Product Description

Under Platform 13 at Kings Cross Station is hidden a quite remarkable secret. Every nine years a doorway opens to an amazing, fantastical island.

Nine years ago, the island’s baby prince was stolen on the streets of London. Now a rescue party, led by a wizard and an ogre, must find him and bring him back. But the kind prince has become a spoilt rich boy, who doesn’t believe in magic and doesn’t want to go home. Can they rescue him before time runs out – and the doorway disappears for ever?

‘This kind of fun will never fail to delight’ Philip Pullman

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8685 in Books
• Published on: 2009-02-06
• Format: Unabridged
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Independent on Sunday
'This is one of the very best novels for children of seven and above that you can find'

Daily Express
'This has everything that you could wish for: magic, mayhem, laughter and sadness and it's beautifully written and read.'

About the Author

Eva Ibbotson lives in Newcastle upon Tyne and has four grown-up children. She has written ten other books for children, which have been translated into many languages. She has won several major awards for her work, and two major movies based on her books are currently in development.

Customer Reviews

If you love Harry Potter you'll be amazed by this!
Because years before Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was written, Eva Ibbotson thought up the same story. At platform 13 of King's Cross there's the opening to a magical world of witches, hags, giants and creatures called mistmakers which puff out mist when they hear music, so keeping their island refuge secret. The King and Queen of the island have a little prince born to them, but when his three nannies take him through the gump to enjoy fish-and-chips, he gets kidnapped by the rich and horrible Mrs. Trottle. Nine years must pass before the little Prince can be rescued. But when the rescue party (consisting of a wizard, a gardening witch, and ogre and a little hag, Odge) arrive in our world they find Raymond Trottle a gross spoilt bully. Only the despised odd-job boy, who is as nice as Raymond is nasty, will help them....

A gloriously funny quest with an ending that brings tears to the eyes. We particularly enjoyed the Mrs. Thatcher-style harpies who knock out enemies with their disgusting handbags.

I'd give it six stars if I could!
Years before J K Rowling invented Platform nine and three quarters, IvaI bbotsen created her wonderful book: ‘The Secret of Platform 13,’ about asecret portal beneath a railway station leading to a mystical island kingdom far, far away. Unfortunately, this portal (or gump) only opens briefly once every nine years … and last time it opened the king and queen’s newborn baby was stolen. Now the royal family send four islanders to rescue their son: An elderly wizard, a magical fey, an invisible ogre and a young hag. Unfortunately, the now nine-year-old prince doesn’t want to be rescued.
The writing is a sheer delight, describing the fantastical characters with such charm that they are easy to visualise and become utterly believable.This book is perfect for 8 – 9 year-olds to read on their own – or would make a great bedtime story read nightly to 6 – 7 year-olds. It’s exciting, magical, mysterious … but best of all, there’s nothing too frightening and plenty to make you laugh out loud!

absolute favourite book
this was my absolute favourite book when i was younger and i still read it now. i believed totally that there were such things as gumps, doors leading to other worlds, and i always hoped that i would find the one hidden on platform 13 so that i could live on the island and see the mistmakers. i was enthralled as i read the adventures of Odge Gribble and her magical friends who go through the gump to find the long lost prince who was stolen 9 years before. it is a completely original, funny, magical and heartwarming story and i highly recommend it.