Otto and the Bird Charmers Book

Charlotte Haptie's magical Otto and the Flying Twins is a lyrical tale of magical secrets and mystical mayhem in a world where human beings are intent on quashing anything and anybody they see as different or strange. Our hero Otto Hush is the seemingly normal product of a seemingly normal family. But one day, on a visit to the Firebox Launderette, his father is called upon to solve a particularly tricky problem and Otto's suspicions are aroused. Then, when his twin baby sisters suddenly start flying, and a strange girl on a flying carpet lands in his bedroom late one night to escape the Normies (a special police force set up to rid the city of anything strange), he knows for sure that something is afoot. Reminiscent of Enid Blyton's spookily magical Enchanted Wood stories, with a touch of Ghostbusters and a sprinkling of William Nicholson thrown in for good measure, Otto and the Flying Twins is a fantastic read with a twisting, turning plot that ensures page-turning intrigue from beginning to end. But more than that, Charlotte Haptie has cleverly managed to combine superb storytelling with an emotional truth that eloquently examines a society shrouded in bigotry without turning it into a yawn-inducing morality tale. This highly recommended, rip-roaring adventure is ideal for children aged nine and over. --Susan Harrison.Read More