Author & Illustrators
Known for richly imagined worlds that are convincing, delightful and darkly enticing, Amy Wilson remains a key author for the Key Stage crossover, offering enough magic to capture upper primary while providing the depth to stretch readers into Key Stage 3. The first in a new series, The Trouble With Magic, is a gripping coming-of-age story set in a spellbinding, gothic landscape of enchantments, power battles and magical objects.
The story follows 13-year-old Fray Mantel. Fray has been hiding in shadows, unsure of who he really is or where his place is in the town of Hexton. Fray has been forced to conceal his magical powers ever since his power-hungry parents were banished from Hexton. When his last remaining relative dies, Fray’s magic is unexpectedly revealed and amplified. Inheriting a fascinating magical object called a Croxometer, Fray embarks on a quest to learn to control his magic and restore what was lost.
This really is a mesmerising tale brimming with atmosphere. The narrative expertly plays with motifs of light and darkness, mirrored beautifully by Eric Deschamps’s full-page illustrations. The broodingly perilous setting sets the stage for a story that tackles themes of loyalty, betrayal and inheritance, posing the question: must Fray follow his family’s destiny, or can he break the cycle?
The dual nature of magic – portrayed as something with potential to be both wonderful and monstrous – is a fantasy trope that upper Key Stage 2 readers typically love to explore. One step removed via magical themes, it mirrors their own journeys as they grapple with identity at a key transition point. Children at this age learn to take greater responsibility for their actions, feel the pull of wonderful and monstrous emotions within themselves and navigate which parts of their inner world to hide or reveal.
Ultimately a story about finding your place no matter what has gone before, this is a fantastic, thought-provoking read for pupils in Years 6 and 7.
It’s another icy adventure (I’m starting to think there could be a hidden theme here…)! This time we’re with a girl whose hippy mother named her Owl, who’s on a mission to find out about the dad she’s never known. But the person he turns out to be is certainly not the one she’s expecting! And besides, why do strange frost patterns keep appearing on her skin? This is a joyous read that – for me – really captures the wild and captivating magic of winter, rooted gloriously in folklore and the realms of spirits.
A coming-of-age adventure story rooted in fairy tale and magic. As usual, Amy Wilson’s world-building is second to none as she immerses the reader is a richly-imagined magical world that is at once convincing, delightful and darkly enticing.
Stella feels alone, living most of her life with her Nan in a cottage near the edge of a magical forest. The forest is filled with dangers and haunted by the dark shadows released by the King, who is in mourning after a family loss that occurred years before. Stella helps her Nan to guard the house boundary and stop the dark magic from expanding further. Armed with books, Stella has grown up learning charms, spells and the history of magic and has an imp called Peg for company, but feels a pull towards the unfamiliar worlds beyond the fence.
Tired of being isolated from the human world, Stella secretly signs up to go to school in a nearby town. While Nan disapproves of Stella keeping company with humans, Stella arrives at school and quickly realises that some of her new classmates are not quite what she expected. Before long, Stella finds herself caught up in a complex quest to save the forest from the King’s shadows and to uncover the secrets of her own past.
Wilson’s depiction of Stella as a young teen who struggles with isolation and identity will resonate with any readers who have known a longing to find their place in the world. Fairy tale imagery is peppered through the pages; grandmothers in forest cottages, shiny red apples, elves and fairies in underground homes, hidden-from-sight palaces and necklaces imbued with magic all seamlessly weave in and out of the book’s modern, relatable themes.
Suitable for upper KS2 and lower KS3, this is a refined piece of storytelling that encourages young readers to be brave and follow their own path.
Amy Wilson’s Snowglobe is a beautifully written, heartfelt fantasy in a convincing world.
Young Clementine is sure that the curious house she finds in the middle of town was never there before. Drawn to look inside, she discovers hundreds of snowglobes each containing trapped magicians, including her classmate Dylan.
Headstrong Clementine bravely ventures into the worlds of the snowglobes on a mission to rescue Dylan and free those trapped by the house’s enchantments. As she struggles against the strange and powerful sisters in charge of the house, Clementine’s own magical identity is awakened as she grapples with her past, present and future.
Gripping and exciting, we loved the complexity of the characters and the strong female lead, the enchanting magical worlds in the snowglobes and the emotive narrative that is gripping from the first page. Snowglobe is simply spellbinding as Amy Wilson spins her own brand of enticing magic and masterfully demonstrates the charm of middle-grade fantasy at its very best.
review
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?
yes
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Curriculum links (if relevant)
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