The magic of Edward Eager’s Half Magic isn’t always the actual magic in the book. Yes, there’s a charm that grants wishes (or, to be more accurate, half-wishes!). What’s really magical about the book, is Eager’s way of putting things. Usually, it’s some little aside. Something quick.
And then there is this delightful passage. It happens when the four children (Jane, Mark, Katherine, and Martha) first meet Mr. Smith, a new grown-up that has entered their lives…
The four children generally divided all grown ups into four classes. There were the ones like Miss Bick and Uncle Edwin and Aunt Grace and Mrs. Hudson who—frankly, and cruel as it might be to say it—just weren’t good with children at all. There was nothing to do about these, the four children felt, except be as polite as possible and hope they would go away soon.
Then there were the ones like Miss Mamie King, who—when they were with children—always seemed to want to pretend they were children, too. This was no doubt kindly meant, but often ended with the four children’s feeling embarrassed for them.
Somewhat better were the opposite ones who went around treating children as though the children were as grown-up as they were themselves. This was flattering, but sometimes a strain to live up to. Many of the four children’s school teachers fell into this class.
Last and best and rarest of all were the ones who seemed to feel that children were children and grown ups were grown ups and that was that, and yet at the same time there wasn’t any reason why they couldn’t get along perfectly well and naturally together, and even occasionally communicate, without changing that fact.
Mr. Smith turned out to one of these.
Half Magic, by Edward Eager (Chapter 6)
This is why I love to read (and re-read) books by Edward Eager! It’s the magic of his words. 🙂
At this time of year, you’re bound to see a lot of blog posts and articles with such titles as: “What’s the Scariest Read of All Time?” or “Top 10 Horror Movies of the Last Decade” or “Halloween Book Countdown”.
Book: Papa Luther: A Graphic Novel
Well, she decided to do something about it. So, she wrote a letter. Here’s how Worsley puts it in her book:
Book: The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre
This series has wonderful illustrations that are done by the author herself. And when you read a Cressida Cowell book, you start expecting Cressida Cowell illustrations. (Her newest series have very similar illustrations.)
This series by Christopher Healy is another series that contains wonderful illustrations by the author. Yes, I love fairy tales and fractured fairy tales. Actually, come to think of it, fairy tales in general almost cry out for pictures. Here, Healy’s illustrations beautifully add that extra je-ne-sais-quoi to the books.
I love the illustrations to this series by Lemony Snicket. I feel that they (the illustrations by Brett Helquist) are really a big bonus when you read the books. They manage to maintain the flavour of the books.
Written by C.S. Lewis and illustrated by Pauline Baynes. Her pen and ink drawings are still used in the editions published today. Why? Because they are beautiful and amazing and capture the magic that is Narnia. I can’t tell you how much I love these drawings.
There aren’t illustrations that have become as iconic as A.A. Milne’s masterpiece: Winnie the Pooh. Even the great Walt Disney couldn’t overshadow E.H. Shepard’s illustrations, they are that good! (While I don’t mind the Disney version of the Pooh characters, I’d pick Shepard’s illustrations over Disney’s in a heartbeat!)
Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books show that sometimes books have to wait a bit to find their perfect match in illustrations. While the first edition had other illustrations (by Helen Sewell), the later editions (starting from 1953) were given the Garth Williams touch. These simple pencil, charcoal, and ink drawings have since become inseparable from Wilder’s work. Probably what helps make them so amazing is that, before he sat down and drew, Garth Williams traveled to the real-life locations to get a feel for the prairie scenery world of Laura Ingalls.
This series by Maud Hart Lovelace, in many ways, can be split into two series. The “younger” books and the “older” books. And interestingly enough, the illustrations follow this divide.
However, once Betsy and her friends enter Deep Valley High, Vera Neville takes over the illustrations. And guess what? Hers are perfect, too! I’m not sure if Lenski could have done the high school books. And I’m not sure is Neville could have handled the younger girls. Whoever made the ultimate decision about this, bravo!
These books are written by Arthur Ransome. And he illustrated them too “with the help of Miss Nancy Blackett” (one of the characters in the books!) These drawing are unique to the books. They’re fun and have that child-like abandon of the untrained child-artist… Alluring in their own way.
Book: Speechless
Book: The Pages Between Us
Book: Dead Possums Are Fair Game
When I go to the library, I am immediately drawn to the children’s section. Why? Because I love books written for kids.