be based on but one aspect of what makes a real child. The story is extremely blunt and tangible, but the individuals you meet along the way are incomplete and seem to be fuelled by clichés and catchphrases.

Out of all the books specifically read for the log, this novel is the least accessible and has limited relevance due to the high emotional aspect of the plot. As to be expected, it is strictly for Year 5 and 6 and used only for studies of World War II from the perspective of the scared and vulnerable.

Well written and well researched.., 07 Jun 2008
although i felt it went a bit beyond the boundaries as it covers almost every aspect of suffering imaginable during world war 2. One small book should not contain such an immense amount of heartbreak, there is only so much we can take in one sitting. This book is meant to break your heart - and it manages it - over and over and over again. I do recommend it, it is a great little book, but be prepared to cry - a lot.

Once - Morris Gleitzman, 28 Apr 2008
I came to this book almost directly after reading The Book Thief and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and this book is definetly a recommendation for anyone who liked those books.

Similar to The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas in many ways, in that the story comes from the view point of a young boy in WWII - different in so much as Felix is a Polish Jew whereas Bruno was a child of a German Officer - but both short books play on the innocence of youth, and gives a heartwarming, moving and tragic story of war from the childs perceptives.

Clearly a childs book, and could be read in one sitting easy enough, that shouldn't be a deterrent as this is an enjoyable book and one which will bring about many a tear and thoughts from many an adult. Thought provoking insight into the war, and one which schools could do well to pick up on as would make an excellent insight into the War for Children. Well worth reading, and if you haven't check out the other books mentioned in this brief review.

Moving and believable, 12 Jul 2006
This was another special book by Morris Gleitzman. I always find that you can read his books quickly and they are easy to read, but they always have depth and a proper story and they always leave you thinking for ages afterwards.

This is a book about a boy called Felix who runs away from the orphanage that he is at during WW2. It is his tale of survival with the people that he meets along the way. The ending is sad. Possiby one of the saddest I have ever read. I was desperate to read it so I finished it during an English lesson at school and I was trying not to cry during the lesson!

A moving and uplifting introduction to the holocaust, 10 Feb 2006
'Once' is one of the most moving, emotional and entertaining books I've read in a long time.

It's about a 9-year-old Jewish boy who's in a Catholic orphanage, believing that his parents are off sorting out their bookselling business and will be back for him any minute. All the evidence points to his parents being dead, but the boy thinks up more and more elaborate (and humorous) explanations for his circumstances, and stays cheerful, because he 'knows' his parents are coming back for him soon.

He runs away to find them and finds Nazis clearing the people out of his town and killing people. Even while the boy is trying to make sense of the horrific things he sees, the story remains uplifting, and there is humour in the most dire of circumstances.

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen - pure magic for all ages., 28 Jul 2008
I first came across this book in my english lessons as a first year at secondary school back in 1970. I was so enthralled by the book that I dragged my mum to the bookshop and got her to buy me a copy, which I then read in one marathon stint within a day, not stopping for food or sleep - it really was that good. Nearly 40 years on I still go back to it at least once a year and enjoy it as much now as I did then.

Set in a gentler, rural Cheshire (it was written in 1960) the setting now appears a little dated, as you would expect, but for those who were born close to this time, the nostalgia is very pleasant.

Weaving a story drawn from several celtic and norse tales as well as the legend of Alderley itself, and placing it in the real world (with locations you can visit readily) is the books great strength. Garner fleshes out the characters wonderfully and uses atmosphere and suspense to great effect. Having been underground in West Mine, this is one location he has captured to perfection - I kept thinking I could hear the patter of unshod feet and the scrape of hammers on the sandstone walls all the time I was there.

Children from 11 or so upwards will love this book, as will their parents. The book has an otherworldly quality with something tugging at your mind, but remaining just out of reach. If you enjoy this, then follow it with the sequel, The Moon of Gomrath.

A wonderful read , 28 Sep 2007
I bought this book, for my daughters, after reading the reviews, and read it myself, and was not disappointed !! It is excellent.My daughter is now captured, and a queue of her friends await her finishing the book so they too can join the adventure of Susan and Colin,and their car crash fall into the fight of good and evil.

The book is extremely well written, from start to finish both surprising and enchanting, leaving you will no option but to read The Moon of Gomrath the second book in the series. I would even go so far as to say, Harry Potter you have a rival.(High praise from our household). All in all, an excellent book and a very worthy read.

Even better than I remembered!, 05 Mar 2007
In my last year at primary school, my teacher used to spend the last hour or so on friday afternoons reading aloud to the class. He introduced us to this fantastic book and the memory of friday afternoons enthralled in this story are one of my fondest from my school years. I'm now 32 and bought this book to read again and the memories came flooding back. It's even better as an adult and I can't wait until my children are old enough to read it too.

Fact, Fantasy and Legend, brilliant., 16 Apr 2006
Combinng elements of fantasy, a factual landscape and an ancient lengend (that does exist, not a mere creation of Garners), the author writes with great fluency and creates fantastic characters. The secret about Cadellin and Grimnir at the end of the book nearly gave me a heart attack sheer drama. If it can do this to a 18 year old just imagine how exciting this book will be for young children! Well worth a read whether you are 7 or 70, fully recommended

Better than Harry could ever be, 07 Mar 2006
And don't get me wrong. I do like Harry Potter. But I LOVE The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and its sequel The Moon of Gomrath.

The novel tells the story of how the modern fallout of a century's old theft draws teenage brother and sister Colin and Susan inexorably into the otherworld and forces them to play a key part in the battle. Much to the distress of the wizard Cadellin Silverbrow who just wishes them to be safe and cannot initially figure out why the forces of darkness are apparently targetting them.

But this is no simple tale of good and evil or perhaps more correctly it is not just a simple tale of good and evil. Good and Evil are certainly there and recognisable but they exist at the extremes and most everybody else exists inbetween. There are times when you feel you would like to hit some of the forces of Light over the head with something large and heavy and tell them to stop being such assholes. And unlike in JKR's rather flat characterisations you are meant not to like these characters.(Note - while this is true of Weirdstone it is even truer of the sequel Moon which I will review another time.)

Courtesy of Kids @ Teens Read Too, 01 Oct 2008
As Small puts it, "I'm grim and grumpy, and I don't think you love me at all."

So begins the story of a small fox, who while feeling grim and grumpy attempts to push the limits as to how far Large's love will go.

Large's love is boundless, though, whether Small would be a grumpy grizzly bear, a squishy bug, or a crocodile. Large's love won't wear out, and with time together it can even be fixed.

The glorious illustrations are what make this the perfect bedtime story, and young children will delight in knowing that a parent's love will always be there - no matter what.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

Perfect, 31 Aug 2008
Whenever its time for a bedtime story I always pick this book out (I think the kids might be getting a bit sick of it!) The wording is beautiful and I really love the ending, such a nice simple message for children about unconditional love. Pictures are great too.

Finally!, 29 Jun 2008
I first read about this book in a review column in a newspaper many, many years ago when my own children were small.

Every bookshop, I've been into since then, I've asked for and searched for this book. All the bookshops would point me to 'Guess How Much I love You' which is a nice book but too commercial now with its calendars and baby books and what have you.

So, in fact, I've been a long time searching and meanwhile my children were growing up.

Recently I read about it again on a family forum site. Having the publisher details now, I rushed to Amazon where I bought copies each for my children. Although grown up now, they loved the book and its 'always there' sentiment. All agree it was well worth the wait.

The board book is NOT the original version!!!, 26 Feb 2008
Having already bought this 5-star book for my daughter (who adores it) I bought this one for a friend thinking the board format would be a good idea. But the text is different! The whole part that addresses death in a very simple, clear manner has been replaced by some syrupy watered down text that avoids the subject completely. No mention of this in the introduction - if I buy an abridged version, I want to know about it in advance.

Simply beautiful..., 16 Dec 2007
A wonderful, clever and funny book about unconditional parental love, -what every parent should have bundles of...no matter what! And the most beautiful amd comforting message that love is eternal and enduring...I want my little boy to read this to his children one day and be able to look at the stars and know how much his Mommy STILL loves him.

Once is enough..., 16 Sep 2008
Felix is a young Jewish boy that has been living in a poor orphanage within WWII, hoping for the day that his bookseller parents come to save him. One day, floating in the mush of the daily soup, he receives a whole carrot and strongly feels that this is a sign from his parents that they are alive and awaiting his return. So, once a gang of strange German men come to the orphanage and burn a pile of books in the front courtyard, Felix's initial thoughts are solidified, and he takes this as a further sign that his parents need his help and he must venture off in search of them.

In terms of children's books, `Once' is the darkest, most upsetting read I have ever read. Due to the constant train of life-shattering events mixed with the somewhat annoying naivety of the main character, this can become a struggling read with few rewards. It is my opinion that the style of writing can also become irritating, including the use of the word `Once' at the beginning of every paragraph, as well as several key characters that seem to be based on but one aspect of what makes a real child. The story is extremely blunt and tangible, but the individuals you meet along the way are incomplete and seem to be fuelled by clichés and catchphrases.

Out of all the books specifically read for the log, this novel is the least accessible and has limited relevance due to the high emotional aspect of the plot. As to be expected, it is strictly for Year 5 and 6 and used only for studies of World War II from the perspective of the scared and vulnerable.

Well written and well researched.., 07 Jun 2008
although i felt it went a bit beyond the boundaries as it covers almost every aspect of suffering imaginable during world war 2. One small book should not contain such an immense amount of heartbreak, there is only so much we can take in one sitting. This book is meant to break your heart - and it manages it - over and over and over again. I do recommend it, it is a great little book, but be prepared to cry - a lot.

Once - Morris Gleitzman, 28 Apr 2008
I came to this book almost directly after reading The Book Thief and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and this book is definetly a recommendation for anyone who liked those books.

Similar to The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas in many ways, in that the story comes from the view point of a young boy in WWII - different in so much as Felix is a Polish Jew whereas Bruno was a child of a German Officer - but both short books play on the innocence of youth, and gives a heartwarming, moving and tragic story of war from the childs perceptives.

Clearly a childs book, and could be read in one sitting easy enough, that shouldn't be a deterrent as this is an enjoyable book and one which will bring about many a tear and thoughts from many an adult. Thought provoking insight into the war, and one which schools could do well to pick up on as would make an excellent insight into the War for Children. Well worth reading, and if you haven't check out the other books mentioned in this brief review.

Moving and believable, 12 Jul 2006
This was another special book by Morris Gleitzman. I always find that you can read his books quickly and they are easy to read, but they always have depth and a proper story and they always leave you thinking for ages afterwards.

This is a book about a boy called Felix who runs away from the orphanage that he is at during WW2. It is his tale of survival with the people that he meets along the way. The ending is sad. Possiby one of the saddest I have ever read. I was desperate to read it so I finished it during an English lesson at school and I was trying not to cry during the lesson!

A moving and uplifting introduction to the holocaust, 10 Feb 2006
'Once' is one of the most moving, emotional and entertaining books I've read in a long time.

It's about a 9-year-old Jewish boy who's in a Catholic orphanage, believing that his parents are off sorting out their bookselling business and will be back for him any minute. All the evidence points to his parents being dead, but the boy thinks up more and more elaborate (and humorous) explanations for his circumstances, and stays cheerful, because he 'knows' his parents are coming back for him soon.

He runs away to find them and finds Nazis clearing the people out of his town and killing people. Even while the boy is trying to make sense of the horrific things he sees, the story remains uplifting, and there is humour in the most dire of circumstances.

Genius, 12 Aug 2008
This is without doubt one of the best novels for children ever written - yet I hesitate to call it a children's story - so much depth & complexity it contains. It knocks JK Rowling, CS Lewis to the floor.

I first read it when I was 11 & it frightened me so much I couldn't finish it. Re-reading it as an adult, I don't know if I could have fully have understood it as a child.

Its blend of everyday reality in a modern dysfunctional family, myth and madness give it a Shakespearean power; yet it is deceptively simply written in elegant, modern, economic prose.

A must-have for any imaginative child's library, and any adult's too.



Follow Alan Garner into the magical world of Mabinogion myth., 07 Jul 2008
Mabinogion myth meets the 'modern' day in this tale of recurring rivalry in a Welsh valley. Three young adults start out as friends until a curse love and revenge from unknown eons ago of descend upon them. Time and time again, century after century, one man kills the other for the affection of the woman. Will it be the same pattern for Alison, Roger and Gwyn?

I must admit to reading the Owl Service twice, as I could not fathom it the first time. Welsh legend combined with language from four decades ago left me frequently perplexed. Take the title, for one. I thought it was about owls delivering messages. My fellow philistines, it pertains to a complete dining set decorated with stylized floral owls. (With this tip, this review is already helpful!)

The atmosphere of the book is heavy, brooding, eerie and leads you to expect, like the Welsh villagers, that something is coming down from the mountains. Alan Garner weaves magic that you suddenly realize you are at the center of a storm. Let this story blow you away.

Terrifying, 23 Apr 2008
I have been reading and re-reading this book on and off since I was a child and I am now a middle aged woman with three children of my own. Despite you thinking I might know better by now, I still find this book absolutely terrifying, albeit in a compulsively readable kind of way.

Garner's books have been consistently in print for years, which says a lot about their popularity. It does however seem to be a quiet kind of popularity and I don't think they are treated with the respect and adulation they deserve. His works are always beautifully written, very well researched (he deals in folklore and myth) and have a tense, haunting quality that will scare your socks off.

This story settles around the discovery of a set of plates which are decorated with ornate owl faces. The family who discover them soon find that owls are cropping up everywhere in their lives, and in their isolated country retreat things get very menacing, very quickly. Garner writes exceptionally well to create that creeping sense of intense isolation, fear and mounting dread that make this book work so well, and make the idea of being menaced by what is effectively a dinner service really work. Read this and then read all his other books. He also writes for adults as well, so you might want to check that out too.

Satisfyinginly spooky, and great on step family dynamics., 02 Feb 2008
When Alan Garner read the Welsh legend about Lleu, whose wife Blodeuwedd was made for him out of flowers, the legend stuck in his mind for years. Blodeuwedd falls in love with Gronw Pebyr, together they murder Lleu but he is brought back to life and kills Gronw by throwing a spear at him right through a rock. Blodeuwedd is turned into an owl.

Garner translates the legend into a modern tale. Alison and her mother, Roger and his father, are staying in Wales five weeks after the adults marry. The new step-brother and sister meet local Gwyn and a potentially tragic re-enactment of the legend is set in motion when Alison becomes obsessed with a set of plates from the loft, with a design on them which looks like an owl - or is it a flower pattern? The claustrophobic atmosphere of the brooding Welsh valley, the resentful Gwyn, his mother who is hiding so much from him, sulky Alison and conciliatory Roger - all combine together in this smouldering book which grabs you right from the first sentence. If only the film, with its spot-on casting and faithful rendering of the book, could be shown again!


Haunting, 01 Jan 2007
Some books go beyond being mere stories, tales with which to while away the hours, and become far more central within one's life. The Owl Service, which I first read at the age of about ten, is one such book for me. In my youth I was only concerned with the story of Alison, Gwyn and Roger and how the mythical past of a Welsh legend was reaching out to play itself out once again in the present day world, but with each successive reading, and there have been several, new meanings and layers of thought have revealed themselves. Around the age old tale of rivalries in love Garner has managed to weave comments on class (for example Gwyn's attempts to conform and lose his working-class Welsh roots, which he sees as a hinderance, are set against Roger's smug superiority, safe in his comfortable position as heir to the family firm); ambition (how far do we set our own parameters for what we can achieve, simply by settling for what is expected for us rather than holding out for what we really want) and the way the events of the real, everyday world run parallel with a much older world of imagination, myth and legend.

I probably discovered more about the possibilities of well-written fiction from this book than I did from any other. There are beautiful, haunting, descriptions such as Gwyn's nocturnal walk through the wood, spooked by phantom flames which he unconvincingly tries to reason away as marsh gas; there are moments of intense drama such as the attempt to escape from the valley during a torrential downpour and there are beautifully deft character descriptions: Gwyn's mother Nancy's fear and panic as she sees the past inevitably reaching out to the present for example, or the way Alison unknowingly plays the coquette. Above all perhaps it's the way Garner leaves the reader to work out the patterns and connections for themselves that impressed me. What you discover for yourself has a much greater dramatic impact than anything the author bluntly spoonfeeds into your mouth.

It's a clever, fabulous, wonderful book. Beautiful narrative drive, clever observations about themes which affect many children (being in a single-parent family for example and feeling that you don't quite belong, but being unsure whether that makes you special and clever or else something of a misfit) and haunting descriptive, subtle writing. It's glorious.

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen - pure magic for all ages., 28 Jul 2008
I first came across this book in my english lessons as a first year at secondary school back in 1970. I was so enthralled by the book that I dragged my mum to the bookshop and got her to buy me a copy, which I then read in one marathon stint within a day, not stopping for food or sleep - it really was that good. Nearly 40 years on I still go back to it at least once a year and enjoy it as much now as I did then.

Set in a gentler, rural Cheshire (it was written in 1960) the setting now appears a little dated, as you would expect, but for those who were born close to this time, the nostalgia is very pleasant.

Weaving a story drawn from several celtic and norse tales as well as the legend of Alderley itself, and placing it in the real world (with locations you can visit readily) is the books great strength. Garner fleshes out the characters wonderfully and uses atmosphere and suspense to great effect. Having been underground in West Mine, this is one location he has captured to perfection - I kept thinking I could hear the patter of unshod feet and the scrape of hammers on the sandstone walls all the time I was there.

Children from 11 or so upwards will love this book, as will their parents. The book has an otherworldly quality with something tugging at your mind, but remaining just out of reach. If you enjoy this, then follow it with the sequel, The Moon of Gomrath.

A wonderful read , 28 Sep 2007
I bought this book, for my daughters, after reading the reviews, and read it myself, and was not disappointed !! It is excellent.My daughter is now captured, and a queue of her friends await her finishing the book so they too can join the adventure of Susan and Colin,and their car crash fall into the fight of good and evil.

The book is extremely well written, from start to finish both surprising and enchanting, leaving you will no option but to read The Moon of Gomrath the second book in the series. I would even go so far as to say, Harry Potter you have a rival.(High praise from our household). All in all, an excellent book and a very worthy read.

Even better than I remembered!, 05 Mar 2007
In my last year at primary school, my teacher used to spend the last hour or so on friday afternoons reading aloud to the class. He introduced us to this fantastic book and the memory of friday afternoons enthralled in this story are one of my fondest from my school years. I'm now 32 and bought this book to read again and the memories came flooding back. It's even better as an adult and I can't wait until my children are old enough to read it too.

Fact, Fantasy and Legend, brilliant., 16 Apr 2006
Combinng elements of fantasy, a factual landscape and an ancient lengend (that does exist, not a mere creation of Garners), the author writes with great fluency and creates fantastic characters. The secret about Cadellin and Grimnir at the end of the book nearly gave me a heart attack sheer drama. If it can do this to a 18 year old just imagine how exciting this book will be for young children! Well worth a read whether you are 7 or 70, fully recommended

Better than Harry could ever be, 07 Mar 2006
And don't get me wrong. I do like Harry Potter. But I LOVE The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and its sequel The Moon of Gomrath.

The novel tells the story of how the modern fallout of a century's old theft draws teenage brother and sister Colin and Susan inexorably into the otherworld and forces them to play a key part in the battle. Much to the distress of the wizard Cadellin Silverbrow who just wishes them to be safe and cannot initially figure out why the forces of darkness are apparently targetting them.

But this is no simple tale of good and evil or perhaps more correctly it is not just a simple tale of good and evil. Good and Evil are certainly there and recognisable but they exist at the extremes and most everybody else exists inbetween. There are times when you feel you would like to hit some of the forces of Light over the head with something large and heavy and tell them to stop being such assholes. And unlike in JKR's rather flat characterisations you are meant not to like these characters.(Note - while this is true of Weirdstone it is even truer of the sequel Moon which I will review another time.)

Courtesy of Kids @ Teens Read Too, 01 Oct 2008
As Small puts it, "I'm grim and grumpy, and I don't think you love me at all."

So begins the story of a small fox, who while feeling grim and grumpy attempts to push the limits as to how far Large's love will go.

Large's love is boundless, though, whether Small would be a grumpy grizzly bear, a squishy bug, or a crocodile. Large's love won't wear out, and with time together it can even be fixed.

The glorious illustrations are what make this the perfect bedtime story, and young children will delight in knowing that a parent's love will always be there - no matter what.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

Perfect, 31 Aug 2008
Whenever its time for a bedtime story I always pick this book out (I think the kids might be getting a bit sick of it!) The wording is beautiful and I really love the ending, such a nice simple message for children about unconditional love. Pictures are great too.

Finally!, 29 Jun 2008
I first read about this book in a review column in a newspaper many, many years ago when my own children were small.

Every bookshop, I've been into since then, I've asked for and searched for this book. All the bookshops would point me to 'Guess How Much I love You' which is a nice book but too commercial now with its calendars and baby books and what have you.

So, in fact, I've been a long time searching and meanwhile my children were growing up.

Recently I read about it again on a family forum site. Having the publisher details now, I rushed to Amazon where I bought copies each for my children. Although grown up now, they loved the book and its 'always there' sentiment. All agree it was well worth the wait.

The board book is NOT the original version!!!, 26 Feb 2008
Having already bought this 5-star book for my daughter (who adores it) I bought this one for a friend thinking the board format would be a good idea. But the text is different! The whole part that addresses death in a very simple, clear manner has been replaced by some syrupy watered down text that avoids the subject completely. No mention of this in the introduction - if I buy an abridged version, I want to know about it in advance.

Simply beautiful..., 16 Dec 2007
A wonderful, clever and funny book about unconditional parental love, -what every parent should have bundles of...no matter what! And the most beautiful amd comforting message that love is eternal and enduring...I want my little boy to read this to his children one day and be able to look at the stars and know how much his Mommy STILL loves him.

Once is enough..., 16 Sep 2008
Felix is a young Jewish boy that has been living in a poor orphanage within WWII, hoping for the day that his bookseller parents come to save him. One day, floating in the mush of the daily soup, he receives a whole carrot and strongly feels that this is a sign from his parents that they are alive and awaiting his return. So, once a gang of strange German men come to the orphanage and burn a pile of books in the front courtyard, Felix's initial thoughts are solidified, and he takes this as a further sign that his parents need his help and he must venture off in search of them.

In terms of children's books, `Once' is the darkest, most upsetting read I have ever read. Due to the constant train of life-shattering events mixed with the somewhat annoying naivety of the main character, this can become a struggling read with few rewards. It is my opinion that the style of writing can also become irritating, including the use of the word `Once' at the beginning of every paragraph, as well as several key characters that seem to be based on but one aspect of what makes a real child. The story is extremely blunt and tangible, but the individuals you meet along the way are incomplete and seem to be fuelled by clichés and catchphrases.

Out of all the books specifically read for the log, this novel is the least accessible and has limited relevance due to the high emotional aspect of the plot. As to be expected, it is strictly for Year 5 and 6 and used only for studies of World War II from the perspective of the scared and vulnerable.

Well written and well researched.., 07 Jun 2008
although i felt it went a bit beyond the boundaries as it covers almost every aspect of suffering imaginable during world war 2. One small book should not contain such an immense amount of heartbreak, there is only so much we can take in one sitting. This book is meant to break your heart - and it manages it - over and over and over again. I do recommend it, it is a great little book, but be prepared to cry - a lot.

Once - Morris Gleitzman, 28 Apr 2008
I came to this book almost directly after reading The Book Thief and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and this book is definetly a recommendation for anyone who liked those books.

Similar to The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas in many ways, in that the story comes from the view point of a young boy in WWII - different in so much as Felix is a Polish Jew whereas Bruno was a child of a German Officer - but both short books play on the innocence of youth, and gives a heartwarming, moving and tragic story of war from the childs perceptives.

Clearly a childs book, and could be read in one sitting easy enough, that shouldn't be a deterrent as this is an enjoyable book and one which will bring about many a tear and thoughts from many an adult. Thought provoking insight into the war, and one which schools could do well to pick up on as would make an excellent insight into the War for Children. Well worth reading, and if you haven't check out the other books mentioned in this brief review.

Moving and believable, 12 Jul 2006
This was another special book by Morris Gleitzman. I always find that you can read his books quickly and they are easy to read, but they always have depth and a proper story and they always leave you thinking for ages afterwards.

This is a book about a boy called Felix who runs away from the orphanage that he is at during WW2. It is his tale of survival with the people that he meets along the way. The ending is sad. Possiby one of the saddest I have ever read. I was desperate to read it so I finished it during an English lesson at school and I was trying not to cry during the lesson!

A moving and uplifting introduction to the holocaust, 10 Feb 2006
'Once' is one of the most moving, emotional and entertaining books I've read in a long time.

It's about a 9-year-old Jewish boy who's in a Catholic orphanage, believing that his parents are off sorting out their bookselling business and will be back for him any minute. All the evidence points to his parents being dead, but the boy thinks up more and more elaborate (and humorous) explanations for his circumstances, and stays cheerful, because he 'knows' his parents are coming back for him soon.

He runs away to find them and finds Nazis clearing the people out of his town and killing people. Even while the boy is trying to make sense of the horrific things he sees, the story remains uplifting, and there is humour in the most dire of circumstances.

Genius, 12 Aug 2008
This is without doubt one of the best novels for children ever written - yet I hesitate to call it a children's story - so much depth & complexity it contains. It knocks JK Rowling, CS Lewis to the floor.

I first read it when I was 11 & it frightened me so much I couldn't finish it. Re-reading it as an adult, I don't know if I could have fully have understood it as a child.

Its blend of everyday reality in a modern dysfunctional family, myth and madness give it a Shakespearean power; yet it is deceptively simply written in elegant, modern, economic prose.

A must-have for any imaginative child's library, and any adult's too.



Follow Alan Garner into the magical world of Mabinogion myth., 07 Jul 2008
Mabinogion myth meets the 'modern' day in this tale of recurring rivalry in a Welsh valley. Three young adults start out as friends until a curse love and revenge from unknown eons ago of descend upon them. Time and time again, century after century, one man kills the other for the affection of the woman. Will it be the same pattern for Alison, Roger and Gwyn?

I must admit to reading the Owl Service twice, as I could not fathom it the first time. Welsh legend combined with language from four decades ago left me frequently perplexed. Take the title, for one. I thought it was about owls delivering messages. My fellow philistines, it pertains to a complete dining set decorated with stylized floral owls. (With this tip, this review is already helpful!)

The atmosphere of the book is heavy, brooding, eerie and leads you to expect, like the Welsh villagers, that something is coming down from the mountains. Alan Garner weaves magic that you suddenly realize you are at the center of a storm. Let this story blow you away.

Terrifying, 23 Apr 2008
I have been reading and re-reading this book on and off since I was a child and I am now a middle aged woman with three children of my own. Despite you thinking I might know better by now, I still find this book absolutely terrifying, albeit in a compulsively readable kind of way.

Garner's books have been consistently in print for years, which says a lot about their popularity. It does however seem to be a quiet kind of popularity and I don't think they are treated with the respect and adulation they deserve. His works are always beautifully written, very well researched (he deals in folklore and myth) and have a tense, haunting quality that will scare your socks off.

This story settles around the discovery of a set of plates which are decorated with ornate owl faces. The family who discover them soon find that owls are cropping up everywhere in their lives, and in their isolated country retreat things get very menacing, very quickly. Garner writes exceptionally well to create that creeping sense of intense isolation, fear and mounting dread that make this book work so well, and make the idea of being menaced by what is effectively a dinner service really work. Read this and then read all his other books. He also writes for adults as well, so you might want to check that out too.

Satisfyinginly spooky, and great on step family dynamics., 02 Feb 2008
When Alan Garner read the Welsh legend about Lleu, whose wife Blodeuwedd was made for him out of flowers, the legend stuck in his mind for years. Blodeuwedd falls in love with Gronw Pebyr, together they murder Lleu but he is brought back to life and kills Gronw by throwing a spear at him right through a rock. Blodeuwedd is turned into an owl.

Garner translates the legend into a modern tale. Alison and her mother, Roger and his father, are staying in Wales five weeks after the adults marry. The new step-brother and sister meet local Gwyn and a potentially tragic re-enactment of the legend is set in motion when Alison becomes obsessed with a set of plates from the loft, with a design on them which looks like an owl - or is it a flower pattern? The claustrophobic atmosphere of the brooding Welsh valley, the resentful Gwyn, his mother who is hiding so much from him, sulky Alison and conciliatory Roger - all combine together in this smouldering book which grabs you right from the first sentence. If only the film, with its spot-on casting and faithful rendering of the book, could be shown again!


Haunting, 01 Jan 2007
Some books go beyond being mere stories, tales with which to while away the hours, and become far more central within one's life. The Owl Service, which I first read at the age of about ten, is one such book for me. In my youth I was only concerned with the story of Alison, Gwyn and Roger and how the mythical past of a Welsh legend was reaching out to play itself out once again in the present day world, but with each successive reading, and there have been several, new meanings and layers of thought have revealed themselves. Around the age old tale of rivalries in love Garner has managed to weave comments on class (for example Gwyn's attempts to conform and lose his working-class Welsh roots, which he sees as a hinderance, are set against Roger's smug superiority, safe in his comfortable position as heir to the family firm); ambition (how far do we set our own parameters for what we can achieve, simply by settling for what is expected for us rather than holding out for what we really want) and the way the events of the real, everyday world run parallel with a much older world of imagination, myth and legend.

I probably discovered more about the possibilities of well-written fiction from this book than I did from any other. There are beautiful, haunting, descriptions such as Gwyn's nocturnal walk through the wood, spooked by phantom flames which he unconvincingly tries to reason away as marsh gas; there are moments of intense drama such as the attempt to escape from the valley during a torrential downpour and there are beautifully deft character descriptions: Gwyn's mother Nancy's fear and panic as she sees the past inevitably reaching out to the present for example, or the way Alison unknowingly plays the coquette. Above all perhaps it's the way Garner leaves the reader to work out the patterns and connections for themselves that impressed me. What you discover for yourself has a much greater dramatic impact than anything the author bluntly spoonfeeds into your mouth.

It's a clever, fabulous, wonderful book. Beautiful narrative drive, clever observations about themes which affect many children (being in a single-parent family for example and feeling that you don't quite belong, but being unsure whether that makes you special and clever or else something of a misfit) and haunting descriptive, subtle writing. It's glorious.





Another Excellent book from a master, 28 Sep 2007
Excellent, extremely well written, for young and old a like, what else can I say.

Great book, not for 4-8 year olds, 14 Aug 2007
Amazon claims that this CD is for 4-8 year olds. It is not. The Moon of Gomrath, and its predecessor The Wierdstone of Brisinghamen, are probably best suited to 10-14 year olds. I first read them 30 years ago and the darkness of them still lurks in the corners of my memory. They are powerful, well-crafted books that hang in the mind but they are definitely not for 4 year olds even if they don't have to read it themselves.

The Suns and Moons of Gomrath, 30 May 2003
'The Moon of Gomrath' is the wild magical sequel to 'The Weirdstone of Brisingamen', set in Alderley Edge in Cheshire of the present day but harking back to the days of Middlearth. Both these stories have a very Tolkienish way about them, it is an interesting exercise to compare and contrast the characters as they are introduced. It is a pity that Garner's books, faring less well than 'The Hobbit', dropped off the literary radar in the 1980's, but with the benefit of Potter power they are now back in style with new artwork on the cover.

Garner's special art is to take a basic swords-and-sorcery story and elevate it into a poetry-and-powers myth with gritty heroes and terrifying villains who hard to defeat and not always easy to spot. This story of Colin and Susan's second adventure is aimed at a slightly older audience than the Weirdstone, has Susan in the lead role, and has more depth and menace along with some sly humour. The Morrigan is back, not yet at the height of her powers, but ready for revenge. The elves are suffering and dying from the pollution caused by Man: they must retreat to cleaner, remoter places. The battles in magic and swordplay are more deadly and more personal and more realistic. The havoc and hard pace of war are felt in the prose, which is breathless and a little wild itself. The wizard Cadellin takes more of a back seat in this adventure but he does explain why the coming of the 'Age of Reason' and industrialism was more of a coming of the age of Materialism and a retreat from Reason. Hence the great rift between our Man's world of material values, and the worlds of magic and the life of the spiritual values.

Now as every parent knows, children's books have the power of forming the child's mind. So with magical adventures being very much back in style now is a good time to get the various authors into some sort of order. So, without going back to the ancient Greeks, where does Alan Garner fit in? We can easily go back a century or so: F. Anstey (Vice Versa), George MacDonald (Princess and Curdie stories), and E. Nesbit (House of Arden, etc), Tolkien (Hobbit, Farmer Giles of Ham), C.S. Lewis (Narnia, the land of youth), Ursula K. LeGuin (Earthsea), and Alan Garner. And, as Rowling's ghost Peeves puts it, 'Wee Potty Potter', brings us up to date.

So there are two main routes to magic. Anstey, MacDonald, Nesbit, Garner, and Rowling write a story that exercises magic in this world, and the two things collide with exciting degrees of chaos and depth. The results are serious or hilarious, or both. Garner manages to interface the two worlds with superior art. But a higher priced ticket will take you to a whole new world. Tolkien, Lewis, and LeGuin create whole worlds of their own and people it with new peoples - a fully magical world. The magic is integrated, truly part of the fabric of that world, not just added to make it fizz. One you are in, you belong there for a while. You return and your own world is now a little more magical. The whole range of literary forms is now possible, even super-possible as we no longer rely on supposed 'realism' to make the effects. They go beyond just making a magical talisman or two (some brilliantly done, others less so), and seeing 'what happens'. They make new countries and skies, new kingdoms and peoples, new languages and rules. Ultimately they are the suns and the others are the moons.

Children's fantasy that adults will enjoy, 26 May 2002
I was sixteen when I first read this book, which turned out to be the sequel to another - the Weirdstone of Brisingamen - which I later read to see what I had missed.

This is the most haunting, lyrical and beautiful of children's novels. The subject matter is deeply influenced by Celtic mythology, but by introducing it into a modern setting the story gains a resonance and power that is often missing from the 'strange tale in a strange land' fantasy commonplace.

One of the best children's novels ever written.

Excellent, 04 Jan 2002
It is refreshing to remember that before television had assumed its current unassailable ascendancy, when children still had imaginations, there were great writers creating masterpieces of imagination. This is one of them. It and its older sibling, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, stand as outposts of true genius in a modern world filled with mediocrity. At 40 years old, it is as current as if it had been written yesterday.

Robert Powell doesn't do a bad job either!

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen - pure magic for all ages., 28 Jul 2008
I first came across this book in my english lessons as a first year at secondary school back in 1970. I was so enthralled by the book that I dragged my mum to the bookshop and got her to buy me a copy, which I then read in one marathon stint within a day, not stopping for food or sleep - it really was that good. Nearly 40 years on I still go back to it at least once a year and enjoy it as much now as I did then.

Set in a gentler, rural Cheshire (it was written in 1960) the setting now appears a little dated, as you would expect, but for those who were born close to this time, the nostalgia is very pleasant.

Weaving a story drawn from several celtic and norse tales as well as the legend of Alderley itself, and placing it in the real world (with locations you can visit readily) is the books great strength. Garner fleshes out the characters wonderfully and uses atmosphere and suspense to great effect. Having been underground in West Mine, this is one location he has captured to perfection - I kept thinking I could hear the patter of unshod feet and the scrape of hammers on the sandstone walls all the time I was there.

Children from 11 or so upwards will love this book, as will their parents. The book has an otherworldly quality with something tugging at your mind, but remaining just out of reach. If you enjoy this, then follow it with the sequel, The Moon of Gomrath.

A wonderful read , 28 Sep 2007
I bought this book, for my daughters, after reading the reviews, and read it myself, and was not disappointed !! It is excellent.My daughter is now captured, and a queue of her friends await her finishing the book so they too can join the adventure of Susan and Colin,and their car crash fall into the fight of good and evil.

The book is extremely well written, from start to finish both surprising and enchanting, leaving you will no option but to read The Moon of Gomrath the second book in the series. I would even go so far as to say, Harry Potter you have a rival.(High praise from our household). All in all, an excellent book and a very worthy read.

Even better than I remembered!, 05 Mar 2007
In my last year at primary school, my teacher used to spend the last hour or so on friday afternoons reading aloud to the class. He introduced us to this fantastic book and the memory of friday afternoons enthralled in this story are one of my fondest from my school years. I'm now 32 and bought this book to read again and the memories came flooding back. It's even better as an adult and I can't wait until my children are old enough to read it too.

Fact, Fantasy and Legend, brilliant., 16 Apr 2006
Combinng elements of fantasy, a factual landscape and an ancient lengend (that does exist, not a mere creation of Garners), the author writes with great fluency and creates fantastic characters. The secret about Cadellin and Grimnir at the end of the book nearly gave me a heart attack sheer drama. If it can do this to a 18 year old just imagine how exciting this book will be for young children! Well worth a read whether you are 7 or 70, fully recommended

Better than Harry could ever be, 07 Mar 2006
And don't get me wrong. I do like Harry Potter. But I LOVE The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and its sequel The Moon of Gomrath.

The novel tells the story of how the modern fallout of a century's old theft draws teenage brother and sister Colin and Susan inexorably into the otherworld and forces them to play a key part in the battle. Much to the distress of the wizard Cadellin Silverbrow who just wishes them to be safe and cannot initially figure out why the forces of darkness are apparently targetting them.

But this is no simple tale of good and evil or perhaps more correctly it is not just a simple tale of good and evil. Good and Evil are certainly there and recognisable but they exist at the extremes and most everybody else exists inbetween. There are times when you feel you would like to hit some of the forces of Light over the head with something large and heavy and tell them to stop being such assholes. And unlike in JKR's rather flat characterisations you are meant not to like these characters.(Note - while this is true of Weirdstone it is even truer of the sequel Moon which I will review another time.)

Courtesy of Kids @ Teens Read Too, 01 Oct 2008
As Small puts it, "I'm grim and grumpy, and I don't think you love me at all."

So begins the story of a small fox, who while feeling grim and grumpy attempts to push the limits as to how far Large's love will go.

Large's love is boundless, though, whether Small would be a grumpy grizzly bear, a squishy bug, or a crocodile. Large's love won't wear out, and with time together it can even be fixed.

The glorious illustrations are what make this the perfect bedtime story, and young children will delight in knowing that a parent's love will always be there - no matter what.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

Perfect, 31 Aug 2008
Whenever its time for a bedtime story I always pick this book out (I think the kids might be getting a bit sick of it!) The wording is beautiful and I really love the ending, such a nice simple message for children about unconditional love. Pictures are great too.

Finally!, 29 Jun 2008
I first read about this book in a review column in a newspaper many, many years ago when my own children were small.

Every bookshop, I've been into since then, I've asked for and searched for this book. All the bookshops would point me to 'Guess How Much I love You' which is a nice book but too commercial now with its calendars and baby books and what have you.

So, in fact, I've been a long time searching and meanwhile my children were growing up.

Recently I read about it again on a family forum site. Having the publisher details now, I rushed to Amazon where I bought copies each for my children. Although grown up now, they loved the book and its 'always there' sentiment. All agree it was well worth the wait.

The board book is NOT the original version!!!, 26 Feb 2008
Having already bought this 5-star book for my daughter (who adores it) I bought this one for a friend thinking the board format would be a good idea. But the text is different! The whole part that addresses death in a very simple, clear manner has been replaced by some syrupy watered down text that avoids the subject completely. No mention of this in the introduction - if I buy an abridged version, I want to know about it in advance.

Simply beautiful..., 16 Dec 2007
A wonderful, clever and funny book about unconditional parental love, -what every parent should have bundles of...no matter what! And the most beautiful amd comforting message that love is eternal and enduring...I want my little boy to read this to his children one day and be able to look at the stars and know how much his Mommy STILL loves him.

Once is enough..., 16 Sep 2008
Felix is a young Jewish boy that has been living in a poor orphanage within WWII, hoping for the day that his bookseller parents come to save him. One day, floating in the mush of the daily soup, he receives a whole carrot and strongly feels that this is a sign from his parents that they are alive and awaiting his return. So, once a gang of strange German men come to the orphanage and burn a pile of books in the front courtyard, Felix's initial thoughts are solidified, and he takes this as a further sign that his parents need his help and he must venture off in search of them.

In terms of children's books, `Once' is the darkest, most upsetting read I have ever read. Due to the constant train of life-shattering events mixed with the somewhat annoying naivety of the main character, this can become a struggling read with few rewards. It is my opinion that the style of writing can also become irritating, including the use of the word `Once' at the beginning of every paragraph, as well as several key characters that seem to be based on but one aspect of what makes a real child. The story is extremely blunt and tangible, but the individuals you meet along the way are incomplete and seem to be fuelled by clichés and catchphrases.

Out of all the books specifically read for the log, this novel is the least accessible and has limited relevance due to the high emotional aspect of the plot. As to be expected, it is strictly for Year 5 and 6 and used only for studies of World War II from the perspective of the scared and vulnerable.

Well written and well researched.., 07 Jun 2008
although i felt it went a bit beyond the boundaries as it covers almost every aspect of suffering imaginable during world war 2. One small book should not contain such an immense amount of heartbreak, there is only so much we can take in one sitting. This book is meant to break your heart - and it manages it - over and over and over again. I do recommend it, it is a great little book, but be prepared to cry - a lot.

Once - Morris Gleitzman, 28 Apr 2008
I came to this book almost directly after reading The Book Thief and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and this book is definetly a recommendation for anyone who liked those books.

Similar to The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas in many ways, in that the story comes from the view point of a young boy in WWII - different in so much as Felix is a Polish Jew whereas Bruno was a child of a German Officer - but both short books play on the innocence of youth, and gives a heartwarming, moving and tragic story of war from the childs perceptives.

Clearly a childs book, and could be read in one sitting easy enough, that shouldn't be a deterrent as this is an enjoyable book and one which will bring about many a tear and thoughts from many an adult. Thought provoking insight into the war, and one which schools could do well to pick up on as would make an excellent insight into the War for Children. Well worth reading, and if you haven't check out the other books mentioned in this brief review.

Moving and believable, 12 Jul 2006
This was another special book by Morris Gleitzman. I always find that you can read his books quickly and they are easy to read, but they always have depth and a proper story and they always leave you thinking for ages afterwards.

This is a book about a boy called Felix who runs away from the orphanage that he is at during WW2. It is his tale of survival with the people that he meets along the way. The ending is sad. Possiby one of the saddest I have ever read. I was desperate to read it so I finished it during an English lesson at school and I was trying not to cry during the lesson!

A moving and uplifting introduction to the holocaust, 10 Feb 2006
'Once' is one of the most moving, emotional and entertaining books I've read in a long time.

It's about a 9-year-old Jewish boy who's in a Catholic orphanage, believing that his parents are off sorting out their bookselling business and will be back for him any minute. All the evidence points to his parents being dead, but the boy thinks up more and more elaborate (and humorous) explanations for his circumstances, and stays cheerful, because he 'knows' his parents are coming back for him soon.

He runs away to find them and finds Nazis clearing the people out of his town and killing people. Even while the boy is trying to make sense of the horrific things he sees, the story remains uplifting, and there is humour in the most dire of circumstances.

Genius, 12 Aug 2008
This is without doubt one of the best novels for children ever written - yet I hesitate to call it a children's story - so much depth & complexity it contains. It knocks JK Rowling, CS Lewis to the floor.

I first read it when I was 11 & it frightened me so much I couldn't finish it. Re-reading it as an adult, I don't know if I could have fully have understood it as a child.

Its blend of everyday reality in a modern dysfunctional family, myth and madness give it a Shakespearean power; yet it is deceptively simply written in elegant, modern, economic prose.

A must-have for any imaginative child's library, and any adult's too.



Follow Alan Garner into the magical world of Mabinogion myth., 07 Jul 2008
Mabinogion myth meets the 'modern' day in this tale of recurring rivalry in a Welsh valley. Three young adults start out as friends until a curse love and revenge from unknown eons ago of descend upon them. Time and time again, century after century, one man kills the other for the affection of the woman. Will it be the same pattern for Alison, Roger and Gwyn?

I must admit to reading the Owl Service twice, as I could not fathom it the first time. Welsh legend combined with language from four decades ago left me frequently perplexed. Take the title, for one. I thought it was about owls delivering messages. My fellow philistines, it pertains to a complete dining set decorated with stylized floral owls. (With this tip, this review is already helpful!)

The atmosphere of the book is heavy, brooding, eerie and leads you to expect, like the Welsh villagers, that something is coming down from the mountains. Alan Garner weaves magic that you suddenly realize you are at the center of a storm. Let this story blow you away.

Terrifying, 23 Apr 2008
I have been reading and re-reading this book on and off since I was a child and I am now a middle aged woman with three children of my own. Despite you thinking I might know better by now, I still find this book absolutely terrifying, albeit in a compulsively readable kind of way.

Garner's books have been consistently in print for years, which says a lot about their popularity. It does however seem to be a quiet kind of popularity and I don't think they are treated with the respect and adulation they deserve. His works are always beautifully written, very well researched (he deals in folklore and myth) and have a tense, haunting quality that will scare your socks off.

This story settles around the discovery of a set of plates which are decorated with ornate owl faces. The family who discover them soon find that owls are cropping up everywhere in their lives, and in their isolated country retreat things get very menacing, very quickly. Garner writes exceptionally well to create that creeping sense of intense isolation, fear and mounting dread that make this book work so well, and make the idea of being menaced by what is effectively a dinner service really work. Read this and then read all his other books. He also writes for adults as well, so you might want to check that out too.

Satisfyinginly spooky, and great on step family dynamics., 02 Feb 2008
When Alan Garner read the Welsh legend about Lleu, whose wife Blodeuwedd was made for him out of flowers, the legend stuck in his mind for years. Blodeuwedd falls in love with Gronw Pebyr, together they murder Lleu but he is brought back to life and kills Gronw by throwing a spear at him right through a rock. Blodeuwedd is turned into an owl.

Garner translates the legend into a modern tale. Alison and her mother, Roger and his father, are staying in Wales five weeks after the adults marry. The new step-brother and sister meet local Gwyn and a potentially tragic re-enactment of the legend is set in motion when Alison becomes obsessed with a set of plates from the loft, with a design on them which looks like an owl - or is it a flower pattern? The claustrophobic atmosphere of the brooding Welsh valley, the resentful Gwyn, his mother who is hiding so much from him, sulky Alison and conciliatory Roger - all combine together in this smouldering book which grabs you right from the first sentence. If only the film, with its spot-on casting and faithful rendering of the book, could be shown again!


Haunting, 01 Jan 2007
Some books go beyond being mere stories, tales with which to while away the hours, and become far more central within one's life. The Owl Service, which I first read at the age of about ten, is one such book for me. In my youth I was only concerned with the story of Alison, Gwyn and Roger and how the mythical past of a Welsh legend was reaching out to play itself out once again in the present day world, but with each successive reading, and there have been several, new meanings and layers of thought have revealed themselves. Around the age old tale of rivalries in love Garner has managed to weave comments on class (for example Gwyn's attempts to conform and lose his working-class Welsh roots, which he sees as a hinderance, are set against Roger's smug superiority, safe in his comfortable position as heir to the family firm); ambition (how far do we set our own parameters for what we can achieve, simply by settling for what is expected for us rather than holding out for what we really want) and the way the events of the real, everyday world run parallel with a much older world of imagination, myth and legend.

I probably discovered more about the possibilities of well-written fiction from this book than I did from any other. There are beautiful, haunting, descriptions such as Gwyn's nocturnal walk through the wood, spooked by phantom flames which he unconvincingly tries to reason away as marsh gas; there are moments of intense drama such as the attempt to escape from the valley during a torrential downpour and there are beautifully deft character descriptions: Gwyn's mother Nancy's fear and panic as she sees the past inevitably reaching out to the present for example, or the way Alison unknowingly plays the coquette. Above all perhaps it's the way Garner leaves the reader to work out the patterns and connections for themselves that impressed me. What you discover for yourself has a much greater dramatic impact than anything the author bluntly spoonfeeds into your mouth.

It's a clever, fabulous, wonderful book. Beautiful narrative drive, clever observations about themes which affect many children (being in a single-parent family for example and feeling that you don't quite belong, but being unsure whether that makes you special and clever or else something of a misfit) and haunting descriptive, subtle writing. It's glorious.





Another Excellent book from a master, 28 Sep 2007
Excellent, extremely well written, for young and old a like, what else can I say.

Great book, not for 4-8 year olds, 14 Aug 2007
Amazon claims that this CD is for 4-8 year olds. It is not. The Moon of Gomrath, and its predecessor The Wierdstone of Brisinghamen, are probably best suited to 10-14 year olds. I first read them 30 years ago and the darkness of them still lurks in the corners of my memory. They are powerful, well-crafted books that hang in the mind but they are definitely not for 4 year olds even if they don't have to read it themselves.

The Suns and Moons of Gomrath, 30 May 2003
'The Moon of Gomrath' is the wild magical sequel to 'The Weirdstone of Brisingamen', set in Alderley Edge in Cheshire of the present day but harking back to the days of Middlearth. Both these stories have a very Tolkienish way about them, it is an interesting exercise to compare and contrast the characters as they are introduced. It is a pity that Garner's books, faring less well than 'The Hobbit', dropped off the literary radar in the 1980's, but with the benefit of Potter power they are now back in style with new artwork on the cover.

Garner's special art is to take a basic swords-and-sorcery story and elevate it into a poetry-and-powers myth with gritty heroes and terrifying villains who hard to defeat and not always easy to spot. This story of Colin and Susan's second adventure is aimed at a slightly older audience than the Weirdstone, has Susan in the lead role, and has more depth and menace along with some sly humour. The Morrigan is back, not yet at the height of her powers, but ready for revenge. The elves are suffering and dying from the pollution caused by Man: they must retreat to cleaner, remoter places. The battles in magic and swordplay are more deadly and more personal and more realistic. The havoc and hard pace of war are felt in the prose, which is breathless and a little wild itself. The wizard Cadellin takes more of a back seat in this adventure but he does explain why the coming of the 'Age of Reason' and industrialism was more of a coming of the age of Materialism and a retreat from Reason. Hence the great rift between our Man's world of material values, and the worlds of magic and the life of the spiritual values.

Now as every parent knows, children's books have the power of forming the child's mind. So with magical adventures being very much back in style now is a good time to get the various authors into some sort of order. So, without going back to the ancient Greeks, where does Alan Garner fit in? We can easily go back a century or so: F. Anstey (Vice Versa), George MacDonald (Princess and Curdie stories), and E. Nesbit (House of Arden, etc), Tolkien (Hobbit, Farmer Giles of Ham), C.S. Lewis (Narnia, the land of youth), Ursula K. LeGuin (Earthsea), and Alan Garner. And, as Rowling's ghost Peeves puts it, 'Wee Potty Potter', brings us up to date.

So there are two main routes to magic. Anstey, MacDonald, Nesbit, Garner, and Rowling write a story that exercises magic in this world, and the two things collide with exciting degrees of chaos and depth. The results are serious or hilarious, or both. Garner manages to interface the two worlds with superior art. But a higher priced ticket will take you to a whole new world. Tolkien, Lewis, and LeGuin create whole worlds of their own and people it with new peoples - a fully magical world. The magic is integrated, truly part of the fabric of that world, not just added to make it fizz. One you are in, you belong there for a while. You return and your own world is now a little more magical. The whole range of literary forms is now possible, even super-possible as we no longer rely on supposed 'realism' to make the effects. They go beyond just making a magical talisman or two (some brilliantly done, others less so), and seeing 'what happens'. They make new countries and skies, new kingdoms and peoples, new languages and rules. Ultimately they are the suns and the others are the moons.

Children's fantasy that adults will enjoy, 26 May 2002
I was sixteen when I first read this book, which turned out to be the sequel to another - the Weirdstone of Brisingamen - which I later read to see what I had missed.

This is the most haunting, lyrical and beautiful of children's novels. The subject matter is deeply influenced by Celtic mythology, but by introducing it into a modern setting the story gains a resonance and power that is often missing from the 'strange tale in a strange land' fantasy commonplace.

One of the best children's novels ever written.

Excellent, 04 Jan 2002
It is refreshing to remember that before television had assumed its current unassailable ascendancy, when children still had imaginations, there were great writers creating masterpieces of imagination. This is one of them. It and its older sibling, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, stand as outposts of true genius in a modern world filled with mediocrity. At 40 years old, it is as current as if it had been written yesterday.

Robert Powell doesn't do a bad job either!

Remarkable, original and a real page turner., 14 Mar 2008
As a reader of children's fantasy, this book is a revelation. It follows so few of the conventions that its novelty makes it a page turner. The gritty slums of contemporary Manchester provide most of the background, and the deserted fantasy land provides the rest, both imbued with real ambience. The earlier Garner books, though great to read, feel pale and clichéd by comparison. The book enthrals and keeps you guessing from literally the first page to the very last sentence, which left me hungry for more.

A classic if ever there was one, 16 Dec 2007
I have to admit to never having read a Harry Potter novel, but think I'm well enough aquainted with the general theme and style of them to make the judgment that they are more fantasy than reality. The formula is obviously loved by kids, I'd say primarily because the author painted her characters so well. Elidor is one of the earlier Alan Garner novels (it may possibly be his first, I don't know) written with much the same intention as the HP books: To get kids hooked into reading by giving them a good espapist fantasy-adventure, with the hero characters reminding them pretty much of themselves. In Elidor at least, Garner clearly made the base setting in the world of working class kids, and this, at a time when working class still meant 'underpriveliged' and in some cases, poverty. So there is much more of a social reality existing in Elidor than there must be in the Harry Potters, and this is a good enough reason to give this book to your Harry Potter obsessed kids to have a look at for a nice change from that saturated fantasy world of HP. If nothing else, it could, to many middle class children, introduce them to a world as alien and fascinating as the world of Hogworts etc. that HP inhabits, and I don't even mean the flipside world that Roland and his friends escape into, in the book - But the world they really live in: 1960s down at heel Manchester, with all its drabness, its semi neglected, socially defined existing area, and the hard industrial core that sits uncomfortably close to people's lives. Infact I think Elidor must have even more to recommend it now than it did when it was first published.

Can do better, 12 Apr 2003
Let's start by taking it as read that an Alan Garner book will always provide a superior read than standard fare. But one can't help but feel a little disappointed by Elidor.

Whereas The Owl Service and Red Shift successfully straddle the line between adult and teenage fiction, Elidor is, without question, a children's book. No shame in that - but it does come across as a kind of 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' for the working class. The book is very much a product of the sixties and whilst pretty enlightened in many respects, reflects some of the stereotypical views of the time.

The whole thing is a little rushed and the ending in particular is less than satisfying. However, there are spooky moments and - as the previous reviewer says - the link between the mundane modern world and a magical kingdom in crisis is very well done.

So a decent tale well told - but when you pick up a book by Alan Garner you expect something a bit more special.

Elidor by Alan Garner, 08 Apr 2003
Exciting story about four children who are given an item each from Elidor to protect. Alan Garner is brilliant at creating dramatic atmosphere. However, the story had a rather disappointing ending.

A magical and totally unforgettable read., 19 Nov 2001
Although Elidor is usually classified as a Children's book and is indeed fairly short and easy to read, it will astound readers of any age. I first read this book at the age of ten and have re-read it on a regular basis over the last 30 years!
The plot is essentially a classic tale of Good against Evil where the fate of a whole world is held in the hands of four ordinary children.
However, what makes it so special is the way the Author intermingles our everyday, ordinary world (in this case, the back streets of Manchester) with the mystical world of Elidor. Characters, objects and magic "leak out" of one world into the other, making it quite a scary read for children , but by the the same score, totally captivating. At the end of the story you are left with the feeling that there really might be other worlds just beyond our vision.
If you have enjoyed this story you may well enjoy other books by Alan Garner, such as "The Weird Stone of Brisingamen" "The Moon of Gomrath" and "The Owl Service" where the theme of a more magical and mystical world lying just below the surface of our ordinary lives, is again explored.