Alfie Bloom and the Secrets of Hexbridge Castle

August 22, 2016
Alfie Bloom is a lonely city kid, dreading the summer before middle school, when he is unexpectedly declared the heir of Hexbridge Castle. Now he has a butler, a bearskin rug named Artan that can talk and fly, and two dear cousins nearby. But the castle’s enchanted walls harbor secrets, and Alfie soon discovers that his inheritance includes guarding an ancient and powerful magic, traveling through time, and battling evil dragons and dreaded headmistresses. A well-developed voice and exuberant sense of adventure carries through Kent’s debut, first in a series. Fantasy and magic play prominent roles in the plot but never mask themes of empathy, loyalty, and doing the right thing. Alfie and his friends quickly learn how easily power can be corrupted or used for evil, making the reluctant and even-keeled boy the perfect custodian for the castle and its gifts. Scenes of death, violence, and peril are just frightening enough to keep readers racing ahead, and Kent’s story holds an enduring truth for young and old: “The more you discover, the less you realize you know.” Ages 8–12.

July 15, 2016
A young boy's life goes from dull to extraordinary in Kent's debut novel.Alfie Bloom is prepared for a boring summer holiday at home, but then the letter arrives. Alfie's inherited ancient Hexbridge Castle from the Great Druid, Orin Hopcraft. Alfie, who is about to turn 12, was born in a time-slip that took his parents (his mother is deceased) back 600 years. As a result, Alfie is "a child of two times," at home in both the past and the present. The English boy is also the living hiding place for a powerful creation magic Hopcraft passed to newborn Alfie through a touch to the forehead. Life at Hexbridge isn't all exploration and flying bearskin rugs. Sealed under the castle is something terrible, something that can be set free only with Orin's talisman, now under Alfie's protection. Murkle and Snitch, the sadistic headmistresses of Alfie's new school, want the talisman. It's up to Alfie and his cousins, Madeleine and Robin, to stop the evil sisters from unleashing an unimaginable terror upon the world. Game designer Kent pens an amiable, formulaic adventure with an ending that provides closure but doesn't shut itself off from a possible sequel. Alfie and his cousins are white, and his best friend's surname, Sui, implies she may be Chinese. Readers won't fail to miss the countless similarities to Harry Potter. Unoriginal but still enjoyable. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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August 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-The mundane reality of English schoolboy Alfie Bloom's life ends when he is swept into his destiny, which involves time travel, dragons, and mysteries. After Alfie accidentally time-travels during a near-death experience, he discovers that he has inherited the fantastical Hexbridge castle from an ancient druid named Orin Hopcraft. Alfie had been born to modern parents who were brought backward in time so that Alfie could be born and become the keeper of a particular magical power in order to protect it from a corrupted druid named Agrodonn. Alfie wants to learn more about the magic, his inheritance, and the creature that appears to be menacing the town. He finds support among family and friends, letters left from Orin, and a flying bear rug named Artan with a taste for bad jokes. The broadly drawn evil headmistresses of his new school, Wyrmwald, are cruel disciplinarians with a taste for outlandish punishments, and they try to sneak into Hexbridge Castle for obviously nefarious purposes. This is a fast-paced mystery that draws upon tropes of Western fantasy and may appeal to many readers, though it lacks the depth and gravity that can often be found in more ambitious middle grade fantasy novels. VERDICT A fun but optional addition to middle grade fantasy collections.-Kyle Lukoff, Corlears School, New York City

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2016
Grades 4-7 Alfie Bloom is more than a little puzzled to learn that he's inherited a castle. For one thing, he's never heard of Orin Hopcraft, the druid who left him Hexbridge Castle. The biggest surprise, however, is the castle itself, full of hidden rooms and other wondrous magic. Alfie and his twin cousins have great fun exploring, but danger comes with a two-headed dragon terrorizing the village, and a pair of horrendous headmistresses at Alfie's new school. Kent's debut has undeniable shades of that other magical boy who finds himself unexpectedly in a magical castleAlfie receives letters by raven, he's helped by an enigmatic man in a high tower, he's the sole bearer of powerful magic, and so onbut Kent carries it off well, neatly interweaving backstory, hints about Hopcraft's tasks for Alfie, comical interludes, and plot threads about friendship and family that help keep the narrative firmly grounded in reality. This well-paced, engaging fantasy is tailor-made for Harry Potter fans, who will be pleased to learn there are more adventures in the works for Alfie.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)