The Lost Children by Carolyn Cohagan

The Lost Children by Carolyn Cohagan

313 pages

Extraordinarily fun fantasy! Josephine falls into a time warp that carries her to the far world of Gulm, where all of the children have been given to the master. With the help of orphans Ida and Fargus, can this quiet little girl save the day?

From Booklist

Twelve-year-old Josephine, ignored by her father and scorned by classmates, is lonely until she meets Fargus, who appears (and disappears) from her garden shed. Josephine follows, and is magically transported to the Higgins Institute where Fargus and Ida are orphans. Threatened by beasts (the Brothers) who are controlled by a villain (the Master), the trio escapes, setting in motion a far-flung adventure. Cohagan’s first novel is a time-slip fantasy set in a world in which childhood is threatened yet infinitely prolonged in order to satisfy the Brothers’ hunger and the Master’s desire for total domination. The main characters are well developed, particularly the spunky and plain-spoken Ida, the laconic but loyal Fargus, and Josephine, whose journey uncovers hidden strengths and helps her to understand her enigmatic father. Although the story is wrapped up a little too neatly, Fargus’ secret will especially intrigue. Share with fans of Mary Downing Hahn’s Time for Andrew (1994) for another look at solving family problems through time travel. Grades 4-6. --Kay Weisman