Amazon.com: Seven-Day Magic (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) (9780613223638): Edward Eager, N. M. Bodecker: Books

Review

It's hard for any book with magic in it not to pale next to the Harry Potter phenomenon. However, Seven- Day Magic can just about stoop to the challenge. Five children discover a mysterious red book at the library and eventually they discover that it's writing the story of their own wishful adventures--a story they make up as they go, and then witness coming to life in the red book's pages. Along their way, the children meet a dragon, a wizard, and the baby and little girl from Half Magic, another Eager book. Another adventure starts when the children are transported back in time with grandmother and nearly perish in a blizzard. Disaster almost strikes again when the friends wish themselves at a television rehearsal and it nearly costs one of their fathers his job on a show. The children return the book to the library and wonder who will find it next. Although written nearly forty years ago, Seven-Day Magic has a timeless feel, even if the adventures seem a bit tame by modern standards. 1999 (orig. ) (Children's Literature ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Edward Eager was a playwright and lyricist who turned his hand to children's books after reading the stories of the great British fantasist E. Nesbit. His seven books remain among the most popular children's fantasies ever written by an American.

N. M. Bodecker, an illustrator and author of children's books, died of cancer of the colon Feb. 1 at his home in Hancock, N.H. He was 66 years old.

For many years Mr. Bodecker's illustrations appeared in Harper's magazine, as well as The Saturday Evening Post, Esquire and Holiday.

He also illustrated books for adults and children's books by other authors, but he was best known for the many children's books that he wrote and illustrated himself. Awards for Poetry.

Niels Mogens Bodecker was born and educated in Copenhagen. He emigrated to the United States after World War II and lived for 20 years in New York City and Westport, Conn., before moving to Hancock in 1972.

He is survived by three sons, Alexander, of Portland, Ore., Torsten, of San Francisco, and Niels, of Hancock.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The "Magic" of Books, July 20, 2001

julip510 (Louisville, KY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Seven-Day Magic (Books for Young Readers) (Paperback)

John, Susan, Barnaby (never Barney!), Abbie and Fredericka just LOVE books! Every Saturday is a self-proclaimed “Book Day” and they head to the local library to check out exciting books. As the story opens, they are all sitting in the local library discussing their desire to find a magic book. When it is time to check out their books, Susan grabs a battered red leather-bound book from the shelf, almost as an after-thought. As the librarian checks out the books, she stamps the red book, eyes the children curiously, and states, “THIS is a 7 Day book.” With that the adventures begin. In this book, Mr. Eager pays homage to the great children’s author Edith Nesbit and even mentions the Oz books…among many other popular and historical literary references. The magic in this book isn’t the “do-gooder” magic used as a basis for his books “Magic or Not?” and “The Well-Wishers” …in fact, this book even has a dragon! A fine book in the tradition of magic themed books for children and one of Eager’s better works.

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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unforgettable, August 4, 2000

Haley Parnham (NJ) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)

This review is from: Seven-Day Magic (Books for Young Readers) (Paperback)

I first read this book over 35 years ago and to this day I can remember the joy I got from it. The magic of this and other books by Edward Eager is the way he weaves the adventures of magic into the lives of ordinary children. Seven Day Magic is a must-read for any child who has an imagination (what child doesn't, is what I want to know!). As you travel through this story with Susan, John, Barnaby, Abbie, and Fredericka you find yourself hoping the next book you check out from the library has the same magical formula as the one they find. This is a fun book to read with your parents (or with your kids). Enjoy!

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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Meet a Meta-Fantasy, July 20, 2002

Michael Weber "fairportfan" (Atlanta) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Seven-Day Magic (Books for Young Readers) (Paperback)

By "meta-fantasy", i mean that this is a fantasy about fantasy -- even referencing the author's own fiction *as* fiction.

And it is hilarious. As soon as Susan begins reading aloud from the seven-day book that she checked out of the library on a whim... nd reads the opening paragraphs of the book that the reader is already holding in his hands, we know we're in for a strange ride, indeed, even for Edward Eager, who gave us "Half Magic" (in which there is a magic charm which grants one-half of what one wishes; a wish to visit a desert island puts one in the Sahara -- "Desert, yes -- island, no.") and "The Time Garden" (in which one set of magically-adventuring children rescue another set from another of his books from cannibals).

So first read the "Half Magic" books (currently available as a boxed set), then grab this one and fasten your seat belts, keep arms and hands inside the car at all times, and enjoy the ride.

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