Spellhound by Lian Tanner

Flax is a minch-wiggin (a fairy-ish creature from Hallow) who has a secret, and a small satchel of magic. She travels with an enormous pup (he is a Spellhound - but that is supposed to be a secret) and they are on a quest to rescue Hallow from dragons and witches. They form a friendship with Felicia (who chooses an alias and more appealing name - Rose); she also hides a secret and is trying to escape her onerous position as Queen, and her Aunt Delilah, the somewhat forbidding Regent of the realm.  Together, the unlikely friends wield magic to rescue and release relatives and to restore the land and the magical country from the scourge of oppression.

This is a whimsical tale of magical possibilities, secrets revealed, and humble but determined characters, but it also a tale that recognises the power of the young. Initially the book flits and rests in a somewhat haphazard manner, so young readers will need to have a little staying power (like Flax herself) in order to connect to the unusual setting and plot and character permutations. The chapters are very short initially, but after a while the magical world starts to coalesce and make sense. There are some delightful moments when the narrator (who will remain nameless as they are a secret, somewhat omniscient recorder of the details of the quest) enters into a dialogue with the reader, keeping secrets (badly) and toying with a reader’s expectations. This adds moments of refreshing humour amongst the tension.  Although this is a dramatic quest, with fearful moments for the characters, young readers will not share their fear. The narrator seems to be able to lighten the burden. This is a book for fantasy lovers aged 8-11.

Themes: Fantasy, Dragons, Royalty, Lies, Honour.

Carolyn Hull