If anyone had any grounds for suing JK Rowling, it was certainly not Nancy Stouffer (author of The Legend of Rah and the Muggles, who was disgraced in her legal attempts against Rowling when the courts found she had fabricated evidence). I would say the resemblances in the storyline, including characters and locations, between Eva Ibbotson’s charming The Secret of Platform 13 and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone points at the least to some creative borrowing. And what did Ibbotson have to say about Rowling’s use of her material? She said she would ‘like to shake her by the hand. I think we all borrow from each other as writers’. What a gracious woman.
The story of a young boy with an unknown past, being raised as no better than a slave in a household of gluttonous, selfish and cruel adoptive caretakers (with a son who is the twin of Dudley Dursley) is a familiar one. The daring rescue, full of mishaps, misconceptions and a magical talent show worthy of a Quidditch World Cup halftime show, is it’s own, stand-alone adventure.
Once every 9 years, the Gump, a magical doorway to the utopian world of the Island, opens for a period of 9 days. On the last opening of the Gump, the prince of the Island was kidnapped, and now, as the Island prepares for the next opening of the Gump, grand plans to rescue the kidnapped prince are underway. The rescue committee consists of a batty, kind-hearted nature fairy, an ancient wizard, an invisible, one-eyed yodeling giant, and the likable young hag, Odge, lamenting her un-haglike normalcy.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable romp, through a Rowlingesque world inhabited by a Dahl-like cast of characters. And it is perfect for the younger child, perhaps not quite ready for Harry Potter, or too sensitive for some of Dahl’s disturbing imagery (though the description of the harpies may get some shivers).
My only other encounter with Ibbotson was her Journey to the River Sea, which I was somewhat disappointed in, though it did receive many favorable reviews. This book has won me back into her readership. I look forward to sharing it with my children in a few years.
I just picked up ‘The Dragonfly Pool’ by Ibbotson at the library this week. I really enjoyed her ‘The Star of Kazan’ a couple years ago (though I don’t remember much other than I liked it).
I’ll definitely call “the Secret of Platform 13” to the library; it sounds great and I think Jonah might enjoy it too. I’m dying to share the world of Harry Potter, but he just isn’t ready for the scary bits yet.