The Hexton Chronicles: The Trouble with Magic

When he was very young, Fray Mantle was left in Brigstone by his grandfather, Old Skeg. Fray grows up living with Mrs Gibbons, but when his grandfather dies and Fray is sent a magical Croxometer, his hidden magic is revealed and Mrs Gibbons throws him out of her house.

Alone, he returns to the town of Hexton, a town once full of magic. Here, he learns that, due to something his parents did years ago, Hexton's magic has been virtually destroyed. Now the Alliance are trying to bring electricity to the town, which will wipe out what little magic remains. Can Fray, with the help of his new friends, learn to control the Croxometer and his magic in order to return the magic to Hexton and undo the wrong that his parents did?

Fray is a lovely character. His family's name, Mantel, is seen as a curse, but with the help of Teasel, Bo'drey and the other Spellers he meets in Hexton, he strives to change their opinion of him.

Aside from the magical themes within the The Trouble with Magic, this novel is largely about family and acceptance. Fray may not have known his mother and father, but he learns that family - and home - can take many forms.

In Hexton, the author creates an atmospheric, sometimes eerie, magical world and the reader is swept along as the action unfolds. This is a well-written, exciting novel, and an interesting introduction to what I am sure will be a popular series. There will be inevitable comparisons to Harry Potter, but Fray is a strong character in his own right and his spirit flows throughout the book. The illustrations, by Eric Deschamps, perfectly complement the narrative. I can highly recommend this darkly magical book, and look forward to finding out what the future holds for Fray and his friends in Hexton.

285 pages / Reviewed by Beverley Somerset, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 9+