Gr 4 Up-Fans of Sage's saga will rejoice in the little pieces of "magyk" collected here. Beautifully rendered in full color, these papers, pamphlets, and journal entries add extra life to the world of Septimus Heap. The material is separated geographically, forming sections on "The Castle," "The Wizard's Tower," and so on, which makes reading from cover to cover difficult. Instead, readers will want to peruse the "papers" while waiting for the next installment in the series. Amazingly detailed drawings add life to each character and place that Zug depicts. This book, however, is just for true fans of the series. There are no new stories, just extra details designed to delight those already invested in Septimus's journey. A must-have where the books are popular, but an additional purchase for all others. Lisa Marie Williams, East Gwillimbury Public Library, Holland Landing, Ontario

This Septimus Heap series companion volume gives background on the characters and locations within the Castle. Included are a collection of travel brochures, diary entries, a recipe, and other ephemera. Though it's too scattered to stand alone and won't really help readers unfamiliar with the series, this book, with its high-quality design and typical series humor, will nevertheless please fans. Ind.