Keyholders #1: This Side of Magic [Mass Market Paperback]

Debbie Dadey (Author), Marcia Thornton Jones (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up | Series: Keyholders

The first in a series of light fantasy chapter books set in Morgantown, a town on the border between the real world and the magical world, by the authors of the Publishers Weekly bestselling BAILEY SCHOOL KIDS—a series of 50 books with more than 30 million copies sold!

“You are my chosen apprentices,” said Mr. Leery.

Penny and Luke aren’t sure they want to be apprentice Keyholders. A Keyholder’s job, explains their neighbor, Mr. Leery, is to guard the border between the real world and the magical world.

But when they meet their “links”—magical helpers from the other side of the border—they change their minds. Penny’s link is Kirin, a sarcastic unicorn. Luke forms a link with a clumsy baby dragon named Dracula.

And just in time! For the evil Queen of the Boggarts is determined to invade their world—and only the Keyholders and their links can stop her.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Keyholders #1: This Side of Magic

“Kids will be drawn to the likable, believable protagonists and the promise of more enticing magic and action to follow.”—Publishers Weekly

“Magical attacks, lively characters from both sides of the hedge and slapstick set pieces…The bright humor will attract and keep young pre-Potterites.”—Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

MARCIA THORNTON JONES enjoys reading more than anything else.  As a teacher, her favorite part of the school day was sharing books with her students.  It was that love of reading that drew her to writing. She wanted to write the same kinds of stories that she and her students enjoyed reading. One afternoon she mentioned to the school librarian that she’d always had an interest in writing. The librarian, Debbie Dadey, shared a common desire to write stories that would encourage reading skills while promoting a true joy of reading.  The next afternoon, Marcia and Debbie met while their students were at lunch and began writing. That story, Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots, became the first book in their bestselling series, The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids. 

Marcia lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her husband, Stephen, and their two cats. 

DEBBIE DADEY taught first grade before becoming a librarian.  It was while teaching that she first realized how much she wanted to write a book for reluctant readers.  Her first book, co-authored with fellow teacher Marcia Thornton Jones, was the result of a very bad day. Since then, Debbie and Marcia have collaborated on more than 125 books with sales of over forty million copies. 

Debbie lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with her husband, three dogs, and three children.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Starscape; First Edition edition (April 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765359820
• ISBN-13: 978-0765359827
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #578,944 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fun urban fantasy, May 2, 2009

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Keyholders #1: This Side of Magic (Mass Market Paperback)

The hedge abetted by magic protects the residents of Morgantown from supernatural creatures like the evil Boggarts whose queen plans to invade the town and then the world. Meanwhile best friends Penny and Luke visit their neighbor Mr. Leery, who asks them to watch his cat Mr. Mo as he attends a funeral of an associate; they agree.

The kids meet a strange fifth grader who wants to see Mr. Leery. When Mr. Mo goes berserk the weird kid flees. Mr. Leery returns and explains to the two kids that they are apprentice keyholders, a job that Penny accepts while Luke wants to decline. Mr. Leery explains he is the last of three keyholders who insure the hedge magic remains strong to keep the Boggarts out; they and someone else will replace him and his two late associates after two centuries on the job. As Penny connects with Kirin the sarcastic unicorn and Luke with Dracula the baby dragon, they learn the third keyholder is the snob Natalie who connects aptly so with Buttercup the rat, and the weird kid is a Boggart spy. Though not ready the three fifth grade keyholders must prevent the Boggart hordes from invading Morgantown.

The first Keyholders' urban fantasy is a fun often amusing thriller. The tale starts off a bit slow as the players are introduced, but the pace picks up once Mr. Leery leaves town. Penny and Luke are likable kids while affluent snob Natalie is not. The apprentice trio has some humorous moments as they battle the Boggart spy and attempt to prevent the invasion to the delight of elementary school age readers.

Harriet Klausner

5.0 out of 5 stars NEEDS NEW COVER PIC, KINDLE VERSION, December 20, 2011

By 

Stephen Jones (Lexington, KY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Keyholders #1: This Side of Magic (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a good, clean, fun book for children grades 3-5... by the authors of the best-selling 'Bailey School Kids' series...
BSK #1: Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots (The Adventures Of The Bailey School Kids).
......
PS. This Product Description page needs the primary book cover picture updated. The one shown is a preliminary, pre-release cover (maybe an Advance Reading Copy cover.) The primary pic is the only one displayed in search results and various listings pages. The customer pics are not.

Also, this book [Keyholders #1:This Side of Magic] needs to be made available in a *Kindle* version.
The further books in this series are, Keyholders #2 - #4
Keyholders #2: The Other Side of Magic
Keyholders #3: Inside the Magic
Keyholders #4: The Wrong Side of Magic

Publisher, Tor, are you listening...??