Switchers (novel) facts for kids
Red Fox edition 1998
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| Author | Kate Thompson |
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| Cover artist | Darren Lock |
| Country | Ireland |
| Language | English |
| Series | Switchers Trilogy |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Aran Press |
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Publication date
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1994 |
| Pages | 201 |
| Preceded by | None |
| Followed by | Midnight's Choice |
Switchers is the first book in the exciting Switchers Trilogy by Kate Thompson. It was first published in Ireland in 1994. Later, in 1997, it came out in Great Britain. This book introduces us to Tess and Kevin, the two main characters of the series. The story starts in Dublin, Ireland, but most of the adventure happens far away in the Arctic circle.
This book was the first by Kate Thompson, who has won awards for her writing. The Sunday Telegraph newspaper called it "unmissable" and "spellbinding." The Guardian newspaper said it was "one of the best books of the year." Switchers was even nominated for the Smarties Book Award in 1998.
Contents
Story Overview
What are Switchers?
The story is about two young Irish shapeshifters. They are called Switchers because they can change into any animal they want. These two, Tess and Kevin, must face a big problem. Giant creatures from the Arctic are causing a new Ice Age to begin.
The Adventure Begins
Tess has just moved to Dublin. She loves to use her Switching power to escape city life. She often changes into animals to explore the world. But a boy named Kevin keeps following her home from the school bus. He says he needs her help. Kevin soon tells Tess that he is also a Switcher. He even admits he has joined her on some of her animal adventures!
Kevin is almost fifteen years old. This is a big problem because Switchers lose their powers when they turn fifteen. Tess did not know this rule. After Kevin keeps asking, Tess agrees to go with him. They visit an old house owned by a woman named Lizzie. Lizzie used to be a Switcher too.
The Threat of the Krools
Lizzie explains a huge danger. Giant, ice-dwelling slugs called krools have woken up. They were sleeping for thousands of years in the Arctic. Recent oil drilling woke them up. Now that they are awake, they are making the Earth colder. They want to make the whole planet into a new Ice Age. Only Tess and Kevin have the power to stop them.
Journey to the Arctic
Tess and Kevin change into whales and swim all the way to the Arctic. There, they rest as polar bears. Tess has a dream where she understands Lizzie's advice: "being what isn't." She realizes they have been thinking only about animals that exist now. They need to think bigger! They can Switch into creatures that once lived but are now extinct.
With this new idea, they transform into mammoths. They continue their journey in these huge forms. A krool sees the mammoths coming. It decides to eat them because it is hungry. As the enormous krool rises to swallow them, Tess has a sudden, amazing idea. She Switches into a dragon! Kevin quickly follows her lead. Together, they use their fiery breath to melt the krool.
Fighting the Ice Age
Unfortunately, an American military helicopter sees them. The soldiers think they are UFOs. They try to destroy the dragons with missiles. Tess and Kevin fly away from the attacks. They start flying around the Arctic, melting every krool they find. As they do this, the snowstorms around the world begin to stop.
Kevin's Choice and the Phoenix
While Tess and Kevin are flying back to Ireland, war-planes chase them again. This time, they attack with a napalm bomb. The two Switchers quickly change into birds to avoid the explosion. But Kevin's change is a few seconds too slow. He is caught in the blast.
Tess waits in the sky, worried about Kevin. But then, Kevin makes an amazing leap of faith! He transforms into a phoenix. Phoenixes are mythical birds that can rise from their own ashes when they are destroyed. This incredible change saves him.
Tess returns to Dublin and talks to Lizzie. Lizzie is not as sad about Kevin as Tess expected. Lizzie explains that she doesn't know what happens after life, so she can't worry about where Kevin is now.
Tess goes home, and her parents are very happy to see her. But they notice she has changed a lot. She feels more alone than before. For months, Tess thinks about what she will become when she turns fifteen. She finds a problem with almost every idea. Tess feels more and more lonely. Then, one night, Kevin visits her. He is now permanently a phoenix. The book ends with Tess getting ready to become a phoenix too. She plans to fly with Kevin over the city.
Main Characters
- Tess: She is the main hero of the story. Tess is a Switcher and is thirteen years old in this book.
- Kevin: Another Switcher, Kevin often spends his time as a rat. He is almost fifteen years old during the story. This means he must soon choose what animal form to take forever.
- Elizabeth "Lizzie" Larten: An older woman who used to be a Switcher. She lives with many cats.
- Krools: These are the main bad guys in the book. Krools are huge slugs that love extreme cold. They sleep for thousands of years in cold places like the Arctic. When they wake up, they eat everything and then try to freeze the planet.
