review
The spectators in the reptile house are waiting with bated breath to see Kurt, the latest addition to the crocodile community. Among his admirers are Konrad and Arabella. But all of a sudden a girl appears and declares that this fabulous creature is ‘boring’. And equally suddenly, all the formerly enthusiastic spectators are agreeing with her. What is going on? Konrad is certain that this is no ordinary girl.
Konrad himself is also far from ordinary. He lives with modern-day witch Arabella, who specialises in concocting strange potions, and her multi-talented raven, Krax. Her most recent invention is a potion that enables doves to deliver letters to anyone anywhere: you simply tell the doves the recipient’s name, and they will find him.
Arabella is not Konrad’s mother: Konrad and Arabella’s biological daughter Milli were swapped at birth. And this has its advantages, as Konrad realised when his own paranormal powers became evident. He is, so it transpired, a born expert in telekinesis. Milli, for her part, is very much at home with Konrad’s ‘normal’ parents.
But there’s trouble ahead. Firstly, the girl from the reptile house turns up at Konrad’s school, where she casts her spooky magic on his classmates. And, worse still, his telekinetic powers seem to be failing him. Confused and ashamed, he runs away to a children’s camp, which the owners, Dr. Wudu and a certain Mrs Stone, assure him will bring back his lost faculties.
It doesn’t. Nor are the owners the kindly couple they seem. Sinister things are afoot, and Gesine, the strange girl from the reptile house, is involved, too. Can Krax and the telepathic potion save the day? Will Konrad get his powers back – or is there more to life than telekinesis?
This book is a super read – light, refreshing, and a real breath of air. The story moves along at a good pace, there are well-placed clues, and the plot is clever and tight. Indeed there is everything – humour, emotional involvement, adventure, suspense, and a satisfyingly happy ending. What more could the young reader want?
This is the second tale of Konrad and Krax and proof the author has winning ingredients.
All recommendations from Autumn 2008