Help me find two books I read as a kid
July 1, 2008 7:41 PM Subscribe
WhatWereThoseBooksFilter: I'm looking for several unrelated books, or possibly series of books, that I read as a kid. The first involved a family of magic users living in what was the time the modern world.
It was probably written in the 80s or early 90s, and I read it in the early to mid 90s (I have the least complete childhood memories of any non-tramautized twenty something I know, so bear with me). If I'm not conflating multiple books, the book was about a family of wizards/magic users who lived in secret in the modern world. I believe it was a YA book, and it focused on the children, though the parents could use magic as well.
I remember that one kid in particular had the gift of throwing small, relatively harmless fireballs, and would get in trouble by using this on his or her siblings. I don't recall if each family member could only do one particular magic act, or if they could all use magic in general and each was just particularly gifted with a single ability. I believe that the kids somehow awoke or pissed off a dragon, and that the family had to band together and fight it. It may have been a series, as well, but I don't remember any details that could have been from other books in the series.
The second book was about trolls. Again, I think it was a YA novel. I remember even less of this one. What I most remember is that they would play this game that I recall as being vaguely like horseshoes, only it would involve throwing what I believe were rocks with etchings filled with copper, silver, or gold in them. The winners would be able to take the losers' rocks. These trolls were fairly Scandinavian, in that they turned to stone in the sunlight, but they were the protagonists of the book.
It was probably written in the 80s or early 90s, and I read it in the early to mid 90s (I have the least complete childhood memories of any non-tramautized twenty something I know, so bear with me). If I'm not conflating multiple books, the book was about a family of wizards/magic users who lived in secret in the modern world. I believe it was a YA book, and it focused on the children, though the parents could use magic as well.
I remember that one kid in particular had the gift of throwing small, relatively harmless fireballs, and would get in trouble by using this on his or her siblings. I don't recall if each family member could only do one particular magic act, or if they could all use magic in general and each was just particularly gifted with a single ability. I believe that the kids somehow awoke or pissed off a dragon, and that the family had to band together and fight it. It may have been a series, as well, but I don't remember any details that could have been from other books in the series.
The second book was about trolls. Again, I think it was a YA novel. I remember even less of this one. What I most remember is that they would play this game that I recall as being vaguely like horseshoes, only it would involve throwing what I believe were rocks with etchings filled with copper, silver, or gold in them. The winners would be able to take the losers' rocks. These trolls were fairly Scandinavian, in that they turned to stone in the sunlight, but they were the protagonists of the book.
Best answer: I loved these books! You're looking for Stephen Krensky's books about the Wynd family, including "The Witching Hour" and "The Dragon Circle" and I believe at least one other.
posted by smoakes at 10:38 PM on July 2, 2008
posted by smoakes at 10:38 PM on July 2, 2008
Response by poster: Yes! I recognize the Wynd name. Thank you, smoakes!
(No wonder I couldn't find anything, they're all out of print.)
posted by Caduceus at 9:07 PM on July 3, 2008
(No wonder I couldn't find anything, they're all out of print.)
posted by Caduceus at 9:07 PM on July 3, 2008
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posted by Caduceus at 9:56 AM on July 2, 2008