The Divide trilogy is a

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...

young adult novel Young adult fiction (YA) is a category of fiction written for readers from 12 to 18 years of age. While the genre is primarily targeted at adolescents, approximately half of YA readers are adults. The subject matter and genres of YA correlate ...

trilogy A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected and can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, and video games, and are less common in other art forms. Three-part wor ...

by Elizabeth Kay, which takes place in an

alternate universe Parallel universe often refers to parallel universes in fiction, a self-contained separate world, universe or reality coexisting with the real world, which is used as a recurring plot point or setting used in fantasy and science fiction. Parallel ...

. The three books are ''The Divide'' (2002), ''Back to The Divide'' (2005), and ''Jinx on The Divide'' (2006). The first novel was originally published by the small press publisher Chicken House (now a division of Scholastic), with subsequent volumes published by Scholastic, which also reprinted the first novel. The books have been translated into French, German, Spanish, Finnish, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Italian, Romanian and Dutch. Interior illustrations are by

Ted Dewan TED may refer to: Economics and finance * TED spread between U.S. Treasuries and Eurodollar Education * ''Türk Eğitim Derneği'', the Turkish Education Association ** TED Ankara College Foundation Schools, Turkey ** Transvaal Education Depart ...

''The Divide''

Plot summary

A thirteen-year-old boy, Felix Sanders, has a life-threatening heart condition. While his family is vacationing in Costa Rica at a place called the Divide, the

point Point or points may refer to: Places * Point, Lewis, a peninsula in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland * Point, Texas, a city in Rains County, Texas, United States * Point, the NE tip and a ferry terminal of Lismore, Inner Hebrides, Scotland * Point ...

where water flows to both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, he passes out and he finds himself in alternate world, where the Earth's mythical creatures are real and humans are a legend. He sets off on a journey with residents of this world to cure his illness and get home. He meets a creature named Betony, a tangle-child (elf) who later becomes his lifelong best friend. Along with Betony and a (griffin) named Ironclaw they help him find a cure for his illness.

''Back to the Divide''

Plot summary

Snakeweed, a character from the first novel who came from the alternate world, wants to return home, but in order to do so, he needs a spell hidden in Felix's notebook. In order to obtain the spell, Snakeweed turns Felix's parents into stone. The curse spreads, and Felix must head back across the Divide to find the counter charm and save the Earth. In this book, old friends return afresh and new enemies are discovered. A crisis almost mirrors the one in the real world in the alternate world: the king and queen are missing. Felix must now race against time in an attempt to rescue BOTH worlds, something not easily done, considering the risks.

''Jinx on the Divide''

Plot summary

A bully, Rhino, at Felix's school accidentally releases a brandee (djinn/genie) from a lamp Felix obtained from across the Divide. The djinn demands to be returned home and to be given a solid form. Felix and Betony (who is spending Christmas with Felix across the Divide with Nimplenap, Betony's flying carpet), return to that world. Meanwhile, inside the lamp, Rhino has found a box that will grant him any of his desires, in exchange for hearing Rhino say the magic words that could destroy both worlds.

References

*''The Divide'', Chicken House 2005, *''Back to the Divide'', Scholastic Paperbacks 2007, *''Jinx on the Divide'', Scholastic Books 2007, *"The Horn Book Guide to Children's and Young Adult Books" Vol. 17, Issues 1–2, July–December 2005, p. 76 (review) *"Bookseller Children's Buyer's Guide" 2006, p. 38 (review)

External links

Jinx on the Divide at the Scholastic Books websiteAuthor's web-site
Fantasy books by series Fantasy novel trilogies Novels about parallel universes {{2000s-ya-fantasy-novel-stub