A Gift of Magic (Laurel-Leaf Books) (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "Nancy had been dreaming all night, and when she woke in the morning it was with the strange sensation that she had come back from..." (more)
Key Phrases: Miss Green, Madame Vilar, Tom Duncan (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

When the old woman died, she left her grandchild Nancy with the extraordinary gift of magic. Nancy can read people's minds, know their thoughts, and make them do what she wants. Will she use her gift for good, or satisfy her own selfish desire? From the bestselling author of "I Know What You Did Last Summer.".

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Laurel Leaf (June 8, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440228476
• ISBN-13: 978-0440228479
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #559,983 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #9 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( D ) > Duncan, Lois
  #12 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > Authors, A-Z > ( D ) > Duncan, Lois

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Gift of Magic by Lois Duncan, April 12, 2002

A Kid's Review

Flashback

To the oldest girl I give the gift of dance. To the boy I give the gift of music,
and to the girl, the one that looks like me, I give the gift of...

Nancy is furious. Her parents just got divorced and she and the rest of her family had to move to Florida, her mother's hometown. She is miserable. Her mother is spending all of her time with Tom Duncan, a boyfriend she used to have, and her only friend, her sister, spends all of her time at the dance studio. Nancy has nothing to do with her time and is a complete loaner, until she predicts the answers on the social studies quiz before they were even asked. That's when she finds out she, too, has a special gift. Now, all she needs to find out, is if she will use her powers for good or evil.

Mystery, suspense, and action are blended together to make this magical book, a heart-stopping adventure. I think this is not one of my favorite books that I have read by her, but Lois Duncan really describes everything in great detail so I had a large picture of the book when I was done reading. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in ESP, or just likes a good, fast, read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Annas Reviewe, January 21, 2005

A Kid's Review

I loved this book, it was exciting, and I never wanted to put it down. It's the best story I've read in years (other than the other Lois Duncan books.) The characters seem so real; I can picture everything that is going on.
In a Gift of Magic, Nancy has a special gift. She has ESP. She can go into other people's minds, and she knows who is on the phone, before it even rings! But now she can move things with her mind, and she's using it to get things her way. She doesn't want her sister Kirby, to go to Atlanta to become a professional dancer, so she sets her mind, and then she gets her way!
I think anybody who is 8-14 will like this book. It has some tough words in it, but it may be a little too childish for some adults.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gifts, May 13, 2004

A Kid's Review

This book is great because it makes you want to have ESP (extrasensory perception) too. It is a special gift the main character, Nancy has, which lets her see in to the future and past. The story is short and gets right to the point. Perfect for girls ages 9-15.

Nancy has ESP, which she got from her grandmother. Her mom and dad get divorced and her brother, Brendon and sister, Kirby move to their grandma's old house in Florida. Nancy hates leaving her father. She hates Kirby dancing all the time and not being a normal teenager. She hates that her mom is talking to other men. She knows everything that is going on and knows who is at the door or on the telephone before there is a knock or a ring. She gets in trouble from her teacher because she was thought to be cheating when it was her ESP.

What will she do next? Will she get over everything she hates or will something go terribly wrong. How will you find out these answers? Just read "A Gift of Magic."