Grasshopper Magic

April 15, 2013
Hollowstone Hill's magic (Lawn Mower Magic, 2012, etc.) returns in grasshoppers that, when fried and eaten, give Abner Willow an unexpected bounce. Abner needs to practice bravery in order to lead the annual Willow Days parade, costumed as the ancestor for whom he was named. The costumer, Mrs. Delgado, has assured the four Willow children that the grasshoppers they've caught are a delicacy in her home country and cooks them up for lunch. Both Abner and Tate try the baked versions. Soon they are exploring the advantages and disadvantages of being able to leap 20 times their height. When they realize that Mrs. Delgado's 2-year-old will also be bouncing uncontrollably, they set off to forestall an inevitable catastrophe, but the rescue is not what readers may have expected. Still, family teamwork triumphs again. This latest in a series which began with Hamster Magic (2010) stands alone well, with energy, humor and just enough suspense to carry readers along. Occasional grayscale illustrations will support the story. (Final art not seen.) The third-person narration includes plenty of dialogue and enough yuck factor to please any 8-year-old. But with the children's ages and grades unstated in this title, both early able readers and older struggling ones will find someone to identify with. With Celia, Derek and Abner all having played starring roles in the series, fans will be eager for Tate's turn. (Magical adventure. 6-9)

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August 1, 2013

Gr 2-4-The Willow children are back for more magical escapades in this easy chapter book. Abner is dismayed to learn that he has inadvertently volunteered to march in his town's historical festival, dressed as his namesake, General Abner Willow. What if he falls off the horse? Or forgets the lines to his speech? His siblings devise the perfect solution-he needs bravery practice, which comes in the form of baked grasshoppers. Mrs. Delgado, the seamstress who comes to the house to sew Abner's costume, is delighted when she sees the children catching grasshoppers. "Back in my home country, we would catch all the grasshoppers we could find. Then we would eat them like you eat pretzels!" Abner is horrified. Young readers will be happily grossed out as he and his sister chomp on some baked and salted grasshoppers, and they will be amazed to find the siblings springing 20 feet into the air after consuming them. Since grasshoppers begin as eggs laid underground, they were able to soak up all the magic that is located in the town's soil. While having grasshopper magic is fun at first, the children quickly realize that there is a problem-Mrs. Delgado took home some grasshoppers for her two-year-old son, and the children have to act quickly to stop him from eating them and bouncing away. Dorman's charming pen-and-ink illustrations do a fine job connecting readers to the story. While the magical elements might seem a bit contrived, the book's target audience will buy into these aspects without a lengthy explanation needed.-Lisa Kropp, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY

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