The Museum of Lost Umbrellas

Since her mum passed away, Dilly Kyteler has been living with a foster family. However, a relative has been located and Dilly now finds herself on her way to live with her great aunt Florence in Ollipest. Although her aunt is somewhat formidable, Dilly is delighted to find that her aunt's best friend, Digdee, has a grandson, Callum, who is staying with her and when Parsley, an Irish Wolfhound, comes bounding out of the sea, Dilly even has the dog she has always longed for.

Dilly and Callum soon discover the Museum of Lost Umbrellas, which is reopening and attracting a lot of attention from the locals. It quickly becomes clear that something is going on in Ollipest and that magic has divided the community. When a stranger arrives and starts to garner support for the 'no magic' movement, Dilly and Callum know they have to act.

The Museum of Lost Umbrellas is one of those books which captivates readers from the outset. My clumsy attempt at a summary really does not do it justice! Dilly is such a likeable character, very easy to relate to and empathise with, and readers will enjoy discovering the magic and wonder she uncovers as she learns about her abilities and those of the people around her, many of whom have wonderful names! Having lost so much, Dilly is delighted to have found a place where she feels she truly belongs, making her fears she might lose this all the more poignant. Her friendship with Callum - and the devotion she shares with Parsley - add to her sense of having found a home, despite the initial frostiness of her great aunt. Even the house - Tail End Cottage - seeks to make her welcome - and offers one of the most amazing libraries ever!

Showing how manipulation and fear can lead to mob rule, the villagers are persuaded to burn books and destroy magical objects, blind to the machinations of James Lambe, a chilling villain with a very personal grudge. The hypocrisy of those using magic whilst claiming to abhor it is also exposed! Along with Shelley, the owner of the Museum of Lost Umbrellas, and Nix, a boy who is stuck in the form of a parrot, Dilly and Callum rise to the challenge of freeing the island from his spell and allowing magic to flourish once more.

The world of magic and magical practices created in this book is delightfully imaginative and full of fun. As this is the first in The Cloud Witch Chronicles, I look forward to seeing what comes next for Dilly and her friends.

350 pages / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 9+

Hasn't everyone who has seen Mary Poppins thought it would be fun to fly with an umbrella? Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick has gone a step further. Her latest book, The Museum of Lost Umbrellas, weaves the quintessential daydream into a whole racy-pacy story with a feisty heroine, loyal side-kick and a museum full of umbrellas with minds of their own.

Dilly Kyteler has been in temporary foster care following the death of her mother. Then her social worker takes her to live with her only known relative on the mysteriously little-known island of Ollipest. From the very start her new life there is mysterious and confusing too. Grand Aunt Florence's welcome is chilly but there's a sumptuous tea laid out in the kitchen. Florence seems strict but allows Dilly more freedom to roam outside the house than she has ever had before. When Dilly wishes she had a dog, an Irish wolfhound appears from the sea like magic. Then, on a visit to the newly reopened museum, a green umbrella with a handle carved to look like a small hand uncurls its fingers and appears to want Dilly to shake it.

Gradually, Dilly uncovers the secrets of the island and a family inheritance that is beyond her wildest imagination but also fraught with danger. Her life has already been turned upside down. She has nowhere else. There's no alternative but to face the threat, head on.

I enjoyed the way that the whole book is so carefully conceived. Each judiciously dropped clue is woven deftly into the wider narrative. The world of Ollipest is vividly drawn and every detail fits together. It makes for an absorbing and convincing read. The story quickly pulls you in and then trips along briskly to a satisfying conclusion. The tone is light-hearted and optimistic, so it's fun to read, despite touching on serious topics like loss of a parent and fear of the supernatural. The author says, 'I wrote this one for me'. You can tell. Her love for the characters and delight in the story-telling is infectious.

350 pages / Reviewed by Louisa Farrow, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 9+