Magic by the Lake (Edward Eager's Tales of Magic) (Paperback)

~ Edward Eager (Author), N. M. Bodecker (Illustrator) "It was Martha who saw the lake first..." (more)
Key Phrases: dark young man, snake thing, blond young man, Chauncey Cutlass, Ali Baba, Cold Springs (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Be careful what you wish for" is an appropriate cliché for this story of four siblings who are vacationing near a lake full of magic. Jane, Mark, Katherine, and Martha spend the summer trying to tame the lake's magic with the help of a cranky old turtle, and find themselves swimming with mermaids and escaping from pirates. The children finally decide to use their magic to help someone close to them. Told with wit and humor, this story is lighter and less thought provoking than Tuck Everlasting, but is based on a similar theme of having too much of a good thing. One note of caution: originally published in 1957, one chapter finds Martha on an island with natives who are cannibals and speak an abbreviated form of English ("smallum, girlum, fattum," etc.) This portrays a negative stereotype that young readers (or parents and teachers) may find offensive. 1999 (orig.) (Children's Literature )

"The combination of real children and fantasy is convincing and funny." (Booklist )

"The combination of real children and fantasy is convincing and funny." - Booklist

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Review

"The combination of real children and fantasy is convincing and funny." - Booklist

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1st Harcourt Brace Young Classics ed edition (March 31, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152020772
• ISBN-13: 978-0152020774
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,145,240 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magic by the Lake, November 5, 2000

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Magic by the Lake (Paperback)

This was a really great book. It is about 4 children who visit a lake with their mom and Mr.Smith (their stepfather). Very strange things begin to happen when the children make magical wishes. They visit the South Pole, the Arabian desert, and a mysterious island. I recommend this book to all children who love magic.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical and Funny, a winning combination!, October 13, 2002

By	"lynkfri13" (Waltham, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magic by the Lake (Paperback)

~ - ~
~ I just introduced my nieces, ages 8-11, to the Edward Eager books, when they ran out of Harry Potter to read. They love them, as I did when I read them 30 years ago.
The adventures of these independent and adventurous children are always amusing and fun. There is usually enough sense of danger in the magical adventures to make them suspenseful, without being too frightening. I always enjoyed the author's ability to describe realistic brother and sister relationships. Some of the arguments in his stories remind me so much of squabbles with my own brother!

~ I think "Magic by the Lake" was my favorite. The adventures were very imaginative and fun to read. I loved the chapter in which two sisters wish to be "grown up"- unfortunately, they get their wish, at least temporarily!
These books are wonderful because they are no less fun now, then 2 generations ago, when they were written. This author should be on all kid's bookshelves!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!!!, April 29, 1999

By A Customer

This book is the sequel to Half Magic. It is GREAT!!! Jane, Mark, Kathrine, and Martha are on vacation and spend the summer in a cottage on a lake with their parents. They have no idea, though, that the lake is magic.