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Summary: ** 400+ PAGES OF MYSTERY, FANTASY, AND SUSPENSE ***
Review: *** Plot - Summary -
Charlie Bone can read photographs and hear the people in them. It started one day when was making his best friend - Benjamin's - card. At Kwik Foto photographs were switched up and instead of recieving Runner Bean - Ben's dog's - photo he received another. This photo was the first photo Charlie used his powers on. The whole book starts with this photo. The plot is slightly hard to explain, but not hard to follow. Charlie is sent to a special school for very smart people and those that are endowed with the Red King's special power (His descendents) There the mysterys start. When Charlie goes to return the photo to the original owner he receives a package. This package - whatever it may be - was swapped for a baby! The child attends Charlie's school. Can Charlie and his friends save the child and find Charlie's dad who was thought to be dead? But Charlie must remember that he cannot tell and trust everyone. His evil aunts are trying to stop Charlie so he doesn't reveal the past, but can they? And to what measures will they go? Poor Charlie almost died because of his evil aunts and Grandma Bone! The novel leaves you hanging for Book 2 and leaves you craving, wanting, and desiring. An epic book for kids ages 7+. This novel HAS some parts that are like Harry Potter BUT Jenny Nimmo has created her own wonderful work of art with its own unique plot that leaves readers bewildered. Wonderful bedtime story for kids, and also wonderful tale for adults. Highly recommended! I hope my review was worth your reading time and I hope you now want to buy the fantastic book. WORTH YOUR READING TIME AND $$$! Book is 401 pages refering to hardcover. (By 12 yr old)
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Summary: Love It!!
Review: After the discovery of magical powers, Charlie Bone is forced to go to a special school that mingles artistically gifted children with the magically endowed. The appeal of the novel is not only in the mystery Charlie discovers along with his power, but in the new situation he finds himself in. Unfortunately, the Bloor Academy doesn't offer much of a sense of wonder. We're given to understand that Bone and the other magical children are being taught to use their gifts, but that side of the story is given short shrift. The teachers we see may be peculiar, but their subjects are very ordinary. And given the rather hostile atmosphere of the school, it's hard to imagine why parents would force their children to attend. Charlie may have to be there, but surely not all of his classmates do. There must be other good art teachers. Somewhere.
If the story falls short on wonder, it does provide a reasonably sympathetic protagonist and a reasonably compelling mystery. The outcome may be telegraphed to adults, but it will be less clear for younger readers unused to the conventions of fiction. Older readers--even children--may find a lot to question about the motivations of the novel's adults. Do the villains have any goal other than a desire to be bad? Do Benjamin's parents have any kind of valid excuse for their horrible negligence of their son? But young children are used to adults doing inexplicable things. Like Charlie, they may be content just to confront the way things are without questioning what makes them that way.
Most children are fascinated by the idea of suddenly discovering they are something other than what they've been told--something special or magical. This book allows them to vicariously experience that and also to root for a little boy who is brave within reason and wise enough to call for adult help when he's over his head. (In this case, in the form of Uncle Paton.) Charlie is loyal and responsible. The story is entertaining and (for almost everyone) inoffensive. This may make a good stepping stone for those children who are too old for the Magic Tree House and too young for Harry Potter. I wish it had something more substantial, like those series, to offer them. But maybe that's coming in future books.
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Summary: Fairly good
Review: Budding-wizard-goes-to-school books are becoming increasingly common now that the initial buzz over the Harry Potter series has passed. But more of these are good than you'd think. "Midnight for Charlie Bone," while not the best, is certainly entertaining.Charlie Bone and his widowed mother live more or less under the thumbs of his horrible grandmother -- until the day he starts hearing photographs speaking. His horrible great-aunts are elated. It turns out that Charlie is one of the "children of the Red King," and so has a specific magical talent. Because his mother was not magical and his father was, they weren't sure if he would be, and now they know. Though Charlie doesn't want to go, he is quickly enrolled in Bloor's Academy for gifted children. A man with three unusually intelligent cats is lurking around the place, his uncle Paton is stirred from his lethargy, and Charlie begins to learn about a missing child from many years before. A child that, for some reason, someone doesn't want him to find... Jenny Nimmo's book isn't outstanding, but it is quite nice. While the ending wraps up this particular story, it's clear that there are sequels in mind. With a combination of ordinary and "endowed" people, and a sprinkling of unique talents (one boy can sense the previous owners of clothing), this can stand on its own with no comparisons to Harry Potter. This one is a little darker, a little weirder. The concept of the Red King is an interesting one, especially the slightly dark tone of the good and bad "endowed" people's responses to one another. The particular quirks, like the intelligent cats, the flashbacks, and the material about Charlie's may-not-be-dead father are also quite good. Her writing style is a little too spare, not giving much detail, and the handling of the "endowed" school is rather unassuming. Charlie himself is a likable character, as is his timid pal Benjamin. The sinister grandmother and great-aunts aren't quite as well-fleshed out, and his schoolmates have potential but aren't quite there yet. (I guess we'll have to wait for the sequels) Uncle Paton is one of the standouts, a moody and introverted guy who causes lightbulbs and windows to explode. "Midnight for Charlie Bone" isn't quite as good as the Magickers or Chrestomanci series, but it is a solid read that kids may enjoy. Not bad at all.
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Summary: Complete Knock Off and Waste of Time.... Skip It!
Review: For those seeking something while waiting for the next Harry Potter, BEWARE! This book is an obvious knock-off of the popular Rowling books and is so pooly written I found myself groaning during each chapter. A boy, who has lost a parent, goes to a special school because he is magically gifted where he becomes friends with another boy and girl. Sound familiar? I could have forgiven the transparency of this tale had the writing in any way made up for it. Poor description and even poorer conversational writing make this book a bore. Even its cover art is an attempt to cash in on Harry's popularity. Do yourself a favour and read The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper instead of this trash.
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Summary: BORING
Review: I have read many of my kids books with them, this series is awful. The writer seems to have absolutely no idea of where to take the story from one paragraph to the next, she blathers around, occasionally adding some to mystery, but providing no clues. There is really not much to attach to or get involved with. The characters never take shape except to be called "odd" or "strange" or "a big girl". These books are obvious derivitives of Harry Potter and Lemony Snicket, without the writing ability of a dimestore hack. The author should abandon this series and go back to writing recipes for fast food restaurants.
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Summary: Endowes and Roses
Review: I thought this looked like a good fantasyesque novel for kids (albeit a HP knockoff), but I was sadly mistaken. There was very little character development -- I didn't really come to care about any of the characters. In addition, there seemed to be so many strings left untied. It didn't make sense why Charlie had to go to a boarding school or how that would benefit him. I also didn't see why he was hailed as this great hero at the end because I couldn't determine anything that he had specifically done that was so great. Overall, not a great read. As a middle school Language Arts/Reading teacher, I know that there is so much amazing children/young adult literature that I certainly won't waste time reading another one of these.
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Summary: Big Disappointment
Review: I was hugely disappointed by this book. The writing is only average, at best, and the plot left a lot to be desired. There are big holes in the plot that aren't explained. Too many characters are introduced too quickly at the school, so I was confused. I big final climax in the old ruin was not very exciting. Big disappointment. I won't read the rest of the books in the series.
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Summary: Not just a knockoff a story all its own.
Review: I was told by the children's librarian that it was a Harry Potter Knock Off. Well not really. The school Charlie goes to isn't for Magic it's for gifted students. There are only twelve kids at the school that are special and they're all the descendents of one King. Half the descendents are evil and half are not. If you think Harry's muggle family is twisted you haven't seen anything until you've seen Charlie's aunts and grandmother (They try to kill Charlie's uncle in the second book). The short review is give these books a try, yes the first one is a little slow, but you will be pleased to learn that Nimmo thought long and hard about her story and she came up with a truly good story line that may resemble Harry Potter at first glance but truly is it's own entity and worthy of an open interested reader. For the parents out there, you may want to watch out about handing this to children under nine or ten or if they're especially sensitive to implied violence, as there isn't as much magic to soften the violence and make it unbelievable and knives and "Hit and Runs" and violence against animals do happen throughout the books.
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Summary: Trash can for Charlie Bone
Review: I'm a 43 year old mom who just recently read and LOVED the entire Harry Potter series. Based on other reviews here, I ordered both "Bone" books to read while waiting on the 6th HP book. I should have heeded the warning of a few not to waste my time. I was extrememly disappointed almost immediately with 'Midnight' but kept reading to give it a chance. I must say that was one chance too many. The character development is almost nill...I only read to page 173 and don't care enough to finish the book...also, I must agree with another review that the writing style DOES seem to be that of a young child, without a sense of rhythm or pace. I am astounded and annoyed as to how anybody could find this book worthwhile.
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Summary: Review for Midnight for Charlie Bone
Review: If you love the Harry Potter series and are waiting for the next book you should try the exciting and mischevious book Midnight for Charlie Bone which is very much similar to Harry Potter but just not as long.This thrilling book starts out with the main character Charlie who has a normal life until he starts hearing strange vioces and then soon relizes that they are coming out of a picture.Once charlie figures out that he ha s a special talent his mean Grandma Bone sends him to a strange school called Bloors Acdemy a school for children with weird talents.What this will charlie find out from this school?Why is his Grandma Bone always asking where he is going? You will have to read to find out!
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