Children of the Red King

Children of the Red King, also known as the Red King Quintet and the Charlie Bone books, is a popular series of children's fantasy books written by British author Jenny Nimmo. The main character, Charlie Bone, discovers that he is endowed with a magical talent (to converse with people inside photographs) and is sent to the interesting Bloor's Academy, a boarding school like school (they go home on weekends) for other endowed students as well as students with artistic, dramatic, or musical talents. Charlie develops both friendships and enemies as he learns about and responds to the various schemes that are hatched at Bloor's. Little by little, Charlie discovers clues about the disappearance of his amazing father some ten years before.

There are currently five books released in the series (with a sixth coming out soon), published by Egmont in England and by Scholastic in the United States. (Original English titles first, followed by American titles):

Midnight for Charlie Bone (2003)
The Time Twister / Charlie Bone and the Time Twister (2003)
The Blue Boa / Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy (2004)
The Castle of Mirrors / Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors (2005)
Charlie Bone and the Hidden King (2006)
The Beast (release date is June 1, 2007)

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Midnight for Charlie Bone

The story begins with eleven-year-old Charlie Bone making a birthday card for his loner friend, Benjamin. He intends to put a photograph of Benjamin's dog onto the card, but when he opens the envelope from the photo developer, he finds a picture of a man cradling a baby. He begins to hear static noises, followed by voices out of the photo. Later that day Charlie's great-aunts, Venetia, Lucretia and Eustacia Yewbeam, and his grandmother Grizelda Bone, test Charlie to see if he is magically endowed. When they find out that he can hear voices from photographs, they send him to Bloor's Academy. However, Bloor's Academy isn't all that good, considering Manfred Bloor (a hypnotist) and his great grandfather, Ezekiel Bloor (an evil, flawed magician). But soon with the help of his new friends, he begins to discover the secrets of himself, the academy, and his father.

Charlie returns the photo to its rightful owner, a Miss Julia Ingledew, who lives near the cathedral where his missing father once played. Miss Ingledew tells him the story of a lost baby, given away by a Dr. Tolly. She gives him a heavy metal case and a metal dog (actually a tape recorder) as he leaves. At Benjamin's house, Charlie plays the dog's tape, which gives instructions on how to open the case and awaken the baby who would now be the same age as Charlie.

When he goes to Bloor's, Charlie meets the Headmaster's son, Manfred Bloor, who hypnotizes Charlie temporarily. He learns about the legend of the Red King and meets all the other endowed children. He also makes friends with Fidelio Gunn, Billy Raven, and Olivia Vertigo. Together, they figure out that a girl named Emilia Moon is the lost child, and plan to bring her out of her hypnotic state, which they do at Fidelio's house. Emilia is returned to Miss Ingledew as her long-lost niece, Emma Tolly (Emma can fly by turning into a bird). Through several setbacks and double crossing, their plan succeeds.

The Time Twister

The year is 1916. Henry and James Yewbeam, two brothers, have been sent to stay with their cousins at Bloor's Academy for the winter. The coldest winter in living memory. Henry just wants to hide from his mean cousin and play marbles for a while. He finds a long hall and begins to roll his marbles until he finds a marble that doesn't look familiar. This is soon revealed to be the Time Twister. Suddenly a series of strange events take place, and Henry finds himself beginning to disappear. He only has time to write on the floor "James...the marbles..." before he vanishes. The Time Twister forwarded him to the present day, at the exact temperature as it was in 1916. Henry was soon discovered by Charlie Bone, who originally was looking for Tancred Torsson. Henry was soon prompted by Charlie to stay in the Music Tower. However, Billy got some bits of information and soon told them to Ezekiel Bloor. After Ezekiel was informed, the Yewbeam aunts and the Bloors were hunting for Henry. When Henry had wandered too far out from his sanctuary, he was caught by the Bloors and was soon imprisoned within the ruin. However, Henry was soon rescued via another route, which the users had sworn to keep secret. In this time, Charlie Bone finds out he is the sole heir of a wand owned by a Welsh wizard. Henry was soon returned to his cottage by the sea and is reunited with his brother by the help of Charlie Bone.

The Blue Boa / The Invisible Boy

A new art teacher named Mr. Boldova has come to Bloor's, and there is a new student named Belle who lives with the Yewbeam aunts and seems to exert a strange power over them. Emma and Charlie soon discover that Mr. Boldova is the older brother of Ollie Sparks, the boy who lives in the attic of Bloor's Academy. Because Ollie was always prying into matters that didn't concern him, Ezekiel Bloor made him invisible with the Blue Boa. When Charlie and his friends find him, Ollie is alone and hungry. Charlie and his friends promise to make Ollie visible again with the help of Mr. Boldova and the Blue Boa. However, before Mr. Boldova can be told about his brother, he was hypnotized by Belle and driven away by one of the Yewbeam aunts. When Charlie finally persuades Billy to turn away from spying for the Bloors, Billy manages to talk to the Blue Boa and persuaded it to make Ollie Sparks visible again. However, because it would be hard to hide Ollie when visible again, they transported the Boa through a hamper basket to the Onimous's cafe and managed to sneak Ollie out on 'The night of wind and spirits' where Ollie is made visible again. However, Mr. Boldova is still missing. Charlie Bone and Uncle Paton find Belle in Aunt Venetia's house. When Uncle Paton electrocutes Belle and burns the house down, Mr. Boldova is rescued at the very last minute. The story ends when Uncle Paton, Miss Ingledew, Charlie Bone and all his friends go to Sparkling Castle, the castle belonging to the Sparks.

The Castle of Mirrors

Charlie's magical gifts begin to take on a new dimension. He meets some new characters, including Mr. Pilgrim's replacement named Tantalus Ebony, and a strange new student named Joshua Tilpin, who appears to be magnetic. However, not all is well. Billy Raven has been adopted by the de Greys, a child-hating couple who carry a gray bag of oaths with them. They force Billy to sign an oath of obedience before locking him up behind a force field in a strange place called The Passing House. Charlie finds out that his friend Olivia Vertigo is also magically endowed with illusions. When Billy escapes, with the help of a magical spirit named Queen Berenice (wife of the Red King), brought to life by a spell gone awry on the part of the Bloors, Charlie and Billy come closer to finding Charlie's father and Billy's guardian than ever.

Charlie Bone and the Hidden King

Book description from Amazon.com: When Charlie turns thirteen on New Year's Eve, the Flame Cats give him a grave warning: Something ancient has awakened, and Charlie must be watchful. Soon Charlie learns that the shadow from the Red King's portrait has been released, and that it will do anything to keep Charlie from finding his father. Meanwhile, pets are mysteriously vanishing from the city, and Olivia is in danger of revealing her newfound powers. Charlie's only hope is to find the Mirror of Amoret. Although the spirit who possesses this mirror is almost impossible to find, nothing is impossible for Charlie Bone and his friends.

Book description from Amazon.co.uk: Charlie Bone awakes one morning to find the city covered with snow and all the animals gone. Where have they gone - and why? Blessed, the dog tells Billy there was a terrible shuddering of the earth and immediately after, he saw a witch with two shadows crossing the hall in Bloor's Academy. Could the discovery of an ancient mirror and the movement of the shadow in the Red King's portrait have something to do with it? And a strange girl appears outside Charlie's house. She tells him he must follow her to find the animals. Can he trust her, and will she perhaps lead him to find someone he lost long before the animals?

Synopsis

In Charlie's most perilous adventure yet, the shadow from the Red King's portrait escaped. Charlie's mom falls in love with an enchanter, and Maisie gets frozen. Charlie is getting closer and closer for unraveling the truth about his father, Lyell Bone.

Apparently this book takes place in 2004 or 2005, according to Charlie turning twelve the week earlier and Charlie being born in late December or earlier January 1992.

Characters

The Endowed

The Good

Charlie Bone is the protagonist of the series. His relatively ordinary life ends when he discovers he can hear the thoughts of people in photographs. This magical endowment places him in a new school, Bloor's Academy, and he is caught up in its many intrigues. Charlie helps Cook maintain the balance of the endowed children at the school. His magical talent seems to derive from his family's connection to a powerful Welsh wizard from the past, Mathonwy who was a friend to the Red King. He is also descended from the Red King's youngest daughter, Amoret. As a Picture-traveler, Charlie is able to travel into photographs and pictures and talk to the people in them, and can even take things from within the photograph. He possesses a wand that is currently in the form of a silver moth, which in fact was taken from inside a picture.

Emma Tolly was lost for the first ten years of her life. Her father gave her to the Bloors while hyponotized by Manfred in exchange for a suitcase with extraordinary contents. Due to the efforts of Charlie and his friends, Emma was released from her hypnotically induced state and returned to the care of her aunt, Miss Julia Ingledew. Her surname is derived from the Spanish swordsman Toledo, whose daughter married the Red King. She is an exceptional artist and her endowment enables her to transform herself into different winged creatures. She strongly resembles her mother, and named a duck after her, Nancy.

Olivia Vertigo is a spirited, independent-minded drama student who often assists Charlie in his efforts to foil evil plans at Bloor's. Her outstanding acting skills probably keep her from being expelled. In the fourth book, when she doesn't receive a hoped-for movie role, she sinks into a bout of depression. She, like Gabriel, is descended from the Red King's daughter Guanhamara who fled the Red King's castle and married an Italian Prince. Olivia is an Illusionist, which enables her to create the image of anything she wants, whether it be a giant alligator or a swarm of bees. Not many know that she is endowed, a fact that she and the rest don't want the Bloor's to know

Asa Pike is one of Charlie's enemies. He follows Manfred Bloor around everywhere. It is found at the end of the fifth book, however, that he has decided to switch sides and become good, or at least help to vanquish the Shadow. He turns into a sort of were-beast after dusk.

Gabriel Silk is a friend of Charlie's. He owns many gerbils, and is descended from a long line of psychics. He, like Olivia, is descended from the Red King's daughter Guanhamara. An interesting note is that the Red King's portrait in Bloor's Academy originally belonged to the Silk family. Gabriel's family also owns a cloak that belonged to the Red King himself. He is psychometric, but his power seems to only work on clothes. He predicted in the first book that Charlie's father was not dead, but lost.

Billy Raven is a friend of Charlie's, but for the first three books he wasn't sure which side to take. He is an orphan and is only 8 years old in first book. He was at first a spy for Ezekiel Bloor, who promised to give him parents. One of his ancestors conversed with ravens that sat on a gibbet where dead men hung, for this talent he was banished from the village. Billy can speak and understand any animal like his ancestor Amadis. In Book 4, he was spirited away to the Passing House with two mean "parents" that had endowments to keep him in. His "father" had the power to create a force field, and his "mother" was the keeper of oaths.

Tancred Torsson, one of Charlie's friends. His Scandinavian ancestor was named after the thunder god, Thor. Tancred is a Weather-monger; he can create rain, wind, thunder, lightning and snow. He lives in the Thunder House.

Lysander Sage is one of Charlie's friends. He is descended from an African wise man. Ancestor-bringer or a Spirit Summoner, this enables him to call up his spirit ancestors. His father is a judge. He is best friends with Tancred, and they are quite close.

Bindi Loom is a friend of Olivia's. Her magical talent has not yet been developed, even though it is definitely there. She is the older sister of Dorcas. The evidence that she is on the good side is that she helped to save Henry Yewbeam by putting Manfred and Asa on the wrong tracks so that she and Olivia could save him. She is not a major character in the books, and left Bloor's after a while.

Uncle Paton is Charlie's kind great-uncle. He is the mentor of the good endowed children at Bloor's and is always willing to help. His endowment is Power-Boosting, which often causes light bulbs to explode; this is why he hardly ever goes out during the day. Paton and Miss Ingledew (Emma Tolly's aunt) are in love. He discovered his power when he was seven years old. During his birthday party, he was so excited that he burst all of the light bulbs around him, and everyone had to go home. His sisters were delighted.

Cook is one of Charlie's friends and the "lodestone," whose job is to keep the balance of endowed children at Bloor's. Her real name is Treasure and she has a sister named Pearl. Cook has many rooms under Bloor's Academy. Cook has the power of good luck and grace. She takes care of Blessed (semi-bad dog), who is actually owned by Ezekiel Bloor. When she puts her mind to something, not even the staff can stop her.

Mr. Orville Onimous and Mrs. Onoria Onimous are the small owners of the Pets' Cafe on Frog Street. They repeatedly help Charlie and his friends throughout the series, and also care for the flame cats, Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius, who happened to be the Red King's leopards. Mr. Onimous is endowed but it never says exactly with what.

Naren Bloor is Bartholomew Bloor's adopted daughter. She is descended from the Red King's grandson who was abducted by pirates and taken to China. Naren can send messages through shadows. She first appeared in Book 5.

Una Onimous is Mr. Onimous's five year old niece. She is endowed, but her talent is unknown as the Onimouses are keeping her endowment a secret until it is fully developed. It seems, however, that her power is invisibility, although this has not been confirmed.

Alice Angel is a white witch who helped Olivia finally accept her endowment. She only appears in Book 4. She was a good friend of Christopher Crowquill, and used to run Angel Flowers, a flower shop near the Pets' Cafe. She had been the decorator of Olivia's christening, and found what her endowment was when a voice in her head spoke to her.

The Evil

Manfred Bloor is Charlie's arch-enemy, and the son of the Headmaster. He was once a hypnotist; put the peak of this power had been age nine. He has now lost this power, but is in the process of becoming a fire-bringer (the same as his ancestor Borlath), has hypnotized Lyell Bone and Emma Tolly for long periods of time. He had been working with Zelda Dobinski ever since, except for the fact that she graduated. Manfred used to be the head boy, but is now the teacher's assistant. Asa Pike had idolized him in the past, but the present is uncertain.

Eustacia Yewbeam is the second of Charlie's great-aunts. She is a clairvoyant. Once, she had posed as a sitter in Benjamin Brown's house while his parents were away, and let Asa Pike in the house to attack Runner Bean.

Venetia Yewbeam is the youngest of Charlie's great-aunts. She is a designer of magic clothes, and used to have a man stuck in the attic of her house. She used to be a smart woman, known to be frequently wearing red boots, but the arson of her home changed her completely. Now, she only thinks of vengeance against Charlie and Uncle Paton. Venetia is hinted to have been teaching Dorcas Loom.

Zelda Dobinski is an enemy of Charlie's. She is of Polish descent. Telekinetic. Seems to have a crush on Manfred. Extremely jealous of Manfred's crush Lydia Pieman. Later is discovered to be a math genius and leaves Bloor's to go to a university.

Joshua Tilpin is a spy for Bloor's. His parents are Matthew Tilpin and Miss Chrystal. His endowment is Magnetism, which draws people and objects towards him. He used it to lure Tancred to him, but Charlie and his friends countered that by making him so revolting that most people were repelled of him.

Idith and Inez Branko are Charlie's enemies. Very rarely show facial expression. Telekinetic. Distantly related to Zelda Dobinski. They are described as looking like "china dolls."

Dorcas Loom is an enemy of Charlie's. At the beginning of the series, her side was uncertain, but she became quite mean later. Her magical talent is the ability to bewitch clothes; her bewitched belt almost killed Miss Ingledew (Emma's aunt). She is a big fan of Charlie's great aunt Venetia's work: creating magic clothes.

Beth Strong is a telekinetic. She comes from a line of circus performers. She leaves the Bloor's between Second Book and Third Book. Beth has not been seen since.

Yolanda Yewbeam was the daughter of Yorath Yewbeam and Vera Kuragina (now deceased). She died when Paton Yewbeam electrocuted her. Yolanda inherited her father's castle and she also is a shape-shifter. She was discovered in book three to be posing as a girl called "Belle".

Usher de Grey is the husband of Florence (see below), and possesses the endowment of barriers, or force fields. He had used those to keep Billy prisoner inside the Passing House when he and Florence had "adopted" Billy. However, it should be noted that although his endowment is quite strong and unpleasant, it could be easily surpassed by the Red King's leopards, namely Leo, Aries, and Sagittarius.

Florence de Grey is an ally of the Bloors'. She is the keeper of oaths, which are usually kept for people who had borrowed money. She would dip the oath in a poison possessed by evil spirits, so if one broke an oath, they would feel an excruciating pain, which can cripple one for life. An example of this would be Billy. Billy had given Gabriel a button from his new home, and he had been stricken with that pain for doing so. She is married to Usher de Grey.

Other

Amy Bone is Charlie's mom, a kind mother who works part-time at a market to help support herself and her son. She lives on the money her in-laws provide. In the fifth book she is hyponotized by a enchanter.

Maisie is Charlie's maternal grandmother. She was always a bit jealous of the Yewbeams for their magical heritage until she discovered that she was related to a Welsh magician Mathonwy.

Grandma Bone, whose first name is Grizelda, is Charlie's paternal grandmother. Her siblings are Paton, Lucretia, Venetia and Eustacia. She is a horrible grandmother who is always trying to persuade Charlie to tell her things, and she always sneaks into his room. She seeks to emulate her three sisters and behaves subserviently toward them.

Lucretia Yewbeam is the eldest of Charlie's great-aunts and the younger sister of Grandma Bone. She is unendowed, but is just as nasty as her sisters. When her mother died under mysterious circumstances in Yewbeam castle, Lucretia and her sisters stayed and lived with Yolanda. She is the matron of Bloor's Academy.

Fidelio Gunn is a good friend of Charlie's and an amazing violin player, although not magically endowed. He tutors Charlie in music to help him prepare for enrollment at Bloor's. Fidelio's home is generally filled with the clamor of the many musicians in his large family.

Benjamin Brown is Charlie's all-time best friend. Ben doesn't go to Bloor's, but he did just return from an eight-month trip to Hong Kong. He owns a dog named Runner Bean. It should be noted in book 1 Paton says he may be a child of the Red King possibly meaning he may be endowed.

Doctor Harold Bloor is the Headmaster of Bloor's Academy. He has no magical endowment, but his physical image is very intimidating to most people. His side seems to be that of the bad, but this is debatable.

Lyell Bone is Charlie's father, who disappeared in 1992 after "breaking the rules." Lyell was unendowed; he went to Bloor's because of his talent in piano. Gabriel says that he is not dead, but lost. In the fifth book, it is found that he was hypnotized and transformed into "Mr. Pilgrim," a very spacey, quiet teacher in Bloors. He is reunited with his family at the end of Book 5.

Miss Ingledew is Emma Tolly's aunt and owner of Ingledew's bookshop. She originally gave Charlie Bone the invention that would later unhypnotize her niece, Emma - whom she is reunited with at the end of Book 1. She is in love with Charlie's uncle Paton.

Bartholomew Bloor is Dr. Bloors' father, Ezekiel's son. He supposedly disappeared in the Alps' during a climb. He is married to an Asian woman named Meng, and they have together adopted Naren. Bartholomew was a close friend to Charlie's father. He is considered the black sheep in the family (or white, depending on which way you look at it).

Miss Chrystal is a violin teacher at Bloor's Academy. At first, it was thought that she was on the side of good, but in Charlie Bone and the Hidden King, it is revealed that she is indeed evil, when she released "the shadow" from the Red King's portrait using the Mirror of Amoret. She was once in love with Charlie's father, Lyell Bone, but he was in love with Amy (Charlie's mother). Afterward she married Matthew Tilpin and had a son, Joshua Tilpin. She is descended from the Red King's eldest daughter Lilith and her husband, the evil Count Harken Badlock alias "the shadow". A dark witch.

Count Harken Badlock/The Shadow is a nine hundred year old spirit, which is known as "the shadow". He was the man who taught five of the king's children to torture and murder. He married the king's eldest daughter, "Lilith".

Skarpo is a wizard that Charlie first visits in the first novel and then throughout the series.

Trivia

In Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy, Jenny Nimmo spells churches as "chuches".
In "Charlie and the Castle of Mirrors", Jenny Nimmo spells curb as "kerbs". There is nothing unusual about this: 'kerb' is the British way of spelling it.
In "Charlie Bone and the Hidden King", Jenny Nimmo spells picnics as "picnies"
Jenny Nimmo has given a review for the book, The Revenge of the Shadow King by Derek Benz and J.S Lewis.
Leo, Aries, and Sagittarius (the Red King's leopards, aka the Flames) are named after the Fire signs of the Zodiac.

Charlie's Family Tree

Charlie Bone is descended from The Red King, a powerful magician who was born over 900 years ago, specifically from his youngest daughter, Amoret, while his closest relatives, the Bloors, are descended from his eldest son, Borlath, making him closely related to all of the other endowed. His family are as follows.

The Originals ('historical personages' from within the books):

The Knight from Toledo (b. ?, d. ?) Unendowed, father-in-law of The Red King.

Queen Berenice (b. ?, d. ?) Daughter of the Knight from Toledo, wife of The Red King. Died and was brought back to life by Ezekiel Bloor after being mistaken for Borlath and now lives in her favourite horse's body.

The Red King (b. ?, d. ? still living in the form of a tree) His powers are (not exclusive): speaking to animals, hypnotism ,fire-bringer, photo-traveling, designer of magic clothes, wizard, shape-shifting, magician, can feel emotions in clothing, can transform into a bird and fly, turns into a were-beast at dusk, can turn stones into super heated sparks and with-stand the heat, can call on his spirit ancestors, creating illusions, force field generation, can make powerful oaths that make people do whatever they have sealed in them unless the oaths are destroyed, weather-monger, power booster, clairvoyant, the endowment of luck and grace, telekinetic, invisibility, ability to make magic candles, and can quite probably do much much more as well. Father of ten children:

Amadis, Endowment is the ability to speak with animals. Ancestor of the Ravens and Crowquills.
Amoret, Youngest daughter of the Red King. Ancestor of the Yewbeams.
Borlath, Eldest son of the Red King. Endowment is fire. Ancestor of the Bloors.
Guanhamara Ancestor of the Silks and Vertigos.
Lilith, Eldest Daughter Married Count Harken Badlock ancestor of the Tilpins
Petrello.
Tollemeo.
Mathonwy (b. ?, d. ?) Welsh Wizard, friend of the Red King. Ancestor of Charlie's mum's family.
Scarpo (b. ?, d. ?) Wizard; from same generation as Red King because he said he stole Mathonwy's wand.
Crowquill, descendant of Amadis.
Charles Penybuck, mentioned by Paton in book 2, photo-traveler possibly who Charlie is named after.
Harken Badlock, married the King's daughter Lilith, enchanter
Owine, son of Amadis father of Crowquill.
Luigi Salatati, painter of the Red King's painting, descendant of Guanhamara.

The First Generation consists of:

Beatrice Bloor (b. 1835), a witch and sister of:
Bertram Babington Bloor (b. 1840), a scientist-magician and husband of :
Donatella Da Vinci (b. 1845), an assisting magician, electrocuted during an experiment.
Yorath Yewbeam (b. 1850), a still living (until the fourth book?) shape-shifter and husband of:
Vera Kuragina (b. 1862), a hypnotist.

The Second Generation consists of:

Gideon Bloor (b. 1875), an unendowed mathematician son of Bertram Babington and Donatella Bloor, and husband of:
Gundrun Solensson (b. 1876), amateur singer and sister-in-law to:
Grace Bloor (b. 1885, d. 1965), unendowed painter daughter of Bertram Babington and Donatella Bloor, and wife to:
Manley Yewbeam (b. 1884, d. 1918), solider, son of Yorath and Vera Yewbeam and brother to:
Yolanda Yewbeam (b. 1900, d. 2003), a shape-shifter and hypnotist (and seems to have a limited amount of magical clothes designing), daughter of Yorath and Vera Yewbeam.

The Third Generation consists of:

Ezekiel "Zeke" Bloor (b. 1902), magician, son of Gideon and Gundrun Bloor and husband of:
Hilda Hansoff (b. 1902), botanist, poisoned by a rare plant.
Henry Yewbeam (b. 1905), unendowed, son of Manley and Grace Bloor, sucked in by the Time-Twister and brother to:
Daphne Yewbeam (b. 1908, d. 1916), clairvoyant, daughter of Manley and Grace Bloor, died of diphtheria and sister to:
James Yewbeam (b. 1910), unendowed historian, son of Manley and Grace Bloor and husband to:
Solange Sourzac (b. 1912, d. 1964), French actress, broke her neck when Yolanda pushed her down the stairs of her castle.

The Fourth Generation consists of:

Meng (b. 1930), second wife to:
Bartholomew "Bart" Bloor (b. 1930), unendowed mountaineer, son of Ezekiel and Hilda Bloor, thought to be lost in the Himalayas and first husband to:
Mary Chance (b. 1930), impoverished dancer, danced to death when Bart was thought dead.
Maisie Jones (b. 1935), unendowed widow.
Montgomery "Monty" Bone (b. 1937, d. 1963), pilot and husband to :
Grizelda Yewbeam (b. 1927), unendowed, daughter of James and Solange Yewbeam and sister to:
Lucretia Yewbeam (b. 1942), unendowed matron, daughter of James and Solange Yewbeam and sister to:
Eustacia Yewbeam (b. 1942), clairvoyant, daughter of James and Solange Yewbeam and sister to:
Venetia Yewbeam (b. 1952), magical clothes designer, daughter of James and Solange Yewbeam and sister to:
Paton Yewbeam (b. 1957), power-booster, son of James and Solange Yewbeam.
Usher De Grey, force field generator, former adoptive father of Billy and husband to:
Florence De Grey, a witch who can create powerful "oaths" that force people to do whatever they have sealed, unless the oath is destroyed. Former adoptive mother of Billy and wife to the former.

The Fifth Generation consists of:

Harold Bloor (b. 1955), unendowed, son of Bartholomew and Mary Bloor and husband to:
Dorothy De Vere (b. 1957), violinist.
Lyell Bone (b. 1962), pianist, son of Monty and Grizelda Bone, went under the guise of Mr. Pilgrim while hypnotized by Manfred. Husband of:
Amy Jones (b. 1967), unendowed, daughter of Maisie Jones.
Naren Bloor, shadow-sender, adopted daughter of Bartholomew and Mary Bloor.
Orvill Onimous, unknown, co-owner of the Pet Cafe and husband to:
Onoria Onimous, unknown, co-owner of the Pet Cafe.
Christopher Crowquill, Billy's guardian supposedly died when he and Yorath fell off a cliff, a duck was in the water, which may have been Yorath. Ability to make magic candles.
Treasure a.k.a. Cook, the endowment of luck and grace.
Pearl, Cook's sister, also has the endowment of luck and grace.
Chrystal Tilpin, thought that to be on the side of good, was revealed to be evil, a dark witch. She was the wife to:
Matthew Tiplin, former husband to Chrystal and father of Joshua.
Alice Angel, a white witch who helps others find their endowment.
Julia Ingledew, Emma Tolly's aunt. Unendowed.
Nancy Ingledew, Emma's mother, dead.
Dr. Mostyn Tolly, an inventor and Emma's father. Also dead.
Rufus Raven, biological father of Billy.

The Sixth Generation consists of:

Manfred Bloor (b. 1985), hypnotist and fire-bringer, son of Harold Bloor and Dorothy de Vere.
Charles "Charlie" Bone (b. 1992), picture traveler, son of Lyell Bone and Amy Jones.
Billy Raven, speaks to animals.
Lysander Sage, can call up his spirit ancestors.
Samuel Sparks formerly; Mr. Baldova, the ability to turn stones into super-heated sparks, and can sustain their heat
Ollie Sparks, unendowed brother of Samuel Sparks.
Tancred Torson, weather-monger.
Emma Tolly, can transform into a bird.
Olivia Vertigo, illusionist; may be distantly related to Gabriel.
Una Onimous, invisibility.
Dorcas Loom, magical clothes designer.
Bindi loom, endowment unknown.
Asa Pike, turns into a were-beast at dusk.
Gabriel Silk, can feel emotions within clothing; may be distantly related to Olivia.
Beth Strong, telekinetic.
Zelda Dobinski, telekinetic.
Idith Branko, telekinetic, distantly related to Zelda.
Inez Branko, telekinetic, distantly related to Zelda.
Joshua Tilpin, magnetism, attracts both physical objects and people.
June Silk, unendowed sister of Gabriel.
May Silk, unendowed sister of Gabriel.
April Silk, unendowed sister of Gabriel.

Charlie's father

Charlie Bone's father (Lyell Bone) disappeared when Charlie was very young. Supposedly, he was dead, but when Gabriel Silk, the clothes psychic, wore a tie that had belonged to Charlie's father, he found out that Lyell was not dead, but lost. It is later found out that Lyell Bone tried to interfere with the giving away of Emma Tolly, another endowed child at Bloor's Academy, and as punishment, he was hypnotized by Manfred Bloor and wiped of his memories. He then became the Bloor's Academy piano teacher known as Mr. Pilgrim. Although Charlie saw him almost every day, he did not know what his father looked like so he could not recognize him. Lyell was brought out of his trance and reunited with the Bones at the end of Charlie Bone and the Hidden King.