Merlin was selected as the winner in the Extensive Reading Foundation's 2015 Language Learner Literature Awards in the Adolescents and Adults: Beginners category. Judges and voters said: "it would be a good beginner book for a student moving up to this level for the first time.not so overwhelming" "the whole story is written in present simple, making it simpler to follow for new beginner level students" "the drawings are eye-catching, which are quite helpful in understanding the story." it "combines advice for dealing with bullies with the attraction ofmagic".