The Pinhoe Egg

Wynne Jones is at the top of her form in this excellent addition to the Chrestomanci books, set not long after the events chronicled in Charmed Life. Marianne's summer gets off to an unpromising start, thanks to her grandmother, the willful and manipulative Gammer Pinhoe, head of all Pinhoe family witchcraft in Ulverscote and the other villages surrounding Chrestomanci Castle. Marianne becomes errand-runner for her entire extended family when Gammer lurches into a punning, malicious (and wickedly funny) form of dementia, the seeming result of a run-in with another local witching family. Meanwhile, up at Chrestomanci Castle, Cat Chant (last seen in Charmed Life) has inadvertently become the owner of a horse named Syracuse, whose powers include helping Cat recognize the presence of dwimmer, a mysterious, nature-oriented magic. On a trip to Ulverscote, Cat meets Marianne, recognizes her as a kindred spirit and becomes the caretaker of a mysterious egg they find in the attic of Gammer's house. Wild magic ensues as the egg hatches, long pent-up nature spirits are released, ugly secrets are revealed, and Marianne and Cat confront terrifying challenges. Longtime fans will be pleased to encounter Cat once again, and to watch the early stages of his friendship with Marianne unfold. Newcomers will relish the lavish storytelling, and doubtless be driven back to earlier books. Witty, wise and wonderfully imaginative-this novel ranks among the author's best. Ages 10-14.

Copyright 2006 Publisher’s Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 4-8-Fans of Harry Potter will enjoy exploring the magical world of Ulverscote, which is every bit as enchanting as that of Hogwarts, though humbler by far. Part coming-of-age tale, part fantastical mystery, this sixth entry in the series is chock-full of interesting characters. Gammer Pinhoe is a manipulative and mentally unstable matriarch who secretly starts an all-out witch war with the neighboring clan. Her plan is discovered by her granddaughter, Marianne, a young witch beginning to come into her own magical powers. Marianne meets up with Cat, nine-lived enchanter and resident of Chrestomanci Castle, as well as Chrestomanci himself. They find a mysterious egg in Gammer's attic, which the girl cares for until it hatches into a charming baby griffin. Meanwhile, Chrestomanci keeps a watchful eye over all of this as he tries to figure out the mystery of the enchanted woods. In the end, Marianne uses her inner strength to help Cat free the creatures in the woods, and Chrestomanci restores peace among the witch families of Ulverscote. Although some children may be put off by the complicated plot and unfamiliar wording and references, Jones does a good job of entertaining readers with an interesting new world, strong characters, and a satisfying ending.

Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.