
Reach for this book when your child is feeling like a fish out of water or struggling to balance their love for tradition with a fast-paced, high-tech world. This charming story follows a mischievous ancient spirit accidentally transported from a Scottish castle to a modern Canadian city. Through the Boggart's chaotic and often hilarious interactions with electricity and computers, the story explores the tension between old-world magic and new-world logic. Ideal for ages 8 to 12, the book offers a comforting look at homesickness and the importance of belonging. It normalizes the feeling of being 'out of place' while celebrating the creativity required to solve complex problems. Parents will appreciate how Susan Cooper uses fantasy to teach empathy for those who do not fit in, all while maintaining a lighthearted tone that keeps kids engaged through every prank and technological glitch.
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Sign in to write a reviewThe Boggart's pranks cause some physical chaos and danger in a high-traffic city.
The book handles the concept of grief and transition metaphorically. The Boggart’s displacement represents the disorientation of moving or losing one's heritage. The approach is entirely secular and the resolution is hopeful and satisfying.
A tech-savvy middle-schooler who loves mythology but also spends their time gaming or coding. It is perfect for a child who feels a bit like an outsider or has recently moved to a place that feels 'too new' or 'too different.'
The book is safe for cold reading. Parents might want to discuss the concept of 'boggarts' in folklore vs. Harry Potter to avoid confusion, as Cooper's Boggart is more of a trickster than a fear-monster. A parent might notice their child struggling to bridge two different worlds, such as a child of immigrants feeling the gap between their family's culture and their school life, or a child who is frustrated that their 'old-fashioned' interests don't fit with their peers.
Younger readers will focus on the slapstick humor of the Boggart's pranks (like turning oatmeal into blue play-dough). Older readers will appreciate the clever way technology and magic intersect and the Boggart's profound sense of loneliness.
Unlike many fantasy novels that pit magic against technology, this book treats them as two different languages that can, with enough creativity, be used to communicate with one another.
After inheriting a Scottish castle, the Volnik family accidentally brings back a Boggart (a shape-shifting mischievous spirit) to their high-tech home in Toronto. The Boggart, confused by the modern world, causes havoc until he discovers he can inhabit the family computer. Emily and Jess must figure out how to send him back to his ancestral home using a mix of ancient lore and modern coding.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.