My kids and I are fans of the Absolutely Mindy show on Kids Place Live on Sirus/XM radio. And one of Mindy’s frequent guests is Peter Glassman the owner of Books of Wonder, New York City’s “oldest and largest independent children’s bookstore, as well as the city’s leading specialist in children’s literature both new and old.”
Last week while driving to the library, we caught the tail end of a review by Peter Glassman about a book called Half Magic
by Edward Eager. My daughter and I thought it sounded interesting so we looked for it at the library and started reading it that night. We’re about halfway through it and we are completely addicted so far!
Half Magic is the fascinating and funny story of three sisters and a brother who find an ancient coin on the sidewalk that grants its bearer wishes – but only half of each wish comes true. Hilarity ensues as the children try to figure out how to wish for exactly twice of what they really want to receive a full, complete wish. They travel through time and have other madcap adventures, as they dream up all sorts of wishes.
What I love about this book is that, although it was written in 1954, it’s timeless. If I hadn’t looked at the copyright date I would have assumed this book was recently published. The plot isn’t dated at all. It could take place today just as easily as in the 50s. The prose is lovely, sprinkled with words whose meanings my daughter and I don’t always know, so we have fun looking them up and discussing their definitions.
If you’re searching for a smart and exciting book that will ignite your child’s imagination, check out Half Magic by Edward Eager.
