The Magician Trilogy facts for kids

The Magician Trilogy is a series of three exciting fantasy books for children. They were written by the British author Jenny Nimmo. The books were first published between 1986 and 1989. This series is sometimes called The Snow Spider Trilogy, named after the first book.

The stories are inspired by old Welsh mythology. They borrow ideas from ancient Welsh tales called Mabinogion. The books are set in Wales in modern times. They follow a boy named Gwyn Griffiths. Gwyn finds out he has magical powers from his family's past. He learns to use these powers throughout the series.

The first book, The Snow Spider, won two important awards. It won the Tir na n-Og Award for the best English children's book with a Welsh background. It also won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize for the best children's book by a UK author.

The Magician Trilogy Books

This series is known as The Magician Trilogy. The books were first released as hardcover editions. The first two books had pictures drawn by Joanna Carey.

• The Snow Spider (1986)
• Emlyn's Moon (1987)
• The Chestnut Soldier (1989)

In the United States, Emlyn's Moon was first called Orchard of the Crescent Moon. This was in 1989 and 1990. The books were published in the US a year or two after they came out in the UK.

You can also find special editions that combine all three books. These are called The Snow Spider Trilogy. They were published in Britain starting in 1991.

What the Stories Are About

The stories take place in Wales during the 20th century. They are all about a boy named Gwyn Griffiths. Gwyn comes from a family of magicians. However, his parents do not believe in magic.

On his ninth birthday, Gwyn's grandmother, Nain Griffiths, gives him five unusual gifts. These gifts lead him on a journey. He needs to find out if he is a magician, just like his old Celtic family members. The gifts also help him solve a mystery. His sister, Bethan, disappeared on his birthday four years earlier.

In the second book, Gwyn uses his magic again. He protects his family from a danger outside their home. He also helps to fix problems within his family. In the last book, Gwyn tries to help a soldier who has been through very difficult times. This time, he is helping someone outside his immediate family.

TV Shows and Plays

The Snow Spider and its follow-up books were made into TV shows. A writer named Julia Jones adapted them for television. They became three mini-series, keeping their original book titles.

The shows were directed by Pennant Roberts. They were broadcast by HTV from 1988 to 1991.

• The Snow Spider had four episodes in 1988.
• Emlyn's Moon had five episodes in 1990.
• The Chestnut Soldier had four episodes in 1991.

The TV series starred Osian Roberts as Gwyn Griffiths. Siân Phillips played his grandmother, Nain Griffiths. Robert Blythe and Sharon Morgan played his parents. Gareth Thomas played Mr. Llewellyn.

The Snow Spider was also turned into a stage play. Mike Kenny adapted it, and Phil Clark directed it. The play was performed in 1990 and 1991. It started at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff. Then it toured to other theaters in Wales.

Another stage version of The Snow Spider was created. It was adapted by Delyth Jones and James Lark. This version had seven actors who also played music and sang. James Lark wrote the music, using instruments like the harp and violins. This helped give the play an authentic Welsh sound. The author, Jenny Nimmo, called it a "brilliant production." This play was performed again in 2013 for a Christmas tour.

In 2020, the BBC made a new TV series of The Snow Spider. It was a 5-part show on CBBC. Jennifer Sheridan directed it. The original author, Jenny Nimmo, also helped write some parts of it.