Charlie Bone and the Blue Boa
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| Charlie Bone and the Blue Boa | |
 First edition, 2004 |
|
| Author | Jenny Nimmo |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | Children of the Red King |
| Genre(s) | Children's Fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Egmont Books Ltd |
| Publication date | 1 April 2004 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback and Paperback) |
| Pages | 388 pp |
| Preceded by | The Time Twister |
| Followed by | The Castle of Mirrors |
Charlie Bone and the Blue Boa (2004) (US title: Charlie Bone and The Invisible Boy) is a children's novel by Jenny Nimmo and the third book in the Children of the Red King series.
[edit] Plot summary
Charlie Bone's third year at Bloor's Academy brings about quite a few changes. In addition to a mysterious disappearance on Uncle Paton's part, the Yewbeam aunts have a new guest in Aunt Venetia's home- a girl named Belle, who seems to exercise some control over them. Charlie notices early on that Belle's eyes constantly change color. Also, Benjamin has gone to Hong Kong with his parents, leaving his dog, Runner Bean, in Charlie's care.
Upon returning to the school, Charlie and Emma quickly learn from the art teacher, Mr. Boldova, of a boy who has been living there- Ollie Sparks, who is in fact Mr. Boldova's younger brother. Charlie, Emma, Fidelio, Olivia and their friends hatch a plan to rescue Ollie. However, their plans are constantly interrupted- Tancred Torsson, one of the Endowed, has a fight with his fellow Endowed, Lysander Sage, which causes him to storm from Bloor's in a storm of wind and rain. Only with Lysander and Fidelio's help is Tancred able to calm down and help them rescue Ollie.
Meanwhile, back home, Uncle Paton has returned and has a serious fever from which he only wakes once briefly to speak to Charlie. He has also lost his ability to destroy light bulbs. Charlie decides to pay a visit to the portrait of Skarpo the sorcerer, who agrees to help Paton if Charlie will help him get back into his portrait, from which he is released. Cook takes care of him until Skarpo gives Charlie the name of the herb to save Uncle Paton. Unfortunately, the herb (vervain) can be found in only one place nearby- the garden of Aunt Eustacia!
With the help of most of his friends, Charlie gets into Aunt Eustacia's garden, obtaining the herb only to fall into a traphole, from which he very narrowly escapes. He rushes back home, but is confronted by Grandma Bone, and so heads to Miss Ingledew's bookshop. He returns home next day and gives the herb to Uncle Paton, who appears the following morning in the bloom of health, with his powers back, and confronts Grandma Bone about lodging Belle, who it is revealed is the former resident of Yewbeam Manor, where he went and was injured by her father. Meanwhile, Mr. Onimous, upon the discovery of Runner Bean, agrees to look after him.
Back at Bloor's, Charlie and his friends learn from Billy Raven that the blue boa which made Ollie invisible must return him to visibility. He speaks to the boa, who agrees to help them. Charlie and his friends then agree to free Ollie at midnight. All the teachers- Dr. Bloor, Manfred Bloor, Asa Pike, etc.- try to stop them, but are hindered by Lysander's spirit ancestors and Tancred's weather control powers. Back at Ms. Ingledew's (which is where Ollie has gone by way of tunnel), the blue boa gradually restores Ollie Sparks to visibility, and he goes to live with Mr. Boldova, who has since been banished from Bloor's anyway.
Back at the school, Emma (as a bird) has confronted Belle, and she turns into a fly and flees the scene to Aunt Venetia's home. Paton discovers her, and he and Charlie go to Venetia's to find Belle sewing a scarf to make her invincible. Fortunately, there is a lightbulb on the sewing machine, and Paton blows her up, as well as Aunt Venetia's house.
The story ends with Charlie going to Sparkling Castle and dropping Ollie Sparks back to the castle.
