Life Magic [Hardcover]

Melrose Cooper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1996 | Age Level: 9 and up

Crystal's strong family helps her deal with being put in a remedial reading class and discovering that Uncle Joe is dying of AIDS.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6. Crystal's uncle Joe is dying of AIDS. The story line doesn't provide much factual information about the virus and considerably underplays the progression of the disease that results in the death of a beloved family member. Readers never know how the man got HIV/AIDS. The family and general community appear to just understand his health status. While acceptance of HIV-positive people is an important goal, it seems unrealistic that his three nieces would not ask a whole series of questions. The story tends to duck other issues as well, such as the disappearance and reentry of the father into Crystal's family life. The overall tone is amazingly cheerful from an adult standpoint. Crystal's grief when her uncle dies is perhaps the most realistic portion of the novel. The general theme of the book, Crystal's desire to be special, and the general lighthearted tone, provides an odd counterpoint to the issues of death and dying surrounding her.?Melissa Gross, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4^-6. Crystal feels humiliated that she has to spend time in the sixth-grade remedial reading class, especially since her older sister is always winning prizes at school. It helps her a lot when her beloved uncle Joe comes back home; he's an artist, and he always makes her feel special and important. But then she discovers that he is dying of AIDS. As in her Life Riddles (1994), Cooper creates a warm African American extended family in a supportive urban community. They see each other through hard times. It's a bit far-fetched that Crystal discovers her latent artistic talent after her uncle dies, but her grief is heartfelt, and there's no slick comfort there, even as she moves through the stages from denial to howling sorrow and, finally, some acceptance. Her aunt's wise epigrams are preachy ("Sometimes when one door shuts, another one opens" ), but they do say what the people in the story experience. An excellent bibliotherapy book to help middle-schoolers talk about AIDS and cope with the death of a loved one. Hazel Rochman

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 115 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holth & Co (J); 1st edition (October 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805041141
• ISBN-13: 978-0805041149
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,391,089 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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