Tag Derek Keilty

Ivy Newt and the Vampixies / Dream Weavers: Chaos of the Fun Fiend

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Ivy Newt and the Vampixies
Derek Keilty, illustrated by Magda Brol
lScallywag Press

At the start of the story Ivy and Tom, (Ivy’s best friend and familiar) set out with Griselda the Sand Witch on an expedition to find the spell ingredients from her very long list. Their first stop is the Isle of Hob with its extinct volcano Mount Krakatoenail; there they hope to find sneezewort. This they do, but they almost lose Tom when he falls into a quarry-like area in the side of the volcano. Close by, they discover cart tracks running into tunnels that they deduce are part of a dust mine from where Dust Pixies mine the ore which is crushed to make a dust that is on Griselda’s list of required spell ingredients. However as they collect the dust they overhear something alarming that causes them to hide and from their hiding place they hear an announcement from Queen Drusilla, the leader of the Dust Pixies. Said Queen then proceeds to turn the Dust Pixies into Vampixies that will then go and sprinkle this dust everywhere in Miracula thus robbing the witches and wizards of their magical powers.

Griselda and Ivy realise that something needs to be done urgently to prevent this disaster; but what can they do to stop the malevolent plot and thereby save both Miracula and magic itself? The next thing they know, they’re hurtling into the sea not far from the Fishy Wizards’ ship. Perhaps the captain of this ship can help them …

With a plot that moves fast, gentle humour, a satisfying finale and lively black and white illustrations, this fourth adventure for Ivy and Tom will captivate newly confident readers and also works well as a KS1 read aloud.

Dream Weavers: Chaos of the Fun Fiend
Annabelle Sami, illustrated by Forrest Burdett
Little Tiger

Tito is eagerly anticipating the holiday with his grandparents especially as his best friend Neena is joining him, his parents and little brother for the week.at the seaside. However even before they arrive at his grandparents’ home Tito feels that something isn’t right. Then the reception they all receive from Nan and Grandad is decidedly unwelcoming. All Grandad is interested in is listening to the clock ticking. It’s very strange indeed that his grandparents’ behaviour is uncharacteristic of their usual fun-loving selves. Tito decides that to get to the root of the trouble he and Neena should dreamweave into Grandad’s dream that night.

Despite feeling somewhat guilty that it’s an invasion of his privacy, he and Neena create a portal through which they enter and it soon becomes evident that they’ve found Grandad as a boy. Then suddenly there appears a tall pale figure that immediately begins to sap child Grandad’s energy. It’s a vampire.; not one that sucks blood, rather this one sucks fun.

In the morning Grandad and Tito talk and iGrandad realises his grandson is a Dreamweaver. He, Tito and Neena set out walking and Grandad tells them that he is a Spiritlink and they in turn tell him about the vampire. As they walk Neena suggests the Bhoot (her uncle) has done something to speed up his plan of merging the human world and the spirit world. Things get progressively weirder but it’s evident that it’s up to the children to find out exactly what is going on. There’s a confrontation with the Bhoot: he’s obviously up to evil tricks and more are to follow.

The story ends on a cliff hanger with Neena and Tito agreeing that they must travel to the spirit world.
A thoroughly gripping tale, the third in the sequence: you really need to read the first two before this one though.

Adventuring with Ivy Newt

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Ivy Newt and the Storm Witch
Ivy Newt and the Time Thief
Derek Keilty, illustrated by Magda Brol
Scallywag Press

These enchanting stories are set in the world of Miracula and in the Storm Witch, the first, Ivy Newt, daughter of the King and Queen of the Sand Witches is celebrating her birthday. However, due to inclement weather her friends are unable to come to her party and share the culinary treats such as scream cheese, lemon and slime cake with marsh maggots. No matter, her parents have prepared an extra special surprise for Ivy – a disappearing act; the trouble is that they really do vanish for good: a mistake or a sinister happening? It’s up to Ivy and her familiar, a shape-shifting wolf/boy Tom to discover what is behind this harrowing situation and bring back her parents. This means Ivy must fly way outside her comfort zone, but she and Tom are a great team and with the help of Felix, son of the Carpet Wizard King, determination and magic, they might just defeat the evil Queen Clawdelia.

New solo readers will delight in this charmer of a tale with its mix of frights and gentle humour, and Magda Brol’s fantastic black and white illustrations at every turn of the page; if you read this aloud to children make sure they see those.

The Time Thief takes place at Halloween when every year come sunrise, a spooky haunted house, appears near Newt Castle, only to disappear again at the stroke of midnight. Queen Fenella tells her daughter, the place is cursed and she’s to stay away and instead help with the preparations for the party in the castle.
However, Ivy’s disobedient streak wins out and off she goes with Tom to investigate and they hope, solve the disappearing house mystery. When they tumble in, the two discover an imprisoned witch in a sorry state, thanks to her own doing and that of sorcerer Thaddeus Creep from whom she stole a clock, a clock that is broken and needs to be fixed urgently, which means before the last stroke of midnight. With occasional tummy churning moments and some wonderful new characters all ends satisfactorily, and will leave readers eagerly anticipating further adventures.
Her latest being

Ivy Newt and the Swamp Dragons

Ivy has some unlikely adversaries in this story, they’re not the titular Swamp Dragons; rather a thoroughly nasty bullying character, Trouble Ivy who appears as the result of Ivy tipping a whole bottle of her Gran’s Double Trouble Bubble Bath into the tub before she takes a dip. Little does she know however that it’s so old the magic ingredients are well out of date and hence both she and Tom now have doubles – exceedingly troublesome ones as she’s soon to discover.

The purpose of Ivy’s stay at Gran’s is so she can see for the first time, the Swamp Dragons Gran is so excited about when they stop for a few days to rest on their way to their winter home in the Dragon Isles. Now with Trouble Ivy and some allies causing chaos, Ivy will have to use all her ingenuity and summon up her bravery to defeat her enemies, save The Book Wizard’s Library and prevent the kingdom of Miracula being incinerated. Can she do it? Possibly, with assistance from friends, be they established or new ones.

Readers will be rooting for eight year old Ivy as they’re whooshed along to the end, eager to discover how things turn out. It matters not whether they have met Ivy before or are new to this series thanks in no small part, to Magda Bro’s map of Miracula and potrait gallery of the characters. They are a great counterpart for Derek Keilty’s text with its satisfying mix of magic, mischief, drama and gentle humour.

Flyntlock Bones: The Ghost of Scarletbeard / Leo’s Map of Monsters: The Shrieking Serpent

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Flyntlock Bones: The Ghost of Scarletbeard
Derek Keilty, illustrated by Mark Elvins
Scallywag Press

With the distinct lack of parrot messengers to the Black Hound, crew members Amy and Flint are despairing about where their next meal is coming from, when a mysterious visitor appears asking to buy the ship from Captain Watkins. Fortunately the bemused Captain turns the supposed merchant sailor down; but with little else to do, the two young friends sneak off the ship for a spot of exercise. Suddenly they spy a newspaper stand with the headlines of the Bohemia Times which reads “Countess of Bohemia jewels stolen.”

Back they go to their ship and so begins another case for the pirate investigators.

Having obtained a copy of the newspaper, the Captain together with Flint and Amy head off to visit the Countess, who the youngsters learn, gave the Cap’n his first case as a pirate investigator. The Countess says that she knows who the thief was, once again none other than Scarletbeard, scariest pirate that ever sailed the seas and the original stealer of her jewels, who Cap’n Watkins knows full well is dead beneath the waves. A ghost then? …

The only place to look for those is Davy Jones’s Locker, so now the crew must descend to the murky depths of the Mystic Sea to search for the dastardly being. But he isn’t there so where can he be? Ghost-napped perhaps?

The grisly plot twists and turns but all ends happily for the crew of the Black Hound in this, the third of a terrific trilogy that is full of humour, action and piratical lingo. With plenty of super black and white illustrations by Mark Evans adding to the fun, this piratical tale will appeal to both girls and boys.

Leo’s Map of Monsters: The Shrieking Serpent
Kris Humphrey, illustrated by Pete Williamson
Oxford Children’s Books

As Apprentice Guardian, it’s Leo Wilder’s role to ensure that the monsters inhabiting the forest never roam too near to the village; moreover, nobody must know about them apart from the Guardian Henrik and Village Chief, Gilda.

Now after a period of monster inactivity, Leo learns from Henrik that the supply of precious stones with which the lad keeps himself safe, has run out. Consequently, he must go and search for more in the Endless Mines, a labyrinth of tunnels beneath Mammoth Peak. If this doesn’t sound scary enough, Henrik then mentions the Shrieking Serpent, a creature with hearing and sight so sensitive it’s impossible for a living being to pass undetected. All Henrik can offer for protection is a small bottle of powder that when ignited can temporarily blind the Serpent, that and the help of Leo’s Leatherwing friend, Scarla, plus a couple of maps.

With a swamp containing Goretusks to negotiate, forest people lurking (mostly unfriendly ones) and, when he finally reaches his destination, the question of getting the stones from beneath the waterfall and swimming up with them, there’s an enormous challenge ahead. Does Leo possess the special kind of bravery required to do all of that? Perhaps, with Scarla’s assistance and that of an unexpected source.

Again Kris Humphrey delivers a cracking tale with just enough frights to keep readers gripped without causing nightmares, and with Pete Williamson’s splendidly expressive illustrations to make the story even more accessible and exciting, this will be devoured by fans. Those new to the series might want to start at the first bookThe Armoured Goretusk however.

Flyntlock Bones: The Sceptre of the Pharaohs

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Flyntlock Bones: The Sceptre of the Pharaohs
Derek Keilty and Mark Elvins
Scallywag Press

Here’s a piratical tale with a difference – the first of a proposed trilogy.

When young Flynn applies for the role of cabin boy having been kicked out of Baskervile orphanage by its matron, he discovers the crew of the Black Hound are pirates. Not your usual kind of pirates though; oh no me-‘arties, aboard this ship are, so he’s told by its captain ‘the cleverest pirate investigators ya ever set eyes upon’.

After securing a week’s trial aboard Black Hound the lad is taken under the wing of young Red. She has already served a year on the ship so knows the ropes pretty well. Flynn has a lot to learn including that the poop deck isn’t what he thinks.

Almost immediately Captain Watkins calls a meeting and informs the crew of the note he’s just received from a Miss Kristina Wrinkly, curator of the Gypshun Museum on the ancient Isle of Tut, requesting his help.

The museum has been broken into and priceless ancient artefacts including the Sceptre of the Pharaohs stolen.

Excitement starts to bubble within young Flynn but it’s quickly squashed by the bullying Drudger; but is he something much worse than a disgruntled bully?

The following morning Flynn is awoken by Red informing him that they’ve reached the Isle of Tut and are about to drop anchor.

Then, it’s a case of in at the deep end when some of the crew including both Flynn and Drudger are instructed to head to the museum.

The visit is brief but Flynn discovers a useful lead,

and the Black Hound is just heading off again searching for more clues when into view sails another ship. It belongs to ‘the cunningest, evilest pirate that ever sailed the seven seas – Captain Jim-Lad Morihearty’. Uh-oh!

Toss into Keilty’s brew an ancient prophecy, poisonous snakes, an amulet said to contain dark magic, wailing mummies and a traitor and what you have is an entertaining swashbuckling adventure, with some memorable characters, plenty of playful language, and at almost every turn of the page, a terrific, finely detailed, etching-like illustration by Mark Elvins

to add to the dramatic impact.