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2nd out of 2 books
—
1 voter
The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet (The Secrets of Droon #1)
The magic begins when Julie, Neal, and Eric discover a tiny room under the basement stairs. A rainbow-colored staircase suddenly appears and carries them to the secret world of Droon -- a land of shiny red men, giant flying lizards, and a princess who needs their help.
Paperback, 96 pages
Published
June 1st 1999
by Scholastic
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For all the hype I heard on this series I was a bit disappointed. The book is a second grade reading level (give or take depending on the child) with a kindergarten story line. It focuses on 3 children who are suppose to be cleaning out a basement and learn that the closet under the stairs is a gateway to another world, called Droon. They enter Droon, save a princess and go home. End of story.
The overall concept for this series seemed to have potential but I feel the author could have done a be...more
The overall concept for this series seemed to have potential but I feel the author could have done a be...more
Aug 24, 2012
Stevie
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
elementary grade kids, fantasy lovers, new readers
Shelves:
fantasy
Back when I was in second grade these books were amazing. I remember reading one or two a day and having the series passed around the class once someone finished a book. For a fantasy loving, imaginative seven year old there was nothing better than sitting down on the couch after school with the latest book in the Secrets of Droon series. Of course that's not how I feel now that I've had more...um...exerience in the literature department, but for a children's' series, it was great fun to read. I...more
Early chapter books aren’t my specialty. I don’t read them often, but my son was in need of a new series, so I read the first book of The Secrets of Droon. I was impressed. The story was very simplistic, of course, but what takes me twenty minutes to breeze through takes him several hours. That’s enough time for a child to be thoroughly immersed in a magical adventure.
Eric Hinkle and his friends Neil and Julie are regular soccer-playing kids who stumble onto a stairway that leads to Droon. But D...more
Eric Hinkle and his friends Neil and Julie are regular soccer-playing kids who stumble onto a stairway that leads to Droon. But D...more
OMG!!! I'm so happy that I found this book. I can't even explain how happy I am. I read this book in 2007 or 2008 and I still remember the title of the book. I never wanted to forget from what series this came from. This book, "The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet" was the first book I read in Canada, if I remember clearly. I really want to read all of the books from this series. I hope I'll find them someday. This book is the first book. I still remember how the kids discover a secret stair i...more
While the writing in this story was just okay and the plot was a little tame for an adult, I think this was a pretty good read. The story is paced well for a child starting chapter books and is so much better then the Magic Tree House series. There's a healthy dose of adventure, which helps these books be that much more enticing to kids who may not enjoy reading much.
The story is an introduction to the characters and the world of Droon, a secret realm with a stairway access in Eric's (one of the...more
The story is an introduction to the characters and the world of Droon, a secret realm with a stairway access in Eric's (one of the...more
Three kids find a magical staircase that leads into the land of Droon. While in Droon, they meet and help princess by locating a wizard and fighting a bad wizard.
I like the story as I always have liked stories where I find an entrance from my world into a magical, other world. I found the pictures to be confusing as the kids weren't ever described physically but their locations were. So, I was confused when the kid with glasses was in the chair was the main character, Eric, and not his friend w...more
I like the story as I always have liked stories where I find an entrance from my world into a magical, other world. I found the pictures to be confusing as the kids weren't ever described physically but their locations were. So, I was confused when the kid with glasses was in the chair was the main character, Eric, and not his friend w...more
Eric, Julie, and Neal are best friends, so when Eric has to clean out the basement, everyone pitches in. While tossing around the junk, they unknowingly open a staircase to the magical world of Droon. The problem starts when they go down the staircase and can’t get back to their world! Only by helping Droon to escape the evil plans of Lord Sparr can the three friends find their way home. This is a great story for young readers and a good book for parents to read out loud to younger children as w...more
Listen, folks, this is no Roald Dahl. This is not good writing. But here's the thing – my 3rd grader can, and does, devour them completely on her own. In terms of story, these books seem to be a cross between Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter, but they are written on what I would guess to be a second grade reading level, and there is very little tension or character development (what little tension exists is resolved quickly). That is to say, like most modern young reader chapter books, thes...more
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Okay, the truth is, this book is poorly written, has corny messages, and paper thin characters. It has about seventy five pages of plot, and the series goes on far too long. That's the way I look on it now. However, I was absolutely obsessed with this series when I was in second grade, and read the first twenty books or so really quickly, since I loved it. Since this book is aimed at that age group, it obviously did something right. By the way, something I'm annoyed at with these series (droon,...more
2nd-4th grade
The story introduces us Eric, Julie and Neal who are best friends who discover a magical staircase that just appears under Eric's basement stairs. As they cautiously creep down the stairs the enter the mysterious land of Droon. This book is very fast paced full of magic, fantasy and adventure. There is a lot of white space with an occasional picutre. The paragraphs are 3 to 4 sentences and the sentences are short. The typeface is medium-large. Children would enjoy this book because...more
The story introduces us Eric, Julie and Neal who are best friends who discover a magical staircase that just appears under Eric's basement stairs. As they cautiously creep down the stairs the enter the mysterious land of Droon. This book is very fast paced full of magic, fantasy and adventure. There is a lot of white space with an occasional picutre. The paragraphs are 3 to 4 sentences and the sentences are short. The typeface is medium-large. Children would enjoy this book because...more
I read this book so I could recommend it to my sons. We were in need of some easy chapter books for leisure reading. These seem about the same level or a little above the Jigsaw Jones mystery books. This series does utilize magic and wizards and such for the plots so some readers may not want to read these. My Micah has really gotten into these stories and is very close to completing the series. The series has Special Edition books that I guess are to be read through out the original series. The...more
This was our selection for this month's 2nd-3rd grade book club. Lots of potential for the series to be interesting,but not as good as our first read (Franny K. Stein.) The author introduces the main characters and gives a little glimpse into the world of Droon with the first story. Definitely a set-up for the over 30 titles that follow.
The kids definitely had more to say about Franny, but did seem to enjoy some parts of this. We followed our discussion with a game of Jingo and making "candy" s...more
The kids definitely had more to say about Franny, but did seem to enjoy some parts of this. We followed our discussion with a game of Jingo and making "candy" s...more
-SCHOLASTIC
-Time 9/23=30minutes: 9/24=52minutes.
-7-word summary: through- hidden- strange- space- discover- would
- droon
1. Main character handle inside a hidden storage space. Are you interested in mysterious place?
Yes, I'm interested in such a place. I want to adventure!!
2. Main character was taken into the mysterious land. What is mysterious place for you?
There are a lot of animals which I have never seen before.
I couldn't understand this book's contents well in the begining, but more and mo...more
-Time 9/23=30minutes: 9/24=52minutes.
-7-word summary: through- hidden- strange- space- discover- would
- droon
1. Main character handle inside a hidden storage space. Are you interested in mysterious place?
Yes, I'm interested in such a place. I want to adventure!!
2. Main character was taken into the mysterious land. What is mysterious place for you?
There are a lot of animals which I have never seen before.
I couldn't understand this book's contents well in the begining, but more and mo...more
Quite a few people knocked the Spiderwick Chronicles series of children's books for splitting what was ostensibly one novel into multiple volumes, but as you know from my reviews, I think it was a good choice in that it broke the story up into smaller chunks for more junior readers. Tony Abbott has completely trumped that with The Secrets of Droon series, which is spread across forty-four volumes. Each one is about sixty pages long (not counting illustrations), and tells the story of three kids...more
"'To Droon'" they cheered." I agree! This is a fun little chapter book which will appeal to grades 2-4 and maybe even early grade 1 readers. A little Chronicles of Narnia, a dash of Lord of the Rings, and a pinch of Harry Potter, wrapped in short chapters and age appropriate language, round out the recipe for The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet, the first book in The Secrets of Droon Series. Follow Eric and his friends down a secret staircase hidden in his basement to the land of Droon, fille...more
This was a pretty good book, I liked how they went down these cool stairs to find something some what like the under world, where the main character meets this girl and these weird and evil nins are flying around on magical lizards.
They get sent to jail by the nins and while in there... they find a carpet and it just happens to magical so they fly away, drop the girl off somewhere,and then go back up the stairs and live...
"HAPPILY EVER AFTER!"
They get sent to jail by the nins and while in there... they find a carpet and it just happens to magical so they fly away, drop the girl off somewhere,and then go back up the stairs and live...
"HAPPILY EVER AFTER!"
Kinnell picked this out at the library and we sailed through it in one night. He was super into it. It was fun-- kids find a strange new world, solve some problems, make it back home before anyone notices. No fuss, no muss. I guess if you want to get picky the world-building is a little random--why does the spider have a human head, why does the bad guy's car have an old-timey oooga-oooga horn? But hey! Whatever! Let's just have some fun and Droon it up.
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Feb 18, 2009
Readingisfuntodo
added it
I Love this series. This story starts out with Eric and is friends discovering a hidden storage space in his basement. When the lights go out the Magic begins. They discover The Land of Droon where the real fun dangerous adventure starts to unravel. I like this beacuse it takes you out of the reality of the Adult world and into a world full of mystery, adventure , intersting creatures as well as being full of Magic.
A fun adventure which starts off because of a soccer ball. My 9 year old niece had the honor of meeting the author this past year in a writing seminar at a nearby college. She was in awe and has read several of Tony Abotts books since then and has begged me to read some as well. This is my first and was a fun adventure. Real world collides with secret kingdom, test of will and skills, team work and friendship.
I feel bad, I tried to read this book but I just couldn't get into it and I couldn't make myself finish the book either. I think I'm just too old to read this series. This first volume reminded me of Harry of Harry Potter and Chronicles of Narnia although the world they end up in is not like CofN. They are very popular with the kids at my library and that's all that is important. :-)
I can't rate it since I didn't finish it.
I can't rate it since I didn't finish it.
These books are poorly written and ridiculous. There are much better series for 1st and 2nd graders to read. And if you read them out loud they are agony. Remember you shouldn't force children to read anything you wouldn't like and these are drivel. I try to steer customers away from them at the bookstore where I work. Try Magic Tree House or Geronimo Stilton, Cam Jansen or Junie B. Jones instead.
Read this so I could talk with kids about it. Dull to me (definitely not my genre of choice), but I remember certain third graders really enjoying it. I wonder if it might hold the interest of some weaker fourth grade readers as well. (Also I wonder if this is a series that must be read in order…and if so, whether April and I should consider buying some early ones that we are missing.)
I read this with my kids, and they loved the story. (Okay, my 2 year old really just wanted to know what happened to the ball, but my 5 year old really got into it!). Easy, fast read, and the story is easy to follow for young kids. My 5 year old was reading this by himself to find out what happened! There are a million books in this series...plenty to last a while, even for a 5 year old.
Listened to this on CD with my kids. It's short (just barely over an hour on the CD) but a cute fantasy for younger readers (2nd -4th grade). It seemed like the conclusion came a little too quickly/easily, but other than that,it was fun to listen to (and my 6 and 8 yo girls enjoyed it. We're listening to number 2 now). There's a new world, magical creatures, good and evil, etc.
One of the reasons I read so many childrens books is so I have a good idea of appropriate and inappropriate books for my child when she starts to read next year. The hidden stairs and the magic carpet is a fun book filled with adventure and mystery. There is no blood and guts or inappropriate content you have to worry about. It's a good book for children.
This is a pretty simple and relatively entertaining beginning to a beginners fantasy chapter book series. The characters are simply, yet adequately constructed. The story allows for the main characters to enter into and leave the other world, Droon, over the course of 96 pages and have a complete adventure along the way.
Eric, Neal and Julie are best friends and they all love soccer. Eric's mom spoils the trio's soccer practice plans when she reminds Eric that he must clean the basement. While cleaning, a tiny door comes into view and through the door, a magical, rainbow-colored staircase appears. They can't resist and find themselves descending the staircase to the magical world of Droon. Here they encounter evil Lord Sparr and Princess Keeha. When Keeha is captured by Sparr the trio come to the rescue and save...more
When Neal and Julie agree to help Eric straighten up his basement, they never imagine that they're in for more than getting a little dusty. But as the three kids follow a soccer ball into the small room under the basement stairs, the floor suddenly evaporates to reveal a rainbow staircase to another world!
Haven't actually read these yet- guess I should- but Sam is on book #20 or so and really really likes them. I got this 1st from the library for him when I couldn't find any Magic Treehouse books he hasn't read yet, He LOVEs these and finishes them in an hour or less (the kid's a speed reader I tell ya!)
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| What's The Name o...: Kids, Magic Land, pillow things [s] | 7 | 44 | May 04, 2013 08:01pm |
Tony Abbott (born 1952) is an American author of children's books. His most popular work is the book series The Secrets of Droon, which includes over 40 books. He has sold over 12 million copies of his books and they have been translated into several other languages, including Italian, Spanish, Korean, French, Japanese, Polish, Turkish, and Russian. He has also written the bestseller "Firegirl".
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Apr 05, 2011 09:42am