The Adventures of Alfie Onion

By Author / Illustrator

Vivian French, Marta Kissi

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

Publisher

Walker Books Ltd

ISBN

9781406363104

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

05-05-2016

Synopsis

A stand-alone comic adventure for younger readers by sublime storyteller Vivian French, with pictures by Marta Kissi, a talented new illustrator and animator.

A stand-alone comic adventure for younger readers by sublime storyteller Vivian French, with pictures by a talented new illustrator and animator, Marta Kissi. Alfie Onion has just set off on a great adventure ... but only to carry his brother's luggage. It's his elder brother, Magnifico Onion, who's destined to win their family a Happily Ever After. But when it turns out Magnifico isn't half the hero he's cracked up to be, it falls to Alfie to save the day - with a little help from his loyal dog, a talking horse and a couple of meddling magpies.

Reviews

Aggie Onion has always dreamed of living Happily Ever After in Great Luxury and so marries a seventh son, with the aim of her seventh son fulfilling his, and her, destiny. This child is named Magnifico and Aggie devotes her time to making him a hero, though this means leaving her eighth son to be brought up by his oldest brother and somewhat neglected. However, when the time comes for Magnifico to set out to make the family's fortune, it is Alfie who saves the day. Magnifico is really not cut out for adventures, whilst his resourceful brother is soon outwitting ogres, rescuing imprisoned princes and waking a princess with a kiss [even though she woke up by herself some time before and is just waiting for the right hero to come along...]. Alfie is ably assisted by his loyal dog, a talking horse, two mice and some meddling magpies. Alfie is a likeable, resourceful hero and even Magnifico redeems himself to some extent, gaining an adoring ogre wife in the process. And Aggie is able to spend half the year in Glorious Luxury at the royal palace and half with her husband on his pig farm, with her other daughter-in-law managing the household tasks. This is an endearing, witty and exciting twist on the fairy tale convention which is perfectly pitched for readers of 7+. 192 pages / Ages 7+ / Reviewed by Jayne Gould, school librarian.