Kirsten Boie Die Medlevinger (The Medlevingers) Verlag Friedrich Oetinger, February 2004. 432 pp. ISBN 3-7891-3155-5 According to legend the race of Medlevingers, a delightful people endowed with such gifts as flying and making gold, once shared the earth with human beings until man’s envy and aggression drove them out. Their new land lies beneath ours, but far from being dark and gloomy it has sunshine, blue skies and rain in just the right quantities, forest land, hills and all manner of flowers, the garden of his easy-going Majesty, ruler of the country, being particularly fine. The Medlevingers look like humans but are much smaller in stature – they come up only to the height of the human knee – and speak the same language. Except for a few specially privileged girl Medlevingers, they have lost their original gifts simply through the passage of time. But they are still peaceable and live in harmony. But recently trouble has descended on this underground paradise, and several Medlevingers have disappeared. When Verdur, the likable but slightly mad inventor, also vanishes, his son Nis together with his tomboy friend Moa decide to investigate. Their adventures take them upwards on a return to the land of the humans, and on a quest that leads to uncomfortable and terrifying truths. Will they be swift enough to locate their missing kinsmen, and will they be able to unravel the mystery of the ancient clasp they have discovered before the dreadful legend of Cain repeats itself and alters for ever the world they know and love? And will Johannes, the twelve-year-old Hamburg schoolboy in whose neighbourhood their tunnel emerges, be able to help? This tale is a wonderfully beguiling and original mix of fantasy and detective fiction written for kids. Johannes and his down-to-earth family are feisty and fun, while the world of the Medlevingers is full of surprises. Hamburg makes a perfect setting for a magical adventure, with its waterways and boats and warehouses providing a bustling backdrop for the searches and chases. With its refreshing, snappy style and amusing dialogue, this is an exciting new fantasy for children aged ten to thirteen.