Common Sense Media Review
By Sally Engelfried
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Captivating fantasy has strong girl hero with magic powers.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Aileen comes from a long line of magic makers, but her own initiation into magic was a miserable failure -- or so she thinks. The day after her initiation, she and bossy Aunt Beck are called upon by the High King to go on a journey to unite the islands of Chaldea, free a captured prince, and break a longtime curse. Despite the dangers she and her companions face during their sea crossing, Aileen is relieved to leave her failure behind. Things begin to look even brighter when she is adopted by a large, ugly, magical cat, and she begins to tap into powers she didn't realize she had. Traveling though islands that bear a strong resemblance to the British Isles (with fairy folk, magical bards, and various enchanted animals), Aileen learns that nothing and no one is as she expected -- and that's a good thing.
Is It Any Good?
THE ISLANDS OF CHALDEA has all the flavor of Diana Wynne Jones' best novels. A young magic maker who gradually comes into great power she had no idea she had, people who are not who they appear to be, and a complex plot with unexpected twists, all lead to a highly satisfying conclusion.
Fans of the author will be happy to read this final unexpected addition to Jones' fantasy books, and new readers will find it an easy entry point to her vast and often under-appreciated body of work. Her sister Ursula Jones manages to maintain the author's unique brisk yet fanciful tone with hardly a hiccup. There may be a tad more romance than is usually found in the author's work, but it's a small complaint in an otherwise fun and captivating adventure.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how many fantasy books are part of trilogies or series, but this one stands alone. Which do you prefer? Why?
Why do you think fantasy books continue to be so popular? What do you think appeals to kids about made-up worlds?
Do you think The Islands of Chaldea would make a good movie? Why?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Greenwillow Books
- Publication date : April 21, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 368
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate