The Museum of Lost Umbrellas (The Cloud Witch Chronicles)
by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
Interest age: 8 to 12
Reading age: 9+
Published by Faber, 2025
About this book
When 10-year-old Dilly arrives to live with her great aunt on a remote island, she doesn’t expect to be living in a magical house.
With a library that shoots out appropriate books, and a lovely scruffy dog that appears after Dilly has wished for one, all Dilly needs is some friends. And when she meets Callum, staying with his gran for the summer, they explore the town together, where a trip to the Museum of Umbrellas results in Dilly discovering a mysterious magical bond with a green umbrella.
As Dilly explores her burgeoning Cloud Witch powers, she and Callum make two new friends with magical secrets of their own. It seems that the island of Ollipest has a wonderful magical past, and some people will do anything to keep that hidden.
Can Dilly and her friends keep the islanders’ magical powers alive?
A glorious magical adventure, with the ever-relevant theme of good standing up against suppression. In this story, people who are scared of anyone different use their bureaucratic power to subdue the magical people.
Yet the focus throughout is on adventure – on Dilly and her friends, and the wonder of magic. There is, however, reference to grief, because Dilly’s mother has died.
Perfect for fans of magical fantasy.
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