April 20, 2015
This diary-style first book in the Enchanted Files series introduces hotheaded brownie Angus Cairns, a tiny elfin creature with a penchant for cleanliness and keeping order. He's also cursed and must serve the youngest eligible female of McGonagall family; his newest master, 11-year-old Alex Carhart, could be his biggest challenge yet. She's a "disorderly, messy, negligent, slapdash, untidy, unfastidious, unsanitary creator of disorder," and Angus is sure that they will never get along. When Angus realizes that his curse has infected the entire household and could cost the Carharts their futuresâAlex's father abruptly quits his job to write (terrible) songsâthe two team up to find a long-lost princess to break the curse. Coville infuses Angus's diary entries (as well as interspersed letters, poems, curses, text messages, etc.) with humor and heart, creating a lovable, altruistic, and slightly grumpy hero in Angus and a determined sidekick in Alex. With magic, mischief, and mayhem to spare, this sweet story of an unlikely friendship ought to delight readers of any age. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8-12. Author's agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary.
April 15, 2015
A dedicated slob and a neatnik brownie, both with fierce tempers, face off in this much-expanded version of Coville's short story "Clean as a Whistle," published in Oddly Enough (1994). Coming home from school one day, young Alexandra is utterly freaked out to find her formerly chaotic bedroom neat as a pin-the work, it turns out, of her family's ancestral brownie, Angus Cairns, newly arrived from distant Scotland. Along with adding background history, the author recasts the shorter, original tale in a mix of journal entries by both Angus and Alex, interspersed with chat transcripts and other insertions. Coville also saddles the beleaguered brownie with a double curse: not only must Angus tend certain female members of the McGonagall line in each generation, but every male member of the household will at the same time be struck by an uncontrollable need to write bad, bad poetry. So, as Angus and Alex sort through anger issues on the way to a not-too-hard-won detente, they are subjected to such outpourings as "Oh no! I've caught the itch of love, / My ookie wookie turtledove" from her dad and teenage brother. Fortunately for both characters and readers, a way to break both curses lies fortuitously close at hand. Kidby provides engagingly posed pen-and-ink portraits of the various mundane and magical cast members, as well as a particularly demonic-looking cat. A knee-slapper in this or any edition. (Fantasy. 9-11)
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June 1, 2015
Gr 3-6-Angus Cairns is a young brownie at only 150 years old. As a magical being, he is a subject of the Queen of Shadows, who rules the Enchanted Realm. When the old woman to whom Angus is bound passes away, the binding curse from the queen forces Angus to leave his native Scotland to live and serve in an unknown territory-America. Angus's ancestors were obligated by the curse to the McGonagall family until what was taken from the queen is returned. The curse further stipulates that all male McGonagalls will become obsessed with poetry that "shall be like the braying of asses," sure to bring embarrassment and misery. After a harrowing journey, Angus arrives at his new and strange home and finds the girl to whom he is bound, 11-year-old Alex Carhart. Not only is she a messy, disorganized child-the antithesis of brownie behavior-but there is also a brother, a younger sister, and a cat in the house. Reluctantly at first, Angus and Alex come to respect and even believe in each other. Together they break the curse, which has started to have devastating (and very funny) effects on Alex's brother and father, the cursed McGonagall male descendants. The story unfolds through Angus's diary, Alex's journal, and a host of other communiques in the form of letters, text messages, and notes. Each maintains its own cadence and the sense that magical and human worlds are meeting. The result is a humorous, quick-paced, and engaging tale. Human and magical characters are likable with characteristics that readers will recognize. VERDICT This is a fresh and fast tale that is sure to elevate the standing of brownies, goblins, and other magical beings.-Maria B. Salvadore, formerly at District of Columbia Public Library
Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from May 1, 2015
Grades 3-5 *Starred Review* Bound by a family curse, Angus the brownie must leave Scotland for America to serve young Alex Carhart, the great-great-great-niece of his recently deceased mistress. After finagling his transatlantic voyage from a selkie, he secretly moves into the Carhart household and begins his dual task of bringing order while occasionally making mischief. Alex discovers his presence and tempers flare on both sides. But when a larger problem threatens the family, they join forces and begin to appreciate each other, before Angus leads Alex, her sister, her brother, and two older companions into the Enchanted Realm in an attempt to end the curse for good. It's not easy to merge such disparate elements as traditional Scottish lore and modern American life, but Coville brings it off with wit, style, and respect. The story moves quickly, energized by Angus' engaging voice and the use of shifting perspectives. Largely made up of the brownie's diary entries, the narrative also includes passages from Alex's journal as well as letters, text messages, news articles, poems, and other documents. Kidby's madcap jacket art and many black-and-white illustrations will draw young readers to the book. The first volume of the Enchanted Files series is smart, amusing, and a lot of fun.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)
July 1, 2015
Angus the brownie leaves Scotland to look after Alex, an extremely messy American girl. When a curse on both their families turns Alex's brother and dad into terrible poets, she and Angus search for a way to break the curse before it destroys their lives. Told in journal entries and letters and illustrated with detailed line drawings, this series-starter is a funny, lighthearted fantasy.
(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)