Will Stanton is the seventh son of a seventh son. On his 11th birthday, he discovers that he is an Old One, a special race of people who are endowed with magical abilities so that they can protect humanity from the Dark. Will is trained in his new abilities by Merriman Lyon (the modern Merlin). Will is sent on a quest through time to retrieve the Signs, which will help the Light to keep back the Dark Rider.

Love this series! These books are so very good (much better than the idiotic movie).
Upon reading it the second time, I'm struck with the beauty of the magic and the relationships between the Old Ones, especially Merriman and Will. It's so perfectly written. I love Will's big crazy family too! They are so fun.

2023 Update: Reading it for the third time, I am even more fascinated with this series. There is enchantment of every chapter, and the imaginative setting sweeps you away into a magical world.

I love the strong character development as Will gains wisdom through his training and is tested in his quest. He is just an ordinary little boy at the beginning of the story, doing his Christmas shopping; but by the end of the book, he has the wisdom and knowledge of an Old One.

The scope of this story is incredible, as the Light and the Dark battle for men's souls. Will has to circumvent the tricks and lies of the Dark Rider and try to protect his family. But ultimately, he owes a higher allegiance to the Light, even if it means sacrificing his family. I love the deep moral messages in this book, and the way the mythology of the magic stems from this eternal battle between good and evil.

Three siblings embark on a new adventure when they move to a country cottage near the railway. They quickly make friends with the railway employees, and memorize the train schedule. They run to the train track to wave hello to each train that passes, and the commuters begin to watch for them waving their little handkerchiefs every morning. But the railway is also a dangerous place to play. The children must learn the safety rules and signals. However, sometimes they find that they will need to break the rules to save the trains from certain disaster.

I love the old-fashioned charm of this book! It's such a beautiful story and all the characters are so sweet. Of course, they have days when they are grumpy and they make mistakes too, but they always make it right in the end. I love the way the siblings bicker and fight sometimes, but they also really support and care for each other.

There are a lot of layers to this story. The children have a certain innocent way of looking at the world, but there are hints from the grown-up world around them that all is not as it seems. There is a layer of mystery to what is happening when the grown-ups whisper together about things the children can't understand.

I am always enchanted with this book!