Summer Reading Featured Book #7

Book #7: Half Magic by Edward Eager

Half Magic was a Book Buddies Book Club pick in May of 2010.  I loved this book and have gone on to enjoy many other books by Edward Eager.

It all begins with a strange coin on a sun-warmed sidewalk. Jane finds the coin, and because she and her siblings are having the worst, most dreadfully boring summer ever, she idly wishes something exciting would happen.

And something does: Her wish is granted.

Or not quite. Only half of her wish comes true.

It turns out the coin grants wishes - but only by half, so that you must wish for twice as much as you want.

Wishing for two times some things is a cinch, but other doubled wishes only cause twice as much trouble. What is half of twice a talking cat? Or to be half-again twice not-here? And how do you double your most heartfelt wish, the one you care about so much that it has to be perfect?

May Meeting Wrap-Up

The Book Buddies Book Club met today for the final meeting of this school year. We had a terrific meeting and book discussion of our book, Half Magic by Edward Eager. We also had cupcakes and cookies to celebrate!

Half Magic was written in 1954 so we began by discussing the things in the story that felt outdated and the things that we thought felt very current. Some thought Martha's adventure which began at the movie theater was a little outdated but overall we felt that the story could have been written today.

A few members identified the most with Jane because she is the oldest sibling (like they are) but a few believed themselves to be most like Katherine, someone they saw as very smart and good at making decisions.

We all loved and totally agreed with the children's assessment of grownups (pages 122) and have experienced grownups like these in our own lives. :)

We all liked Mr. Smith but understood Jane's inital reaction to him. She remembers their biological father the most and it's hard for her to think of him being "replaced." But Mr. Smith is such a likeable guy and so fun to be around (and a believer in magic - rare in an adult) that it made sense for her to come around in the end.

We've all heard the expression "Be Careful What You Wish For" and we talked about what that means and why getting your wish might not always be the best thing. We looked at examples in the story of wishes that didn't go very well, from Carrie, the talking cat, to what happened to the children's mother in the newspaper office.

Our favorite parts of the story were Katherine's wish to travel back in time to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. We were also intrigued by Jane's wish to be part of another family. That adventure turned out to be more scary than anything and made us think hard about making wishes, especially making impulsive wishes.

We all loved Half Magic and would recommend the book to our friends. Overall it was a great meeting and a great way to end the year!

Thanks to all the Book Buddies Club members for participating this year!

Meeting Reminder

Just a reminder that the Book Buddies Book Club will meet this Monday, May 24th at 3:30pm to discuss Half Magic by Edward Eager and to celebrate the end of another great year of reading! All who have participated in book club this year are welcome to attend. Special treats will be served!

See you Monday!

Magic Books

In Half Magic, four children experience magic one summer after double-wishing on an ancient coin. The children's department has many, many books about magic and wishing. Here are a few magical books you might enjoy:

The Magic Half by Annie Barrows

Eleven-year-old Miri Gill feels left out in her family, which has two sets of twins and her, until she travels back in time to 1935 and discovers Molly, her own lost twin, and brings her back to the present day.

Ibby's Magic Weekend by Heather Dyer

While visiting her two troublemaking cousins, Ibby learns about a magic box the boys found in the attic in their country home. She soon stumbles upon the strange tale of Uncle Godfrey, a professional magician who mysteriously vanished many years ago.

Drizzle by Kathleen Van Cleve

When a drought threatens her family's magical rhubarb farm, eleven-year-old Polly tries to find a way to make it rain again.

Any Which Wall by Laurel Snyder

In the middle of an Iowa cornfield, four children find a magic wall that enables them to travel through time and space.

Wish: Wishing Traditions Around the World by Roseanne Thong

There of many delightful ways children from cultures around the world help their wishes come true. From birthday candles to giant kites to lucky pennies, here are 15 fascinating ways to make a wish, whether big or small.

Author Edward Eager

Edward Eager (1911 - 1964), the author of our May book, Half Magic (1954), worked primarily as a playwright and lyricist before becoming a children's book author in 1951. He wrote 10 books for children including the 7-book Tales of Magic series of which Half Magic is the first.

Knight's Castle (1956)

Four children are whisked away by a magical toy soldier to a land of chivalry and knighthood but keep muddling the course of history.

Magic by the Lake (1957)

On a vacation with their mother and stepfather, Jane, Mark, Katharine, and Martha find themselves overwhelmed with a lakeful of magical adventures after Mark captures an ancient turtle that seems to have extraordinary powers.

The Time Garden (1958)

While spending the summer in a house by the sea, four cousins, Roger, Ann, Eliza, and Jack, discover a bank of wild thyme whose magic propels them on a series of adventures back and forth through time.

Magic or Not? (1959)

An old well that might be magical makes an exciting summer for James and Laura and helps them right an ancient wrong.

The Well-Wishers (1960)

An old wishing well has a magical effect on a group of children.

Seven-Day Magic (1962)

A group of children must learn a magical book's rules and how to tame the book's magic.

May Book Selection

The Book Buddies Book Club will get together for the last meeting of this school year on Monday, May 24th at 3:30pm in the John Clarke Children's Program Room. We will be celebrating another great year of books and reading with an end-of-year party. All who have participated in the book club this year are welcome to attend.

Our May book will be Half Magic by Edward Eager.

"It all begins with a strange coin on a sun-warmed sidewalk. Jane finds the coin, and because she and her siblings are having the worst, most dreadfully boring summer ever, she idly wishes something exciting would happen.

And something does: Her wish is granted.

Or not quite. Only half of her wish comes true.

It turns out the coin grants wishes - but only by half, so that you must wish for twice as much as you want.

Wishing for two times some things is a cinch, but other doubled wishes only cause twice as much trouble. What is half of twice a talking cat? Or to be half-again twice not-here? And how do you double your most heartfelt wish, the one you care about so much that it has to be perfect?"