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Half Magic by Edward Eager
Published by Oxford University Press, 2000
ISBN 0192750984

Reviewed by Shannon Library Children’s Book Club

This is a magical story set in 1930’s America and follows the adventures of three sisters, Jane, Katharine and Martha and their brother Mark, who find a magical coin.

But there is a problem – the coin only grants half wishes so they must always wish for twice as much as they want! Some disasters follow like creating half a talking cat, being nearly kidnapped in a desert and Martha half disappearing.

But they go on exciting adventures too and get to joust with Sir Lancelot, meet Merlin the magician and best of all, find themselves a brilliant new stepfather.

The reading club really enjoyed this book which was very funny in parts but in the end had a serious message about what real happiness is. We liked how each character had a chapter of their own and how each of them was changed a little by their experience.

Rating: 9 out of 10