Things are not right at the Strega-Borgia castle. Signor Luciano Strega-Borgia has been kidnapped. Signora Baci Strega-Borgia is struggling with he...
read full description
reviews
Aug 10, 2007
Destinee
rated it: 
A librarian at the Wallingford branch recommended this to me, so I had high hopes, but it wasn't great. There's a strange mix of computers and magic, which seems like a good idea in theory, but on the page it just doesn't make sense.
Jun 23, 2010
Liz
rated it: 
In the opening pages of this book, I thought it was a rich-kids-get-rid-of-the-nanny story. I couldn't have been more wrong. Sure, it features unruly kids (and their pet rats and spiders!), an ancient house, a hapless mother, a butler, and a nanny, but it also features a dragon, a yeti, a gargoyle, a talking spider with a penchant for lipstick, various wizardly gadgets and people with magical abilities (or lack of!).
It's also got some hilarious family scenes, and a great chase to r More...
It's also got some hilarious family scenes, and a great chase to r More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Mar 13, 2008
Dorcas
rated it: 
This book was an unexpected mix of cyber, goth, and a Mary Poppin's nanny set on the fringes of an Italian mafia family. There's a moat with a hungry crocodile, lumbering pet guardians that munch on stray visitors, unwanted nannies and intruders, and three children desperate to keep the family together. Technology and magic work together in this book with sometimes interesting, sometimes awkward results. In the end, however, I find myself interested in learning more, just to see what other wa
More...
0 comments
like
(3 people liked it)
Dec 23, 2009
Sensitivemuse
rated it:
Chaotic is one word to really describe this book. Although it was fun to read what they all go through I think this book would have made a very interesting movie (should it ever go that way). Think of The Addams Family and their kookiness, mixed with a bit of style of Lemony Snicket and add in a bit of Mary Poppins and you get Pure Dead Magic. I enjoyed reading this book! it was a fun light read and there were particular parts of the book that actually got me laughing out loud. It is quirky and
More...
0 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Nov 30, 2009
Manda
rated it:
Precis: Mum's at witch school, and has chucked Dad out, when he is kidnapped by his Italian mobster family. The kids are playing on the computer, and have shrunk the baby and e-mailed her to the mobster's house. They have to get her back, with the help of a large talking spider, and one of Mum's wands.
I bought this book at a fete and read it to make sure it was okay for my daughter to read.
Well, that's the excuse I gave, but I could not resist the title could I? I really More...
I bought this book at a fete and read it to make sure it was okay for my daughter to read.
Well, that's the excuse I gave, but I could not resist the title could I? I really More...
Oct 28, 2011
Jillyn
rated it:
The father of Titus, Pandora, and Damp Strega-Borgia has left home, and when he leaves, everything seems to go downhill. The children chase away nanny after nanny, each of which faces a rather unpleasant end. Finally, the job is given to Flora McLachlan, who is hiding quite a secret of her own.
In a dark, strange, technological world, all is not as it seems. Their seemingly estranged father is in trouble, and e-mails Titus. By an unfortunate mistake, their baby sister Damp is sucked awa More...
In a dark, strange, technological world, all is not as it seems. Their seemingly estranged father is in trouble, and e-mails Titus. By an unfortunate mistake, their baby sister Damp is sucked awa More...
Jun 07, 2011
Brenda
rated it:
The dust cover describes this book as "a cyber-gothic-gangster fantasy" which fits it pretty well. I see the book as Mary Poppins meets The Addams Family meets The Soprano's. The story begins in Scotland at the Strega Schloss with the Strega Borgia family interviewing Flora McLachlen, one of the many nannies who have interviewed at the Castle. This is the first book in the trilogy and centers on four themes. The children's father has been kidnapped, their mother is away studying to
More...
Feb 21, 2010
Alexis
rated it: 
Wow, i've read some trashy books in the last few years, and this is one of the worst.
I got this book years and years ago when i was in primary school (about the age of 7) when the school book fair came passing. I liked the title back then. Thinking I'd get a story of ghosts and scary ghouls i handed over my money for it. The book was eventually forgotten the second i got it home though.. haha
Almost seven years to the day i found it amongst old childhood stuff as i cleaned out s More...
I got this book years and years ago when i was in primary school (about the age of 7) when the school book fair came passing. I liked the title back then. Thinking I'd get a story of ghosts and scary ghouls i handed over my money for it. The book was eventually forgotten the second i got it home though.. haha
Almost seven years to the day i found it amongst old childhood stuff as i cleaned out s More...
Apr 05, 2011
Aly
rated it:
I didn't enjoy this book at all. It felt like the author was trying WAY too hard to make it funny, but all it added up to was a mess. First, what kind of names are Titus Pandora and Damp? Especially damp, who would name their baby damp. The worst names, though, were the parents. The mothers name was Signora Baci Strega-Borgia and the father’s name was Signor Luciano Strega-Borgia, I didn’t get the difference until about halfway through the book and was utterly confused as to why signora/signor
More...
Sep 15, 2007
Patricia
rated it:
I got through a little over half of it and could no longer continue. Too many lame tongue-in-cheek jokes. The plot isn't easily followed, the whole thing seems really scattered. The characters are silly (and not in the good way.) I would not waste a child's time with this book when there are so many well-written stories out there.
Jul 25, 2011
Stacie
rated it:
Titus and Pandora are siblings with typcal rivaly that errupts into a full blown accidental and fortunate accident. Their baby sister Damp gets magically shrunk and emailed into the internet.
Unbeknownst to his family who assume they have been abandoned; their father, Signor Lucciano Streg-Borgia has been kidnapped and faces emminant death.
Signora Baci Strega-Borgia, their mother is wrapped up in her magic training trying to forget her husband walking out on her family.
More...
Unbeknownst to his family who assume they have been abandoned; their father, Signor Lucciano Streg-Borgia has been kidnapped and faces emminant death.
Signora Baci Strega-Borgia, their mother is wrapped up in her magic training trying to forget her husband walking out on her family.
More...
Mar 05, 2011
Tina
rated it:
This book was horrible. There is too much being thrown in way to fast for a elementary school reader to handle. The names of the characters are hard enough to read on top of the fact that you cant keep them straight because they are so shallow. The setting was described poorly so you have no sense for the feeling of the story. There are way too many references and tags the author tried to put in the story to get people interested. Instead it just became a mumbled dump of poor writing. A child wo
More...
Oct 06, 2009
Cassie
rated it:
I needed something lighter than Harry Potter, but not as dark as Lemony Snicket and lo and behold, Pure Dead Magic happened upon my desk. A fan of Deb Gliori's picture books, I thought I'd give it a go. This wickedly funny chapter book for the tween age group provides mystical fun for young goths. Full of puns and word play, the fast paced, entertaining story will keep readers going and hungry for the others in this series. The cast of characters alone are intriguing, including the three kid
More...
Oct 04, 2011
Kat
rated it:
Titus and his sister Pandora have another new nanny. It’s hard to keep nannies around the Strega-Borgia mansion, but despite the siblings’ best efforts to scare off the latest applicant, Mrs. McLachlan is undaunted. She’ll be taking care of the kids and their scary pets because their dad, Signor Luciano Strega-Borgia, has abandoned the family and their mom, Signora Baci Strega-Borgia, has started witch school.
The Strega-Borgia kids soon turn their attention to more difficult issues whe More...
The Strega-Borgia kids soon turn their attention to more difficult issues whe More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Feb 23, 2010
Things are not right at the Strega-Borgia castle. Signor Luciano Strega-Borgia has been kidnapped. Signora Baci Strega-Borgia is struggling with her spells at the Advanced Witchcraft Institute.Titus and Pandora don’t like their suspiciously cheerful and fearless new nanny. Baby Damp has been accidentally shrunk, e-mailed, and lost on the World Wide Web. And to top it off, there’s a gangster in a bunny suit lurking about. . . .
i would definently recomend this book to everyone who likes fant More...
i would definently recomend this book to everyone who likes fant More...
Jun 19, 2011
Carin
rated it:
My friend K loaned this to me a year ago, promising it was cute and fun, which it was. A little bit derivative, but not in a way most kids would pick up on. To me, it was basically like a Lemony Snicket book, but with computers. Three kids, the youngest still crawling and not talking with a funny name (Damp), get into some trouble, have parents who aren't much help, a funny nanny, and a lot of odd monsters as pets/guard dogs. They all (including the mother) think their father has left when in fa
More...
Oct 18, 2009
The Flooze (Michelle M.)
rated it:
A hilarious and clever introduction to the Strega-Borgia family, their assorted pets and the hired help.
Gliori has created a whimsical tale of magic and mayhem. The characters are distinct and likable, and plenty prone to getting into trouble. Pandora, Titus and Damp are precocious youngsters too smart for their own good. Their mother is a witch in training whose spells don't quite go as planned. Their father has been recently kidnapped. The cook thinks Readymix concrete makes for a More...
Gliori has created a whimsical tale of magic and mayhem. The characters are distinct and likable, and plenty prone to getting into trouble. Pandora, Titus and Damp are precocious youngsters too smart for their own good. Their mother is a witch in training whose spells don't quite go as planned. Their father has been recently kidnapped. The cook thinks Readymix concrete makes for a More...
Aug 20, 2008
Swankivy
rated it:
This is quite frankly one of the worst kids' books I've read in a long time--many apologies, Debi. Let's start with characters' names: If you're a parent and you've already named your children Titus and Pandora, what are the chances you'll name your second daughter "Damp"? Not bloody likely, but I figure the author thought it'd be cute.
We've got monsters living in the dungeons and a croc in the moat who likes to eat nannies--at one point the dragon shits all over the place More...
We've got monsters living in the dungeons and a croc in the moat who likes to eat nannies--at one point the dragon shits all over the place More...
Jul 23, 2008
Emma
rated it:
Debi Gliori's novel Pure Dead Magic first caught my attention as a library page for two simple reasons: the unique title and the rather enticing plaid background of the cover (which also features a neat illustration by Glin Dibley). Before embarking on Pure Dead Magic, a work of longer fiction, Gliori had written and illustrated picture books for children. I have seen this book, the first in a trilogy, shelved both with children's and young adult books. I'm more inclined to call it a children's
More...
Jun 26, 2008
Amy
rated it: 
Wild, crazy and over the top wacky!
Debi Gliori must be a blast to know, if I base my opinion on this series anyway!
What a cast of characters, it's a good thing there is a guide at the beginning of the book. I loved getting to know the Strega-Borgia clan; 10 year old Pandora, her 12 year old computer genius brother Titus and the baby, Damp; along with their parents Signor Luciano and Signora Baci Strega-Borgia.
Oh, but don't forget the list of creatures that als More...
Debi Gliori must be a blast to know, if I base my opinion on this series anyway!
What a cast of characters, it's a good thing there is a guide at the beginning of the book. I loved getting to know the Strega-Borgia clan; 10 year old Pandora, her 12 year old computer genius brother Titus and the baby, Damp; along with their parents Signor Luciano and Signora Baci Strega-Borgia.
Oh, but don't forget the list of creatures that als More...
Jul 26, 2011
Lovesmukiwa
rated it:
I read a lot of adolescent books and this was by far the worst one yet!
The character development was poor. According to the book jacket the mother in the story was struggling in her training as a witch - but nothing was ever discussed about her learning or her struggles until at one point another character took over a spell because it would have been too difficult for her.
I would not recommend this book to anyone - not even an adolescent!
The character development was poor. According to the book jacket the mother in the story was struggling in her training as a witch - but nothing was ever discussed about her learning or her struggles until at one point another character took over a spell because it would have been too difficult for her.
I would not recommend this book to anyone - not even an adolescent!
Oct 11, 2009
Ryan
rated it:
Another one of those magical adventure stories where inevitably some parent or sibling goes missing and the disadvantage children have to stumble their way to the meaningless finish.
While I found this book original, it seemed to be trying a little too hard. Good plot doesn't need to be bizaar to catch your attention. And the plot was mediocre at best.
While I found this book original, it seemed to be trying a little too hard. Good plot doesn't need to be bizaar to catch your attention. And the plot was mediocre at best.
Apr 17, 2011
This was one of the books featured at the back of The Spook's Curse, so I'm guessing if you liked that book this one might go down well too.
Sep 09, 2008
george
rated it:
This is easily the worst book I've read in recent memory. The premise seemed okay, and even interesting: Harry Potter meets Mary Poppins meets Lemony Snicket meets the Addams Family. But it was way too much and the author tried too hard. First, the language is too difficult for most nine-year-olds, who are the ideal audience. The YA crowd will not be interested by this, which is who it's marketed towards. Second, it was a crazy premise, but not funny at all. You can't have intentional crazy with
More...
Nov 23, 2011
Linda
rated it:
This is one of 2 Pure Dead books on tape that I got at a library sale. Pleasant to listen to in the car. If I didn't have so many other things to read and listen to, I would possibly check out the rest of the series.
Mar 04, 2009
Molly
rated it:
This is one of my favorite series to book talk. There are so many funny kid friendly aspects to it. I think my favorite character is the grandmother but.... For any Tween in the need of a fun funny fantasy. Grade 4+
Sep 03, 2011
Christina
rated it:
Despite the wacky setting and situations, the characters deal with some universal problems. While most people haven't lost their baby sisters on the internet, it is easy to sympathize with the family as they try to cope with the father's absence and other upheavals.
Dec 27, 2009
Brett
rated it:
This series is magnificent with dark humor & excitement, as well as extremely memorable characters & great wordplay. Its "Britishness" might leave some kids confused, but as an adult, I find it insanely clever.
Mar 16, 2009
this is a cute story about three siblings who go through crazy andventures trying to save their parents and each other using magic. It is comparable to a mix of Harry Potter and a dark Alice in Wonderland.
Apr 10, 2010
Shaunesay
rated it:
#3 read for the April 2010 Dewey's Read-a-thon. Very cute, the ad on the front that says it's Harry Potter meets Lemony Snicket is right on, and add a little bit of the Addams family as well!
