Magical Mischief

June 1, 2011

What happens when magic goes berserk?

In the case of Mr. Hardbattle's old and dusty bookshop, where magic has taken up residence, its behavior is erratic, ranging from mischievous to uncontrollable. Staples play a skipping game, books read themselves and thumbtacks attack bare feet. That's tame, though, compared to inanimate objects' coming to life, the second-to-last step's turning to custard and, worst of all, The Smell (individually offensive to each person who comes into the shop). When Mr. Hardbattle ventures forth to find a new home for the magic, Miss Quint and schoolboy Arthur take over the shop and discover they can bring book characters to life. Bedlam ensues when a motley collection of fictional creations overruns the bookshop, and three miscreants engineer a series of burglaries. How to foil uppity Mrs. Voysey-Brown, Jimmy the bellhop and Mr. Claggitt, a mountaineer? A plot to catch them in the act works and everyone and everything returns to (almost) normal. In the thick of the twists, the magic itself becomes a character, directing and redirecting the action, which is most of the fun here. Though the novelis set in the quaint (fictional) English town of Plumford and oozes English coziness from every pore, it has, alas, been Americanized—a shame.

Blimey, no Harry Potter competition here, just a light encounter with British humor no amount of American vocabulary can disguise. (Magical adventure. 8-11)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

September 1, 2011

Gr 4-6-A dusty little bookshop run by aged Mr. Hardbattle is in danger of closing because most of the customers have been run off by a mischievous and smelly magic that has settled in every corner of Hardbattle Books. Then quirky Miss Quint and a boy named Arthur team up with the owner to try to save the shop before it's too late. While Mr. Hardbattle tries to find a new home for the magic, things back at the shop go haywire when Miss Quint wishes book characters to life. One of them, a girl named Susan, helps Miss Quint and Arthur as they battle against the characters run amok in the bookstore and the town. The characters are well developed and likable, and the story leaves some loose ends for possible sequels. A sweet blend of magic, with a taste of mystery, this spellbinding tale flows smoothly and will keep fantasy lovers hooked.-Michele Shaw, Quail Run Elementary School, San Ramon, CA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2011
Grades 4-6 Magic has always lent a certain charm to Mr. Hardbattles quaint bookshop, but when the magics peculiar stench becomes overwhelming and its pranks get out of hand, he decides to take action. His friends, young Arthur and spinster Miss Quint, agree to look after the shop while he is away searching for the magics new home. Then, characters from books appear in the flesh and leave the shop, sauntering off into the town for their own lawless adventures, and events begin to spiral out of control. Many charming details create their own sort of magic in this unusual story, though the pacing lags at times, and Arthur often takes a backseat to the adult characters. With an English setting, an appealing jacket image, and a blithe assumption that magic is as real, idiosyncratic, and deserving of respect as Mr. Hardbattle himself, this chapter book should appeal to young readers who like their fantasy on the cozy side.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)