Title: Seven-Day Magic
Author: Edward Eager
File Under: Read-Aloud, Kids' Problems, Magic
Age Range: 8 and up*
“The best kind of book,” said Barnaby, “is a magic book.”
“Naturally,” said John.
There was a silence, as they all thought about this and how true it was.
“The best kind of magic book,” said Barnaby, leaning back agains the edge of the long, low library table, and surveying the crowded bookshelves, only seeming somehow to look beyond them and beyond everything else, too, the way he so often did, “is when it's about ordinary people like us, and then something happens and it's magic.”
To a child, there is hardly a more interesting opening to a story than this one (please note they are in a library — no doubt like the one in my own childhood!).
And to the alert reader, the subsequent few paragraphs are replete with allusions to other, equally great stories — sort of a gift within a gift — as the children discuss books they have loved (and we here will reserve the right to revisit especially E. Nesbit, for whom Eager is sort of the gateway storyteller).
Then, this story deliciously continues, they saw… “a red book, smallish but plump, comfortable and shabby….”
Now, if you are looking for Christmas gifts for kids, you can safely choose any of the ones recommended here on the LMLD Library Project, as well as in this post from last year. But it strikes me that for those of you who have kids who say they love fantasy, or who are too young to continue with Harry Potter** at the moment (and really, even the fourth is intense for a child who might have enjoyed the first three), Seven-Day Magic would be a wonderful gift this year.
When magic is used properly (by the story-teller, not to say by the practitioner), it's about navigating the rules of the universe and solving some issues of your own on the way. This book, with a light touch and a most satisfying voice (don't you love a good author's voice?), will be loved by children of all ages.
If I weren't running out the door right now, I'd sit down and read it again myself.
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*I am reluctantly bowing to pressure to post ages for the books. I live by Lewis' maxim,
“A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest.”
Kim F. says
Went to Amazon to look into this book, turns out there is a whole series by the author. Would you recommend the others? Or just this one? Any additional advice would be helpful. Thanks.
_Leila says
Kim, we do love the others.
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Sent from my phone.
Melissa Diskin says
Edward Eager's books are amazing — I'm especially fond of Half Magic and the Time Garden!
Similar books: The Ship That Flew by Hilda Lewis, and Any Which Wall by Laurel Snyder (who is my friend here in ATL). But if you want to go back a bit further, try any of E.Nesbit's books!
Mary says
My daughter found Edward Eager after reading all E. Nesbit's we had. Fun reads. Her favorite was Half Magic.
HollyElise says
Aunty Leila, what are your thoughts on Diana Wynne Jones books – thinking specifically of the Chrestomanci series and the Moving Castle trio?
_Leila says
HollyElise, I am not familiar with those at all. For an operating principle, stick to the old ones, until you have a good sense of what a children's book should be. Not all old books are wonderful, of course. But the time-tested ones — the “comfortable and shabby” ones — are an education.
Michelle says
Thank you, thank you for this. My eight year old has just finished reading the second Harry Potter and I simply will not allow her to continue on to the third. Although she has the ability to read it, she is simply not mature enough for it. This will a perfect substitution!! I was really struggling with what book to order for her Christmas gift. Thanks again!!
Anitra says
Michelle, I think that's really wise! My rule of thumb with Harry Potter (having read them as they came out, first one when I was about 18) – to be mature enough, the child reading must be close to Harry's age or older (with a bit of leeway – an 8 year old can certainly handle the first two books). I wouldn't want a kid younger than 14-15 reading the last two books. “Young Adult” novels have become a huge industry, and while there are some great YA authors, most of them are exploring subject matter in a way that is definitely not appropriate for children (and sometimes not for teenagers, either, in my opinion).
(Throughout my childhood, I read plenty of books that I wasn't mature enough for. But around the time I was 14 or so, the “mature” parts stopped being over my head and started being disturbing. But I wouldn't talk to my parents about it, because I was embarrassed.)
sjohnston522 says
We have read several of Nesbit and are halfway through our first Eager book, Half Magic. Good to hear the whole series is good. The last read aloud we finished was Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher. I missed it as a child and dh read it and loved it as a bedtime read aloud. I read the entire thing in one evening of marathon fussy baby rocking this weekend and thought, “If Auntie Leila were a children's book author, this is the book she'd write.” What do you think?
_Leila says
sjohnston — yes indeed! I love Understood Betsy! I WISH I had written it. You know me so well 🙂
Jennifer says
I love Understood Betsy also! I did not read it as a child, but have read it aloud twice as an adult. It is definitely a book that fits CS Lewis's description! I learned a lot from the adult characters in that book – about the kind of parent I want to be vs. the kind of parent I often am… I commented about that very thing once elsewhere, and a fellow mom chimed in that she thought it unfair that Cousin Ann is a better parent than she! 🙂
Julie says
Love this post. Children's lit is somewhat of a passion for me as well. I usually read most longer books to see if they will be age appropriate, what usually happens though is that I end up getting caught up in the pages, and then I KNOW my kids will love it. If I can't put it down, they will usually beg for more. I hadn't heard of Eager's books, and am excited to read them.
Julie says
I had no idea about this one, but we loved Half Magic so we'll definitely have to look for it.
Kathia says
Looks like that book is illustrated by Quentin Blake, of Roald Dahl fame, one of my all-time favorite illustrators! Images are often as important as words… sometimes more important. There are books I've read that have lodged themselves into my soul thanks to the teamwork of exceptional authors and illustrators. And sometimes the wonder and magic comes from the vulnerability of one artist that knows how to reveal the deepest parts of the soul through pictures and words. (I'm thinking of Maurice Sendak's “Where the Wild Things Are”, and “In the Night Kitchen”. And without his artwork, we wouldn't have Little Bear or, in my opinion, the best production of the Nutcracker Ballet!) Illustrators rock.
sibyl says
So glad to see others are E. Nesbit fans. I really think E. Nesbit is second to none — Lewis included! — for a really marvelous, well-crafted, well-written story. I never read any of them as a kid myself, so I have had the magical experience of reading them to my own children but living through the story for the first time just like a child myself.
If I could recommend just one, which I can't, I would say that The House of Arden, The Railway Children, and The Treasure Seekers are three of her very best, especially for reading aloud. In fact, listening to this type of literature read aloud is how my children have come to be able to read it for themselves.
Eager is also very good, but not in her league, sad to say. But who is, besides perhaps C.S. Lewis?
Deb W. says
My kids read this whole series and loved them!
Amber says
I just had to come back to this post and share… I’ve had my eye out for this book ever since the blog post and have almost bought it off of Amazon a couple of times. But this weekend at the Friends of the Library book sale I picked up 6 of the series for fifty cents a piece. Hooray! 🙂 My 12 year old and 8 year old are enjoying them already. Thanks for the recommendation!