

It was a fun book for sure, but it was a little advanced and complicated, especially for Max who just turned three. I probably should have skimmed this book a little bit more before starting it with Aaron and Max. But in the end, their very last wish is granted exactly as they wanted. Within seconds they hear the fire siren wailing as firemen rush to put out a small fire (a "half" fire, if you will) on a little playhouse.) For an entire week, the children have adventure after adventure, with many disasters and mishaps and mistakes.

(For example, before she realizes the coin is magic, she wishes for there to be a fire just to add a little excitement to their day.

Within minutes of picking up the coin, strange things begin happening, and the children soon figure out that Jane didn't pick up an ordinary nickel but a magical charm that grants wishes-but only halfway. That all changes when Jane finds a "nickel" on the sidewalk. Jane, Mark, Katherine, and Martha are hoping their summer will be full of adventure, but so far, it hasn't looked too promising. The story begins on a beautiful summer's day.

And I thought a little company might be nice, so I read it aloud to the boys. So if you wouldn't mind weighing in ("Yes I know this children's novel" or "No I've never heard of it"), I might finally be able to find some closure regarding this book and get some sleep!īecause I was having a hard time deciding where it fell on the "much-beloved children's novels" continuum, I decided to give it a read myself so I would at least know where it fell for me. I, myself, was familiar with the title because my brothers had read it, but I had not actually read it. But then recently, it's come up in conversations with several of my (as I would define them) "well-read" friends, and they've never even heard of it, so, Children's classic? Maybe not. I ask this because I have been mulling over the answer for weeks.not in a it's-keeping-me-awake-at-night sort of way (I have other worries to fill that time with), but more just a here-and-there, every-now-and-again, as-I-hear-it-mentioned-or-read-about-it sort of way.įor example, it came in at #31 on Fuse #8's Top 100 Children's Novels Poll, which led me to think, Okay, definitely a children's classic. Let's begin this review with a question: Is Half Magic a well-known children's classic or not?
