Oddney's Otherland: Chronicles from Beneath the Shed

Oddney's Otherland: Chronicles from Beneath the Shed takes us into the fantastical landscapes of Otherland, a world that Professor Oddney has discovered via a secret tunnel beneath his shed. Together with his trusty sidekick, Magnus the talking magpie, Oddney sets out to explore Otherland, hoping to find the Two-Headed Firedrake - and possibly to solve the mystery of his missing Uncle Cuthbert, the original visitor to Otherland whose journal Oddney has discovered.

This wonderfully fantastical quest into a world of strange creatures, gentle peril and endless cups of Professor Oddney's tea, can be shared with children aged seven years plus, although some of the vocabulary will need explaining.  The illustrations, by fantasy artist Rodney Matthews, will be poured over, with the landscapes and strange creatures brought to life in the images, inviting further exploration and discussion. 

Oddney and Magnus's adventure-laden quest has a wonderfully old-fashioned appeal to it, with the constant perils in this strange landscape offset by the humour and warmth of Oddney and Magnus's relationship; while Oddney is keen to explore and remains unfazed by their adventures, Magnus the magpie has a more cautious outlook and is a much more reluctant adventurer.

There are many perils to face in the world of Otherland and some of these will have readers on the edge of their seats, but somehow we also know that the professor and his friend will get through, helped along by many cups of Professor Oddland's tea.  The beautifully depicted illustrations of their adventures in these strange landscapes will capture children's attention, keep the pages turning, and make this a book to cherish.

114 pages / Reviewed by Elen Green

Suggested Reading Age 7+

One day Professor Oddney and his friendly pet magpie, uncover a secret passageway to another world. Intrigued, and remembering a journal of his uncle's that he had thought to be fanciful ramblings, Oddney and Magnus, the magpie, set off on an adventure, in search of the two-headed firedrake. What will they find in Otherland?

Oddney's Otherland: Chronicles from Beneath the Shed is in fact an odd little book. A simple tale of a man and his talking magpie finding and venturing into another world is unusual but somewhat hilarious. Full of strange creatures, such as dragons and goblins, and unusual places, the book is highly illustrated in sepia and colour fantastical realism.

Oddney and the magpie are surprisingly similar in appearance and almost extensions of one another, making one question if Magnus is in fact representative of his conscience. Whereas Oddney is undeterred in his enthusiasm, almost without considering consequences, Magnus is more cautious and anxious about possible outcomes.

The illustrations help to bring the story to life, as the writing is simple but, at times, uninspiring. The characters, however, are charming, and the action and landscape ever-changing. The addition of a nosy neighbour brings a humorous element, and the book is quite funny throughout with the pair evading or getting into close scrapes.

The narrative does take a strange turn towards the end, but this allows for an exciting rescue. Overall, the narrative and characters are kept simple with no real depth, but I feel the authors have aimed for humour over anything else. I think it would probably appeal to younger or reluctant readers due to the simplicity of the writing, and the jokes, with fairly short chapters, and fantastical, beautiful illustrations helping things along. A foreword from John Cleese perhaps sets the scene for the silly humour and story.

114 pages / Reviewed by Lorraine Ansell, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 7+