The Boy Who Went Magic

Gr 4–6—A swash-buckling fantasy adventure that hits many of the notes fans of the genre expect. As a young boy, Bert was orphaned and sent to a school by a mysterious man in a cloak. A bit older now, Bert often gets distracted in school but is quite clever. When a series of unfortunate magical events land him in trouble, he's rescued by Finch, a girl with metal legs and a daring spirit. The pair is soon off on a grand adventure to find the lost land of Ferenor. Airships, pirates, automata, steampunk-esque gadgets, and ample acts of derring-do keep the pages turning. World-building and deep character development are sometimes sacrificed in the interest of moving the plot along, but readers will nevertheless be enchanted by Winter's imaginative creation. The ending hints at the possibility of future adventures to come.