On his eleventh birthday, schoolboy Magnus Fin found out that he was half selkie -- part human, part seal. Although he looks like a boy and lives on land, he can breathe underwater. When Magnus Fin discovers his initials scratched into the rocks by the shore and finds dead seals washed up on the beach, he knows his selkie family needs his help, and he dives down beneath the waves to find out more. The great seal sickness has struck and his grandmother Miranda is dangerously ill. But Magnus Fin is sure there's another reason for their affliction. He sets out to reveal the truth, with just his moonstone, his last baby tooth and some seaweed from Neptunes garden for luck. Little does he know that his best friend Tarkin, who cant swim, is determined to join him on this perilous mission.This is the exciting sequel to Kelpie Prize-winning Magnus Fin and the Ocean Quest.
'Janis Mackay's environmental message is clear but does not swamp her eminently readable story.' -- Jane Sandell, The Scotsman, 9th April 2011. 'This beautifully written book will draw the reader into the warmth of Magnus Fin's world and take them on an adventure that will keep them turning the page. It is the second Magnus Fin adventure by Janis Mackay and hopefully not the last! Sometimes moving and sometimes humorous but never dull this story covers, among other things, environmental issues. Children will find it interesting and it provides plenty of scope for discussion.' -- Armadillo Magazine 'Janis Mackay lovingly elaborates the characters she introduced so well in the previous book. The dialogues are immediate, funny and touching. True humanity speaks through them and they are a joy to be with while the pages turn. Her descriptions of life along the sea coast and the world underwater are well done and one feels she lives this life herself intensely as it permeates every page effortlessly. Mackay makes good use of story telling techniques: increasing suspense and delaying gratification. ''Magnus Fin and the Moonlight Mission'' is played out in a different world from what most of us are used to and will carry any child away to an underwater world, which is familiar yet magical at the same time, for a good 200 pages.' --Anna Phillips, New View, Spring 2011 'Magnus Finn and the Moonlight Mission is not only a cry for more understanding on environmental issues, but it also promotes Scottish culture and family values. Through Magnus Fin's family relationships and his American friend Tarkin, young readers are taught about the importance of friendships, family roots and respect for each other's differences. 'Magnus Fin and the Moonlight Mission is a well-written children's book that doesn't fail to entertain, educate and celebrate Scottish culture.' -- Edinburgh Book Review, May 2011 'This is a gentle story which will be enjoyed by children who want a straightforward adventure tale where fantasy and environmental issues provide the young protagonists with the chance to outwit evil adults.' -- Books for Keeps 'This is a beautifully crafted and clever story which will appeal to those with a feel for the sea and sea creatures, enhanced by rich descriptions of ocean life, and a narrative that shows good pace and humour. The world of the selkies is convincingly drawn, and the author clearly has a real empathy with this northern landscape and its mythologies. This is a worthy successor to her first Magnus Fin book and comes highly recommended.' -- Steve Hird, School Librarian 'I liked this book because it had adventure and great characters. My favourite character was Tarkin, Magnus Fin's best friend, but the winkle picker was a great character because you have mixed feelings about him until you find out his true purpose at the end.' -- Sarah Tyrer, aged 10. Reviewed in Juno Magazine
