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162nd out of 412 books
—
530 voters
The Well-Wishers (Tales of Magic #6)
A group of friends relate their experiences when the unpredictable old wishing well in the backyard continues to involve them in a variety of magical adventures. This handsome new edition comes with a contemporary look and new cover art. Illustrations.
Paperback, 220 pages
Published
September 1st 1990
by Harcourt Children's Books
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(This is the same as my review of Magic or Not)
Edward Eager was one of my favorite authors when I was a child. However, I only read Magic or Not and its sequel, The Well Wishers once or twice. (The others I read countless times!)
What I liked about Eager's other books was that magical adventures befell ordinary children living in ordinary neighborhoods in the United States. But in Magic or Not the very existence of magic is very ambiguous. In fact, the characters themselves aren't sure whether th...more
Edward Eager was one of my favorite authors when I was a child. However, I only read Magic or Not and its sequel, The Well Wishers once or twice. (The others I read countless times!)
What I liked about Eager's other books was that magical adventures befell ordinary children living in ordinary neighborhoods in the United States. But in Magic or Not the very existence of magic is very ambiguous. In fact, the characters themselves aren't sure whether th...more
This book was pretty good, but not nearly as entertaining as Edward Eager's book Half Magic. This book isn't on the AR reading list, but I would place it around 6.7 or 7.0. Half Magic is 5.0 on the AR reading list, and is a very fun book about a charm some children find that only grants half of what you wish. There are all sorts of sticky situations that arise from it. The Well-Wishers is about some children who believe they can make wishes on a well in their neighborhood. In the well-wishers, y...more
This is the sequel to Magic or Not? and has many of the same strengths and failures. Again, this is different from what I would consider classic Eager in that the magic isn't magic so much as a game, or possibly a way of looking at the world. The big change from the previous book is that this is written in first person, with a different child taking the narration for each chapter. It has some interesting things to say about growing up and how people relate to each other, but overall nowhere near...more
Once again, Eager has done a great job of portraying some very realistic kids, both in how they act and in how they think. This was a nice story about kids doing nice things for other people. James was certainly amusing as a character, especially as he thought himself a man at the end of the book. Eager does a good job of providing an entertaining story as well as things for grown-ups to chuckle at.
Rating: G.
*SMALL SPOILER AHEAD*
So it took me some thinking to understand what was different about...more
Rating: G.
*SMALL SPOILER AHEAD*
So it took me some thinking to understand what was different about...more
WHAT I LEARNED FROM THIZ BOOK IS #1 THAT THEY LIKE TO WISH ALOT #2 IS THAT WHEN THEY USE IT SOMETIMES IT DONT WORK BECAUSE THEY SAY THE WELL DOESNT WORK. #3 IS THAT THEY HATE WAITING FOR THERE WISH BECAUSE IT TAKES SO LONG THAT THEY KEEP PUTING MORE WISHES IN IT. THATS ALL I GOT 4 NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!#4 my review from thiz book is that gordy threatens the old well, telling it to get going with its magic or eles!and that seems to do the trick. suddenly laura, lydia, james,and kip- who feared...more
** An old wishing well has a magical effect on a group of children in this delightful tale.
James finds a home for a lonely orphan and
brightens a teacher's life, old Mr. Appledore and Madame Salvini find
love in the apple orchard, Dicky LeBaron gradually changes from thug to
hero, and James, who rescues a damsel in distress, gets more than he
bargained for. With subtle humor and insight into human behavior as the
strong points, readers will quickly realize that all of the magic is not
in the w
Awesome, as usual. This and Magic or Not? are probably my favourite in the series. There's that chill you get when the coincidences stack up and you debate with yourself whether there was magic or not? Plus the old world charm is, well, perfectly charming.
Unfortunately, James, Kip and Laura were hardly in the this book. However, I enjoyed Gordy and Dicky's growing-up, and love Lydia to bits, so it was alright. Surprisingly, there was no mention of Deborah's strange low voice, and she seems alm...more
Unfortunately, James, Kip and Laura were hardly in the this book. However, I enjoyed Gordy and Dicky's growing-up, and love Lydia to bits, so it was alright. Surprisingly, there was no mention of Deborah's strange low voice, and she seems alm...more
As I said in my review of Magic or Not?, this is my least favorite duo in the series. And The Well-Wishers is definitely my least favorite of the books overall. I previously thought the whole series deserved 5 stars but after re-reading this one, it's definitely nowhere near the others so I can't give it that honor.
I think the first-person perspective is a big part of the problem — the kids in the previous books had flaws, and that was okay, but reading everything from each kid's perspective, w...more
I think the first-person perspective is a big part of the problem — the kids in the previous books had flaws, and that was okay, but reading everything from each kid's perspective, w...more
Not as good as the last, I'm afraid, although I'd completely forgotten the character of Dicky and was delighted to rediscover him. It's just that now that I'm not a kid anymore, I know the world isn't righted quite so easily as the children manage to do it.
...Also I've since become a fanficcer, and want someone to write them all grown up and having semi-magical adventures. :)
...Also I've since become a fanficcer, and want someone to write them all grown up and having semi-magical adventures. :)
Jul 06, 2012
Emily
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
fans of Andrew Clements
Like Magic or Not?, this one hinges on friendship and doing good turns rather than the time-travel-and-exotic-locale adventures that comprise other Edward Eager books, and is better for it.
The first time I read this was to my daughter a couple years back. She liked the series a great deal. I would say its definitely written for kids, and appropriate for any age.
A very poor book. The method of story-telling was interesting with the story flipping between different points of view, but the overall plot was dull and boring.
This one actually surprised me by being very sweet and touching especially towards the end.
This was soooooooo fun to read. I like this author's books a lot.
I love this book because each person learns a new lesson from the well.
I do love these books, but they were written more than 50 years ago. I'm reading them out loud to my son, and I find myself skipping over terms that are repeated over and over, like "old lady," and replacing them...
Another one of my childhood favorites!
Another fun book by Eager. My favorite, though, is still his Half Magic!
edward eager's books are wonderful. I'd like to go out a get one to read right now.
This book is really great. I think it has more adventure than Magic or Not.
The "Well Wishers",( in contrast to "Magic or Not") is written first person from the point of view of multiple characters. This gives it an almost unbearably precious tone. Really the only thing I can say I like about this book was the discovery and reclamation of an abandoned house. I do like the idea of a fixer-upper. Otherwise, this book is not a keeper.
Edward Eager's books are classics, and some of my very favorites from childhood. The illustrations by N.M. Bodeker were a huge influence on me, and I loved the stories (you think Harry Potter is original? Hardly). These are excellent books, published mid-century, that build on a foundation laid decades earlier by masters like E. Nesbit.
Jul 03, 2008
Brittany
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone 10 and younger
Recommended to Brittany by:
my mom
Well, I read this with my brother. They are good books, but I wish I read them in like 5th grade. They were a little childish. Darren on the other hand, loved them!!! I do own this book. I would be willing to swap it, not sell it!!!
Ah, much more satisfying than Magic of Not? (this is a sequel). I loved the civil rights issue that was part of one adventure in this book (published in 1960 - I can remember well the era it was describing). Fun, fun, fun.
Sep 13, 2007
Chicklet
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Edward Eager fans
This is my second to least favorite Eager book. If you've read Magic or Not? It's like that, only a little better.
Just hang on! The last Eager book is one of the best.
Just hang on! The last Eager book is one of the best.
I also read this as a child, about 1963. I love all of Edgar Eager's children's books.
A must read to yourself, your kids, your friends kids, anyone especially if they like magic!
I read this book with Eric this summer. It was a fun delightful book.
I really didn't get into the books about these kids...
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vecchio Book Club: The Well Wishers | 1 | 1 | Aug 16, 2012 04:45pm |
Eager was born in and grew up in Toledo, Ohio and attended Harvard University class of 1935. After graduation, he moved to New York City, where he lived for 14 years before moving to Connecticut. He married Jane Eberly in 1938 and they had a son, Fritz.
Eager was a childhood fan of L. Frank Baum's Oz series, and started writing children's books when he could not find stories he wanted to read to h...more
More about Edward Eager...
Eager was a childhood fan of L. Frank Baum's Oz series, and started writing children's books when he could not find stories he wanted to read to h...more
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