How to Catch a Bogle (How to Catch a Bogle, #1)

by Catherine Jinks

[Beth C.]

Birdie is an orphan, one who was lucky to be found and apprenticed rather than sent to the local work house. In Victorian London, the work houses are notorious for starvation, over-work, and misery. Instead, Birdie has a home, food to eat, and a job. Only problem is, Birdie's job is to act as bait - for the bogles. When children start disappearing, Birdie finds that not all is as it seems...

I read a lot of "children" and "young adult" books for two reasons. One - I have two children and I like to be able to have read the same stories for the discussions and conversation that inevitably ensue. Two - I often find that books written for those age groups have much more imagination than those written for adults. In the fantasy genre, that is a definite necessity. However, even enjoying these books, it is rare that one catches my attention enough that, rather that simply enjoying the read, I end up reading into the night to finish it. This I did (last night!) with 'How to Catch a Bogle'.

The characters are very well drawn and interesting. The story line has plenty of excitement and a bit of spooky, and Birdie is a fantastic girl who is smart and strong. She is young still, but I look forward to reading more about her in the next book ('A Plague of Bogles').

Catherine Jinks has written a compulsively readable book that bodes well for the remaining books in this new trilogy. I don't believe I've ever read any of her books before, but I will certainly be checking them out!
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