Age 8-11

A fat book set in a magical world in which children grow up unaware of their real identities may not sound like anything new, but picturebook veteran Sage’s first full-length novel makes this old territory fresh. She has a light touch and a sense of humour, and her yarn scoots along like a dragon-boat with the wind in its sails. The dragon-boat, a speaking rat who carries messages, a friendly, mud-covered marsh boggart, a wizard’s apprentice, a scheming villain, a lost princess, a poor but likeable Weasleyesque family of seven, a benevolent ghost, an eccentric aunt and a pair of purple snakeskin shoes are all ingredients in this enchantment which performs the magic trick of making 564 pages seem not long enough. Young readers will have the satisfaction of easily completing a big book. Hurrah, too, for the skilled draughtsmanship of Mark Zug’s illustrations to the chapter headings, which are characterisation brought to life, and exactly what books for children of this age should include more often. It’s only a pity some are repeated. For the next volume, publishers please commission more.

SEPTIMUS HEAP: Book One: Magyk by Angie Sage

(Bloomsbury £12.99)

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