The Midnight Guardians

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Beautifully drawn fantasy characters ... a story of hope and love underpinned by witty humour.\" Daily Mail Funny, thrilling, moving ... everything that is brilliant about children's literature. A triumph.\" Sophie Anderson

A tale of enchantment and friendship ... a ll the warmth of a timeless story, told between friends round a winter fire ... funny and true in the way all good stories are." Thomas Taylor The Midnight Guardians is a beautiful story of love and friendship, hope and kindness—and finding light in the darkness. I absolutely loved it! But there are darker forces at work, even than the Nazi bombings. Soon Col is pursued by the terrifying Midwinter King, who is determined to bring an eternal darkness down over everything. Posters and worksheets for THE MIDNIGHT GUARDIANS, including a display cut-out standee! All illustrations by David Dean.

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With the spirit of Narnia, but a heart of its own. The Midnight Guardians is totally enchanting. I gobbled up every word.\" Aisha Bushby The Midnight Guardians was a very enjoyable book, and taught me a bit more about the average person's life in 1940, during World War 2. I found the guardians the most interesting, because you’re left to think whether they are real or not. I learnt a bit about how differently they acted in war times compared to modern day actions. The book was set in World War 2, so it made it more interesting because there was more action in those times. What stands out the most for me, is that they try to live their lives like the war wasn’t happening. I would definitely recommend this to other pupils, as it is really good and educational in a fun way. Col’s mother left when he was a baby and his older sister Rose is working in London, so can’t take care of him. When he is let down a few days before Christmas he runs off to his old family’s home where he discovers his three imaginary friends, including Mr Noakes, a Badger. Pendlebury a Tiger and King of Rogues, a knight have been waiting for him.

Mr Noakes, a badger in a waistcoat, Pendlebury, a tiger who can change her size, and a grumpy and argumentative knight who you must call King of Rogues (he gets very upset if you don’t!) guide and support Col on his way through the English countryside to save Rose. But this is not his only quest. His guardians explain that there are darker forces at work. The Midnight King is determined to defeat the Green Man and bring eternal darkness to the world. The gang race to save Col’s only family, but must face creatures from the Spirit World who are doing The Midnight King’s bidding and are set on stopping them. Thankfully, there are some creatures fighting for The Green Man to provide additional support as well. Right from the start, The Midnight Guardians truly had everything I love about Middle Grade books: it’s wondrous and full of magic, with lovable characters you find yourself rooting for from the start, quests and adventures, so much hope, and an endless amount of imagination. More than that, even: imagination—and kindness—as the one thing that makes it possible to save the people you love most. Embark on a mythic, comic, classic adventure with the finest fellowship since Frodo set a hairy foot beyond the Shire.” David Solomons There are shades of The Box of Delights in its Christmas-cosy-deadly-danger atmosphere throughout, although Montgomery goes one step further than Masefield; while he may bring in the characters of folklore, we always feel we are on unstable ground as though the fantasy might fall to pieces at any moment and launch us headlong, irreversibly, into the terrors of war and real life. Montgomery never shies from the sharpness of bald truth, and for this, he is an author-for-children who should be highly regarded: no sugar-coated endings here (or elsewhere, for that matter), just honesty.I inhaled this wonderful book in one sitting ... humour, beautiful writing, heartbreak, hope, and a fat badger in a waistcoat. I'll be recommending it to everyone.\" Katya Balen With the spirit of Narnia, but a heart of its own. The Midnight Guardians is totally enchanting. I gobbled up every word.” Aisha Bushby

The book is beautiful and whimsical, and sometimes terrifying, it made me laugh and it made me cry. It truly has everything that I love in a book, and I cannot recommend it enough. I can't wait to get my hands on a finished copy, and it will definitely sit amongst the more special books on my shelves. I also loved how they took creatures we thought were beautiful and pure, such as fairies, transformed into Butter-stealing disgusting flying rat monsters. I 100% recommend this book to other pupils that are fond of adventure and originality. With the spirit of Narnia, but a heart of its own. The Midnight Guardians is totally enchanting. I gobbled up every word." Aisha Bushby

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A triumph." Sophie Anderson"Brimming with imagination and warmth, and powered by the strongest magic of all - hope. Tha story follows Col during the last few days of 1940 until the first day of 1941, so we are right in the midst of World War II at this point. Col is eleven (?) and has been sent away from his home in London to stay with his Aunt in Buxley. At the beginning of the book, Col is frustrated, bored, sad and quite frankly doesn't have a clue what's happening in the war. He's also rude and ungrateful. We see character development on all of these points. Even though a large part of the story is about the supernatural world and the Midwinter King wanting to destroy everything I think the WW2 aspect creates sympathy for the reader towards the people who had to live their nightmares in the London Blitz. And the thousands of people who spent time away from the family just to help the civilians in London, such as Col’s sister. I think this makes a difference to the way the story is read as there is a real life aspect. The characters are always on the move which creates excitement as they are in a new setting with new exciting things happening and the added impact of fear with a bomb dropping creates an exhilarating atmosphere for the reader. Following the death of their father, 12-year-old Col is evacuated during the Second World War, while his big sister Rose stays in London to help with the war effort. Learning that Rose is in terrible danger, Col embarks on a perilous journey to save her.

Hope shines the brightest… When Col’s childhood imaginary friends come to life, he discovers a world where myths and legends are real. Accompanied by his guardians – a six-foot tiger, a badger in a waistcoat and a miniature knight – Col must travel to Blitz-bombed London to save his sister. But there are darker forces at work, even than the Nazi bombings. Soon Col is pursued by the terrifying Midwinter King, who is determined to bring an eternal darkness down over everything… I would heavily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading as it is very interesting and has many high speed moments with a historical theme behind it.

Tabs

The book is like two plots that interweave themselves into one story. You have the friends and their travels to London and the adventures that happen along the way. Then there is the nasty Mid-Winter King who wants power no matter how he gets it or what pain and mayhem he causes to get it, including banishing The Green Man so that he can rule all year round. I really liked this book, and it was a pleasure to read. The plot was amazing, and I couldn’t put down the book once I started reading it. But there are darker forces at work, even than the bombings. Soon Col is pursued by the terrifying Midwinter King, who is determined to bring an eternal darkness down over everything. A tale of enchantment and friendship … a ll the warmth of a timeless story, told between friends round a winter fire … funny and true in the way all good stories are.\" Thomas Taylor