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Karen Foxlee

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Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy Paperback – February 10, 2015

by Karen Foxlee (Author)

4.5 361 ratings

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“Magic is “messy and dangerous and filled with longing,” we learn in this brave tale of grief, villainy and redemption that borrows from the story of the Snow Queen. Set in a vast, chilly museum, the tale brings together a valiant girl, a charmed boy, a magical sword and a clock ticking down to the end of the world.”—The Wall Street Journal

This is the story of unlikely heroine Ophelia Jane Worthington-Whittard who doesn't believe in anything that can't be proven by science. She and her sister Alice are still grieving for their dead mother when their father takes a job in a strange museum in a city where it always snows. On her very first day in the museum Ophelia discovers a boy locked away in a long forgotten room. He is a prisoner of Her Majesty, the Snow Queen. And he has been waiting for Ophelia's help.

As Ophelia embarks on an incredible journey to rescue the boy everything that she believes will be tested. Along the way she learns more and more about the boy's own remarkable journey to reach her and save the world.

A story within a story, this a modern day fairytale about the power of friendship, courage and love, and never ever giving up.

Reading age

9 - 11 years, from customers
Print length

240 pages
Language

English
Grade level

3 - 7
Lexile measure

660L
Dimensions

5.24 x 0.55 x 7.63 inches
Publisher

Yearling
Publication date

February 10, 2015
ISBN-10

038575356X
ISBN-13

978-0385753562
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Editorial Reviews

Review

The Wall Street Journal, January 25, 2014:
“A present-day fairy tale that practically sparkles with its own icy menace...[a] memorable and ultimately moving novel for young readers.”

The Christian Science Monitor, January 31, 2014:
"Foxlee's novel will be read and loved by youngsters who've grown up on fairy tales, graduated to Harry Potter, and appreciate gorgeous writing and complex storytelling. In this story of friendship and yes, even bravery, Ophelia shines as one of the first true heroines of the 2014 crop of fabulous middle-grade novels."

Starred Review, Kirkus, November 1, 2013:
"A well-wrought, poignant and original reworking of Andersen’s 'The Snow Queen.'"

Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, November 11, 2013:
"Foxlee's writing is elegant and accessible, with a pervading melancholy... this story shines."

Starred Review, Booklist, December 15, 2013:
"This clever story-within-a-story reads easily yet offers deep lessons about trust, responsibility, and friendship.”

Starred Review, The Bulletin, February 1, 2014:
"Foxlee inventively weaves familiar folkloric elements—an evil snow queen, a magic sword, a quest, a chosen one—into her modern setting, all the while evoking a mood of dreamlike foreboding."

Starred Review, School Library Journal, March 1, 2014:
“The writing sparkles . . . Foxlee’s fresh and imaginative take on this classic tale will be snapped up by fantasy and adventure lovers alike.”

The Horn Book, January/February 2014:
"Foxlee’s deftness with characterization and setting...makes this a satisfying fantasy."

About the Author

KAREN FOXLEE is the author of two young adult novels, The Anatomy of Wings and The Midnight Dress. She lives in Gympie, Australia, with her daughter.

About the Illustrator
YOKO TANAKA has illustrated children's books by Kate DiCamillo, Sara Pennypacker, R.L. LaFevers, Laura Godwin, and Keith McGowan.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

In which Ophelia Jane Worthington-Whittard discovers a boy in a locked room and is consequently asked to save the world

Ophelia did not consider herself brave. She wasn't like Lucy Coutts, the head girl in her grade, who once rescued a baby in a runaway stroller and was on the front page of all the papers. Lucy Coutts had heavy brown hair and pink cheeks, and she called Ophelia Scrap, which made everyone laugh, even Ophelia, to show she didn't mind.

Ophelia didn't consider herself brave, but she was very curious.

She was exactly the kind of girl who couldn't walk past a golden keyhole without looking inside.

The keyhole was in a foreign city where it always snowed. It was on the third floor of the museum, in the 303rd room. Ophelia wasn't at all sure how she got there, only that she let her feet take her wherever they wanted to go.

Her father had taken a job at the museum. He had become, at the eleventh hour, the curator of Battle: The Greatest Exhibition of Swords in the History of the World. The previous curator had left without warning. In three days, Ophelia's father was to prepare hundreds of swords to be exhibited on Christmas Eve.

He also hoped that a week in a foreign city would be just the medicine for his daughters. They could explore and ice-skate while he worked. And they would have a white Christmas away from their home, which had grown so quiet.

He was very busy, though, far too busy to spend much time with them. He told Ophelia she must stay close to her older sister, Alice. But Alice was not interested in seeing any of the attractions. She wanted to go nowhere and do nothing. She wanted to sit all day with her headphones, playing gloomy music and thinking gloomy thoughts. She'd been like that ever since their mother died, which was exactly three months, seven days, and nine hours ago.

"I'll take you ice-skating later," Alice said, but in a very halfhearted way.

So, all morning Ophelia had walked alone. She had been upstairs and down. She had climbed in and out of elevators that rattled and creaked between the floors. There were grand galleries filled with priceless treasures and glittering halls filled with dazzling relics. There were precious paintings by the old masters and glorious statues and huge urns, and the ceilings danced with painted angels. Ophelia tried, as hard as she could, to be interested in all these things.

She leaned her head to one side and nodded approvingly.

She looked up interesting facts in the rather useless guide.

She tried to stifle all her yawns.

But fortunately, these glimmering places also led to murky corridors. And these murky corridors also led to dimly lit rooms. And these rooms contained smaller, stranger collections. And it was these places that made Ophelia's heart beat faster.

She found a lonely room filled with teaspoons.

Which led to a room containing only telephones.

Which led to a shadowy arcade of mirrors.

She passed through an exhibition of stuffed and preserved elephants. She tiptoed through a quiet pavilion filled with the threadbare taxidermied bodies of wolves. She squeezed through the crowd in the Gallery of Time and saw the famous Wintertide Clock. It ticked so loudly that people had to stick their fingers in their ears. She ran down a long, dim hallway filled with melancholy paintings of girls.

It was very cold. Windows were left open to stinging sparks of sleet and snow. The wind whistled and moaned through the galleries and down the stairwells. It made the cobwebs on the chandeliers dance.

Even with a map it was a very confusing place. Signs pointed in the wrong directions, and no one bothered about fixing them. The sign for Porcelains 1700-1850 AD led to Costumes and Culture of the Renaissance. The sign for Costumes and Culture of the Renaissance led to Bronze Age Artifacts. The sign for Bronze Age Artifacts led to an imposing red, locked door.

There was no point in asking the guards. The guards sat in corners and knitted or dozed. Sometimes, they snarled and yelled like banshees for no good reason, and other times, they let children climb on the glass cabinets, using the brass handles for footholds. Sometimes, they came rushing at people who just happened to stand too long in one place, and other times, they smiled huge toothless smiles and offered old fruit from their large black handbags.

The museum in the city where it always snowed was the type of place where a person could very easily get lost. Miss Kaminski, the museum curator, had said so herself. Miss Kaminski was dazzlingly beautiful. Her blond hair was tied in an elegant chignon, and she was surrounded by a cloud of heavenly perfume. She had smiled at Ophelia and Alice before placing a perfectly manicured hand on their father's arm.

"It is advisable that they do not wander alone," Miss Kaminski said. "The museum is very big, and several girls have become lost and never been found."

But Ophelia didn't feel afraid. It was much better on her own. It was a relief to be out of the workroom, where her father had begun work as soon as they arrived in the city. He was unpacking swords and polishing swords and cataloging swords endlessly. Her father knew everything there was to know about swords. His card read:

MALCOLM WHITTARD

LEADING INTERNATIONAL EXPERT ON SWORDS

"I have a very tight deadline, Ophelia. Christmas Eve!" he said whenever Ophelia tried to talk to him. "I'm sure there are more than enough things here to keep you and Alice occupied."

If ever you have the chance to visit this museum, the keyhole to room 303 is quite close to a much-celebrated sea monster mosaic floor. It is marked on the maps by an octopus symbol. That first morning, Ophelia spent some time walking on the mosaic waves and the mosaic foam. She traveled the length of all eight glittering tentacles, observed the people falling back from the monster's mouth. She bent over and looked directly into its eye.

It was the sort of thing her mother would have loved. Ophelia Jane Worthington-Whittard wished more than anything that her mother were alive.

Near the sea monster mosaic floor, she noticed a gallery with a red rope hung across its entrance. Ophelia slipped under the rope and went inside. It was a small exhibition of broken stone angels. There was no guard in the room, so she touched some wings, even though she knew she shouldn't have. It was very quiet and very still. All she could hear were her own footsteps and her own breathing. It had a peculiar, empty smell. No one had been that way for a very long time.

In the corner of the room there was a very normal-looking gray door. Above the door were the small silver numbers 302. Ophelia opened it.

The room behind the ordinary gray door was also almost normal. The floor was checkerboard. The tall windows, with tatty velvet curtains pulled back, gave a view of the city. The sky also was gray.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Yearling; Reprint edition (February 10, 2015)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 038575356X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0385753562
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 9 - 11 years, from customers
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 660L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 - 7
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.24 x 0.55 x 7.63 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #399,091 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4,029 in Children's Folk Tales & Myths (Books)
- #6,103 in Children's Friendship Books
- #6,927 in Children's Fantasy & Magic Books

Customer Reviews:
4.5 361 ratings

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Karen Foxlee

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Karen Foxlee is an Australian writer. She is the author of two young adult novels: "The Anatomy of Wings" and "The Midnight Dress". Her books for children include "Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy", "A Most Magical Girl" and "Lenny's Book of Everything". She lives and writes in Queensland, Australia.

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4.5 out of 5

361 global ratings

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mpower

CAPTIVATING and MAGICAL 8 year old daughter and father LOVE this book

Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2014

Verified Purchase

We just started reading this book a few days ago and have looked forward to reading time each night since. I myself cannot wait to find out what happens next. Karen describes the rooms and their contents with such detail that you feel as if you can see the halls and room of the museum with vivid clarity. The storyline is complex but daughter has had no issue following along. Anytime she hears a word she does not know or understand she asks and I think this is how a book should be for young readers…push the limits of their word recognition just ever so slightly. This is the first book in a long time that our daughter talks about the next day on the way to school. It has captured her imagination with its mystical undertones and talk of snow queens, spells, wizards, and magical swords. Yet this is no Harry Potter like story….think Narnia but completely different. A treasure of a book and one destined for greatness.

One person found this helpful

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Elizabeth A. Moschetto

CS Lewis would smile

Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2014

Verified Purchase

Be kind. Be brave. Have hope. Love. These are the timeless wisdoms Ophelia must remember as she literally fights the pain of loss and her family teeters on the edge of despair. I loved Ophelia's sweet innocence, the museum's endless and inane exhibits, and the way Foxlee captures the intimate exchanges of a family. A poignant story of grief masterfully intertwined with the charm and edge-of-your-seat suspense that only a fairy tale can deliver. This spellbinding tale asks the deep questions:what makes us happy? What is the purpose of life? What happens when we choose to believe in what we cannot see?

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Elenora R. Sabin

A witty tale with one caveat

Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2015

Verified Purchase

I bought this book for my young cousin, but I read it before giving it to her as I do all the books I buy for children. Frankly, after reading it, I had doubts about giving it to her. I haven't had a chance to ask her what she thought about it. The characters are fine, although the evil woman's wily ways and the constant cold weather are very reminiscent of C. S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, where in the magical land of Narnia it is always winter and never Christmas. I loved the setting in a mysterious museum where each floor can hold different horrors or obstacles to be overcome. The thing that bothered me about it was a belittling of the scientific process in favor of magical thinking. The magic in the story is delightful, and I would have had no problem with it but for the repeated put-down of scientific principles. The story would have succeeded just as well without that reference in my opinion. I'm concerned that the book may leave the wrong impression in the minds of impressionable young readers.

9 people found this helpful

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fiery12

A Grand Adventure

Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2014

Verified Purchase

This really was a pleasure to read with my daughter. It may be a retelling of the SnowQueen tale but it is so much more. The characters are vivid , multi-faceted and complex.We are taken on a journey with Ophelia as the reluctant heroine and we watch her not only develope into a Hero but cross that divide from little girl to something more. The "Boy" is so interesting and special, that the reader developes strong feelings for him. I was really sorry to see this book end, it was that good.

4 people found this helpful

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Karen F.

... it in our book club at school and we loved it! It was magical and breathtaking

Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2018

Verified Purchase

We read it in our book club at school and we loved it! It was magical and breathtaking. A good book for book clubs. It always kept you on the edge of your seat and wanting to know what will happen next.
We recommend reading it!

3 people found this helpful

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MrsFtz

My 10yo avid reader loves it and has read it more than once!

Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2019

Verified Purchase

This came in an amazon book box for my 10yo daughter who has a zillion books and I know for sure she read this one more than once (which says a lot!) before we came home to find the dogs had gotten a hold of it (I guess they also like it! 🙄)

Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2018

Verified Purchase

Kind of strange, I plan on re-reading someday.

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Antoinette

Marvelous Ophelia and the Somewhat Magical Boy

Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2020

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Cute quick story with a female lead, albeit not very original. Spoiler...

The marvelous boy wasn’t very marvelous. Ophelia is the one who shines and develops in character. The books recommended age (8-12) seems appropriate due to some slightly dark themes and suggested violence but — the plot was so obvious that I don’t think it would challenge a 12 year old. Enjoyable easy children’s book overall.

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Top reviews from other countries

Ruth N Cartwright

Five Stars

Reviewed in Canada on April 22, 2017

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daughter loved it

Kindle Customer

A Wonderful fantasy kids book!

Reviewed in India on June 9, 2021

Verified Purchase

The book arrived and my sisters enjoyed it. A very good read. I remember reading it myself as a young girl. Will definitely recommend it to any 9-12 year old. Teaches them morality, never giving up, independency and a wonder fantasy plot.

sarah

Great read

Reviewed in Canada on October 4, 2015

Verified Purchase

Manipal and suspenseful. Great read

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