Customer Reviews

The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet (Secrets of Droon #1)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Is there anything worse than a review or a blurb that describes a product as *blank* meets *blank*? How simplistic! How callous! That said, the first words that popped into my head after reading the first book in the ever-popular series "The Secrets of Droon" was Harry Potter meets The Magic Tree House. Which probably was exactly what author Tony Abbott was going for. This early chapter book (originally published in 1999) looks like a slightly older and more mature version of those saccharine-soaked "Magic Tree House" tales, but without the oh-so-slightly useful factual information. Instead, the wizardly wonders of "Harry Potter" and other fantasy worlds have been co-opted and boiled down into a scant 80 pages. If Abbott is to be commended for anything, it's for his sheer cheek. With nary an apology he whips up a bunch of fast-paced high-flying adventures artfully stolen from any number of better written books and smooshes them into titles that kids everywhere adore.

Eric, Julie, and Neal are best friends. They play soccer together. They go to school together. And when Eric's stuck cleaning the basement on a day that would perfect for a little soccer action, his buds stick by his side and help. Good thing that they do too. A mislaid kick of the ball reveals a tiny crawlspace under the basement stairs. Further inspection, however, leads the three kids to an amazing discovery. There, leading away from the basement by a flight of rainbow-colored stairs, is a world they never knew existed. Before they completely realize what is happening, the friends are wrapped up in a race to save the magical world of Droon from the desires of the evil and somewhat fishy Lord Sparr. Aiding them is the beautiful Princess Keeah, the wizard Galen, and a furry red-headed spider troll named Max. It's up to them to keep the secret of this magical world and fight the good fight when called upon.

First of all, good luck on finding any characters that aren't white and, preferably, blond. Second, I loved how Abbott covered all his bases. For the girls who aren't as into fantasy adventure but like princess tales, Keeah covers that particular need. Eric sports Harry-Potterish glasses (though, to be fair, so does Jack from the "Magic Tree House" books, so who can truly say what illustrator Tim Jessell was actually ripping off?). You have your standard Gandalf/Dumbledore white-bearded wizard. The villain has no real desires beyond power (the all-purpose bad guy need). Altogether, this is about as generic as they come. The book is better written than your average "Magic Tree House" story, of course. But that's really not saying much.

Still, the kids cry for Droon without cease or pause. They love it. They adore it. They'd own every single copy of these books if they could. I have to fight off swarming hoards of six-year-olds every time I get a new edition of the series on my shelf. Whence the popularity? Well, it's hard to deny that Abbott has zeroed in on a really ignored section of the populace. Kids who can read chapter books but still need pictures and a fast story to help them along are everywhere. And while I can't help but pray that maybe someday some author will write something just as addictive but a little less ... familiar (let's say) than this, that day has not yet arrived. So when a child asks me to recommend something since they've read all the "Magic Tree House" books already, I admit to sometimes leading them over to the "Droon" section of the library.

Hopefully this series will lure kids towards better books in the library though. In any case, while it won't win any awards for writing anytime soon, "Droon" is a staple in any library that must entice reluctant readers to its tables. Overdone, but useful.

I can't recommend this series enough. As my son's attention span increased (as he was nearing his fourth birthday), I turned to chapter books to offer him some variety (and reduce my boredom). Having experimented with dozens of alternatives, Tony Abbott's Droon series is my son's (and, let's be honest here, my) unequivocal favorite. I'm still astounded by my son's fascination with the magical world of Droon, a parallel universe where good versus evil wage an intricate, ever-evolving struggle against a rich, fantasy-laden backdrop. I genuinely enjoy reading these books aloud. We've read all of books in this series, and we've read most repeatedly as we await the next installment. Each story builds upon its predecessor, so The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet is definitely the place to start. The books offer characters for every child to identify with; boys may prefer the bespeckled Eric or the more rambunctious Neal, girls may favor the quick-thinking Julie or Princess Keeah, the junior wizard -- all four (plus the adorable spider-troll Max) contribute mightily to the team's effort. Tony Abbott packs these books with vivid descriptions and non-stop action without frightening young readers (or listeners). Open the basement door and visit Droon - you won't be sorry.

I bought a class set of this book for my third grade class. They absolutely loved it and begged to be able to read it every day! They couldn't wait for the next books in the series to come out. It was easy to read and follow the adventure.

Even though these books are way out of my age group I love them. The story begins when Eric, Neal, and Julie find a secret door in Eric's basement that lead to the magical land of Droon. The encounter many strange creatures and meet a princess named Keeah who needs their help to defeat Lord Sparr who wants to take over Droon. This is another great magical book and I highly recommend it at whatever age you are. If you like Harry Potter you will love this one too!...

My husband got the first three of these for storytime for our boys (nine and five). I do the storytime reading. After I finished them, I advised him that if he wanted to get any more of these, he could take over storytime.

I've read several of the "Magic Tree House" series, and they're like Hemingway or Proust compared to this dreck. This is to actual children's fantasy literature what presliced American cheese (in the little cello wrappers) is to real cheese.

Please, fellow parents - buy real books for your kids. It's the right thing to do.

My 5-year-old son and I gave this book a couple of tries, but we finally gave up, unable to sustain our interest past the first few chapters. The writing is mediocre, and the characters and plot are ho-hum. Overall, Droon is a seemingly random heap of fantasy elements that fail to combine into a meaningful setting.

Instead, I would highly recommend the well-written Dragon Slayers' Academy.

My son just loved the Droon series! he is thrilled with the adventures of Eric, Neil, etc... My mother gave him this first book in the series as a gift and he instantly wanted to know if there were more. He reads them over and over and over again. He even talked me in to reading them! While they are not thrilling fantasy for adults, they are just perfect for emerging readers. I highly reccommend this entire series!

I have been reading this series (and this individual book over and over)ever since it came out more than a decade ago and have loved every single book(there are 44). No one is going to say that this is a very deep or intense set of books because they serve a greater purpose. For young readers they serve as introductory chapter books that's language both accommodates and challenges. The language matures during the series so that the reader does not find them easier and easier. The best part however is the content of books, although each book can serve as entertainment by itself, the series in whole can serve as thousands of pages of fun adventure. The "secrets" referred to in the title are mysteries slowly presented in the first books and grow challenging the reader to try and piece them together. Being a child(7) when I started reading the series, I know how fun they are to read and how compelling the characters are. The main characters manage to maintain a life of frolicking adventures while remaining respectful to their parents, working hard in school and being kind to whomever they meet. Abbot's strict adherence to stories with happy endings stay true no matter how dire the situation that the children are in. In the battle of good verse evil that this book and the entire Secret of Droon Series the good guys always win the day(although not necessarily the book) and the bad guys lose but don't get killed or anything violent like that. Moreover this is a series that rejects sadness, and whose characters both good and evil never die. In October 2010, the final book of the series was published, which although sad for those who love the series, was true to the series fierce ethical structure. I recommend this book and the following 43 books strongly for any child and for any parent that wants their child both educated academically and morally while also being entertained.

This book is about a kid named Eric who finds hidden stairs to Droon. Go read what happens in Droon where monsters live.

I loved the book because it's so adventurous. My favorite part is when they find a magic carpet in Droon.

I think people who like adventure and are 8 or older need to read the book because it's adventurous.

My son's best friend's mom gave him this book. I had problems getting my son to read and enjoy chapter books, however this finally hooked him. He is anxiously awaiting the next few that I have ordered for him.