SOLVED. Juvenile Fantasy - Children get involved in conflict of light/ dark. [s]

[Robert]

Read late 1980s. Children get recruited (I think by Manannan, certainly he's a key figure, possibly Arianrhod, who I'm pretty certain was also involved) for a conflict between agents of light and dark. It turns out that it's not so simple as good/evil: Manannan has his own agenda, which is not the same as that of humans.

I think there's a scene where they're in a shed and take refuge in a circle which takes them out of space and time in some way. I think this is the point where they realise that they've got to look out for themselves even if they want to support a particular side.

Title may have referred to "Sidhe" or "Silver wheel".

It doesn't involve going to "fairyland" in any way (it's more of a Diana Wynne Jones "hey, there just so happens to be magic happening; we'll just have to deal with it" vibe).

Because I realise that, for some of us, mentioning Light/Dark in the context of children's literature will automatically bring this to mind:

It's not Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising Sequence. Same sort of ballpark, but a bit less sophisticated.

(It;s also not her Seaward!)

[Cupcakedoll]

This is a series of kids and celtic magic that i think stays in the real world, but it's been so long since I read it that i can't remember if it matches anything else.

[David]

Manannan is an external reference or is someone in the book?

There is a series Manannan Trilogy, the first book is Manannan's Magic by Michele McGrath

[Robert]

Not the Summer of magic quartet or the Manannan Trilogy, I'm afraid. I've edited my original post to make it clear I read it back in the 1980s, which was long before either of those was published. It was also definitely a children's book, and not a romance.

Thanks for the suggestions, though.

Manannan is a character in the book (but obviously drawn from Irish mythology). I think he was more of a Chocky presence (i.e. he spoke to the children but wasn't ever physically present). And a certain measure of "I do not understand these humans but they're really quite fascinating".

[Rosa]

The Last of Danu's Children?
The Giant Under the Snow?

[Robert]

It might be The Last of Danu's Children: I'll see if I can source a copy and check!

[Rosa]

Okay, cool! You can read the hardcover edition on archive.org.

[Robert]

Having now read it, I can confirm that it's The Last of Danu's Children

Thanks Rosa.

[Rosa]

You're welcome!