“Septimus Heap tipped six spiders into a jar, screwed the lid down tight and put them outside the door.”

From Angie Sage’s Septimus Heap: Flyte.

After learning that he is the missing seventh son of a seventh son, Septimus has begun his training as the Apprentice to the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Marcia Overstrand. While Septemus’ parents, Silas and Sarah, are overjoyed that the long-lost boy has been found, his oldest brother, Simon, does not like having Septimus pushed into their lives. After an argument with his parents, Simon kidnaps the orphaned princess that was raised as the Heap’s youngest child, Jenna, and hides her away. Septimus and his older brother, Nicko, begin searching for Jenna, and along the way they run into Septimus’ old friend from the Young Army who goes by the name Wolf Boy. The youngest Heap brothers soon find Jenna, but while returning her to the castle, they are tracked down by Simon who uses a Flyte charm to fly. With the help of his Great Aunt Zelda, Septimus is able to keep Jenna from being kidnapped by Simon again, and after finding a Flyte charm of his own, he is able to learn how to fly. A dragon egg gift from Jenna soon makes Septimus the proud owner of Spit Fyre the dragon, but that happiness is hampered by the evil influence of the wicked Necromancer, DomDaniel, that is attempting to capture Marcia for control of the country’s magical power.

The second book in the magical fantasy adventure that is the Septimus Heap series is full of wild characters and unexpected happenings. Sage easily creates a story that will compel magic-loving young readers to dive deeper into the story. When coupled with the book’s illustrations, the story of Flyte will keep readers captivated until the very end.