The Secret Country

Johnson is the editor behind one of the UK’s leading fantasy lists. This is her first novel for children and it seems she enjoyed the chance to give young readers a guided tour of the genre: the Secret Country is another world, existing as a shadow-world to this one, and called Eidolon (reflected image in Greek), there are cats who travel from one world to another and can talk, nearly every sort of fabulous and mythical creature. If only we had the eyes to see then we’d be aware of them in this world too – Johnson’s hero Ben has the necessary faraway expression plus one genuine elf eye.

The tone is generally light and humorous, though in the second half, when the book’s villain appears in his true form, it darkens considerably and there are genuinely scary passages. Of course the last battle is delayed until the next volume and lots of young readers will be eager for it.