Book Review Corner: "The Magic Warble" by Victoria Simcox

I was delighted to recently receive a copy of this book from the author and it became an enchanting summer read. I am very happy to review this book for you. I was immediately taken by the beautiful artwork on the cover which perfectly matches the wonder and enchantment of the story. This book is also endeared to me because of the author's goal of writing a piece of youth fiction that she would,as a parent, be proud to have her children would enjoy reading amid a world where so much of the youth fiction can so easily give way to themes such as violence.

The Magic Warble is geared primarily for young readers age 9-13, but I was instantly drawn into the universal story themes the author has woven throughout this enchanting story. One of the prevailing themes involving the main character Kristina is very close to my heart. She is a girl who feels, as so many of our young people today do, that they don't really fit in with the other kids in her class at school, with an ending that leaves the reader inspired by Kristina's spirit of embracing her inner strength and overcoming against the odds. With so many cases of school bullying going on in the world today and the dire need for more character education in schools, often among the first areas that seem to be chopped to fit shrinking school budgets, I not only feel this story is a good, clean entertainment read for young readers, but also a very important social message about embracing others for the uniqueness that makes them who they are.

Kristina is mercilessly picked on by the kids at her school. Her only friend seems to be her pet rat, named Raymond. Her teacher Miss Hensley gives her a mysterious gift, which turns out to be the gateway for an extraordinary adventure. Kristina is magically transported to a land of dwarves, fairies and talking animals. The reader will be delighted with richly woven characters in this magical land with names like Clover, Ugan, King Oreades (King of the Fairies) and Looper. Then there's Queen Sentiz (she's evil!).

Kristina soon discovers she is “the chosen one” destined to bring peace to the land by returning "The Magic Warble" to its resting place. First, there's the evil queen, Queen Sentiz, to be reckoned with on her quest that finds her on a treacherous journey amid zelbocks coming after her and traitors to be dealt with in order to return "The Magic Warble" to its rightful perch in the land.

I found this book to be an enjoyable fantasy escape that held me captivated until the last page. I think it is ideal for young readers age 9-13 and will delight teen and adult readers who enjoy the fantasy genre.

Meet the author:

Victoria Simcox was originally born in Canada, but now lives in Washington with her husband and their three children. Her daughter Kristina was the inspiration for the main character in her book series. Besides being a published author, Victoria home-schooled her children for twelve years and taught art in elementary school for eleven years. In her spare time, Victoria manages her oldest two children’s Celtic band and enjoys reading, painting watercolors, hiking, and good movies. For more information on Victoria and her books, you can visit her blog here. "The Magic Warble" is now available as an e-book on Amazon.com

The author has generously provided a copy of this book for a giveaway to one of my US readers or an e-book copy for one of my international readers.
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