A beautiful story about finding hope in the darkest of places.
WWII evacuee, Col is devastated when he learns his older sister will not be joining him for Christmas and runs away from his aunt Clare - straight into the welcoming arms of his childhood imaginary friends, who are a bit more solid and life-like than he remembered. His friends - The Guardians: King of Rouges (definitely not just Rouges), Mr Noakes (a badger in a waistcoat) and Pendlebury (a tiger who can change her size) - have left the spirit world to help Col save his sister from a terrible raid.
With hints of Narnia and The Dark is Rising, I think this story will be hugely popular (and very deservedly so). The characters are wonderful - everything you could possibly hope for in imaginary friends - and vividly brought to life. Any child who has had an imaginary friend (or three) will love Col's guardians.
The plot is tense and exciting, and I was never entirely sure how it was going to end. There's lots of humour too - everything from bogie monsters to fairies provide laughter in a story that could otherwise become quite dark, given the seriousness of its setting.
Wild winter storms, folklore and magic make this an excellent book for reading on a cold winter night. It will make you feel grateful of those you love, and perhaps a little bit more imaginative too.
Thank you Walker Books for providing me with an advanced copy of The Midnight Guardians for review.
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