For a child facing sudden loss and displacement, this story explores finding strength and belonging amidst magical chaos, and the challenge of harnessing latent power.
A parent might reach for this book when their child is navigating the turbulent emotions of losing a beloved guardian and the instability of a new living situation. Enchanted Glass tells the story of Aidan, who, after his gran's death, seeks refuge at a magical house, only to find it in chaos. He teams up with Andrew, the new owner who doesn't know how to control his inherited magic. This fantasy adventure wraps themes of grief, loneliness, and finding belonging in an exciting plot. It's a wonderful choice for readers who find comfort in magic and shows that family can be found in the most unexpected places, offering a hopeful message about building a new life.
Features creepy, menacing creatures called Stalkers and moments of magical peril.
Sensitive Topics
The book deals directly with the death of a guardian (Aidan's grandmother) and the subsequent grief and displacement. The approach is secular and empathetic. The foster care system is portrayed briefly as cold and undesirable. The resolution is very hopeful, emphasizing the power of found family and creating a new home for oneself.
Ideal Reader
A child aged 10-13 who loves fantasy and is coping with the loss of a loved one or a major life upheaval. It's for a reader who feels adrift and needs a story that validates their feelings while also offering an empowering, adventurous escape and a model for finding a new sense of family.
Parent Prep
The book can be read cold. Parents should be ready for potential conversations about grief, what makes a family, and the brief, negative portrayal of the foster home. The core message is one of hope, so it provides a gentle framework for these topics. A parent notices their child seems lost or lonely after the death of a grandparent or a family move. The child might express feelings of not belonging or say things like, "I wish I could just go somewhere else."
Age Experience
A younger reader (9-11) will likely focus on the adventure: the strange magic, the spooky Stalkers, and the mystery of the villain. An older reader (12-14) will connect more deeply with the emotional subtext: Aidan's grief, the found family dynamics, and the metaphor of taming chaotic magic as a way of finding internal balance.
What Makes It Special
This book uniquely uses high fantasy to externalize the internal chaos of grief. Rather than a quiet, realistic story of loss, it provides an active, engaging adventure where the protagonist tackles his emotional challenges by literally wrestling with magical forces. It reframes coping as an act of power and creation.
Read plot summary
Recently orphaned Aidan Cain follows his late grandmother's instructions and flees his new foster home for Melstone House, home to a powerful sorcerer. He arrives to find the sorcerer has died, and his grandson, Andrew, has inherited the house and its powerful, chaotic magic without any training. Together, with the help of a few other magical residents, Aidan and Andrew must learn to control their powers to fend off sinister otherworldly Stalkers and stop a villainous neighbor who is draining the countryside's magical life force.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Aidan feels responsible for helping Andrew because his Gran said their family would help him. When have you felt responsible for helping someone, even when it was hard?
2
The magic at Melstone House is wild and uncontrolled at first. How is this similar to how Aidan and Andrew are feeling inside? How does gaining control of the magic help them?
3
Mr. Stock is stealing magic from the land because he thinks it belongs to him. Why do you think he feels that way, and what makes his actions wrong?
4
Aidan finds a new family at Melstone House that isn't related to him by blood. What do you think are the most important things that make a group of people a family?
