Half Magic

Rating:
Summary: GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: Half Magic is a great, easy to read, amazing book about 4 kids (Jane, Mark, Katharine, and Martha) who discover a magic coin which grants every wish 1/2 . So if you say "I wish I was on a dessert island" you get to a dessert... Gregor (AGE:7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! )

Rating:
Summary: A Book I Will Never Forget
Review: I read this book quite a long time ago, along with the other books Edward Eager has written, and they are books that I will never forget. They were so imaginative and funny, how could you forget them? They just have that certain extra "oomph" that differentiates a good book from a great book. They were happy ending fairy tales with ironic twists and great plots. The characters were so real and understandable, like people you might meet on the street some day. The stories were so beautifully put together, and set eachother off just perfectly, and they all connected so wonderfully. I just cannot say enough about them! They were probably the best books I had ever read, and I just don't know how to explain them. They were kind of like best friends. I most definitely could not have had better best friends. I can very, very enthusiastically encourage you to read any of Edward Eager's books, especially this one, my favorite of the bunch. You are missing out on something huge if you don't pick these up.

Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable childhood book
Review: I read this book as a child and loved it. I was always an omnivorous reader and can't remember most of what I read, but I remember this book! Wonderfully written. Funny, touching, and of course, memorable!

Rating:
Summary: The Greatest Book I've ever read! by a 3rd grader
Review: Half-Magic is about 4 kids who find something shiny on the sidewalk. They go to find out what it is. It is an ancient coin and they use it to go on all kinds of adventures. But, they don't know that the coin will give you only half a wish. If you want to make a whole wish, you have to wish for twice as much as you want. - JM, 3rd grader

Rating:
Summary: My favorite books of all time
Review: I discovered Edward Eager's books when I was about 7 and fell in love with them. My first quest was to find and read all of his books (unfortunately there are only seven). My second quest, which took me 15 years, was to OWN all of these books. Like the reader above, I have found few people of my age who have read these marvelous books, of which "Half Magic" is the first and which introduces the reader to characters who appear in the other books. What I liked most about Eager's books were the plays on words (time garden/thyme garden) and the overlapping (a secret in one book is revealed in another book). The children in the books love to read and are always "ordinary" children who happen upon magic. I admit I'm still on the lookout for talking toads, wish-granting turtles, and talismans that look like nickels but aren't. READ THESE BOOKS. Then follow the threads to the other books (Ivanhoe, A Connecticut Yankee) that Eager introduces you to.

Rating:
Summary: Magic, it draws you in!
Review: This book is an excellent reader for those who love good books and magic. The story of four bored children who find a magic talisman which only gives you half as much of what you wish for. That results in quite a few things, the children's mother mistakes it for a nickel, then wishing that she was home, finds herself half-way there! But the children end up making themselves happy (And their mother!)and they find a new father, with many exciting adventures along the way

Rating:
Summary: One of the best books of my youth!
Review: I have always remembered reading all of the Edward Eager books when I was younger although one or two eluded me until I was in University. Recently I discovered the Odyssey editions and now my six year old daughter and I are laughing our way through Half Magic. Odyssey has done an outstanding job of reprinting these classics and the orginial illustrations by Mr. Bodecker are as fresh as ever. As for the story of the four children who find the magic talisman that only gives them half what they wish for I could only wish every child could have the opportunity to read their adventures (only doubly so). My daughter laughed out loud throughout the chapter where Carrie the cat could 'half' talk. Try finding that appeal from any other book over 40 years old!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, funny, and hard to find
Review: I happened upon Edward Eager books when I was about 9 or 10 and I read every one I could get my hands on. It seems that hardly anyone else my age (30) read them when they were little and I wondered if they still existed. I hope people give them a try

Rating:
Summary: Top of the list for pre teen fantasy reading.
Review: I recently spent several hours rooting through old boxes and cubby holes in my grandparents garage and attic. I was searching for one thing in particular... my favorite book as a child. This book was called Half Magic by Edward Eager and it was imperative that I find it! This book was special to me and I knew it would be so for my kids... when my wife and I had them. I wanted to make sure I had this book on hand for that time. As a child this book took me away. The premise of an old coin that grants wishes was enough to garner my interest but the added twist that this coin only granted half of the wish...well that was downright captivating. In fact, just talking about it here in this capsule review as prompted me to want to read it again (yes it is a young readers book but still a good story for an adult). By the way, I was unable to find the book in my grandparents garage or anywhere else for that matter (includes other bookstores) so I am thankful for myself and future children that I was able to locate the book on your site

Rating:
Summary: Wishing goes awry
Review: I love Edward Eager! In this book, four children find a magic coin that gives them their wishes -- by halves. They have many adventures, and must solve their problems without the aid of grown ups. It's very funny. I highly recommend it for fourth and fifth graders -- it's a good bedtime story.