Tag Alice McKinley

The Magician Next Door

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The Magician Next Door
Rachel Chivers Khoo, illustrated by Alice McKinley
Walker Books

Callie and her father have moved out of London to a mountainous area of Northern Ireland; she feels far away from her friends and her memories too. One night sleepless and struggling to settle into her new life, as she stares out of her window there comes a loud BOOM! An upside-down house has appeared in her back garden. Next morning no house is there, so despite the large crater on the lawn as well as a piece of tile, she decides it must have been a dream. Then the boy from across the fields appears and he knows her name as she does his; Sam believes what she says about the previous night’s strange occurrence but Carrie remains unconvinced until that is, some weeks later she finds a mysterious paper aeroplane on her duvet on which is a message from Winnifred Potts, a magician from the strange house who is urgently asking for her help.

Carrie meets her at midnight and learns that Winnifred’s Wanderlust, the adventure magic that protects her house from attack by magical beings is lost and she begs Carrie to go and bring it back.
Can Callie and her new friend, Sam, who has hidden himself away and overheard the conversation, provide the help Winnifred and her house need?

Not only that but will she be able to transcend the overwhelming sense of loss she feels after her mother’s untimely death and her homesickness for her London community? With the help of new friends and different experiences, can she find hope for her life in the future?

With a sprinkling of Irish folklore, some great characters, and lots of sensitivity, Rachel Chivers Khoo has written a wonderful tale of magic and mayhem, with a vital message about the true meaning of home. To add to its spellbinding nature are liberal scatterings of Alice McKinley’s delightfully quirky black- and-white illustrations. A great read for children from Y2 and beyond.

This Rock is Mine!

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This Rock is Mine!
Kaye Umansky and Alice McKinley
Alison Green Books


What starts as a silly spat between two frogs about the ownership of a small rock quickly escalates into a full scale fight with each frog in turn drawing the other’s attention to belongings that prove the rock is theirs..

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Unbeknown to the two little amphibians, their altercation has been watched by a very large long-legged, long-necked bird. Suddenly, as we see in Alice McKinley’s close-up scene, a menacing shadow appears over the disputed rock and two tiny lives are in danger of being extinguished.


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After a desperate dive and a decision about the worthiness of the cause of their argument, the frogs come to two conclusions: the first is that the rock is after all, ‘no good’ and another needs to be found; the second is that friendship is far better than fighting and sharing is the way to a happy co-existence.


Kaye Umansky’s bouncy rhyming text combined with Alice McKinley’s dramatic visuals make a superb read aloud that adults will delight in presenting to young children; they in turn will delight in the unfolding of events. I really love what happens on the penultimate spread where we see two rocks and an indication that frogs are not the only creatures with a possessive streak.

The Dodos Did It!

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The Dodos Did It!
Alice McKinley
Simon & Schuster

Jack is obsessed with dodos. A dodo is what he wants more than anything else in the whole world so he makes a wish.
Almost unbelievably … 

Not content with just the one dodo however, the boy keeps on wishing until one has become ten. including a spectacle wearer. The huge fun they provide quickly turns to chaos 

and not surprisingly, two decidedly displeased parents . Jack tells them the mess was made not by him but the dodos, though unsurprisingly Mum doesn’t believe a single word.

The creatures then create havoc at the swimming pool, the playground, the cafe and in the library and the supermarket, 

all the while his mum and dad insisting “Dodos don’t exist” when Jack blames the mayhem on the creatures.

After a whole day of dodo disasters Jack is sent to his room where he makes another wish … Oops!
Jack, you really should choose your words more carefully when you make a wish.

This story will certainly provide giggles aplenty for little ones, but what amused me more than anything else was to see on the title page that Alice McKinley has assigned a name to each of the clutch of mischief-makers, but you’ll have to get your own copy of this romp to find out what they are.

Nine Lives Newton

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Nine Lives Newton
Alice McKinley
Simon & Schuster

A dog with nine lives – now that is something different. It’s the case, so we hear, with long-eared Newton the narrator of this story. He’s just discovered the fact … so he thinks, and having shared same with his feline friend, off he goes to do all his favourite things as he lives life in the fast lane.

The moggy meanwhile (along with we readers and listeners), knows what Newton doesn’t, and sets off to pass on the information. Newton has another problem too: close attention to detail is definitely not one of his fortes and therein might lie his possible demise.

High drama aplenty is found in Alice McKinley’s debut picture book. With its wealth of lessons in visual literacy, she’s created a real winner here. Youngsters will love being in the know with the author and the moggy character when they watch Newton coming within inches of his life as he attempts to get the biggest bones; poo wherever he pleases;

select playmates freely; perfect his barking technique and more; as well as taking the occasional break for some R and R.

Now what could happen, if and when that cat succeeds in getting the crazy canine to listen? He may accept that he doesn’t after all, quite have nine lives, but Newton doesn’t look like the kind of dog to let something like that stand in his way of excitement …

Assuredly, excitement and hilarity are what you’ll get with Nine Lives Newton.