The Extraordinary Tales of Melody Magic: The Mermaids at Crystal Cove by Alex Woburn is a magical children's story about dreams that can come true, if you just believe. It is ideal for elementary school children, especially for those who have a dream. Melody, aka Melody Magic, had a dream to one day visit Mana Kalou on Fiji Island. Her class assignment was to write about a beautiful exotic place, and this assignment catapulted Melody’s dreams about all the wonders that Fiji Island has to offer into reality. Melody knew that her mother couldn't afford it, but her godmother, Fiona, changed how Melody saw her dream. Fiona told Melody that if she wrote her dream down, and made sure that the Fairies of the Universe were aware of her dream, and believed in her dream, that it would come to pass. Melody began to see every opportunity as ‘a dream come true,’ from climbing in the highest tree to playing with several animals. Every day Melody felt that she was getting closer to her dream.

I enjoyed reading The Extraordinary Tales of Melody Magic: The Mermaids at Crystal Cove by Alex Woburn because the book was written in an easy-to-read format. The quote that Alex Woburn refers to is by Roald Dahl: “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” That spoke volumes for me. Our beliefs make a difference. Our ability to dream or the belief in something beyond ourselves is what keeps hope alive, stimulates our motivation, and causes change. As Alex Woburn told the story, I began to think about how we can live vicariously through children because they have no filters, only their imaginations. The Extraordinary Tales of Melody Magic: The Mermaids at Crystal Cove by Alex Woburn is part of the Melody Magic Series, so begin collecting yours today.

The Extraordinary Tales of Melody Magic: The Mermaids at Crystal Cove is an adventure fantasy novel for children and preteens written by Alex Woburn and illustrated by Jeanine Henning. Nine-year-old Melody loved being outdoors. It didn’t matter if it was raining or damp and chilly; she felt at home and alive in the woods and parks that surrounded Summer Village, a little town in South East London, where she lived with her mom. When it rained during recess at school, Miss Bell knew she’d find Melody sitting out on the swings, happily unaware that class had begun again. Melody liked some subjects in school, like geography, and hated others, especially maths.

She was quite pleased, however, when Miss Bell announced a new class topic: exploring tropical locations around the world. They’d focus on the wildlife, the climate and environment, and food and culture. They started out with Hawaii, and Melody found herself dreaming of visiting the white sands, rain forests, and blue waters she saw in her workbook. Miss Bell assigned a report to be done on an exotic location of each child’s choice. She wanted to know why that spot was chosen and receive an in-depth study of the location. Melody’s imagination was in overdrive as she thought about that assignment, and that evening she and her mother planned to do some research on the internet. But first, there was a surprise for both of them -- Melody’s godmother, and her mom’s best friend, Fiona, had come for a visit. Things just kept on getting better and better.

Alex Woburn’s adventure fantasy for children and preteens, The Extraordinary Tales of Melody Magic: The Mermaids at Crystal Cove, is exciting and filled with surprises, but best of all, it touches upon the magical power of belief that enables us to make our dreams come true. Melody’s love of nature and animals had me establishing a rapport with her almost immediately, and her choice of a remote island in Fiji for her report was inspired. Woburn’s story is rich in detail, information and imagination, and those sequences that take place in the water are positively breathtaking. The Mermaids at Crystal Cove is an extraordinary tale indeed, and I’m looking forward to more of the same from Melody Magic. The Extraordinary Tales of Melody Magic: The Mermaids at Crystal Cove is most highly recommended.

Do you believe in magic? Do you believe in wishes and in fairies? What would you do if the Fairies of the Universe granted you your most precious wish? Melody Magic had always loved nature and the outdoors. She loved playing in the rain and in the snow too. Her biggest wish was to visit a tropical island in Fiji called Mana Kalou Island. It was the most beautiful place on earth, but her mother did not have enough money to afford the vacation. When her godmother encouraged her to make a wish, Melody believed that the fairies would grant her wish, but her mother did not believe in magic or fairies. Follow the story of this remarkable little girl on the most amazing adventure of her life. She will discover places and characters that no other human being knows about, make amazing new friends, and even get to be a hero.

The Extraordinary Tales of Melody Magic: The Mermaids at Crystal Cove by Alex Woburn is a wonderful story that is guaranteed to capture the minds of young readers everywhere. Kids will enjoy disappearing into Melody's world and following her on this incredible adventure. The image of Mana Kalou Island and Crystal Cove, plus all the amazing creatures of the place, as painted by Alex Woburn through his words, is so beautiful and captivating it feels alive. This is such an amazing story and will be a worthy addition to kids' libraries everywhere, both at home and at school. Kids will not want to put it down.

The Extraordinary Tales of Melody Magic: The Mermaids at Crystal Cove is a children’s book written by Alex Woburn. Nine-year-old Melody Magic needs to write a school assignment about her ideal place to visit. With the help of her mother, Violet, and her godmother, Fiona, Melody researches places that she would love to see some day, eventually choosing Mana Kalou Island in Fiji as her dream destination. The class never gets to see the results of her hard work, however, when class braggart and rich girl, Amy Crune, steals and destroys Melody’s assignment. Amy then sabotages Melody’s mother’s artwork in a gallery competition, resulting in a crushing loss. Misfortune turns on its head, however, when a mysterious phone call leads to Melody, Violet and Fiona taking an unexpected vacation to Melody’s idyllic place in Fiji. Once unpacked at the Mana Kalou resort, the family travels out on a boat, goes swimming with dolphins, and has a wonderful day before a storm takes hold and sinks the boat. Bruised and battered by the storm, Melody finds herself alone and afloat in the middle of the ocean until the most incredible thing happens; when all seems lost, Melody finds herself in a secret, magical place called Crystal Cove, where she discovers that mermaids really do exist.

I very much enjoyed Alex Woburn’s incredible tale of action, drama and adventure. A school girl who faces bullying on a daily basis until she eventually stands up for herself, impressing even the teacher, is quite refreshing. Imagination is stretched to its fullest, as Melody is told that magic is real, but you truly have to believe for it to happen. Heartache, drama, tragedy and being wrongfully blamed for another person’s wrong-doing make it hard for this girl to believe in anything good, especially after her family is lost in the storm. Although quite sad in some places, The Extraordinary Tales of Melody Magic: The Mermaids at Crystal Cove is also fun, giving the reader a good lesson in faith, determination, friendship and forgiveness. I recommend this incredible tale to readers aged 7-12 who enjoy being transported into magical worlds where anything is possible, if you just believe.