The Secrets of Hexbridge Castle

Alfie Bloom is a lonely city kid, dreading the summer before middle school, when he is unexpectedly declared the heir of Hexbridge Castle. Now he has a butler, a bearskin rug named Artan that can talk and fly, and two dear cousins nearby. But the castle’s enchanted walls harbor secrets, and Alfie soon discovers that his inheritance includes guarding an ancient and powerful magic, traveling through time, and battling evil dragons and dreaded headmistresses. A well-developed voice and exuberant sense of adventure carries through Kent’s debut, first in a series. Fantasy and magic play prominent roles in the plot but never mask themes of empathy, loyalty, and doing the right thing. Alfie and his friends quickly learn how easily power can be corrupted or used for evil, making the reluctant and even-keeled boy the perfect custodian for the castle and its gifts. Scenes of death, violence, and peril are just frightening enough to keep readers racing ahead, and Kent’s story holds an enduring truth for young and old: “The more you discover, the less you realize you know.” Ages 8–12. (Oct.)