Midnight for Charlie Bone (Children of the Red King)
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Product Description
Review
Charlie Bone seems like a pretty ordinary sort of boy - until he starts hearing soundtracks when he looks at photographs. We know from the short, mediaeval-sounding prologue that there is magic afoot. Suddenly Charlie is possessed of secret knowledge - and one of his grandmothers is suspiciously eager to encourage his talents. This is an enthralling story for eight to 11-year-olds, well told by a writer who is experienced at enthusing a wide variety of readers. Characters and events are delightfully drawn - it is immediately apparent that Grandma Bone is of a different order to Grandma Masie, and that something is amiss when Uncle Paton, who never goes out in daylight, appears to summon Charlie home. Jenny Nimmo is excellent at building tension, creating atmosphere and spinning a story, and here are all the ingredients of a compelling read: three disturbingly unpleasant great aunts, a loving but ineffectual mother, a mysterious metal case with a strange connection to a missing baby, vanishing children, disappearing parents, a sinister school with hidden rooms full of armour, and staff excelling in hypnotism, plotting and betrayal. Characters' names are a feast of invention - Mr Orvil Onimous; Aunts Lucretia, Eustacia and Venetia; Fidelio Gunn, Gabriel Silk and Manfred Bloor, as well as the dog named Percival Pettigrew Pennington Pitt, who thinks he's called Blessed ('that blessed dog...'). Some pretty profound messages are hidden beneath the story-line, with the Red King's warring children, good and evil yet bound together generation after generation... it is clear things will not end here, and welcome to be told at the end that the story is to be continued. Nimmo's greatest talent is to leave the reader always wanting to know what happens next, which is about the best possible attribute for a children's book. (Kirkus UK)
Readers may come away from this hefty series opener, about a seemingly ordinary British lad who is sent to a special boarding school after discovering that he has magical powers, with a distinct sense of deja vu. It seems that England had a magical Red King seven centuries ago, who disappeared after his wife died and five of his ten children went bad. All ten children are still around in various guises, and, along with occasional descendants, can wield parts of the Red King's magic-so once ten-year-old Charlie reveals that he can hear the people in photographs talking, the nasty camp swoops down to bustle him off to Bloor's Academy. Within Bloor's gloomy stone walls he meets friends and enemies, some of whom are also "Endowed," as he struggles to learn the school's routines, helps rescue a kidnapped schoolmate whose mind has been clouded by the baddies, discovers that his father may not be dead as he's been led to believe, and is stalked by a werewolf. The climactic battle, however, occurs offstage, and though several characters turn out not to be who or what they seem, the revelations are thoroughly telegraphed. The author leaves a few threads dangling, but underestimates her audience if she thinks she's left any major surprises for future episodes. Charlie's adventure adds up to a formulaic, thinly disguised placeholder for the next Harry Potter; a far cry from Nimmo's eerie, atmospheric Griffin's Castle (1997). (Fiction. 10-12) (Kirkus Reviews) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Readers may come away from this hefty series opener, about a seemingly ordinary British lad who is sent to a special boarding school after discovering that he has magical powers, with a distinct sense of deja vu. It seems that England had a magical Red King seven centuries ago, who disappeared after his wife died and five of his ten children went bad. All ten children are still around in various guises, and, along with occasional descendants, can wield parts of the Red King's magic-so once ten-year-old Charlie reveals that he can hear the people in photographs talking, the nasty camp swoops down to bustle him off to Bloor's Academy. Within Bloor's gloomy stone walls he meets friends and enemies, some of whom are also "Endowed," as he struggles to learn the school's routines, helps rescue a kidnapped schoolmate whose mind has been clouded by the baddies, discovers that his father may not be dead as he's been led to believe, and is stalked by a werewolf. The climactic battle, however, occurs offstage, and though several characters turn out not to be who or what they seem, the revelations are thoroughly telegraphed. The author leaves a few threads dangling, but underestimates her audience if she thinks she's left any major surprises for future episodes. Charlie's adventure adds up to a formulaic, thinly disguised placeholder for the next Harry Potter; a far cry from Nimmo's eerie, atmospheric Griffin's Castle (1997). (Fiction. 10-12) (Kirkus Reviews) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
What's happening to Charlie Bone?
Charlie doesn't want to believe it when he discovers that he can hear the thoughts of people in photographs. But his horrible aunts are delighted – it means that he is one of the chosen and must attend the Bloor's Academy for gifted children. Once there, Charlie realizes that some of his classmates have equally mysterious powers, and soon Charlie is involved in uncovering the mysterious past of one of them.
Book One in The Children of the Red King series!
Charlie doesn't want to believe it when he discovers that he can hear the thoughts of people in photographs. But his horrible aunts are delighted – it means that he is one of the chosen and must attend the Bloor's Academy for gifted children. Once there, Charlie realizes that some of his classmates have equally mysterious powers, and soon Charlie is involved in uncovering the mysterious past of one of them.
Book One in The Children of the Red King series!
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Story line: This story is about a boy called Charlie Bone who finds out he can hear voices in pictures. He is sent to a horrible school
called Bloors Academy where he meets Olivia Vertigo and Fidelio Gun.
Our thoughts: We thought this book was really interesting and it is full of dramatic events. The book is jam packed with mystery and Jenny Nimmo must have spent a lot of time writing it.
We would recommend it to: We would recommend it to children all around the world as it is such a great book.
Thoughts of the author: Jenny Nimmo is a great author and has wonderful ideas. We can’t wait to read the next few books. We would like her to write a lot more Charlie bone books as they are brill!
called Bloors Academy where he meets Olivia Vertigo and Fidelio Gun.
Our thoughts: We thought this book was really interesting and it is full of dramatic events. The book is jam packed with mystery and Jenny Nimmo must have spent a lot of time writing it.
We would recommend it to: We would recommend it to children all around the world as it is such a great book.
Thoughts of the author: Jenny Nimmo is a great author and has wonderful ideas. We can’t wait to read the next few books. We would like her to write a lot more Charlie bone books as they are brill!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Story Line: This story is about a boy called Charlie Bone who discovers that he has a talent for hearing voices in photographs. He is sent to a boarding school called Bloors Academy for talented or endowed children. He makes friends with Fidelio Gun, Olivia Vertigo, Billy Raven and finally Emma Tolly, a girl who Charlie and his friends help to rescue, however Charlie’s yewbeam relatives lead him into further adventures including the attack of Charlie’s friend, Benjamin’s dog, Runnerbean…………….!
We recommend this book to: Readers with good imagination.
Jenny Nimmo: Jenny Nimmo is an author with a big imagination and a great mind for magic!
We recommend this book to: Readers with good imagination.
Jenny Nimmo: Jenny Nimmo is an author with a big imagination and a great mind for magic!
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Story line: it is about a young boy who looks in to a picture that he got for his Friends Birthday, he looked into the picture and started hearing the voices from the people inside the picture and he got sent to an ancient boarding school for people who are endowed like Charlie
What I think about it: I like it because it is very mysterious and one thing always leads to another.
Would I recommend it to people: yes I would. I think most people would like this book!!!!!!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
READ THIS BOOK! Midnight for Charlie Bone
I absolutely loved this book. It is all about a boy named Charlie who finds out that he can hear voices coming from photographs. His aunts are amazed with his extrodinary talent. Read more
Published 16 months ago
Great Family Read
My son (9)and I raced through all the Charlie Bone books and were sad when we finished the last one. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Katz
Charlie Bone.
This is a book about a boy called Charlie Bone and he was born with the special talent of hearing voices from pictures. Read more
Published 18 months ago
Read them quickly before you are too old.
I bought this book for my 10 year old and although he really enjoyed it i feel i have missed an opportunity. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Sean Higgins
the "in " book at school.
This was bought for my 8 year old grandson who is also reviewing it at school.Since the purchase he hasn't put it down, so it was a good investment.
Published 23 months ago by G. Taylor
The first of many great books!
Midnight for Charlie Bone is the beginning of a fabulous journey through the series. There are eight books in the series, all having a different adventure-a bit like Harry potter! Read more
Published on 17 May 2010
A brilliant book which my 10 year old loved
This book was a really fun and mysterious book with all kinds of twists and turns. There are lots of different characters with different powers used for good and for evil. Read more
Published on 19 Mar 2009 by Not So Manic Mum
Quirky and cute
A book definitely aimed at the young reader who enjoyed Harry Potter. As an older reader, i found the story quite juvenile and predictable but for young children its a great read,... Read more
Published on 11 Jan 2009 by H. Peacock
Charlie Bone
It is a really really good book. I'm half way through it. It's fantastic.
He hears photos. He is magic.
By Theo
Age 8
He hears photos. He is magic.
By Theo
Age 8
Published on 10 Jan 2009
Bone is better than Potter
Having read the Harry Potter books and the Children of the Red King series I can wholeheartedly say that I prefer Jenny Nimmo's books to JK Rowling's. Read more
Published on 26 Aug 2008 by brawnybalboa
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