Characters and story

The mother of shy Henry sends him to Wizard's Hall where he can train to become a wizard. At the Hall he is renamed Thornmallow, suggesting that he is prickly on the outside yet soft inside. He becomes quite conspicuous as he covers a classroom in snow, yells during an orientation speech and has other embarrassing moments. He soon learns that he is one of 113 students who are being prepared to confront the evil wizard Nettle and his huge Beast. Thornmallow feels he may not be equal to the challenge.

Similarities with Harry Potter

Yolen has criticized the Harry Potter series. This is based on the similarities of the series with Wizard's Hall, published eight years before the first Harry Potter book.
Also, though Yolen did not mention it, like the ceilings of the bedrooms at Wizard's Hall of Yolen's eponymous book display a night sky full of stars, similar to the ceiling of Hogwarts in Rowling's 'Harry Potter' series, which changes according to the weather. Henry's friends not only include a red-haired boy, but also an unusually intelligent girl. Furthermore, the book also features a Beast that steals souls, much like Dementors.