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Rondo #2
The Wizard of Rondo
The fantastic world of Rondo can be perilous, but Leo and Mimi know they can't keep away. They have to play their part in the continuing battle to keep Rondo safe from their deadly enemy, the remorseless Blue Queen. Plunging once more into the magic world within the antique music box, they are determined to stay out of trouble. But Rondo's spell soon draws them in, and their quest to find a missing wizard becomes something far more dangerous as they try to track the Blue Queen's henchman, Spoiler, and confront an ancient terror lurking in the skies of the north. Filled with fun, excitement and startling twists, this outstanding sequel to the highly acclaimed The Key to Rondo is as rich, surprising and irresistible as Rondo itself.
416 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2008
41 people are currently reading
1053 people want to read
About the author
Emily Rodda
297 books2,115 followersEmily Rodda (real name Jennifer Rowe) was born in Sydney, Australia and graduated from the University of Sydney in 1973 with an MA (Hons) in English Literature. Moving into a publishing career, first as a book editor, and finally as a publisher at Angus & Robertson, Rodda's first book was published in 1984.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
May 2, 2023
Absolutely amazing book. Complex but not too much that you have no idea what's going on, great characters and storyline. Definitely should read.
26/12/2017:
- This book could easily go down the road of become a typcial "filler" book and I'm so glad it didn't
- Every time I read these books I'm reminded of how well thought out they are
- A child's book but doesn't feel like it when you read it as an adult (adult voice)
26/12/2017:
- This book could easily go down the road of become a typcial "filler" book and I'm so glad it didn't
- Every time I read these books I'm reminded of how well thought out they are
- A child's book but doesn't feel like it when you read it as an adult (adult voice)
June 8, 2017
Second in the Rondo fantasy series for middle-grade readers and revolving around a pair of cousins with the “ticket” of entry to an alternate world. It’s been a week since
The Key to Rondo
, 1.
In 2009, The Wizard of Rondo won Canberra's Own Outstanding List Awards for Section 4: Fiction for grades 7–9, the Kids Own Australian Literature Awards for Fiction for Years 7–9, and in 2008, it won the Aurealis Award for Children's Novel.
My Take
The Wizard of Rondo is a basic frame story with the reader being introduced to Mimi and Leo at home in their own world…and ending up back in it. In the meantime, it’s off to an alternate plane of existence, one created by the Artist, which serves as the story as object.
It’s a time of growth for Mimi, and man, does she need it! Her weaknesses do add tension to the plot. Of course, Leo has his own maturing to do in his character arc. And it’s a lovely bit of acknowledgment at the end with encouragement from their friends in Rondo, as both Mimi’s and Leo’s characters are transformed along their individual hero journeys.
I think the chickens are my favorite characters in this story, what with their names for the days of the week and their crazy personalities. Rodda drew a sweet parallel between Moult and Mimi that Leo draws from his perspective in third-person point-of-view.
There is quite a lot of movement in The Wizard of Rondo, what with Mimi’s duplicity and being such a know-it-all — lord knows there was enough foreshadowing with that big flashing arrow that resulted in a touch of the dread had-I-known plot beat. Then there’s Bertha’s tragedy, Bing’s disappearance, Simon’s arrest, Moult’s problems, the Hobnob villagers and Snug campers raising a hue and cry for Tye, the terror of the Strix, the sly plans of Sly the fox, and the Blue Queen’s plotting which all raise the tensions of the story until that deus ex machina at the end which was quite welcome, if too easy as well.
It’s cute. It’s fun. And it’s an easy story for kids to read.
The Story
Oh, no! The story got out, and while Bertha is famous throughout the land, the Blue Queen is furious. Fortunately, a more immediate quest arrives via a messenger mouse.
Mrs. Clogg requires a hero — now — to save her nephew. She’s adamant that he couldn’t possibly have killed the wizard.
And off our heroes go, confident they can handle a mystery as simple as this, until the STRIX shows up!!!
The Characters
The responsible Leo Zifkak inherited a magical music box from Great-aunt Bethany Langlander. Tony Zifkak is his dad; Suzanne is his mother. Anna, Peter, Horst, and Will are friends of his parents. Uncle Henry was the staid practical one who died shortly after he retired. And went to Rondo. Wicked Uncle George was his brother who disappeared. Into Rondo where he’s known as Spoiler or Tom.
The prickly Mimi Langlander is Leo's misfit of a cousin who is brilliant on the violin and inherited the Key from Great-aunt Bethany. Mutt is her dog.
…comes alive when the music box is wound. You must leave the lid open until the music winds down or life will continue in Rondo. It's a world where your name frequently fits you and Posy is a flower seller; Officer Begood is quite officious; Old Jolly runs an inn and tavern, the Black Sheep; Merry works the bar; Scribble is the nosy gnome reporter from The Rondo Rambler who will make it up if he likes; Crumble sells pies; Pop is a balloon seller; Spoony’s Coffee Shop; Brown’s Chocolates; Winkle is a sleepy traveling salesman; Marjorie is a gossipy crow; and, Sly is the fox Macdonald got to keep the dots under control.
The friends they made in Rondo last time…
…include Conker “Conkie”, a dot-catcher, and his partner, Freda, a duck who loves to eat the remains. Bertha is quite the vain pig who works on Jack Macdonald’s farm as a watch pig. Or, she did. Princess Pretty (she’d been Jim’s foster sister, Suki, and the Blue Queen’s stepdaughter) had been one of the swans and has just celebrated her wedding; Polly and Jim live at Grandma’s house in the woods (they have custody of the flying carpet); and, Hal is Uncle Henry, the wizard of Rondo who saved the day, back in the day. Tye the Terlamaine is the only one of her kind left. Known as Tiger folk, they once lived in Tiger’s Glen which was part of the Old Forest.
Jack Macdonald owns a farm; his wife is Mistress Mary…do you think she may be contrary? Violet Orpington-Dunk is one of the leading hens at the farm. Other hens include Fiona and Eglantine. Mistress Merk, a.k.a., Misery, is one of the greedy owners of the Tavern of No Return. Not a place you want to visit. Peg owns a camping store; she also shifts into a bear at sunset.
Hobnob is…
…a town in Rondo. Muffy Clogg is good-hearted but a twit. Her husband, Mayor Clogg, owns Clogg’s Shoe Emporium which is doing very well, unhappily for Mr. Clogg. Simon Augustus Humble, Muffy Clogg’s nephew, has been arrested for murder. He’s also a mushroom. Yep, literally. Tilly is Muffy’s practical maid. (Tilly’s sisters are Gilly, Lily, and Milly and maids at Macdonald’s farm.)
Wizard Balthazar “Bats” Bing (he’ll get another nickname, "Bingle") has a terrible reputation for never getting it quite right. Egbert, son of Egmont, is the Guardian of the Flock of Bing which includes the bossy Cluck, the tiny excitable Teeny, the beautiful Chickadee, a vacant Scramble, a depressed Broody, and the gold-egg-laying Moult.
Bodelia Parker is the nasty gossip who runs the antiques shop. Patricia was Bodelia's parrot. Candy Sweet is quite obsessed with catching Officer Begood’s eye. Master Sadd always looks on the melancholy side of things…he is the gravedigger after all. Count Éclair owes money. Stitch is a tailor. Bun runs the bakery with his wife Patty and has employed Renée, the dot-catching fox. Sly is Renée’s brother.
The Hobnob Snug sounds delightful with sentient trees (including Mirth and Glee) who love having guests, so they grow cabins and provide the most amazing slumbers. I want that Snug pool! It does have a backward wishing well, so use care. Woodley is the annoying Snug caretaker, quite annoying, you know. Some of the other guests include a young girl named Skip whose parents have obviously not taught her to be careful!
The Blue Queen is the arch villainess. The Strix is the Ancient One and the first creation of the Artist’s brush. He’s also Rondo’s boogeyman, notorious for Collecting the unusual.
Wizard Wurzle lives in Flitter Wood and is shy and timid. Wizard Plum is doing fine, and isn’t missing. The dead wizards include Zargo, Nerklan, and Wanda the Wicked Witch of the West. The messenger mice are getting quite above themselves, causing all sorts of havoc. Dots are gingerbread men and quite the pests. The Key is the key to getting in and out of Rondo AND is capable of doing anything you can imagine. Safe Places, a distant relative of the hidey-hole, are just that. Safe places to put your things. But you do have to remember where that Safe Place is along with the password. A Gap is a Rondo shortcut. The Artist is the creator of Rondo. Sir Clankalot was a freeloading knight.
Takeshi Sato is a brilliant violinist who organized a week of workshops.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a gorgeous range of blue greens from the darkest green of the wizard’s hunter’s-wizard hat, the softer green velvet-like robe, his four-colored wand, and the bright green cloud palace in the purple and orange sunset, a village skyline behind him. The wizard himself is a fierce-looking man with hard-earned wrinkles and flowing gray locks, mustache, and beard, as he swings that wand. The title is an embossed Gothic swirl at the top in gold while the author’s name is at the bottom, also in an embossed gold.
The title could refer to several men, for each is a, er, The Wizard of Rondo.
In 2009, The Wizard of Rondo won Canberra's Own Outstanding List Awards for Section 4: Fiction for grades 7–9, the Kids Own Australian Literature Awards for Fiction for Years 7–9, and in 2008, it won the Aurealis Award for Children's Novel.
My Take
The Wizard of Rondo is a basic frame story with the reader being introduced to Mimi and Leo at home in their own world…and ending up back in it. In the meantime, it’s off to an alternate plane of existence, one created by the Artist, which serves as the story as object.
It’s a time of growth for Mimi, and man, does she need it! Her weaknesses do add tension to the plot. Of course, Leo has his own maturing to do in his character arc. And it’s a lovely bit of acknowledgment at the end with encouragement from their friends in Rondo, as both Mimi’s and Leo’s characters are transformed along their individual hero journeys.
I think the chickens are my favorite characters in this story, what with their names for the days of the week and their crazy personalities. Rodda drew a sweet parallel between Moult and Mimi that Leo draws from his perspective in third-person point-of-view.
There is quite a lot of movement in The Wizard of Rondo, what with Mimi’s duplicity and being such a know-it-all — lord knows there was enough foreshadowing with that big flashing arrow that resulted in a touch of the dread had-I-known plot beat. Then there’s Bertha’s tragedy, Bing’s disappearance, Simon’s arrest, Moult’s problems, the Hobnob villagers and Snug campers raising a hue and cry for Tye, the terror of the Strix, the sly plans of Sly the fox, and the Blue Queen’s plotting which all raise the tensions of the story until that deus ex machina at the end which was quite welcome, if too easy as well.
It’s cute. It’s fun. And it’s an easy story for kids to read.
The Story
Oh, no! The story got out, and while Bertha is famous throughout the land, the Blue Queen is furious. Fortunately, a more immediate quest arrives via a messenger mouse.
Mrs. Clogg requires a hero — now — to save her nephew. She’s adamant that he couldn’t possibly have killed the wizard.
And off our heroes go, confident they can handle a mystery as simple as this, until the STRIX shows up!!!
The Characters
The responsible Leo Zifkak inherited a magical music box from Great-aunt Bethany Langlander. Tony Zifkak is his dad; Suzanne is his mother. Anna, Peter, Horst, and Will are friends of his parents. Uncle Henry was the staid practical one who died shortly after he retired. And went to Rondo. Wicked Uncle George was his brother who disappeared. Into Rondo where he’s known as Spoiler or Tom.
The prickly Mimi Langlander is Leo's misfit of a cousin who is brilliant on the violin and inherited the Key from Great-aunt Bethany. Mutt is her dog.
”Spending time with Mimi Langlander is like doing a degree in psychology.”Rondo only…
…comes alive when the music box is wound. You must leave the lid open until the music winds down or life will continue in Rondo. It's a world where your name frequently fits you and Posy is a flower seller; Officer Begood is quite officious; Old Jolly runs an inn and tavern, the Black Sheep; Merry works the bar; Scribble is the nosy gnome reporter from The Rondo Rambler who will make it up if he likes; Crumble sells pies; Pop is a balloon seller; Spoony’s Coffee Shop; Brown’s Chocolates; Winkle is a sleepy traveling salesman; Marjorie is a gossipy crow; and, Sly is the fox Macdonald got to keep the dots under control.
The friends they made in Rondo last time…
…include Conker “Conkie”, a dot-catcher, and his partner, Freda, a duck who loves to eat the remains. Bertha is quite the vain pig who works on Jack Macdonald’s farm as a watch pig. Or, she did. Princess Pretty (she’d been Jim’s foster sister, Suki, and the Blue Queen’s stepdaughter) had been one of the swans and has just celebrated her wedding; Polly and Jim live at Grandma’s house in the woods (they have custody of the flying carpet); and, Hal is Uncle Henry, the wizard of Rondo who saved the day, back in the day. Tye the Terlamaine is the only one of her kind left. Known as Tiger folk, they once lived in Tiger’s Glen which was part of the Old Forest.
Jack Macdonald owns a farm; his wife is Mistress Mary…do you think she may be contrary? Violet Orpington-Dunk is one of the leading hens at the farm. Other hens include Fiona and Eglantine. Mistress Merk, a.k.a., Misery, is one of the greedy owners of the Tavern of No Return. Not a place you want to visit. Peg owns a camping store; she also shifts into a bear at sunset.
Hobnob is…
…a town in Rondo. Muffy Clogg is good-hearted but a twit. Her husband, Mayor Clogg, owns Clogg’s Shoe Emporium which is doing very well, unhappily for Mr. Clogg. Simon Augustus Humble, Muffy Clogg’s nephew, has been arrested for murder. He’s also a mushroom. Yep, literally. Tilly is Muffy’s practical maid. (Tilly’s sisters are Gilly, Lily, and Milly and maids at Macdonald’s farm.)
Wizard Balthazar “Bats” Bing (he’ll get another nickname, "Bingle") has a terrible reputation for never getting it quite right. Egbert, son of Egmont, is the Guardian of the Flock of Bing which includes the bossy Cluck, the tiny excitable Teeny, the beautiful Chickadee, a vacant Scramble, a depressed Broody, and the gold-egg-laying Moult.
Bodelia Parker is the nasty gossip who runs the antiques shop. Patricia was Bodelia's parrot. Candy Sweet is quite obsessed with catching Officer Begood’s eye. Master Sadd always looks on the melancholy side of things…he is the gravedigger after all. Count Éclair owes money. Stitch is a tailor. Bun runs the bakery with his wife Patty and has employed Renée, the dot-catching fox. Sly is Renée’s brother.
The Hobnob Snug sounds delightful with sentient trees (including Mirth and Glee) who love having guests, so they grow cabins and provide the most amazing slumbers. I want that Snug pool! It does have a backward wishing well, so use care. Woodley is the annoying Snug caretaker, quite annoying, you know. Some of the other guests include a young girl named Skip whose parents have obviously not taught her to be careful!
The Blue Queen is the arch villainess. The Strix is the Ancient One and the first creation of the Artist’s brush. He’s also Rondo’s boogeyman, notorious for Collecting the unusual.
Wizard Wurzle lives in Flitter Wood and is shy and timid. Wizard Plum is doing fine, and isn’t missing. The dead wizards include Zargo, Nerklan, and Wanda the Wicked Witch of the West. The messenger mice are getting quite above themselves, causing all sorts of havoc. Dots are gingerbread men and quite the pests. The Key is the key to getting in and out of Rondo AND is capable of doing anything you can imagine. Safe Places, a distant relative of the hidey-hole, are just that. Safe places to put your things. But you do have to remember where that Safe Place is along with the password. A Gap is a Rondo shortcut. The Artist is the creator of Rondo. Sir Clankalot was a freeloading knight.
Takeshi Sato is a brilliant violinist who organized a week of workshops.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a gorgeous range of blue greens from the darkest green of the wizard’s hunter’s-wizard hat, the softer green velvet-like robe, his four-colored wand, and the bright green cloud palace in the purple and orange sunset, a village skyline behind him. The wizard himself is a fierce-looking man with hard-earned wrinkles and flowing gray locks, mustache, and beard, as he swings that wand. The title is an embossed Gothic swirl at the top in gold while the author’s name is at the bottom, also in an embossed gold.
The title could refer to several men, for each is a, er, The Wizard of Rondo.
March 2, 2020
The Wizard of Rondo is a solid follow-up to The Key to Rondo. It's fun, and like all of Rodda's books, I find both the world and characters interesting.
From an adult perspective — which is to say, not the target audience — I particularly liked Leo and Mimi's character arcs. The development of both Leo and Mimi as individuals and their relationship with each other is so true to this age group and sends an important, but not intrusive, message.
The ending to the story may have been a little easy, but with the target audience in mind, I think the mystery and it's resolution were entertaining. There's some heartfelt moments that go along with it– — especially for Tye — but it's not altogether too serious.
From an adult perspective — which is to say, not the target audience — I particularly liked Leo and Mimi's character arcs. The development of both Leo and Mimi as individuals and their relationship with each other is so true to this age group and sends an important, but not intrusive, message.
The ending to the story may have been a little easy, but with the target audience in mind, I think the mystery and it's resolution were entertaining. There's some heartfelt moments that go along with it– — especially for Tye — but it's not altogether too serious.
October 21, 2025
again just a good time. book 1 might've gone quicker than book 2 but still keen for book 3!
October 2, 2015
for any young readers
March 31, 2012
Taken as a whole, the story isn't bad. So why the two stars? Because it's so tedious I find myself wishing that I could speed read just to get it over and done with . There are so many characters involved in the story, and each just have to have their line! A topic in discussion could go pages and pages before a conclusion is reached, and it's not intellectual debate at all but foolish notions & expressions of incredulity from almost everyone present in the scene! Even when describing a main character enter an establishment, the author has to enumerate every single one of those who went in after him--- instead of simply saying "they followed closely behind", or "his friends went inside after him". Unbelievable! I find it so redundant & ridiculous.
Most of the scenes and discussion are just absurd, so irrelevant in fact that it is safe to delete them without endangering the flow and gist of the story, which is: 2 cousins enter a magical world to help save a guy accused of causing the disappearance of a Wizard. In the process they got tricked & captured by the Evil Blue Queen, eventually escaped with the help of the Ancient One, and inadvertently accomplished the quest that they set out to do. Too much ado about nothing, if you ask me. The sillyness is just too much.
ON THE OTHER HAND, I think that I'm feeling this way because the book is not for me. That is, not written for my 40 above age level. STILL, I wouldn't say that the Harry Potter series is too young for me. I immensely enjoyed reading it. I find a lot of children's books enjoyable like Spiderwick Chronicles, Arthur and the Minimoys, Charlie Bone, N.E.R.D.S., Groosham Grange and a lot more. I even enjoy Dr. Seuss! Oh, well. I got this hard bound book without the jacket. it was on sale at 90% off. Need I wonder why?
Most of the scenes and discussion are just absurd, so irrelevant in fact that it is safe to delete them without endangering the flow and gist of the story, which is: 2 cousins enter a magical world to help save a guy accused of causing the disappearance of a Wizard. In the process they got tricked & captured by the Evil Blue Queen, eventually escaped with the help of the Ancient One, and inadvertently accomplished the quest that they set out to do. Too much ado about nothing, if you ask me. The sillyness is just too much.
ON THE OTHER HAND, I think that I'm feeling this way because the book is not for me. That is, not written for my 40 above age level. STILL, I wouldn't say that the Harry Potter series is too young for me. I immensely enjoyed reading it. I find a lot of children's books enjoyable like Spiderwick Chronicles, Arthur and the Minimoys, Charlie Bone, N.E.R.D.S., Groosham Grange and a lot more. I even enjoy Dr. Seuss! Oh, well. I got this hard bound book without the jacket. it was on sale at 90% off. Need I wonder why?
March 22, 2010
Reviewed by Joan Stradling for TeensReadToo.com
After discovering the key to Rondo, Leo and Mimi must continue to visit the magical land painted on the outside of the music box. If they don't, the Blue Queen will learn they tricked her.
Though they have to return, they're determined not to become involved in the goings on of Rondo. Unfortunately, they're drawn into a quest that risks not only their lives, but also the entire fate of the land.
The Wizard Bing has vanished and his assistant, Simon, is accused of murdering him. Simon's mother pleads for help. Leo, Mimi, and their quest companions set out to solve the mystery, and end up in terrible danger when they suspect the Ancient One of taking Bing.
I loved THE WIZARD OF RONDO! This is a great series for young and old alike. Rodda's imagination knows no limits. I can't wait to read more and hope the next book in the series isn't long in coming!
After discovering the key to Rondo, Leo and Mimi must continue to visit the magical land painted on the outside of the music box. If they don't, the Blue Queen will learn they tricked her.
Though they have to return, they're determined not to become involved in the goings on of Rondo. Unfortunately, they're drawn into a quest that risks not only their lives, but also the entire fate of the land.
The Wizard Bing has vanished and his assistant, Simon, is accused of murdering him. Simon's mother pleads for help. Leo, Mimi, and their quest companions set out to solve the mystery, and end up in terrible danger when they suspect the Ancient One of taking Bing.
I loved THE WIZARD OF RONDO! This is a great series for young and old alike. Rodda's imagination knows no limits. I can't wait to read more and hope the next book in the series isn't long in coming!
May 28, 2012
I think I liked book 2 better than book 1. It was a really cute story and had quite the mystery going on. A wizard has disappeared and his assistant is suspected of murder. The gang has been hired by the assistant's aunt to figure out what really happened to the wizard and clear her nephew's name.
I think the story flowed better because we were already familiar with all of the main characters. There wasn't any set up needed and we could just deal directly with the story. This is a good YA fantasy book.
I think the story flowed better because we were already familiar with all of the main characters. There wasn't any set up needed and we could just deal directly with the story. This is a good YA fantasy book.
February 16, 2015
It was amazing and once I started reading it,it was very had to put it down.
I would definitely want to read it again.When it got near the end it was so thrilling that I just wanted to know what was going to happen next.
I would definitely want to read it again.When it got near the end it was so thrilling that I just wanted to know what was going to happen next.
July 13, 2012
Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!Love the hen song!!!!!!
January 28, 2019
One of my absolute favourite books of all time. I can't say enough about The Wizard of Rondo.
The world is magical, the plot is enchanting, funny, mysterious and fantastically executed in a way that all ties cleverly together at the end. The 'clues' and important plot points to the mystery are subtle and well placed in a way that allows you to look back at the end with the lightbulb moment as you see the path that lead to the resolution. The characters are crazy but feel incredibly genuine all the same and you're easily drawn into the plights of Leo and Mini throughout their travels in Rondo. The book is imaginative and creative, with scenes that will have your imagination running wild (I loved the idea of the Snug!). It's the sort of book where anything goes and you're never sure what is going to happen until it does and then when you revisit the story (which is probably inevitable), you're welcomed into the pages and fall back into the story as though you never left the World of Rondo.
The world is magical, the plot is enchanting, funny, mysterious and fantastically executed in a way that all ties cleverly together at the end. The 'clues' and important plot points to the mystery are subtle and well placed in a way that allows you to look back at the end with the lightbulb moment as you see the path that lead to the resolution. The characters are crazy but feel incredibly genuine all the same and you're easily drawn into the plights of Leo and Mini throughout their travels in Rondo. The book is imaginative and creative, with scenes that will have your imagination running wild (I loved the idea of the Snug!). It's the sort of book where anything goes and you're never sure what is going to happen until it does and then when you revisit the story (which is probably inevitable), you're welcomed into the pages and fall back into the story as though you never left the World of Rondo.
July 2, 2020
A fun and exciting read for kids! I always liked Rodda's The Key to Rondo which I read back when I was in elementary school, so I was excited to finally get around to reading this sequel! (I've owned it for like five years.) And it didn't disappoint. Lighthearted and fast-paced, it picked up where Key left off and made itself really very fun without abandoning the heart of the previous story (friendship, valuing the specifcity of the people around you, etc.) There isn't much to say about the prose; it's adequate, which is really I need from something like this--even great kidlit is usually not read for the prose so much as for the fun of it. In terms of the actual plot, I can't say anything at all without giving away the whole plot of Key, but I will say it was just the right amount of escalation for a sequel. Lots of fun, well worth taking the hour to read it if you have the time and easy access to a copy.
October 11, 2022
I was intrigued enough to continue with this series, as the story and the imagination it holds is exceptional.
However, I struggled with quite a few things as well, such as the narrator. I could not really warm to her rendition of the text and the characterisation she presented for the various and varied characters.
The story is very drawn into the within of Leo who has to manage all these strange happenings his cousin Mimi forces him to deal with by not playing by the rules, and yet at the same time, he also relishes in the adventures they have.
Many fairytale characters appear on these pages and it is for this that I listened to the whole of this audiobook.
However, I struggled with quite a few things as well, such as the narrator. I could not really warm to her rendition of the text and the characterisation she presented for the various and varied characters.
The story is very drawn into the within of Leo who has to manage all these strange happenings his cousin Mimi forces him to deal with by not playing by the rules, and yet at the same time, he also relishes in the adventures they have.
Many fairytale characters appear on these pages and it is for this that I listened to the whole of this audiobook.
July 29, 2018
This book is not terrible. It has a lot of fun details and a twisting mystery and a good reveal. But what is the POINT of writing a story where the central device is a magical tool that can alter the fabric of reality if no one ever uses it? Why even have the key to rondo?
I just feel like this story could have been much more unique and interesting if Mimi had tried to fix a few small things - maybe giving the mushroom the ability to talk - and had the plot blow up from there, rather than pointlessly wandering about when the answer to their problems was right there the entire time.
I just feel like this story could have been much more unique and interesting if Mimi had tried to fix a few small things - maybe giving the mushroom the ability to talk - and had the plot blow up from there, rather than pointlessly wandering about when the answer to their problems was right there the entire time.
November 19, 2024
Reading this with my 9 year old. We absolutely love Emily Rodda, but this second book in the Rondo trilogy has been hard work. The story unfolds incredibly slowly and doesn’t feel like it’s building to anything gripping. Some of the conversations between groups of characters are tedious, go on for pages at a time and do little to progress the storyline. We had mixed feelings about the characters (I personally love the cooking pot).
March 7, 2021
Once again I found the next installment in the Rondo series incredibly captivating. Rodda stretches the suspension of disbelief beyond what one thinks possible yet still makes it work. At the end I wished that I had requested the third book in the series as well so that I could read straight through until the end.
May 17, 2017
Funny and quirky
April 8, 2018
Wonderful and entertaining young adult fantasy book!
February 16, 2020
Great story. Didn't expect the twists.
Read
May 18, 2021Talk about nostalgia.
Read
May 28, 2021it was alright
January 5, 2022
Loved this one. Very easy to imagine everything that is going on and loved the descriptions and settings.
Easy to read and get lost in.
Easy to read and get lost in.
June 6, 2022
It was a lot of fun to return to Rondo with Leo and Mimi and continue having adventures with them! I am so glad that Emily Rodda's books still contain some magic for me, all these years later.
October 16, 2022
A nice walk down memory lane. Really cute read.
May 27, 2023
It was a drag to get through; a conflict at every turn and unnecessary “conversations”.
May 20, 2024
Was a bit of a let down after the first book.
Still had some interesting sections.
My favourite is the cauldron
Still had some interesting sections.
My favourite is the cauldron
December 13, 2025
As good and heartwarming as I remember it being as a kid - onto the final book of the series! I think the second book was always my favourite - I loved the Stryx! 4.5 stars.
December 7, 2019
Sensible, dutiful Leo Zifkak receives a painted music box as a family heirloom. Rules of use govern the delicate box: turn the key three times only, never turn the key while the music is playing, and so on—and the reason he has been chosen to keep safe the music box is because he is, after all, a sensible and dutiful person.
His cousin Mimi is not.
And the rules governing the music box are not actually there because the box is delicate.
Although Emily Rodda’s The Wizard of Rondo is the second book of its series, you can read it as your first introduction to the world of Rondo. The story follows Leo and Mimi as they return to the world of Rondo within the music box and discover that a hapless wizard has disappeared, his assistant has been blamed for his murder, and the evil Blue Queen is plotting again within the confines of her castle.
Emily Rodda creates excellent characters in The Wizard of Rondo. At the start they may look like fairy tale characters you’ve heard before, but Emily Rodda brings her own unique spin to each one of them. Their well-defined and often contrasting personalities mean that their interactions are always interesting and often hilarious. (Watch for the cooking pot!) In all her books Emily Rodda’s ability to craft a thoroughly mysterious mystery is one of her chief strengths, and the mystery of the missing wizard in The Wizard of Rondo is no exception.
The main character Leo really holds the book together. This story is about a boy with a sense of responsibility who feels he must do the right thing even when it is difficult. Watching Leo mature as he boggles through a mind-boggling world is the heart of this story, as is his struggle to understand and appreciate his fiercely independent cousin Mimi.
Richly imaginative, superbly crafted fantasy. The second book of a trilogy, preceded by The Key to Rondo and wrapped up in The Battle for Rondo. For children and inner children, good to read aloud or individually.
His cousin Mimi is not.
And the rules governing the music box are not actually there because the box is delicate.
Although Emily Rodda’s The Wizard of Rondo is the second book of its series, you can read it as your first introduction to the world of Rondo. The story follows Leo and Mimi as they return to the world of Rondo within the music box and discover that a hapless wizard has disappeared, his assistant has been blamed for his murder, and the evil Blue Queen is plotting again within the confines of her castle.
Emily Rodda creates excellent characters in The Wizard of Rondo. At the start they may look like fairy tale characters you’ve heard before, but Emily Rodda brings her own unique spin to each one of them. Their well-defined and often contrasting personalities mean that their interactions are always interesting and often hilarious. (Watch for the cooking pot!) In all her books Emily Rodda’s ability to craft a thoroughly mysterious mystery is one of her chief strengths, and the mystery of the missing wizard in The Wizard of Rondo is no exception.
The main character Leo really holds the book together. This story is about a boy with a sense of responsibility who feels he must do the right thing even when it is difficult. Watching Leo mature as he boggles through a mind-boggling world is the heart of this story, as is his struggle to understand and appreciate his fiercely independent cousin Mimi.
Richly imaginative, superbly crafted fantasy. The second book of a trilogy, preceded by The Key to Rondo and wrapped up in The Battle for Rondo. For children and inner children, good to read aloud or individually.
February 6, 2010
Having enjoyed The Key to Rondo, I am happy to report that its sequel, The Wizard of Rondo, does not disappoint. Sensible Leo and tempestuous Mimi again wind the key of Leo's magic box more than three times, which allows them to enter the magical, fairy-tale realm of Rondo. Thanks to Leo's winding of the key several times between the two visits, life in Rondo has moved forward - the nasty Blue Witch is looking for them, while Leo's villainous ancestor Spoiler is on the loose. Leo and Mimi instantly get caught up in a quest led by Conker and tough Freda the duck, and they are also joined by Bertha the pig, now famous as a hero.
As with the first book, the fun lies both in the obvious pleasure the author takes in exploring and describing Rondo and in the interplay between the companions, whose personalities are similar only in that they are all opinionated. I'd love to stay in a Snug, which is a fabulous sort of cabin camping in which the cabins are actually organic parts of huge, sentient trees, who take immense pride in being impeccable, soothing hosts. A new character, a quite young and needy cooking pot who becomes emotionally attached to Conker ("Conkie!"), makes its appearance with wonderfully comical results. Mimi and Leo, who are often at odds, finally learn to give each other not just credit but a little respect.
The pacing is rather leisurely in this installment and the danger never seems extreme, giving the reader plenty of time to enjoy the adventure. I'm looking forward to my next visit to Rondo. Recommended for kids
As with the first book, the fun lies both in the obvious pleasure the author takes in exploring and describing Rondo and in the interplay between the companions, whose personalities are similar only in that they are all opinionated. I'd love to stay in a Snug, which is a fabulous sort of cabin camping in which the cabins are actually organic parts of huge, sentient trees, who take immense pride in being impeccable, soothing hosts. A new character, a quite young and needy cooking pot who becomes emotionally attached to Conker ("Conkie!"), makes its appearance with wonderfully comical results. Mimi and Leo, who are often at odds, finally learn to give each other not just credit but a little respect.
The pacing is rather leisurely in this installment and the danger never seems extreme, giving the reader plenty of time to enjoy the adventure. I'm looking forward to my next visit to Rondo. Recommended for kids
August 30, 2017
Do druhého dílu jsem se ponořila teprve po několika týdnech, v nichž jsem dočítala knížky do knihovnické soutěže. Ale první díl téhle triologie se mi líbil a tak jsem se do druhého příběhu ponořila s nadšením. Pravda, to v průběhu děje trochu opadlo, ale ke konci zase vykvetlo.
Tentokrát se Leo s Mimi vrací do Ronda, aby zjistili, co se událo během jejich nepřítomnosti. Jejich přátelé od boje s Modrou královnou urazili kus cesty, některým se zcela změnil život. Vydávají se na druhou hrdinskou výpravu a sice, aby objasnili zmizení čaroděje Binga z Bratrušova a dokázali nevinu jeho učni Šimonovi. Pátrání po stopách a důkazech je však zavede do léčky Modré královny a je jen jedna šance, jak se osvobodit - povolat Strixe! Ten vyděsí Modrou královnu a Leo s Mimi tak mohou objasnit nevysvětlené události posledních dní.
Přiznám se, že tentokrát jsem si knížku nevychutnala tak, jako první díl. Netuším, jestli to bylo už trochu prodýchanou atmosférou světa, nebo popsanými stránkami plnými prázdného povídání, nebo chováním postav, které mě opravdu vytáčelo. Ale konečné rozuzlení můj názor na druhé dobrodružství v Rondu příjemně rozjasnilo a nic mi nebránilo začíst se do třetí knížky.
Tentokrát se Leo s Mimi vrací do Ronda, aby zjistili, co se událo během jejich nepřítomnosti. Jejich přátelé od boje s Modrou královnou urazili kus cesty, některým se zcela změnil život. Vydávají se na druhou hrdinskou výpravu a sice, aby objasnili zmizení čaroděje Binga z Bratrušova a dokázali nevinu jeho učni Šimonovi. Pátrání po stopách a důkazech je však zavede do léčky Modré královny a je jen jedna šance, jak se osvobodit - povolat Strixe! Ten vyděsí Modrou královnu a Leo s Mimi tak mohou objasnit nevysvětlené události posledních dní.
Přiznám se, že tentokrát jsem si knížku nevychutnala tak, jako první díl. Netuším, jestli to bylo už trochu prodýchanou atmosférou světa, nebo popsanými stránkami plnými prázdného povídání, nebo chováním postav, které mě opravdu vytáčelo. Ale konečné rozuzlení můj názor na druhé dobrodružství v Rondu příjemně rozjasnilo a nic mi nebránilo začíst se do třetí knížky.
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