Details
Synopsis
A wizard and his assistant cast a spell that ends up making the wizard disappear.
| Size | | Height: | 11.5 in | | Width: | 9.0 in | | Thickness: | 0.5 in | | Weight: | 14.4 oz |
Industry Reviews
Chanting in rhymes, a wizard prepares to cast a spell in Martin's (see review of Swish!, p. 200) "high energy, if slight, romp," said PW, noting that Schaefer's oils are "so full of activity that they fairly zip off the page." Ages 3-8. (Aug.)
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PreS-Gr 2 A lively wizard and his various assistants cast a spell, with much joy and playful mishaps along the way. The wizard briefly narrates: ``I flip. I flop. I dee-dip. I dop.'' Schaefer's oil-paint illustrations match the musicality of Martin's brief, rhyming text. Each double-page spread is full of swirling motion and humorous activity. The wizard's assistants are an amusing bunch: a beetle, a rat, a toad, an owl, and a green gremlinlike creature. They engage in amusing antics as the spell progresses. The toad skis on bubbles (while the wizard slides and slips on soap skates); the beetle tightrope walks across the ping-pong net. As the spell nears completion, the scene gets even wilder, culminating in an appropriate final spread: ``Poooooooof! I disappear!'' At times the rhythm of the text can be lost as readers pause at each spread to peruse the details. It takes some time to take in all that's going on before getting to the second half of the rhyme on the next spread. Since most kids will want to read the book more than once, they'll enjoy spotting the details the second time around. Steven Engelfried, West Lynn Library, OR
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