Genre
Children's literature
Setting and Context
Fictional Colson in North California
Narrator and Point of View
An unnamed, third-person omniscient narrator.
Tone and Mood
The tone is magical; the mood is fantastical.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Nate is the protagonist; John Dart is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the novel occurs when Nate becomes friends with Pigeon and Trevor at school, after moving into the town.
Climax
The climax of the story is reached when they meet Belinda White, who gives them candy for completing the tasks that she sets.
Foreshadowing
Belinda's hunt for magic treasure is foreshadowed by the bizarre quests she sets for the children.
Understatement
The role of magic and childhood naivety is understated throughout the novel.
Allusions
The story alludes to the childhood experience of Brandon Mull himself.
Imagery
The imagery of magical beasts and quests is present in the novel.
Paradox
The fact that Belinda should be supporting the children, yet she puts them in danger is an example of paradox in the story.
Parallelism
N/A
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The candy is a metonym for the rewards that the children desire.
Personification
N/A
