The Abracadabra Kid: A Writer's Life (Paperback)

by Sid Fleischman (Author) "I am astonished, when I pause to think about it, to discover myself to be an author of humorous novels for children..." (more)
Key Phrases: grand rascal, San Diego, New York, Gold Medal (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Sid Fleischman, who started out life as a magician, has pulled off a truly magical feat with Abracadabra Kid; he has crafted a captivating and instructive book for kids about what it is like to be a writer. A prolific author and the winner of the Newbery Medal in 1987 for The Whipping Boy, Fleischman tells in engaging brisk style how he worked his way from boy magician to Hollywood scriptwriter to award-winning writer. His experiences and his dozen tips all combine to provide useful and inspiring fodder for aspiring young writers. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly
"In this funny, poignant, insightful and thoroughly entertaining autobiography, [Fleischman] proves himself an effortless raconteur, possessed of a rapid-fire wit," said PW, in a starred review of the Newbery Medalist's memoirs. Ages 10-up.-- proves himself an effortless raconteur, possessed of a rapid-fire wit," said PW, in a starred review of the Newbery Medalist's memoirs. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: HarperTrophy (April 23, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688158552
• ISBN-13: 978-0688158552
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,016,015 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A writer's life., February 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Abracadabra Kid: A Writer's Life (Hardcover)

Sid Fleischman started out a child magician. His first book was a book of magic tricks, but since then he's written screen plays and several children's books, and even been the recipient of the prestigious Newbery Award for "The Whipping Boy," 1987. Sid's son Paul has also broken into the world of children's writing and written award winning books of his own, "Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices," 1989 among others. The "Abracadabra Kid" is an amusing autobiography written in a direct way, putting free speech on paper. Mostly it's a life story, but Fleischman does offer advice to aspiring authors. A lot of his growth as a writer has been in learning to develop plot. "Daily life doesn't often help. It rarely delivers us three acts ready to write. The author needs to rearrange the furniture, putting random story elements in some sort of dramatic alignment (p. 82)." That was chapter 19. By chapter 43, the final chapter, Fleischman writes, "Now I can sit at my desk without an idea in my head and, like a palming trick, produce a rough plot. I suppose that skill is one of the marks of a professional (p.194)." Sid Fleischman has learned a lot throughout his life as a magician, in the navy, as a newspaper reporter, and fiction writer. He shares his memories, encounters, photographs and writer's wisdom in this humorous autobiography. At least he didn't embrace the "wit Fred Allen who didn't know why anyone would spend a year or two writing a novel when you can easily buy one for a few dollars (p. 83)."

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Secret to Learning to Write is...Practice, Practice, Practice!, February 23, 2008

By	H. S. Wedekind "Mr. Weekend" (Pennsylvania, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I picked up THE ABRACADABRA KID: A WRITER'S LIFE based on the reviews I read here. It was well-worth the few dollars I spent for the hardbound edition.

The life of Sid Fleischman is told in an unpretentious and humorous style, I imagine just like his novels for kids, which, I have to shamefully admit, I've never read. He tells us about his growing up poor in Brooklyn and San Diego during the Great Depression, his love of magic, his service in the U. S. Navy during WWII, becoming a cub-journalist for a local newspaper after the war, writing screenplays, and trying to be an honest-to-goodness author of children's books. There are also many photos of his parents and two sisters, himself, his own family, as well as handbills he printed in High School Printing Shop class announcing the "See'n is Believ'n" magic shows he and a friend, Bud Ryan, performed for the public (in an effort to make some money during the lean years). They called themselves "The Ryan Brothers".

Sid divides his book into 43 short chapters beginning each with a humorous excerpt from one of the many letters he has received from fans...all of them from kids. For example: "Please don't come back to my school. I hate to write letters." (p.45); "When did you start writing? When are you going to stop?" (p.98); "I'd like to be a writer, but my hand gets tired. Can you give me some advice?" (p.174). Fortunately, Sid does end his book with practical advice to anyone, child or adult, who wants to write.

While the book is a stroll down memory lane, it is a trip only those who lived through the Depression and Second World War will remember taking. If you happen to be, like me, a "Baby Boomer" and nostalgic about growing up in the 50s and 60s, I recommend THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE THUNDERBOLT KID by Bill Bryson and KNOTS IN MY YO-YO STRING by Jerry Spinelli. If you want to learn the craft of writing, read THE ABRACADABRA KID.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars THE MAGIC OF BECOMING A WRITER, August 13, 2001

By	Bonita L. Davis (Decatur, Georgia) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: The Abracadabra Kid: A Writer's Life (Hardcover)

Do you want to become a writer? Here's how. First become a magician, then travel the high seas, drop into a reporter's job and start having a family. Once done write a few screen plays and use your kids to critique your work. Does the above sound unbelievable? Yes indeed, except that it is true. Sid Fleischman did live such a life and now is sharing it with his fans.

You will enjoy this entertaining autobiography of one of america's famous children's authors. Sid's life is a fantasy of adventure and excitement as you see how he becomes an author. It was not intentional and took a long time but it was worth it in the end.

Enjoy his life story filled with unexpected escapades and happenings over his illustrious career. He share with us his family and their crazyness and keeps us entertained. You will enjoy his life and his telling of how his characters were born.