Magical Mail

by Claire Barker

If there is one thing you can say with absolute certainty, it's that ten-year-old Faith Smyth is no hero. Her father is a brain-surgeon, her mother is a kick-boxer, her sister is a beauty queen and her little brother is a chess champion, but all Faith is good at is forgetting her P.E. kit. Which makes it all the more remarkable that she alone has been chosen to save the mythical world from its certain doom. A mystery informer is planning to expose famous folkloric characters as charlatans who actually have very normal lifestyles, beset with petty concerns and insecurities, just like the rest of us. He has stolen a pile of correspondence from various well-known mythical characters and he intends to send it all to the newspapers in exchange for a giant chocolate cake and a dancing penguin. Faith intercepts the letters and reluctantly sets about returning them to their senders. But as she encounters assorted perils along her journey, Faith begins to discover an inner strength she never knew she had. As her adventure progresses, it becomes apparent that she is not the ordinary little girl she thought she was...

Genres: Fantasy

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Samera Jamil · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great read aloud book for children within year 5 and year 6. The story is about a girl from a talented family but is herself a very hopeless individual. The magical story starts when she receives a package to take to the caretakers office and suddenly is taken into a mystical journey. She is emerges into a filing cabinet and finds that someone has stolen the letters and is adamant to retrieve them! The readers are introduced to the 'not-so-ordinary' fairy tale characters who they already know instead there is a twist to their personalities and identities.

A great book which can be analysed for the style of writing and features. The linguistic devices can be looked at as the mysterious tone being produced as due to the imagery. This can be used in the classroom to encourage creative writing as well as role plays. Also it allows one to let out their imaginative and creative side. Teachers can use this to implement creativity through producing posters and drawings.

[Varsha Seshan · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I picked up the book, I was amazed at the title because the cover design led me to believe the book was called One girl. Nine letters. A whole lot of magic.. It was only when I sat down to read it that I discovered Magical Mail hiding there.
And once I sat down to read, I just did not get up. I enjoyed the book so much that I read page after page and chapter after chapter, delighting in its crazy character's nonsensical journey. I know it's a story I'll forget easily, but that does not matter - I'm willing to read it again and be entertained again!
http://www.varshaseshan.com/blog/magi...

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant, fun read with interesting language and an adorable lead character. Skip the final chapter though, it doesn't really fit with the rest of the book and is a bit of a let-down.

[Júlia Villő · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very odd book. I don't like it really.

[Stargazer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Brilliant concept but i kept drifting away and losing interest. Liked the Big Bad Wolf bit.