No More Magic [Hardcover]

Avi Wortis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 12, 1975

While searching for his bicycle that disappeared on Halloween, a young boy and his two friends become involved in a magic adventure.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Available again in a new Knopf Paperback edition, Newbery honor winner Avi's first novel for young readers is a tale so intricate "even a witch couldn't anticipate the final twists of this plot!--Kirkus --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 138 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (July 12, 1975)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394930843
• ISBN-13: 978-0394930848
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,846,163 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Avi has published more than sixty books. Among them is Crispin: The Cross of Lead, winner of the 2003 Newbery Medal. Other novels with nineteenth-century settings, like The Traitors' Gate -- his grand nod to the work of Charles Dickens -- are listed before the title page, and include the Newbery Honor Book, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Avi and his family live in Denver, Colorado.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This was a great mystery, appropriate for kids of all ages!, June 29, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: No More Magic (Paperback)

I enjoyed this book very much. I like stories where there is a hint of magic mixed in with realism. The subject matter was good: about a boy's stolen bike. Sometimes I don't like to see kids' books with murder and mayhem in them. Yet even though it was purely kids' subject matter, the kid characters were interesting and well rounded, the adults believable, and the story intelligent. Lots of fun!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More of Avi's magic, September 17, 2004

By 

E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: No More Magic (Paperback)

Avi has come a long way, baby. Today he has produced countless picture books, middle reader books, and young adult books for masses of children everywhere. He's won Newbery Honors, a Newbery Award, and copious amounts of praise and veneration. And to think it all started with a little early reader book called "No More Magic". Originally written in 1975, the book has all the spunk and catchy writing you'd expect in an Avi creation. It won a Special Award from the Mystery Writers of America when it was first published and remains a beloved book by many to this day. If you've a kid who loves mystery books but has tired of Cam Jansen, Encyclopedia Brown, or Chet Gecko and wants to try something a little different, "No More Magic" may be right up their alley.

It all begins with a bike. Chris's bike. Which is to say, the disappearance of Chris's bike. A special kind of creation, Chris bought the green colored contraption from a nearby junk yard once and has loved it ever since. Unfortunately, it appears that he left it out on Halloween night and it has somehow disappeared. His father, a librarian, advises Chris to, "get the questions right before you get the answers wrong". So begins Chris's attempts to solve a particularly engrossing mystery. Before he knows it he's tracking down a warlock, befriending a girl in a Druid coat, accusing his best friend of involvement, and seeing his bike fly high past the moon. Though his parents are telling him there's no such thing as magic, Chris is setting out to prove them wrong. And to get his bike back too.

Though originally written in 1975, the book has held up exceedingly well. This might be partly because so much of what it has to say has remained so timeless. With the resurgence of interest in super heroes, even the sections talking about Batman and the Green Lantern still work (or they do if your child watches the Cartoon Network's new "Justice League" show). The only datable elements that remain are prices. A new bike, we are informed, usually costs $20. And no one, I guess, wears a helmet while riding one. Yet beyond that, the book is as fresh as a daisy. The characters are realistic and interesting. The mystery fresh and fascinating. Avi has set himself up with the monumentally difficult task of making the book realistic to both kids that do believe in magic and kids who don't. If your child wants to believe that something supernatural is behind the mysteries presented in "No More Magic", it's not a problem. If, on the other hand, they don't, it's also not a problem. This book may well be the perfect answer to those parents that disapprove of magic in children's books, yet have children who yearn to read about other realities. It could satisfy them both.

The book's an early reader, best for those kids that have started chapter books and want something on the level with "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing". I think they'll like it. It's a fabulous autumnal book as well, so definitely consider recommending it around Halloween time. Though it was the first thing he wrote, Avi knew what he was doing with "No More Magic" right from the start. An inauspicious debut by a now well known and well respected writer. Great reading for all.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Dull at times, but keeps you thinking..., February 11, 2000

By 

TENCHI (JAPAN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: No More Magic (Paperback)

Book Review for Avi's, No More Magic

No More Magic, by Avi, it is about a boy, age 11, named Chris and his friends Eddie and Muffin. In the book Chris's bike gets stolen from him and Muffin's costume gets stolen from her. They think the bike was stolen from Chris's house. Chris and his friends believe the bike was stolen by the junkyard owner, Mr. Bullen (who they think is a warlock) because it had magic. They are convinced of this because an old man named Mr. Podler, who likes to drink, told them that he saw a warlock riding the bike on Halloween.

My favorite scene in the book was when they got the bike out of the water. I liked the scene because it was funny to see little kids pull a bike out of the water. I think that was an important scene in the book because Chris and his friends got the bike back. This was the first step in helping them solve the mystery.

I would recommend this book to students in the 6th grade. I think this book is exciting, interesting and keeps you thinking. However, it was also boring at times. I give this book 2 stars.

Submitted by David Apfelbaum