I'm beginning to wonder whether I actually read The Merlin Conspiracy instead of The Spellcoats. I have definitely read The Crown of Dalemark (I remember being surprised by the trains), and at least one of the two first ones but I don't remember a found narrative. The trouble with a DWJ series is that if something doesn't make sense it could just as easily be something you just haven't understood yet, and if you're getting the books at irregular intervals it's harder to sit back and work it out.