The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet (Secrets of Droon) [マスマーケット]

Is there anything worse than a review or a blurb that describes a product as *blank* meets *blank*? How simplistic! How callous! That said, the first words that popped into my head after reading the first book in the ever-popular series "The Secrets of Droon" was Harry Potter meets The Magic Tree House. Which probably was exactly what author Tony Abbott was going for. This early chapter book (originally published in 1999) looks like a slightly older and more mature version of those saccharine-soaked "Magic Tree House" tales, but without the oh-so-slightly useful factual information. Instead, the wizardly wonders of "Harry Potter" and other fantasy worlds have been co-opted and boiled down into a scant 80 pages. If Abbott is to be commended for anything, it's for his sheer cheek. With nary an apology he whips up a bunch of fast-paced high-flying adventures artfully stolen from any number of better written books and smooshes them into titles that kids everywhere adore.

Eric, Julie, and Neal are best friends. They play soccer together. They go to school together. And when Eric's stuck cleaning the basement on a day that would perfect for a little soccer action, his buds stick by his side and help. Good thing that they do too. A mislaid kick of the ball reveals a tiny crawlspace under the basement stairs. Further inspection, however, leads the three kids to an amazing discovery. There, leading away from the basement by a flight of rainbow-colored stairs, is a world they never knew existed. Before they completely realize what is happening, the friends are wrapped up in a race to save the magical world of Droon from the desires of the evil and somewhat fishy Lord Sparr. Aiding them is the beautiful Princess Keeah, the wizard Galen, and a furry red-headed spider troll named Max. It's up to them to keep the secret of this magical world and fight the good fight when called upon.

First of all, good luck on finding any characters that aren't white and, preferably, blond. Second, I loved how Abbott covered all his bases. For the girls who aren't as into fantasy adventure but like princess tales, Keeah covers that particular need. Eric sports Harry-Potterish glasses (though, to be fair, so does Jack from the "Magic Tree House" books, so who can truly say what illustrator Tim Jessell was actually ripping off?). You have your standard Gandalf/Dumbledore white-bearded wizard. The villain has no real desires beyond power (the all-purpose bad guy need). Altogether, this is about as generic as they come. The book is better written than your average "Magic Tree House" story, of course. But that's really not saying much.

Still, the kids cry for Droon without cease or pause. They love it. They adore it. They'd own every single copy of these books if they could. I have to fight off swarming hoards of six-year-olds every time I get a new edition of the series on my shelf. Whence the popularity? Well, it's hard to deny that Abbott has zeroed in on a really ignored section of the populace. Kids who can read chapter books but still need pictures and a fast story to help them along are everywhere. And while I can't help but pray that maybe someday some author will write something just as addictive but a little less ... familiar (let's say) than this, that day has not yet arrived. So when a child asks me to recommend something since they've read all the "Magic Tree House" books already, I admit to sometimes leading them over to the "Droon" section of the library.

Hopefully this series will lure kids towards better books in the library though. In any case, while it won't win any awards for writing anytime soon, "Droon" is a staple in any library that must entice reluctant readers to its tables. Overdone, but useful.

I can't recommend this series enough. As my son's attention span increased (as he was nearing his fourth birthday), I turned to chapter books to offer him some variety (and reduce my boredom). Having experimented with dozens of alternatives, Tony Abbott's Droon series is my son's (and, let's be honest here, my) unequivocal favorite. I'm still astounded by my son's fascination with the magical world of Droon, a parallel universe where good versus evil wage an intricate, ever-evolving struggle against a rich, fantasy-laden backdrop. I genuinely enjoy reading these books aloud. We've read all of books in this series, and we've read most repeatedly as we await the next installment. Each story builds upon its predecessor, so The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet is definitely the place to start. The books offer characters for every child to identify with; boys may prefer the bespeckled Eric or the more rambunctious Neal, girls may favor the quick-thinking Julie or Princess Keeah, the junior wizard -- all four (plus the adorable spider-troll Max) contribute mightily to the team's effort. Tony Abbott packs these books with vivid descriptions and non-stop action without frightening young readers (or listeners). Open the basement door and visit Droon - you won't be sorry.

I bought a class set of this book for my third grade class. They absolutely loved it and begged to be able to read it every day! They couldn't wait for the next books in the series to come out. It was easy to read and follow the adventure.