Skip to main content

Magical Kids

By
MAGICAL KIDS; Sally Gardner; New York: Dial, 2007; 92 and 106 pgs. Intermediate Fiction

Magical Kids is a back-to-back flip-over book of two stories, "The Strongest Girl in the World," and "The Invisible Boy." In the first eight-year-old Josie Jenkins feels a tingle in her arms and then pulls apart the iron fence rails so Billy Brand can get his head out. After that, she lifts cars, horses, and cement-filled barrels. When Mr. Two-Suit takes her to New York to do her tricks, nothing is fun anymore, and she and her family barely escape back to England.
In "The Invisible Boy," Sam's parents win a trip to Outer Space on the Star Shuttle, but when the shuttle goes missing, Sam is taken in by his next-door neighbor, the wicked Mrs. Hardbottom, who is after his parents' insurance money. But Sam has a secret ally in Splodge, the space alien who loves ketchup and whose space ship looks like a salad spinner. Both stories are characterized by the inspired silliness that kids love, and their is much to charm grownups here, as well. Great read-aloud!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) by Pamela Espeland & Elizabeth Verdick

By
If there's one book today's kids need to read, it is Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) . The authors provide a fun format for teaching etiquette to children. They discuss proper behavior at home, at school, at other people's homes and in public places. The information is completely up-to-date with cellphone manners and netiquette included. Fun, cartoony illustrations are on practically every page giving the book great visual appeal. This book is perfect for boys and girls in the fourth grade or older. WARNING: Bodily functions are discussed.
Post a Comment
Read more

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin

By loo
Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin Illustrated by Leslie Evans Charlesburg; 2009; unpaged Faces of the Moon is a short nonfiction book that describes the different phases of the moon and why the moon appears like it does on certain nights. This book is short and sweet so even the youngest of moon lovers will enjoy it. The layout is simplistic and easy to follow. I don’t know much about the moon so I found it very interesting.
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: The New Girl

By
The New Girl By Cassandra Calin New York: Graphix, 2024. Comic. 261 pages. 12-year-old Lia and her family have just moved from Romania to Montreal, and she's doing her best to keep up with the changes. But, she's homesick. She misses the rest of her family, her friends, and her favorite Romanian treats. She doesn't speak French and her English is shaky, which makes it hard to make friends, even in her international immersion class. And she's dealing with super painful menstrual cramps every month. But before long, Lia starts to hit her stride. She befriends the other bilingual girls in her class, she gets a spot as the artist for her school's magazine, and even has a new crush -- Julien. Though she may be the new girl, Lia is starting to fit in. This slice of life graphic novel is an adorable choice for middle grade readers and young teens. Lia is a likable protagonist and readers will have little difficulty relating to her adjustment to school. The text speaks to a...
Post a Comment
Read more