Allira's gift by Paul Collins and Danny Willis
Five
Mile Press, 2007
(Ages 11+) Richly illustrated by Danny Willis, this fantasy hardback
novel, sweeps the reader along in a whirl of adventure and danger.
Gerald Hart takes his two children, Allira and Stephen, to the castle
home of his father, Fergus, who has disappeared. Allira often sees
strange things that no one else notices and she keeps the dragon she
glimpses near the castle a secret. More surprises are in store for her
as she discovers the alternative world of Grymm, where a fierce battle
against evil is being waged and she finds hidden depths of strength and
courage
The novel has immediate appeal to an Australian audience because of its
setting in Victoria's bush, with possums, gum trees, a bunyip and the
Calder Highway, blending with the more traditional fantasy elements of
a castle, goblins, dragons and trolls.
The strong female main character will appeal to young girls, and there
is plenty of action, fights, hideous characters and bloodshed to engage
boys. The illustrations stretched my imagination. I especially enjoyed
the pictures of Allira and Stephen, and felt that they were people I
knew well. They contrasted well with the quirky drawings of the unsung
heroes in the Hall of Fame.
The story ends on a frightening cliffhanger which didn't worry me as an
adult as I assumed that all would be resolved in the next book in the
series. However this may worry younger readers. Fans of this book could
move onto Diana Wynne Jones' Chrestomanci series and The Foundling
by
D.M. Cornish.
Pat Pledger
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© Pledger
Consulting, 2007