A forgotten door on an abandoned railway platform is the entrance to a magical kingdom--an island where humans live happily with mermaids, ogres, and other wonderful creatures. Carefully hidden from the world, the Island is only accessible when the door opens for nine days every nine years. When the beastly Mrs. Trottle kidnaps the Island's young prince, it's up to a strange band of rescuers to save him. But can the rescuers--an ogre, a hag, a wizard, and a fey--sneak around London unnoticed? Fans of Roald Dahl, Lewis Carroll, and E. Nesbit will delight in this comic fantasy.

Bajo el anden numero 13 de la estacion de King's Cross hay un mogote. Muy poca gente sabe que los mogotes pueden ser puertas que conducen a otros mundos, y que ademas, este mogote solo se abre nueve dias cada nueve anos. Cuando esto sucede, llegan un ciclope, un mago, un hada y una pequena bruja con la peligrosa mision de rescatar a un principe secuestrado nueve anos antes, cuando era un bebe.Todo iria muy bien si no fuera porque el principe se ha convertido en un nino insoportable llamado Raymond Trottle, que de ninguna manera esta dispuesto a permitir que lo rescaten.

Saw browsing at the Carle book shop

Every nine years, for nine days, the portal between the world as we know it and the Island opens. The last time it opened, the three-month-old prince was stolen; now, nine years later, the King and Queen assemble a curious rescue team to get him back. An old wizard, a fey, a one-eyed ogre, and a young hag pass through at King's Cross station, and with the help of some friendly ghosts, find the kidnapped prince at the Trottles' home. But there are TWO boys in the household: one kind and diligent, one completely spoiled (see also: Harry Potter and Dudley Dursley). As the nine days rush by with little progress - the rescue team wants to convince the prince to come willingly, not bop him on the head and drop him in a sack - suspense ratchets up. Delightful, enchanting, how am I only discovering it now?? ( )

Good fantasy YA novel. First one I've read of this author, but one of my daughters once told me she was good. Has a bit of a Rowling flavor. ( )

While the review indicates this is a 2019 read, I have read it every year since.
I read this often to my younger brother when we were both little kids, and he had some trouble reading, when it first came out. We loved this book. I checked it out again today and hoped I'd still find it wonderful, and I do. I had lots of happy memories of reading it for the first time come back, and laughed at jokes I didn't get as a kid. I still want to be Odge, but also now I would like to be Gerkintrude. I still want to see a seashell-shaped bathtub with violet- and rose-scented crystals in small dishes. I want to see the magic show! Oh, that was my favorite part of the book this time around. What wonder. What splendor. I was entranced, just imagining it, and Raymond's reactions often ruined everything. I didn't cry at the sad parts, though, this time. However, the scary parts were a lot scarier. The mistmaker was still wonderful. I laughed at some of the things the adults did, thinking I'd do the same. I was glad at how much I'd remembered, and how much the book still holds up for me as an adult. I plan to reread it every year. ( )