From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8–In the first title of the series by Joseph Delaney (Greenwillow, 2005), 12-year-old Tom Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son who has been apprenticed to The Spook, whose job it is to ward off witches, boggarts, and ghosts from his domain in the English countryside. Twenty-nine other apprentices have gone before Tom. Will he be able to succeed because he is able to see things, or because he is left-handed, or because his Mam has taught him Greek? After leaving the farm and his family to go with Mr. Gregory, he is put through several trials and warnings to beware of girls in pointy shoes and to make sure not to insult a snippy boggart that cooks and cleans. Then the Spook begins very precise instruction, which Tom voluminously transcribes into notebooks. Young and naïve, Tom makes a big blunder that unleashes the wrath of the malevolent witch, Mother Malkin, a villain who could rival Voldermort. In this tale that is a mix between Sweeney Todd and Harry Potter, listeners will experience tension and suspense along with a likeable character in Tom, who is affable, loyal, and eager to do a good job. Actor Evan Welch reads this first-person narrative with a boyish sincerity. Each character is given a distinct and vibrant voice. Fans of this story will be eager for its sequel to know if Tom will succeed or go the route of the first 29 apprentices. A good purchase where the book is popular.–
Jo-Ann Carhart, East Islip Public Library, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Warning: This is not a tale for the squeamish. The seventh son of a seventh son, Tom Ward is sent off to apprentice himself to "the Spook," who has for years taken care of the evils in the county--boggarts, witches, and ghosts. Evan Welch gives a gripping and compelling rendering of each role--from the arrogant Old Gregory to the confused and sometimes not too swift apprentice. Welch superbly builds the tension as listeners realize Tom has brought the devil to his own doorstep. An enhanced CD allows listeners to see Tom Ward's "Secrets for Survival," identify boggarts, and get recipes for dealing with witches. D.G. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine--
Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--Ce texte provient de la
Audio CD
édition.