Harper Collins

August 2019

ISBN: 9781460780169

ISBN 10: 1460780167

RRP: $17.99

Sometimes you pick up a book and it just sparkles! Young Cora is an orphan who was found and raised by elderly Dot. She’d lost an eye with a resulting nasty scar and has a mysterious special bracelet. Dot and Cora are collectors in the virtually ruined city of Urt. They scrounge odd things which they then sell – buttons, silver spoons, shoe polish and more. When Cora goes out alone to find some shoe polish she also finds a strange wooden box containing a message written in some unintelligible language. Trying to fathom this by reading it out, she unwittingly brings down a curse upon herself. A Jinx is after her! Luckily two very unlikely and hirsute fairies arrive to help her out and the adventure begins. A mysterious mission into the world of magic ensues with Cora plus Tick and Tock roaming the world of sorcery and danger with many near escapes. All the while Cora is on a voyage of self-discovery – finding out that she is also magical.

This just hits the right note for readers who love a bit of rollicking fantasy with both tension and humour – with definite overtones (to my mind) of the wonderful Sir Terry Pratchett.

Cora may lack in self-confidence initially but she soon reveals her pluck and loyalty to those who help her as well as empathy and insight. Along the way she discovers a whole ‘underworld’ of magic about which she really had no idea until becoming totally immersed in it.

A fabulous read for kiddos from around 8 years upwards, I highly recommend it and am looking forward to the next instalment!

Find teaching notes here and enjoy the ride!