Beyond Platform 13

By Author / Illustrator

Sibeal Pounder, Beatriz Castro

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

Publisher

Pan Macmillan

ISBN

9781529002874

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

03-10-2019

Synopsis

Discover why the secrets are escaping in this fun, magical adventure by Sibeal Pounder, beautifully illustrated by Beatriz Castro. Beyond Platform 13 is inspired by characters from Eva Ibbotson's classic, The Secret of Platform 13.

The Island of Mist is under siege and Odge Gribble and Prince Ben are in hiding. Desperate to find out why the mist is disappearing, Odge travels through the gump to Vienna, to find a mistmaker expert.

But in yet another case of mistaken identity, Odge finds Lina, a nine-year-old girl looking for adventure. With the help of friends old and new, and some very interesting magic, Odge and Lina must discover the secret of the mist, before they lose their beloved island completely.

Sibeal Pounder is the author of Witch Wars and is Eva Ibbotson's biggest fan. Her magical story celebrates twenty-five years of Eva's original, with an updated illustrated edition of The Secret of Platform 13 also available.

Reviews

I needed no encouragement to return to the world of Eva Ibbotson's classic story, The Secret of Platform 13. Nine years have passed and the Island of Mist, home to magical creatures like hags and harpies, finds itself beseiged. Odge Gribble has fled into hiding and decides to journey to Vienna, via the enchanted gump, in order to seek out a mistmaker who can help. However, instead of finding a mistmaker, Odge teams up with adventurous nine year-old Lina, a firm believer in magic, and it is up to this pair to discover the secret of the mist and save their beloved island. Fans of fantasy and magic are sure to enjoy this fast-paced and joyous adventure that whisks the reader away on a magical journey via King's Cross Station (where they are certain to pick up echoes of the Harry Potter stories which may have been inspired by Ibbotson's writing). Beyond Platform 13 can certainly be read as a stand-alone story but this tale has the added attraction of drawing a new generation of readers to the original. 256 pages / Ages 8+ / Reviewed by Emily Marcuccilli, school librarian