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