Rondo (series) facts for kids

The Rondo series is a set of three exciting fantasy books for children. They were written by Jennifer Rowe, who uses the pen name Emily Rodda.

The Key to Rondo

The Key to Rondo is the very first book in the Rondo series.

Story of the Key to Rondo

After his Great Aunt Bethany passes away, a boy named Leo receives a special gift. It's a beautiful music box, but it comes with four important rules:

• Never wind the box while the music is playing.
• Never turn the key more than three times.
• Never move the box while the music is playing.
• Never close the lid before the music has stopped.

Leo is a very careful and responsible boy. He would never think of breaking these rules. But then his cousin, Mimi Langlander, comes along.

Mimi is often grumpy and sarcastic. She doesn't have many friends, and even her own family finds her difficult. One day, Mimi ignores the rules and makes Leo turn the music box key five times! Suddenly, the evil Blue Queen appears. She tells Leo and Mimi about Rondo, a magical world inside the music box. The Blue Queen explains that Langlander family members have traveled to Rondo for many years using a special "Key." When Leo and Mimi refuse to go with her, the Blue Queen steals Mimi's dog, Mutt, and takes him into Rondo. She leaves behind a ring, which she calls the "Key."

Mimi is very sad about losing Mutt. She takes the ring and, despite Leo's warnings, steps into Rondo. To her surprise, Leo is pulled into Rondo with her! Mimi refuses to leave without her dog. So, Leo agrees to help her find Mutt. During their adventure, they uncover old secrets, defeat the Blue Queen, and rescue Mutt. They also discover the real Key to Rondo: a pendant that Mimi inherited from her Great Aunt Bethany. With this true Key, Mimi, Leo, and Mutt say goodbye to their new friends and return home.

Main Characters in The Key to Rondo

• Leo Zifkak: He is the careful owner of the magical music box. Leo and his cousin Mimi travel to Rondo and bravely defeat the Blue Queen.
• Mimi Langlander: Leo's cousin. She owns the real Key to Rondo.
• Mutt: Mimi's loyal, mustard-colored dog.
• Hal: A powerful wizard who helped end the Blue Queen's evil rule in the past. He now secretly acts as a hero.
• Conker: A "dot-catcher" and one of Hal's old friends. He helped defeat the Blue Queen.
• Freda: Conker's talking duck. She is a friend and helps with dot-catching.
• Tye: A mysterious woman who is part human and part tiger. She is the last of a special group called the Terlemaine.
• The Blue Queen: An evil witch and queen. Her real name is Indigo. She once took over Rondo, but her reign was ended by Hal and his friends.

Creatures of Rondo

• Dots: These are small, mean creatures that steal everything they can find. They are like a plague of rats in Rondo.
• Terlemaines: A unique group of people who look like tigers with black markings on yellowish skin. Tye is the last one left.
• Trolls: These creatures can be found under bridges in Rondo, especially on the way to the Blue Queen's castle.
• Dragons: Large, flying creatures that live in Rondo. You might see one soaring in the sky.
• Talking Animals: Many animals in Rondo can talk, which seems normal there! Examples include Bertha the pig, Sly the fox, and Freda the duck.
• Ogres: Like trolls, but often much greedier and more selfish. They might take what they want or hold people captive.

Awards for The Key to Rondo

• 2007: Short-listed for the Aurealis awards (Best children's long fiction).
• 2008: Short-listed for the Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year for Younger Readers Award.
• 2008: Short-listed for the NSW Premier's Literary awards (Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children).
• 2008: Short-listed for the Children's Choice Book awards (KROC, KOALA, YABBA & COOL awards) for Fiction for Older Readers.

The Wizard of Rondo

The Wizard of Rondo is the second book in the Rondo series. It was published in 2008. It continues the story from The Key to Rondo and is followed by The Battle for Rondo.

Leo and Mimi still have their magical music box. It can take them to the world of Rondo. The Key to Rondo, a special medallion, helps them travel between worlds. This medallion also gives the person wearing it the power to change things. But this power must be used carefully!

Story of the Wizard of Rondo

Leo and Mimi need to visit Rondo sometimes to make sure its people don't find out they are from another world. They also still have to deal with the evil Blue Queen. But then a new danger appears: the cloud palace.

Leo and Mimi go on a new adventure. They try to find a wizard named Bing. Their friends Conker and his talking duck, Freda, help them on this quest.

Main Characters in The Wizard of Rondo

• Leo Zifkak: A sensible and reliable boy, different from his cousin Mimi. He is one of the main heroes of the story.
• Mimi Langlander: Leo's cousin. She is easily annoyed, but she and Leo became good friends in the first book.
• Conker: An old man and a good friend to Leo and Mimi. He helped Hal stop the Dark Times and end the Blue Queen's rule. He catches the strange pests of Rondo called dots.
• Freda: A talking duck and Conker's friend. She helps him catch dots and can be very sarcastic. She has black markings around her eyes that look like a mask.
• Wizard Bing: A wizard from Rondo. Leo, Mimi, Conker, and Freda go on a quest to find him in this book.

The Battle for Rondo

The Battle for Rondo is the third and final book in the Rondo series. It was published in 2009.