Midnight for Charlie Bone

By: Jenny Nimmo

Narrated by: Simon Russell Beale

Length: 7 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Charlie doesn't want to believe it when he discovers that he can hear people in photographs talking. But his horrible aunts are delighted: it means that he is one of the chosen and must attend Bloor's Academy for gifted children. Once there, Charlie realizes that some of his classmates have equally mysterious powers, and soon Charlie is involved in uncovering the mysterious past of one of them.

©2002 Jenny Nimmo (P)2003 Random House, Inc., Listening Library, An Imprint Of Random House Audio Publishing Group

Critic reviews

"The writing is deft, most of the characters are intriguing, and Charlie Bone is an appealing boy." (School Library Journal)
"[An] exciting, fast-paced adventure tale...Harry Potter's myriad fans will be well pleased." (Booklist)

Great story, getting the next one.

Really enjoyed this story and really enjoyed the reading of the book. I will be getting the next in the series.

Nostalgic

Read this when I was a kid. Had to buy the series when I saw it on audible. So happy the narrator was on point.

5 Stars Across the Board

Great narration for this wild ride. The other books are also amazing. Must read/listen! Thanks to the narrator for doing this series. Loved it as a teen, and my wife gets to enjoy it now. Awesome!

Why are there two identical versions?

Why are there two identical versions on Audible? Perhaps that way the book can get the 10 stars it deserves.

Only one flaw

It’s been great listening to this story again. The only thing bothering me are the 10-15 second pauses at the end of the chapter.

Much better than I had expected!

What made the experience of listening to Midnight for Charlie Bone the most enjoyable?

I loved the whole "ordinary person learns that he is extraordinary" concept of the story. It lends itself to a world of discovery and enchantment, not just for the protagonist, but the reader as well!

What other book might you compare Midnight for Charlie Bone to and why?

There are obvious similarities to the concepts in the Harry Potter books, especially "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." HOWEVER, I was pleasantly surprised at the uniqueness of this story--how Jenny Nimmo used innovative plot ideas and characters that were not a rip-off of J.K. Rowling. Bloor's Academy, for example, was not identical to Hogwarts, nor were the teachers and students in it. Also, the endowments were treated differently than all the kids in Harry Potter being witches or wizards. Overall, the story stood apart from Harry Potter in numerous ways, but readers of J.K. Rowling's masterpieces would love this material as well.

What about Simon Russell Beale’s performance did you like?

Simon Russell Beale was a fantastic narrator, performing all the voices and adding dramatic pauses and proper intensity where needed. It didn't sound like someone simply reading off of a page--flat, dry and mechanical. His performance was captivating enough that it made me look up the other Charlie Bone books to ensure he was also the narrator (so I could get those as well)!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Though I loved the moments where Charlie began to embrace his endowment and stand up for the injustices he saw around him, I particularly loved how Uncle Paton began to come out of his shell and be the hero in the background.

Any additional comments?

I can thank this audiobook for getting me excited to read the initial four-pack of Charlie Bone novels I've had sitting--relatively untouched--on my shelf for a few years.

Totally original

Charlie Bone is an amazing book and the contents are totally original.
Although it is often compared to Harry Potter, it is only slightly like it. It does have a boarding school that has some magical students but HP does not have ancient kings and a school for the arts. Also in HP the head master is kind and s not looking to control every one.

Charlie Bone is Great!

Charlie Bone is a fun book. I enjoyed the book and my 7th grade students like it too. After reading the first Charlie Bone book my students want to read the next two books. If you like magic and mystery, you will like this book.

Absolutely Fabulous

I read the entire series of books to my son years ago. He is grown now but I still enjoy these books. With a one hour commute, listening to these and other youth stories keeps me relaxed and entertained.

It also helps me to be able to make recommen- dations to my students.

Awesome Sauce

loved it so much it was amazing and read gracefully I cant wait to read number 2