The Nordlings

Anne Hutchings, a former elementary-school teacher-librarian with the
Durham Board of Education, is an educational consultant.

Despite her mother’s opposition, 15-year-old Peggy is determined to
sell her precious flute. When she reaches the pawnshop, she discovers
the flute’s mouthpiece is missing. Returning home, Peggy inexplicably
takes a wrong turn and ends up in the neighborhood where she used to
live. From there she is drawn back into Notherland, a fantasy world she
created as a child. Familiar faces greet her, including Molly, her
one-eyed doll, Gavi, a larger-than-life loon, and Mi, a Nordling (a ray
of light shaped like a tiny child). But much has changed in
Notherland—and for the worse. Only Peggy, the Creator, can make things
right.

On her quest to overcome the evil Nobodaddy, who has taken over
Notherland, Peggy encounters Sir John Franklin (lost in the Arctic more
than 150 years before), Franklin’s wife, Lady Jane (who financed
several expeditions to search for her husband but did not herself visit
the Arctic), and a mysterious young man to whom Peggy is instantly
attracted. Predictably, Peggy and her cohorts prevail, and good triumphs
over the dark forces.

Even with its touch of history and hint of romance, The Nordlings will
appeal primarily to junior-grade readers who enjoy fantasy. Recommended.