THE CHIME SEEKERS

Chasing faeries can be more dangerous than you think.

When 11-year-old Yanni left his flat in town and first arrived with his English mum and Greek dad at their new home in the country, he was horrified. The house “stuck out from the earth like it wasn’t meant to be there. The front door was the color of a rotten tooth.” Things don’t improve from these first impressions: The new school year has already begun, and he dreads being behind; the nearby village, Fallow Hall, is disappointing; and his baby sister, Ari, who’s always screaming, takes up so much time and energy that Mum and Dad bicker constantly, leaving Yanni feeling frustrated and ignored. Living closer to “weird” second cousin Amy isn’t much consolation. And it only gets worse. The family accidentally brings a malevolent faerie into their home, and he tricks Yanni into trading Ari for a changeling. With mere hours to spare before All Hallows’ Day, when the doorway between worlds closes, it’s up to Yanni and Amy to track down the faerie and attempt to beat him at his own game. Can they trick a trickster? And if they can’t, what will happen to Ari? Part Susan Cooper, part Diana Wynne Jones, and part Labyrinth, Montgomery’s latest is a perfect treat with enough twists and turns to keep even the most astute readers on their toes. The British folklore elements, accentuated by Dean’s spot art, add to the rich atmosphere.

Fantasy lovers, rejoice!