Publication Date: 6th September 2018

Cover illustration by Ben Mantle

Having survived the Blitz, Simon, Patricia, Evelyn and Larry are sent to Barfield Hall while their parents find them a new home in London. The mysterious Professor Kelly is working on a top secret project to end human conflict once and for all, which leaves the children plenty of time and freedom to explore. They soon discover another world on the brink of war. It’s up to the children to draw on their experiences and choose which side they are on before the battle begins. But is there a way to prevent the two sides from destroying each other?

An absolute delight! To take a classic and reimagine it for modern readers is a fearsome task that Piers Torday has excelled in, creating a magical fantasy all of his own. Celebrating the power of reading, this is a story that sang to my soul, whisking me back under a blanket and reading by the light of the calor gas heater in my childhood home.

I was captivated from beginning to end, and revelled in the world of Folio. From the characters, who show the different ways war affects people, to the glorious settings within Folio and the abundance of characters from well loved books, there is much to capture the reader’s imagination and, with subtle messages about the power of imagination as a way to heal, much to think about too. Roderick will live in my heart forever!

The Lost Magician is up there with my favourite books ever, and one that is surely set to become a classic. I cannot wait to get this into the hands of readers at school, young and old, because within the pages there is proof (if ever it was needed) that reading can change the world!

Great for fans of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, The Neverending Story, The Land Of Stories and Wed Wabbit.

eBook proof courtesy of Quercus Children’s.