The Trouble with Magic

January 1, 2015

Gr 2-4-Fantasy author Chew knew how to tempt kids: spells, witches, wizards, and sea serpents were all to be found in her burgeoning bag of tricks. Starting in 2013, with No Such Thing as a Witch, and Three Witch Tales, and What the Witch Left, Random House has been rereleasing her books, jazzed up with new jacket art, under the series title "A Matter-of-Fact Magic Book." These offerings all retain Chew's classic black-and-white illustrations, and there's even an Easter egg for readers with a love of all things vintage (removing the dust jacket reveals the old covers by Chew, still intact). Each of these latest rereleases follows a different boy-girl pair through an exhilarating adventure, packed with whimsical details and kid-friendly thrills. In Magic in the Park, Jennifer, a newcomer to Brooklyn, explores Prospect Park with her friend Mike, discovering a strange-and possibly magical-old man who feeds the birds, while in The Would-be Witch, siblings Andy and Robin shrink down to the size of mice and ride a magical flying dustpan, only to find themselves in the company of witches. These titles will attract a new generation of budding fantasy fans. Look for new editions of Chew's other books, still to come.

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2013
Grades 3-5 When Barbara and her brother open an old bottle they have purchased at a Brooklyn supermarket, a wizard emerges genielike and enormous, before shrinking to become a genial man holding a black umbrella. The children hide the rather hapless wizard in their attic and protect him. After he introduces them to his friend George, a sea serpent in Prospect Park Lake, the adventures begin. While the colorful, new jacket art will draw readers, Chew's shadowy graphite drawings work their own magic throughout the book. First published in 1976, this amiable fantasy is like many of Chew's books in that it weaves magical adventures into everyday life. Satisfying fare for kids who enjoy gentle fantasies, the book will also suit younger children reading above grade level. Look for this edition along with several reprints of Chew's other stand-alone titles that have been unavailable for some time, including No Such Thing as a Witch (2013), What the Witch Left (2013), and Magic in the Park (2014).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)