The Spellbinding Secret of Avery Buckle

by Hannah Foley

Take a fur-raising ride on an enchanted bicycle...

Avery Buckle has always been different: part girl, part cat, and entirely confused about where she really belongs. But it turns out her tail isn't her biggest secret. Plunged into an extraordinary world of witches, enchanted libraries and fantastical creatures, Avery discovers only she can stop a dark force from being unleashed.

But with a powerful enemy on her tail, can Avery save the magical world and find out who she really is?

Genres: Middle Grade

208 pages, Paperback

Published March 18, 2021

About the author

In 2018, Hannah won the Kelpies Prize with her first novel for children, The Spellbinding Secret of Avery Buckle. In 2023, her second novel, The Tiger Who Sleeps Under My Chair, will be published by Zephyr Books.

Reviews

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a magical adventure! So creative too! Part-girl, part-cat, Avery Buckle has always known she's a little different (after all, her tail is a bit of a giveaway). What Avery doesn't know is that she is the only one who can uncover a forgotten magical secret & bring back a great lost wizard. Teaming up with shape-shifting best friend Low, & with help from her witch guardians, Avery is plunged into a haphazard world of shadowy monsters, bewitched libraries & flying bicycles.

This has such amazing characters! Such unique ones as well! Avery is a great MC, & her backstory, or lack there of, is so intriguing! I found the whole idea of Cat Fae & Hoolet so fascinating! Low was an amazing best friend, & he has my heart. This has everything I love-magic, witches, mystery, & adventure. So many creatives details as well, like the flying bicycle & peach stone for example! Loved! I think the story could have benefited from being a little bit longer, so we could learn more about the backstory & characters, etc. but that may just be me enjoying a book so much I just want more lol Great magical adventure with a journey of self discovery & finding where you belong at its core. Such an amazing ending too! Not sure if there will be more, but I would love more books w/these amazing characters & world! Highly recommend! Stunning cover by Xavier Bonet too!💜

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

This book was more of a 2.5 for me, but I'm rounding up because I feel there is more to like with this book than there is to find fault with it. Given that the target audience is for children ages 8 - 11, this book might appeal more to them than it does for me.

The story itself has a clever plot. The world that the author built is one I would love to fall into and explore.

The main flaw with this book is the pacing. It's so fast, I didn't get time to enjoy all the interesting tidbits that the author threw in. There's too much in the story going on for me to pause and appreciate the finer notes what was happening. There's references to mythical creatures that the reader doesn't get to go into in detail because the creature appears, plays its part quickly, and then peaces out.

There is also a surplus of characters. An innumerable number of witches from various legends and folktales are listed in the beginning, and then they barely show up the rest of the book. They also aren't given much of a personality. It's as if Foley wanted you to see all the cool stuff she knew about, but didn't want to take the time to flesh anything out.

In fact, none of the characters are incredibly 3D. The villain is villainous. The other good guys are good guys. They're all jolly and sweet, and it's almost as if the personality of one was copy and pasted onto the next.

On another note, there were also general continuity errors as well as things happening for sheer convenience it feels. . (Ex. Avery & Low leave a party in their Halloween costumes, but along he way they somehow manage to have other clothes that they change in and out of that came from.....???) The moments of convenience I felt could have been things that had more of a build up in the story instead of just...happening. (Ex. Tab and Knuckle aren't shocked at all that Tab is Acton. In fact, they knew it right along. No biggie.)

Giving this book a three is a bit higher of a rating than I would have liked to give, but I feel that if this book had been fleshed out more, it would have had a lot of potential and would have been way more enjoyable of a read.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avery Buckle has never really felt like she belongs. Though her guardians are kind, the fact that she knows very little about her past or her parents is challenging for her. On the night of her school’s Halloween disco, Avery and her best friend Low learn unexpected things about one another and find themselves on a magical adventure that takes them far from home. Traversing the Scottish landscape, they team up with characters of all shapes and sizes to restore lost memories and prevent a great evil from taking root.

Readers with an interest in Scottish history and folklore will love this novel approach to magic. Taking place over a great expanse of Scotland, foods and traditions native to this land make frequent appearances. Musical references and Scottish language are included, adding another layer to the narrative.

While the story is somewhat rough at the beginning, it quickly develops into a riveting and unexpected tale. Incorporating legends, prophesies, and a diverse assortment of characters, this story will draw readers in, allowing them to experience it almost as though it can be viewed directly. Cinematic sequences make the story come alive and capture the attention of readers of all ages.

Short chapters and occasional illustrations give middle grade readers a sense of accomplishment as they make their way through this multifaceted narrative. Well-timed scenes end in such a way as to draw readers immediately into the next chapter. Additionally, a frequent description of magic existing in all the in-between spaces allows readers the opportunity to consider reality as something more than it might seem.

A fanciful story of friendship and self-discovery, this book will be especially enjoyed by middle grade readers with an interest in fantasy and Scottish folklore. Its pacing and delivery after the initial chapters are well executed, pulling readers along until the final page is turned. This is a delightful addition to libraries for confident middle grade readers.

[A.K. Johns · Rating 5 out of 5]

It would be easy to compare this with Harry Potter and even the books like Tolkien that J.K. Rowling was compared with, but it is so difficult to create anything these days that can’t be held up against some other, earlier example for its similarities. However Hannah Foley manages to use as little of what has gone before as possible and injects newness that keeps you interested.
I can’t imagine that I am technically the target audience for this story, but I have always loved simple fantasy stories and this one is no exception. I’m actually not going to give the copy I have back to the friend that lent it to me, because she folds the corners down. I feel a duty to protect it from her. It is signed by her friend Hannah, the author, who is lovely by the way.

There is perhaps room to add a bit more detail here and there as the end in particular felt a tad rushed and some of the proof reading isn’t brilliant, but Mrs Foley easily takes you in to her exciting new world with its great characters and an intriguing storyline that kids will love. I can imagine a new craze of children wearing tails in an attempt to emulate Miss Buckle.

I really hope that someone turns this in to a film and that there will be further volumes of Avery’s adventures.

[Alex Mullarky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avery Buckle may seem like an ordinary girl on the surface, but her Halloween cat costume is in fact her own, very real, tail, and her "parents" are nothing more than a pair of well-crafted guardian spells. It's a bit of a lonely existence for Avery, the last of the Cat Fae. But when her Halloween disco is disrupted by sentient shadows that seem to be after her, Avery and her friend Low - who may also be an owl - are whisked away by a flying peach stone to Scotland, and a whole new world of magic.

I loved the world of Avery Buckle, from the portal in a stationery cupboard in the National Library of Scotland to the slumbering beast below Canonmills. Hannah Foley brings the mystery and history of Edinburgh vividly to life, populating the story with well-realised figures from Scottish folklore like Bean Nighe, Ghilli Dhu and the Wulver.

Filled with riddles, prophecies and memories, Avery's journey to discover her origins kept me hooked right to its emotional conclusion. I highly recommend this book for fans of adventure, especially those with an interest in Scottish folklore. I actually decided to join the National Library of Scotland after reading this book, so that I could work in that atmospheric setting!

[Katina Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored The Spellbinding Secret of Avery Buckle. It's the type of magical book which made a young me a book addict & wannabe writer. Stories like this nurtured my imagination & helped me survive hard times as a child. I feel this story could do the same for lots of children now. I completely escaped into Avery's world. With a cast of loveable, vibrant & unique characters Avery Buckle is set in the real world Edinburgh & wider Scotland. Except magic is hiding in plain sight everywhere from City buildings to Scottish Isles. This was a book about difference, the need to belong, discovering oneself. A non-stop magical middle grade adventure full of mysteries for Avery to solve & lots of plot twists. I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful book. It will make a great gift for a child who loves magical adventure or buy it for yourself!

[Teresa Grabs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Spellbinding Secret of Avery Buckle is a fast-paced story about Avery and her friend, Low who discover there is more to each other than they knew. Avery is the last of the Cat Fae and Low is a Hoolet--and someone is not happy they are alive. After escaping a would-be assassin, Avery and Low find themselves on an adventure that tests each one's strengths and inner will. A perfect book for readers who want a little danger, magic, and friendship.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher Spotlight for the opportunity to read an advance reading copy.

[Zsofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Very juvenile writing, but cute Scottish story about magical creatures. I enjoyed it. Twist was predictable but okay. Interesting creatures used in the story telling.

[BookBairn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastical magical adventure that is packed full of the writer’s creativity and imagination. I loved the two main characters and their friendship. I loved the setting - particularly the library sections - and I loved the weaving of magic and blending throughout. I feel like there are more adventures for this pair!