In 1999, Diana Wynne Jones won the children's section of the Mythopeic Award in the USA and the Karl Edward Wagner Award in the UK, awarded by the British Fantasy Society.
Diana Wynne Jones (1934-2011) spent her childhood in Essex and began writing fantasy novels for children in the 1970s. With her unique combination of magic, humour and imagination, she enthralled generations of children and adults with her work. She won the Guardian Award in 1977 with Charmed Life, was runner-up for the Children's Book Award in 1981 and was twice runner-up for the Carnegie Medal.
Set in a world in which magic is the norm, this delectable adventure profiles the boyhood of the famous enchanter who plays a prominent role in the author's Chrestomanci series. Ages 10-up. (Oct.)
"...Her hallmarks include laugh-aloud humour, plenty of magic and imaginative array of alternate worlds. Yet, at the same time, a great seriousness is present in all of her novels, a sense of urgency that links Jones's most outrageous plots to her readers' hopes and fears..." Publishers Weekly
Gr 6-9-In Diana Wynne Jones's magical coming-of-age story (Greenwillow, 1988), Christopher Chant manages to lose most of his nine lives as he comes to accept his destiny. His magical powers and his nine lives put him in line to be the next Chrestomanci (head enchanter) so, against his will, he is taken out of school to Chrestomanci's castle to be trained. There he realizes, to his horror, that his Uncle Ralph, whom he idolizes, is the Wraith, a notorious and wicked smuggler of magical goods. When Uncle Ralph tries to destroy the current Chrestomanci, Christopher joins forces with a young Goddess, a spirit traveler, and an ill-tempered temple cat to save him. This word-for-word reading will have high appeal for middle school fantasy fans. Actor Gerard Doyle's rich voice and English accent suit the story perfectly. His excellent expression and conviction draw listeners into the tale and help them follow the complex plot, giving each character's voice just enough distinction. The narration is slow enough to facilitate reading along but a good pace for listening as well. Both public and school libraries will find this an excellent addition to their audio collections.-Louise L. Sherman, formerly Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
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