Changes

Stuart slowly discovers more and more about his Great Uncle, following clues, figuring out puzzles, and tentatively begins to believe in magic. He is helped, along the way, by his new next -door neighbour April. They begin their friendship badly when April writes a newspaper article about accusing him of being a burglar or a vandal after seeing him sneaking into his Great Uncle's old house, but they soon find themselves in a mutually rewarding relationship since April is bored silly but quick-witted and cunning and Stuart needs all the help he can get with his mystery.

I liked the quirky sense of humour behind the writing. Stuart's father, a writer of difficult crosswords, made me laugh. There's also an intriguing interest in magic and illusions through the story. It's difficult to make something seem magical using written words, but Lissa Evans manages it, drawing you into the mystery and making you feel as if you're helping Stuart in his discoveries. The characters are fun and engaging and I found I couldn't predict the plot of what would happen and read on as eagerly as any ten -year -old would! The action cracks along at a good pace and is a brilliant pre-teen magical mystery story.

Further reading suggestion: For more exciting adventure you might enjoy [[The Mummy Snatcher of Memphis: A Kit Salter Adventure by Natasha Narayan]]. You might also like [[Big Change for Stuart by Lissa Evans]].