deirdre m. silvestri

Its a beautiful, clear spring day, and soon the cherry blossoms will fall from the trees and blanket the ground like snow. This season promises to be extraordinary, but it wont be the same without Da, who passed away at Christmastime. Finn OBrine stares out the window, taking it all in. He cant believe his father will never spend time with him again. And he cant believe theres a bat at his windowtalking to him.

Before his death, Mr. OBrine told Finn many stories about colossal dragons, sorcery, and the magic of Wickum Mannor in Irelandbut they couldnt possibly be real, right? Wrong! Magic runs in the OBrine family; its part of their heritage.

Now thirteen, Finn will begin to show signs of his magical inheritance any day now. Its time for Finn; his twin sister, Neave; his younger brother, Jack; and his mother, Ailish, to leave the comfort of their home in America and journey to Wickum Manor themselves. They expect a summerlong adventure, but the OBrine children may not be as ready as they think. With all the fantastic things to experience and discover on the four-hundred-acre estate, will Finn want to enroll at the magical Wickum Academy, or will he choose to return to his friends and classes in America at summers end?