Rating: 
Summary: Get over Harry Potter for this one!
Review: Someone has stolen the prince! This book follows the story of a secret land waiting for the 9th year to roll around so that their magical door will open letting them out on platform 13, an abandoned train station, into London. The door is only open for 9 days so the king and queen have collected 4 of their villagers to rescue him. But when they get to his house the rescuers find that he wasn't brought up the way they thought he would. This book is full of imagination that climbs a wall higher and higher as it goes through the book. New obstacles appear in the book making every page a bit more exciting than the last. The wonder and the magic in this book is beyond many levels even some of which Harry Potter cannot top as Platform 13 has done. It is a wonderful book for kids and adults and has me hooked as a read it over and over again. I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I have.
Rating:
Summary: A must for Harry Potter fans
Review: An enjoyable English fantasy romp, "Platform" is far more mature than the goofy, fun "Which Witch?" It employs things that are eerily similar to Harry Potter plot devices, such as the sensitive giant, enchanted train platform, and spoiled boy vs. abused hero. However, don't compare the two books-they are totally dissimilar and Platform came first. Okay?Nine years ago, the "gump" (sort of a dimensional portal) was open into London from the Island, a magical, beautiful place. Three nurses took the little baby Prince to London-but a desperate rich woman stole him. Nine years have passed. Now, an oddball expedition is setting out to find him composed of a dizzy fey, a fairly pretty hag, a sensitive giant, and a crotchety wizard. Unfortunately, nine years of luxurious living with the Trottles have turned young Raymond into... well, someone not fit to be prince. The oddball four teams up with a compassionate servant boy named Ben to bring Raymond to the gump and return him. Time is running out for them to return, before the gump seals itself for another nine years. And was I the only one getting chills about the lady with the stiletto knitting needles? The main characters are not all there is-there's a hefty addition of many magical creatures living in and around London, including merrows, water nymphs, banshees, mistmakers, ogres, harpies, flower fairies, and so on. Ibbotson has a charming, very English style of writing without being condescending, and this tale has a great deal of magic hovering around it like a mistmaker's mist. If you're a fantasy buff, this book is a must-have!
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but a bit predictable
Review: I recently checked this book out from the library, after having it be reccomended to me as good young adult type fantasy, which I like for light reading. I found it was not as good as I had expected from the reccomendation. I actually would give it 3 and a half stars. The book is about a baby prince who has been stolen from it's during a trip to the real world, and the people who try to rescue him nine years later. The rescuers are all great characters, as are many of the people met along the way. The main problem I found with it was the predictableness of the story, and the strange behavior of some of the characters. I was waiting the whole book for them to figure out what I had figured out in the first few chapters. This really affected my enjoyment of the book. Also, it is below my age for both story and reading level. However, I think it would be hugely enjoyed by 6-12 year-olds. To address the Harry Potter comparison, as many other reviewers have: The Secret of Platform 13 is not like Harry Potter. If you are reading it because you expect it is like Harry Potter, you will be (at least somewhat) dissapointed. It does not have the complicated plot lines or similar writing, characterisation, or humor as Harry Potter. This is not to say the writing and characters aren't good or interesting, but they are quite different and the plot is much more staightforward and less scary. All in all, I would say this is a pretty fair book, especially for younger fantasy fans.
Rating:
Summary: a treat for all the family
Review: We (an 8 yr old boy and 2 parents) listened to the audiotape of this book during a car trip of several days. It was wonderful: a gripping start, suspense right up til the end, a heady mix of fantasy, humour, and problems/fears that children and parents can relate to, as well as characters we enjoy loving or loathing. This book touches on some of the grand themes of 'children's literature': love & duty, friendship, courage & sacrifice, with a deft hand. The gump, and mistmakers, make this world a better place.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: I loved this book. But I agree with the other reviewer that said that this shouldn't be compared to the Harry Potter books. I mean, sure, they're similar, but not every good book has to be "better" than Harry. Anyway... Like I said, this is one of my favorite books. I also think that the cover illustration is a great portrayal of the characters. (By the way, I know Kevin Hawkes, and that cover is by him, not Sue Porter.) I had my suspicions about how this book would turn out, and I was pleasently surprised. Even if you don't buy this book, at least check it out of the library. You'll love it.
Rating:
Summary: A Really Cool Read
Review: This book is really good. The main story plot is a group of magical creatures trying to save a former prince of their country from the real world. The only problem is, the former prince is a spoiled brat. These creatures have all kinds of funny adventures and think up all these wierd ways to try and rescue the prince. Most of them are really wacky like dancing out of a giant cake and then grabbing the prince. (That on didn't work) It is a really good Harry Potter alternative.
Rating:
Summary: Totally Awesome man!
Review: I thought that this book rocks. Harry Potter get down! Everyone has heard of Harry Potter and not this and yet this book is ace. It keeps moving and you get into it right away. The character discription is cool too!
Rating:
Summary: Hogwarts or the Island?
Review: Well, I'm eighteen years old, and I still was enthralled by this book. It moves quickly, and the action is good. I figured out the ending well before the end of the book, but then, I'm six years older than the top of the suggested reading ages. Regarding it being compared to Harry Potter.....I love Harry, and would never insult the Potter books, but this one is less scary. I mean, in Harry Potter, there's he-who-cannot-be-named, and the dementors and such, whereas here, the scariest thing is a woman with some REALLY sharp knitting needles. Neither book is better than the other. They are different, but both fabulous...Read them BOTH!
Rating:
Summary: HELP! I CANT PUT IT DOWN!
Review: I ABSOLUTLY LOVE THIS BOOK! IT WAS AWSOME! FULL OF ADVENTURE. THIS BOOK WAS REALY ORIGINAL.EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK-EVEN IF YOU DONT LIKE READING.YOU WILL REGRET IT IF YOU DONT.
Rating:
Summary: THE BEST BOOK! UNPUTDOWNABLE!
Review: This book The Secret of Platform 13 is one of the best books i have ever read second to harry potter series. it is so good that u can not put it down
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