2012 Puddly Awards
 
 
Follow us on TwitterFollow us on FacebookFollow us on Google+Follow us on TumblrSubscribe to RSS

Recently Viewed clear list

Interviews | May 7, 2012

Jill Owens: IMG Gideon Lewis-Kraus: The Powells.com Interview

0 comments By Jill Owens

Gideon Lewis-KrausI started and finished A Sense of Direction in one evening; I couldn't really stop thinking about it, so I couldn't put it down. I found it... Continue »
  1. $18.87 Sale Hardcover add to wish list

    A Sense of Direction: Pilgrimage for the Restless and the Hopeful

    Gideon Lewis-Kraus 9781594487255
spacer
Ships free on qualified orders.
$5.95
Used Hardcover
Ships in 1 to 3 days
Add to Wishlist
Qty Store Section
1 Burnside Children's Middle Readers- General

Midnight for Charlie Bone

by Jenny Nimmo

Midnight for Charlie Bone Cover

ISBN13: 9780439474290
ISBN10: 0439474299
Condition: Standard
All Product Details

Only 1 left in stock at $5.95!

 

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

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 he is one of the chosen, and must change schools and attend the Bloor's Academy for gifted children. Once there, Charlie realizes that some of his classmates have equally mysterious powers. Soon Charlie is involved in uncovering the mysterious past of one of them. With the help of this friend Benjamin and his eccentric, gifted Uncle Paton, they discover the truth despite all the dangers that lie ahead.

Review:

"Bloor's Academy...bears some resemblance to Hogwarts School, but the story itself is quite different....[An] exciting, fast-paced adventure tale....Harry Potter's myriad fans will be well pleased." Sally Estes, Booklist

Review:

"[T]his paper-over-board British fantasy reads like ersatz Harry Potter....Nimmo writes solidly, but her powers of invention...cannot withstand the comparison she invites with J.K. Rowling." Publishers Weekly

Review:

"The magic falls short of Rowling's spectacles, and there are no astonishing foodstuffs or games. Still, this marvelous fantasy is able to stand on its own despite inevitable comparisons to the students of Hogwarts." Pam Carlson, VOYA

Review:

"Not as complex...as the Harry Potter books, the promise exists for a continued completely fresh angle on the magic story. Many hints are provided of depths to be plumbed in future entries in the series..." School Library Journal

Review:

"Readers may come away from this hefty series opener...with a distinct sense of déjà vu....Charlie's adventure adds up to a formulaic, thinly disguised placeholder for the next Harry Potter..." Kirkus Reviews

Synopsis:

The fabulous powers of the Red King were passed down through his descendants, after turning up quite unexpectedly, in someone who had no idea where they came from. This is what happened to Charlie Bone, and to some of the children he met behind the grim, gray walls of Bloor's Academy. Charlie Bone has discovered an unusual gift — he can hear people in photographs talking! His scheming aunts decide to send him to Bloor Academy, a school for geniuses, where he uses his gifts to discover the truth despite all the dangers that lie ahead.

Synopsis:

A magical fantasy that is fast-paced and easy-to-read. Charlie Bone has a special gift- he can hear people in photographs talking.

The fabulous powers of the Red King were passed down through his descendants, after turning up quite unexpectedly, in someone who had no idea where they came from. This is what happened to Charlie Bone, and to some of the children he met behind the grim, gray walls of Bloor's Academy.

Charlie Bone has discovered an unusual gift-he can hear people in photographs talking! His scheming aunts decide to send him to Bloor Academy, a school for genius's where he uses his gifts to discover the truth despite all the dangers that lie ahead.

back to top

What Our Readers Are Saying

Add a comment for a chance to win!
Average customer rating based on 2 comments:
Shoshana, February 11, 2007 (view all comments by Shoshana)
+ Nice tone, engaging characters, complex plot

- Climactic moments a little rushed, some thin characterization

An enjoyable beginning to a young adult series. I imagine that Scholastic named these books to evoke the Harry Potter series, though “The Children of the Red King” is a reasonable series title that is more striking than “the Charlie Bone books,” and the "Charlie Bone and the..." titles are derivative.

Like Harry, Charlie is a young man just coming of age; also like Harry, he has hitherto unknown talents. His family is more like another Charlie’s family, Charlie Bucket of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Charlie’s relationships are credible and the environments, such as the menacing Bloor’s Academy, are vivid. Some characterization is a little thin and inconsistent (Billy is an example of this). On the other hand, characters such as Charlie’s Uncle Patton are nicely developed and ring true. The action is generally well-paced and the plot pleasingly convoluted. Nimmo’s revelations are well-placed and keep the action moving forward.

It may be that the legacy of Rowling’s dense Harry Potter series that almost all other young adult novels seem somewhat rushed and sketchy by comparison.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(5 of 9 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Aimie, November 21, 2006 (view all comments by Aimie)
I read this book a few years ago, and yet the storyline always sticks in my mind. Jenny Nimmo is a very creative and imaginative author. This is a great novel for readers around 13 or younger. Nevertheless, it is still an enjoyable read for some teens. Although this book is based on magic, some aspects can still be related to our own realities. A very interesting and 'out of this world' read.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(6 of 15 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
View all 2 comments
back to top

Product Details

ISBN:
9780439474290
Author:
Nimmo, Jenny
Publisher:
Orchard
Location:
New York
Subject:
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
Subject:
Children's 9-12 - Fiction - Fantasy
Subject:
Schools
Subject:
England
Subject:
Magic
Subject:
Boarding schools
Subject:
Fantasy & Magic
Subject:
Children s-Science Fiction and Fantasy
Copyright:
2003
Edition Number:
1st Scholastic ed.
Edition Description:
Trade Cloth
Series:
Children of the Red King
Series Volume:
5
Publication Date:
March 1, 2003
Binding:
HARDCOVER
Grade Level:
from 4
Language:
English
Pages:
416
Dimensions:
8.25 x 5.5 in
Age Level:
08-UP
back to top

Other books you might like

  1. $2.95 Used Hardcover add to wish list

    Charlie Bone and the Time Twister

    Jenny Nimmo 9780439496872
  2. $4.95 Used Hardcover add to wish list

    Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy: Children of the Red King #03

    Jenny Nimmo 9780439545266
  3. $1.95 Used Hardcover add to wish list

    Terrible Times: The Eddie Dickens Trilogy, Book Three

    Philip Ardagh 9780805071566
  4. $1.95 Used Trade Paper add to wish list

    A House Called Awful End: The Eddie Dickens Trilogy

    Philip Ardagh 9780439537599
  5. $2.50 Used Hardcover add to wish list

    A Series of Unfortunate Events #01: The Bad Beginning

    Lemony Snicket 9780064407663
  6. $7.09 Google eBooks add to wish list

    The Thief Lord

    Cornelia Funke 9780545415101
back to top

Related Subjects

Children's » Middle Readers » General
Children's » Science Fiction and Fantasy » General
Fiction and Poetry » Literature » A to Z
Languages » Foreign Languages » Spanish » Children's » General
Languages » Foreign Languages » Spanish » Children's » Science Fiction and Fantasy » General

Midnight for Charlie Bone Used Hardcover
0 stars - 0 reviews
$5.95 In Stock
Product details 416 pages Orchard Books (NY) - English 9780439474290 Reviews:
"Review" by , "Bloor's Academy...bears some resemblance to Hogwarts School, but the story itself is quite different....[An] exciting, fast-paced adventure tale....Harry Potter's myriad fans will be well pleased."
"Review" by , "[T]his paper-over-board British fantasy reads like ersatz Harry Potter....Nimmo writes solidly, but her powers of invention...cannot withstand the comparison she invites with J.K. Rowling."
"Review" by , "The magic falls short of Rowling's spectacles, and there are no astonishing foodstuffs or games. Still, this marvelous fantasy is able to stand on its own despite inevitable comparisons to the students of Hogwarts."
"Review" by , "Not as complex...as the Harry Potter books, the promise exists for a continued completely fresh angle on the magic story. Many hints are provided of depths to be plumbed in future entries in the series..."
"Review" by , "Readers may come away from this hefty series opener...with a distinct sense of déjà vu....Charlie's adventure adds up to a formulaic, thinly disguised placeholder for the next Harry Potter..."
"Synopsis" by , The fabulous powers of the Red King were passed down through his descendants, after turning up quite unexpectedly, in someone who had no idea where they came from. This is what happened to Charlie Bone, and to some of the children he met behind the grim, gray walls of Bloor's Academy. Charlie Bone has discovered an unusual gift — he can hear people in photographs talking! His scheming aunts decide to send him to Bloor Academy, a school for geniuses, where he uses his gifts to discover the truth despite all the dangers that lie ahead.
"Synopsis" by ,
A magical fantasy that is fast-paced and easy-to-read. Charlie Bone has a special gift- he can hear people in photographs talking.

The fabulous powers of the Red King were passed down through his descendants, after turning up quite unexpectedly, in someone who had no idea where they came from. This is what happened to Charlie Bone, and to some of the children he met behind the grim, gray walls of Bloor's Academy.

Charlie Bone has discovered an unusual gift-he can hear people in photographs talking! His scheming aunts decide to send him to Bloor Academy, a school for genius's where he uses his gifts to discover the truth despite all the dangers that lie ahead.
spacer
spacer
  • back to top
Follow us on...



Powell's City of Books is an independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon, that fills a whole city block with more than a million new, used, and out of print books. Shop those shelves — plus literally millions more books, DVDs, and eBooks — here at Powells.com.