The Boggart And The Monster [Paperback]

Set in the Highlands of Scotland, The Boggart and the Monster has all the trademarks of a first-class adventure: magic, high-tech expeditions, and mythical monsters. The boggart of MacDevon Castle, a mischievous shape-shifting spirit, spends his days happily playing tricks on the new owner of the castle. After discovering his old cousin Nessie miles down in the murky waters of Loch Ness, the boggart must enlist the help of a few human friends to return, with Nessie in tow, to his beloved castle. With a team of scientists hot on their trail, the MacDevon boggart and Nessie begin their adventure. Susan Cooper's inventive writing, infused with both scientific and magical elements, will captivate even the most disbelieving of young adults. (Ages 8 to 12) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

This follow-up to The Boggart teams the invisible sprite with the Loch Ness Monster. In a starred review, PW said, "Cooper adroitly incorporates ancient lore into a contemporary setting while producing an imaginative and compelling tale." Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Grade 5-7. The mystery of the Loch Ness monster has finally been solved?at least according to Susan Cooper?he's a boggart. In this engaging sequel to the tremendously popular The Boggart (McElderry, 1993), Emily and Jessup Volnik are visiting Mr. Maconochie, a retired Edinburgh lawyer who has purchased the Volniks' anecestral home, Castle Keep. At the same time, a group of scientists are about to mount an exhaustive search for the illusive Nessie, utilizing the latest in robot submersibles. When Mr. Mac and his young charges plan a camping trip to Loch Ness, the Boggart, inadvertently trapped in the camping gear, comes too. Nessie, "mattressed on mud and blanketed with slime," has long since forgotten his boggart origins, but the Boggart, feeling a strong connection with his long-lost cousin, is determined to rescue him from the scientists. The explanations of how this all plays out are not as seamless as in the earlier book, and the delightful mischievousness of the Boggart is not maintained when he sentimentally steps out of character to lead his cousin to safety. Nevertheless, these plotting contrivances are balanced by Cooper's exquisite use of language and complex character development. A climactic tour de force, in which the Boggart creates havoc by inhabiting the computer of the remotely operated vehicle, will have young readers cheering. Maintaining suspense until the final pages, Cooper successfully blends technology and ancient beliefs to give readers a fresh spin on Nessie's origins. This entertaining romp can be appreciated as a gratifying fantasy and a thought-provoking story on the nature of freedom and the transforming power of love.?Caroline Ward, Nassau Library System, Uniondale, NY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Gr. 4^-6. The shape-shifting Scottish spirit who sprang to vivid, mischievous life in The Boggart (1993) is back times two in a new adventure. The Volniks, Jessup and Emily, have returned to Scotland to visit Castle Keep, Mr. Maconochie (its new owner), their friend Tommy Cameron, and, of course, the castle's longtime resident, the Boggart. On a visit to Loch Ness, where scientist Harold Pindle is leading an expedition to crack the mystery of the lake's most famous resident, Mr. Maconochie and the children discover that the Boggart has stowed away in their camping gear and has made contact with a long-lost cousin, who just happens to be the very creature Pindle is out to find. This isn't quite as funny or suspenseful as the first book, perhaps because the Boggart is no longer a mystery to the Volniks. But the plot has plenty of sparkling complications, and there are some fresh, funny faces to round out the cast of well-drawn old friends. The clever premise and great characters will leave kids clamoring for more. Stephanie Zvirin --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

New York Times Book Review Swiftly plotted and densely populated, zipping along with the speed of a video game.

Publishers Weekly, starred review Cooper adroitly incorporates ancient lore into a contemporary setting while producing an imaginative and compelling tale. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

He's back -- and up to his old tricks!

It's been two years since Emily and Jess Volnik visited ancient Castle Keep in Scotland and made the acquaintance of the Boggart, a mischievous shape-shifting spirit who has lived in the castle for centuries. Now they've returned for another Scottish adventure, joining their old friend Tommy and Mr. Maconochie, the new owner of Castle keep, on a trip to Loch Ness, where a new expedition is determined to find the fabled monster.

Of course, the fun-loving Boggart comes along for the ride, and wherever the Bogart goes, things are bound to get lively. But this time the Boggart has a serious mission. His cousin Nessie is trapped in the monster shape he assumed long ago, and it's up to the Boggart to keep Nessie from being discovered by the expedition's high-tech equipment. Is modern science any match for the Boggart's ancient magic? --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Susan Cooper, one of today's most distinguished children's book writers, won a Newbery Medal and a Newbery Honor for books in her fantasy sequence, The Dark is Rising. She is also the author of King of Shadows, a Boston Globe -- Horn Book Honor Book, and Green Boy, which was called "an intriguing and truly lovely book" by the New York Times Book Review. She lives in Fairfield, Connecticut, and her Web site is at www.thelostland.com. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

The Scottish highlands provide the backdrop for young friends who find adventure in the ancient castles, a scientific expedition, the Loch Ness monster and a good-hearted shape-shifter who adopts a family and saves a friend. This sequel to The Boggart blends history and modern times, science and mythology, adventure and whimsy. Narrator Rintoul's range of dramatic expression is an excellent match for this textured story. Vibrant, urgent and mysterious, Rintoul's narration grabs and maintains the listener's attention. An occasional and aptly placed Scottish lilt adds charm and authenticity. R.M. Winner of AUDIOFILE's Earphones Award (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.