The Boggart Fights Back

November 20, 2017
Arriving more than 20 years after Cooper’s The Boggart and The Boggart and the Monster, this magical misadventure finds a new generation of children meeting the “formless and ancient” sea creature Boggart and his cousin Nessie. Allie and Jay have traveled to Scotland from Canada to visit their “Granda,” Angus Cameron. They soon discover that a rather Trumpian business mogul, William Trout, plans to buy up land and local landmark Keep Castle (where the children’s ancestors once lived) in order to build an enormous resort, which would endanger nearby animals. After learning about the blustery American businessman’s scheme, the recently awakened Boggart and Nessie join forces with the humans to scare Trout away, but their mischievous tricks and transformations are no match for the tycoon’s ambitions, requiring them to solicit the help of other ancient creatures. Once again, Cooper cleverly combines European folklore with modern storytelling as she satirizes materialism and contemporary politics. Through her colorful characters, she salutes traditionalism and environmentalism and takes a sharp jab at greed. Ages 8–12.

November 15, 2017
Originally appearing in The Boggart (1993), Cooper's mischievous sprite returns to defend his ancestral home against an invading real estate developer poised to deface pristine Scottish countryside.Twins Jay and Allie, white, Scottish-Canadian preteens, arrive for a holiday with their grandfather Angus, who operates a store on Loch Linnhe overlooking Castle Keep. They quickly become involved in a campaign to prevent obnoxious American William Trout from adding Angus' store to the acres of adjacent shore property he owns and where he intends to build a luxury hotel and condos, turning Castle Keep into a tacky tourist attraction. Convinced Trout's venture will "be a major environmental disaster," Angus refuses to sell. Meanwhile, deep in the loch, the Boggart, "a creature bound by no rules but those of the Wild Magic," awakens. When Trout's lumber and bulldozer mysteriously fall into the loch, the twins learn the playful Boggart and his cousin Nessie are to blame. Discovering their family's affectionate connection to the Boggart, the twins gleefully watch him rouse "Old Things" to thwart Trout. Cooper deftly weaves ancient Scottish lore into an imaginative contemporary tale with an ecological twist, while the Boggart remains as comical, fey, unpredictable, and thoroughly entertaining as ever. The cast appears to be a largely white one.The Boggart is back to delight a new generation. (author's note, afterword) (Fantasy. 8-12)

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February 1, 2018

Gr 4-6-Young Jay and Allie Cameron's connection to the ancient Castle Keep runs deeper than just a summer trip to visit their Granda in the Scottish Highland village of Port Appin. MacDevon clan blood runs through their veins, calling them to do anything they can to protect Castle Keep. Of course, they have the Boggart and Nessie (yes, that Nessie), mischievous "Old Things" of Scottish folklore, pledged to their cause. The invader they face, however, is one many readers may recognize: a greedy, hyperbole-loving real estate developer named Mr. Trout who seeks to turn the pristine Scottish treasure of Castle Keep into the garish Trout Castle Resort, complete with a large golf course. The development threatens to wreak environmental devastation, destroy the local quality of life (including building a wall around Granda's store), and even turn the Loch Ness Monster into a cash cow. Cooper's well-crafted prose and pacing will engage readers, who will thrill to the cast of "Old Things" they meet, including the bacon-loving Caointeach, the rhyming Blue Men of Minch, and the decidedly less-than-friendly Nuckelavee: a half-man, half-horse skinless sea monster with quite a bad attitude. With its thinly disguised villain, though, even young readers may feel a little disappointed at how easily the story achieves its almost-pat happy ending. VERDICT Solid middle grade fiction, especially for fans of Scottish folklore and previous "Boggart" books. Ripped-from-the headlines plot elements may engage some readers, though others might find the parallels less enjoyable.-Ted McCoy, Leeds Elementary and Ryan Road Elementary, MA

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