Another one kind of hard to rate.

I didn't love the book in the beginning. Wait, that's a lie, I did. I loved the prologue. From there on, I didn't love the book in the beginning. Once we started to meet the people in the academy, though, it really got going and I went all in.

There was something about the writing that felt, for lack of a better word, clunky all the way through. Certain things were too obvious and seemed too simple. Those gripes didn't bog me down too much though, because I really loved most of the characters and the plot in general was very good, not to mention I am highly intrigued for things that are sure to come in future books.

A good, solid read. I won't be surprised if the series gets better from here out though. Loads of potential.

I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed Charlie Bone yet! Growing up, I loved Charlie Bone ever so slightly more than Harry Potter. There are so many characters to fall in love with and it’s such a fantastic story. I hunted down all 8 volumes and while they’re all different editions, they no longer print them so it’s what I have to make do with.

If you have a kid slightly too young for Harry Potter (the later books are rather dark and violent), then this is always the first series I recommend.

Edit 10/9/2024:
I still absolutely love this series. I love the writing, the atmosphere, the plots! So happy to be rereading!

It's always interesting to read books that you haven't read since you were a child because it allows the opportunity to judge whether a book is actually good, or it just seemed good when you were younger. With Charlie Bone, I'll admit that I have some rose tinted glasses on with this one. I remember loving this book as a kid and honestly, I still had a great time reading it nearly TWENTY years later. For me, I think a big part of my enjoyment was the nostalgia it made me feel. I do have some criticisms: mostly that, as an adult, you have to have a much greater suspension of disbelief while reading this one. There were a number of events where I thought to myself, "Wow, that was very simply and conveniently solved and seems pretty unrealistic!". I'd also say that the characters don't have much development either. Regardless, I had a really fun time reading this one, but I'd be curious to see what an avid adult fantasy reader who has never read it would think of it and see where our opinions differ.

The comparisons to Harry Potter are inevitable, and sometimes Nimmo steps dangerously close to plagiarism. A young boy discovers he has powers and ends up in a old school that teaches him to develop these powers. Sound familiar yet? If not there is an evil teacher, a nefarious plot and a dark forest. Harry Potter may be all over this book, but it has to be said that Charlie Bone does have some originality. His powers aren't necessarily magic - he can listen to what the subjects in photographs are saying, and the school is definitely not Hogwarts.
This is a middle grade book, and its clear in the writing. The style is relatively simplistic, but that doesn't stop this from being an enjoyable read. The brisk writing style makes for an equally brisk pace and there is plenty of adventure and action along the way to stop this from being a boring re-tread of Potter. The characters aren't all that interesting, though Charlie Bones ties to the school and his past offer intriguing set up for future books.
It's lack of originality stops this from getting any higher than three stars, but i did enjoy it and it's great for middle grade readers who enjoyed Potter and are looking for another world to explore.
Recommended, but not a must-read.

Tier 3/5
3.75 stars
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I really liked this series as a kid and decided to reread it since I don't really remember any of it. This book is perfect if you want the simplicity of middle grade with a story that doesn't feel super childish. I didn't think too much and had a great time doing it. I've seen it compared to Harry Potter, which I disagree with beyond the fact that it's urban fantasy with children who have magic. This is much more subtle than HP and the tone's pretty different.
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I like that it focuses on mystery and intrigue rather than humor like a lot of middle-grade. Nimmo creates tension with power politics within a family set against each other seen from the perspective of Charlie, a newcomer to his family's heritage and conflicts over the "endowments" they've been born with because of their ancestor, a magician called the Red King. The tension is a subtle one revealed in heavy-handed foreshadowing and information reviled to the reader but not the characters who need it; it's just enough.
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After so many middle grade / YA fantasy series focusing on the chosen one trope, reading a book without it is so refreshing. Apart from being endowed, Charlie Bone isn't special. The emergence of his endowment causes a shift in the power balance and catalyzes the events of the book mostly because of other characters reacting to him, and Charlie's attempts at fitting himself into the world of the endowed.
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I also liked how Nimmo didn't waste time propping up obvious plot twists. The hunt for the missing baby, which was the main plot anchor, could have been drawn out as this big mystery. Instead, Nimmo resolved the mystery "early' and used the fallout to finally shove the power grappling characters into an actual battle (which sadly happened offscreen, but I know there will be more satisfying ones in future books).
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The magic system fascinates me because the "bad" characters tend to have abilities like comic superheroes, but the protagonists are either unendowed or have weird abilities (like ) which are best explored in non-combat situations. I love the concept of an endowment running in a specific family. I thought how quickly and seamlessly Charlie learned to use his abilities was odd, but that's a small gripe.
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This book isn't anything incredible, but it's fun and beautifully British even as an adult. The friendships are lovely and the villains clearly villainous in a way only a children's book.

This is one of those series that I read the first couple books when I was a kid because I had them in Braille but only now discovered that there are more than two books! And so I’m embarking on the whole series because I just have to know what happens. I really enjoyed rereaading this book. Yes, the kids’ logic can be a bit flawed sometimes, and yes the villains are so villainous it’s a bit ridiculous. And yes, the writing is pretty simplistic. But it was still a really fun, fast read, and I’m looking forward to diving into the next book.

The trouble with Charlie Bone is he's much more like Charlie Bucket than Harry Potter and let's be honest--Jenny Nimmo is enthusiastically trying to channel some of Rowling's magic, so this is a bit of a problem. As I've said before, the heroes of these series tend to fall into two camps: the Horatio Alger throwback (orphan/survivor with grit who eventually is rewarded for his selfless acts) and the preternaturally mature and intelligent youngster who makes the adults around him look like bumbling morons. Even though he is not an orphan, Charlie Bone falls unmistakably in the former category. His father is gone. His family is dysfuntional. It's likely he's getting lunch money stolen from him at lunch on a fairly regular basis. He discovers a magical predisposition and ends up getting packed off to a school for similarly gifted kids. Sound familiar?
Unfortunately, Charlie never feels as fully fleshed-out as the boy he was undoubtedly modeled after. The characters feel gimmicky and not particularly relatable. Charlie's primary magical talent is somewhat interesting, but he doesn't get to use it to much purpose in the course of the book. Of the many Harry Potter wannabes out there, there are some that are at least entertaining if not particularly original. This series unfortunately, just feels like a watered down replica.

I initially picked up this book after it was suggested to me by one of our local children's librarians. He said it was like Harry Potter, in that Charlie Bone discovers he has powers and is sent to a special school. I loved Harry Potter, so I figured it was worth a try. The book is kind of slow in the beginning, but picks up eventually and you start getting into the story. Charlie Bone lives with his mother and maternal grandmother Maisie, as well as his paternal grandmother Grandma Bone and his Uncle Paton. One day Charlie realizes that he can hear the voices of the people in photographs and Grandma Bone summons her Yewbeam sisters and they decide to send him to Bloor Academy (a school for kids with special powers and talents). So the book is basically Charlie finding out more about his powers and those of the "Children of the Red King", as well as who are his friends and enemies. I thought it was a well-written book and could hold the attention of ages 10 & up, despite the length (which is pretty thick for an introductory book). I would like to see what happens next though...

haters will compare this to harry potter when it’s closer to x-men. yes it’s childish and yes my joy for this series is 50% nostalgia but this is genuinely such a fun plot/conspiracy with cute good-natured characters and to young readers I recommend it over hp

This book/series is just as great as I remember thinking it was when I first picked it up in middle school. I love the characters and the plot and everything about it, however, there a lot of parallels to Harry Potter. I mean, a main character with dark, messy hair that people complain about. A family full of ginger-haired, freckled-faced people. A dog with four names, two of which are Percival Pettigrew, I mean I could go on, lol. Maybe it was drawing inspiration but I know this might annoy a few people so I feel the need to point it out. I think this was always the part of the draw for me, though, why I was so invested in it in the first place. It's a great series, especially for middle grade students. Quick reads (even if the books are a little lengthy) that keep interest, for sure!

It was a bit jumpy and lacking of smoothness, the book could have been so much more. It had its charm, if only the author would have developed the story a bit more and written it a bit more complex!

Review by Jill Williamson

Charlie bone had a special picture blown up for his best friend’s birthday present. His mom picks it up from Kwik Foto, but when Charlie opens up the package, it’s not his order. He stares at the photo of a man holding a baby, mesmerized. Then a conversation floods his mind. He can hear a woman and a man talking about the baby. Charlie convinces himself that he imagined it, but Grandma Bone has her own theory.

His grandma enrolls him at Bloor’s Academy, a school for gifted children. She thinks that Charlie is endowed with special abilities. Charlie doesn’t want to go to any special school. But since Grandma Bone supports him and his mother, he doesn’t have a choice. Life at Bloor’s is different, and soon Charlie discovers that there are other students in his class who have equally mysterious powers.

The people in the photo and a mysterious gift set Charlie hot on the trail to solve a mystery of a missing girl. Can Charlie find her at his school? And what other secrets might the Bloor’s hiding? Could any of them have to do with Charlie’s past?

This series has some parallels to Harry Potter. A British author. A magically gifted boy away at boarding school. Some kids are good, some are bad. Charlie has wicked relatives. But these students aren’t studying magic. They are born with their endowments which are anything and everything including: shape shifting, mind reading, controlling the weather, speaking to animals, and flying. I found the book fun. It was a little predictable, but entertaining. The characters are amusing and real, sometimes choosing to do what’s right, sometimes not. There is no strong element of faith, but the story is clean and the plot centers on righting a wrong. I recommend this for younger readers who love fantasy.