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Tales of Magic #3
Magic by the Lake
If Jane and Mark and Katharine and Martha had stopped to think, they might have ordered magic by the pound, or by the day, but a lakeful of magic causes extraordinary and unexpected events. By the end of vacation, with an unwilling sly old turtle, and Ali Baba's forty thieves, they help stepfather Mr. Smith save his failing bookstore in a most surprising way.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1957
95 people are currently reading
1990 people want to read
About the author
Edward Eager
29 books324 followersEager 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 his own young son. In his books, Eager often acknowledges his debt to E. Nesbit, whom he thought of as the best children's author of all time.
A well-known lyricist and playwright, Eager died on October 23, 1964 in Stamford, Connecticut, at the age of fifty-three.
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 his own young son. In his books, Eager often acknowledges his debt to E. Nesbit, whom he thought of as the best children's author of all time.
A well-known lyricist and playwright, Eager died on October 23, 1964 in Stamford, Connecticut, at the age of fifty-three.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews
July 30, 2013
oh, Edward Eager, you really seem like a swell guy. a family man but not one of those mawkish mewling types who always seem to be about to burst into tears when they talk about their fam. you get kids and you don't bring a lot of sentimentality to the table either; you capture the cheerfulness & the mood swings & the sweetness & a little bit of the sour as well. you root your adventures in prosaic reality but you manage to make prosaic reality not bad, not bad at all, its own sort of adventure.
written in 1957 but set several decades earlier, this fun little trifle is Eager all over. 4 siblings spend a summer at a lake, A MAGIC LAKE, the magic courtesy of a grouchy magic turtle. they get various wishes and go on various adventures including seeing pirates, cannibals, Antarctica, and what it's like to be a few years older and going on a date with a couple pretentious twits. the bloodthirsty youngest girl was my predictable favorite of the four, but I also wouldn't mind having fearless and slightly condescending oldest-sister Jane as a child either. well, all four of them are actually pretty peachy. they spend the last adventure trying to figure out how to help their stepdad's ailing business, and that's just adorable.
favorite part was when they stumble across another group of kids on their own magical adventure with their own magical rules that must be followed. surreal and surprising and kinda awesome.
loved one of the last lines, it really spoke to me:
written in 1957 but set several decades earlier, this fun little trifle is Eager all over. 4 siblings spend a summer at a lake, A MAGIC LAKE, the magic courtesy of a grouchy magic turtle. they get various wishes and go on various adventures including seeing pirates, cannibals, Antarctica, and what it's like to be a few years older and going on a date with a couple pretentious twits. the bloodthirsty youngest girl was my predictable favorite of the four, but I also wouldn't mind having fearless and slightly condescending oldest-sister Jane as a child either. well, all four of them are actually pretty peachy. they spend the last adventure trying to figure out how to help their stepdad's ailing business, and that's just adorable.
favorite part was when they stumble across another group of kids on their own magical adventure with their own magical rules that must be followed. surreal and surprising and kinda awesome.
loved one of the last lines, it really spoke to me:
"You mean it's really over?" said Katherine. "I don't believe it. It wouldn't all end like this. What would be the point? Why, we didn't learn a moral lesson, or anything!"well isn't that just the truth, kids. welcome to the world!
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January 31, 2019I loved all these books as a kid, and I do still love a lot of things about them now. Edward Eager really had some snappy things to say about how kids think and act. But also wowwwwww there is some racist stuff in here when the kids meet the "natives" (who are also savage cannibals, because of course, and they talk like Tiger Lily) and when they go to Arabia, so nope on passing this particular Eager tale onto the next generation.
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April 8, 2022Iger je bio neki fin, skroman čovek koji je obožavao sve dečje knjige E. Nezbit i iskreno ali bez mnogo nade se trudio da dobaci do njih. I rezultat je u skladu s tim, skroman i pošten, nema se čega stideti.
Kao i Polučarolija, i ova knjiga je predvidljiva, ljupka i bezazlena letnja pustolovina četvoro dece na začaranom jezeru. I s magičnom kornjačom. (Ima i pirata, polarnih istraživača, ljudoždera i sirena, ali pošto je jedna od uvodnih čarobnih želja "i da ništa ne bude strašno", po strašnosti ova knjiga ne dobacuje ni do prosečne narodne bajke.)
Kao i Polučarolija, i ova knjiga je predvidljiva, ljupka i bezazlena letnja pustolovina četvoro dece na začaranom jezeru. I s magičnom kornjačom. (Ima i pirata, polarnih istraživača, ljudoždera i sirena, ali pošto je jedna od uvodnih čarobnih želja "i da ništa ne bude strašno", po strašnosti ova knjiga ne dobacuje ni do prosečne narodne bajke.)
July 12, 2023
Probably one of the best books I’ve read to the kids.
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April 17, 2024This was just a delight (although I'll never love it as much as Half Magic)
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December 9, 2012This sequel to Half Magic is something I read out loud to my children. But it's instructive from a plot perspective. Half Magic introduced a brilliantly simple magical device, and much of the humor and plot spun from its tidy rules. (The gorgeously witty omniscient narration didn't hurt either.)
Fantasy writers take note--without the inspired "rule" which governs Half Magic, the sequel fails. The magic of this second book is scattershot, and the logic crumbles quickly. Of course I finished reading it aloud to the kids, but I couldn't wait until it ended.
Fantasy writers take note--without the inspired "rule" which governs Half Magic, the sequel fails. The magic of this second book is scattershot, and the logic crumbles quickly. Of course I finished reading it aloud to the kids, but I couldn't wait until it ended.
March 8, 2023
Jane, Mark, Katherine, and Martha are back in another magical adventure, this time on vacation by the lake. A talking turtle guides them through the difficulties of wishing with "wet magic" from the lake, and they encounter mermaids, pirates, buried treasure, and take a trek to the South Pole.
But their selfish wishes get them into trouble, and it's only when they learn to use their wishes for the good of others that the magic truly begins.
One of the best things about Edward Eager's stories is that the children are doing ordinary things in between their magical adventures, and their everyday doings are interrupted by the extraordinary. Magic is around every corner, and it is the children's own willingness to believe and accept the magic that invites us into the story too.
I am so delighted with these books! I read this one because I had a migraine, and it helped me to feel better, took my mind off the pain, and I read it all in one sitting.
But their selfish wishes get them into trouble, and it's only when they learn to use their wishes for the good of others that the magic truly begins.
One of the best things about Edward Eager's stories is that the children are doing ordinary things in between their magical adventures, and their everyday doings are interrupted by the extraordinary. Magic is around every corner, and it is the children's own willingness to believe and accept the magic that invites us into the story too.
I am so delighted with these books! I read this one because I had a migraine, and it helped me to feel better, took my mind off the pain, and I read it all in one sitting.
November 19, 2014
If you are a fan of fine children’s literature, Edward Eager is an author you should add to your list. Eager was a British playwright who began to write his own children’s stories when he couldn’t find anything suitable to read to his son. Just as author C. S. Lewis credits George McDonald for influencing every one of his stories, Eager gives author Edith Nesbit the credit for igniting his own story-telling imagination. His books are a lovely combination of realistic children and magical adventures.
I enjoyed reading Half Magic a few years ago, but its sequel, Magic by the Lake, is easily twice as funny. Jane, Mark, Katherine and Martha are siblings who are staying in a lakeside cottage for the summer. They meet a magic turtle, discover that the lake is enchanted, and have a wonderful summer of adventures.
The excellent writing, wry humor and constant nod to other children’s books make this story a booklover’s delight.
I enjoyed reading Half Magic a few years ago, but its sequel, Magic by the Lake, is easily twice as funny. Jane, Mark, Katherine and Martha are siblings who are staying in a lakeside cottage for the summer. They meet a magic turtle, discover that the lake is enchanted, and have a wonderful summer of adventures.
The excellent writing, wry humor and constant nod to other children’s books make this story a booklover’s delight.
December 1, 2012
The sequel to Half Magic just doesn't have the same kind of whimsical magic. Adriana and I devoured Half Magic, which I loved as a kid, but this one we kept putting down. Adriana loves to read series (Oz, Little House, Ramona), but this one was better off as a single book. I do like the references to other stories in it, which give me ideas about other things it might be fun to read with her, and I'm looking forward to reading other Edward Eager books with her.
February 1, 2024
Our four children head to the lake for the summer, and what do they find there? Ah, more magic! This time the magic arrives in the form of a turtle who can tap into the magic of the lake. The magic needs to be watery magic, and the kids go wrong a few times there. But they manage to have some lovely adventures. And there is the huge problem of their new step-dad's struggling bookstore...Could the magic possibly help with that?
July 13, 2024
Oh turtle!! I read this by the lake today. This was one of my absolute favorites as a kid. The premise of this book is so perfect and the magic is sweet, but it loses some points due to the fact that it just didn’t age too well. Half Magic held up a bit better I guess. I still love that turtle though. 3.5? Maybe. I’m conflicted.
March 22, 2018
We love Edward Eager!
July 19, 2020
More fun. And, of course, I accidentally am reading them out of order. 😒#sleepdeprived #teethingbaby
September 11, 2022
This novel is not quite as good as the earlier volumes, although it is very good. My grandson and I enjoyed the tale and laughed often.
June 7, 2019
3.5 stars
Magic by the Lake didn't feel quite as much fun as Half Magic, likely because of the subplot of Mr. Smith's business worries, but it's still a highly creative and enjoyable story. There are still plenty of fun literary references and tributes to the work of E. Nesbit, but the latter are often given a bit of a twist. My favorite moment of these has to be when the island cannibals are too smart to fall for the children's trick of claiming to be gods. Of course the scene still hasn't aged too well(especially in the cannibals' dialogue), but this was a clever subversion of an old trope and even displays a bit of self-aware humor.
It is also fun to read about the children trying to find loopholes in the magic to get themselves out of a few sticky situations. This isn't my favorite of the series, but I did still enjoy revisiting it, and am now even more motivated to revisit the others.
Magic by the Lake didn't feel quite as much fun as Half Magic, likely because of the subplot of Mr. Smith's business worries, but it's still a highly creative and enjoyable story. There are still plenty of fun literary references and tributes to the work of E. Nesbit, but the latter are often given a bit of a twist. My favorite moment of these has to be when the island cannibals are too smart to fall for the children's trick of claiming to be gods. Of course the scene still hasn't aged too well(especially in the cannibals' dialogue), but this was a clever subversion of an old trope and even displays a bit of self-aware humor.
It is also fun to read about the children trying to find loopholes in the magic to get themselves out of a few sticky situations. This isn't my favorite of the series, but I did still enjoy revisiting it, and am now even more motivated to revisit the others.
October 2, 2024
There is barely any tension, why is that turtle just magical all of a sudden, i would just say it was plain boring in between adventures but those adventures are also just plain boring.
Edit: i revisited this book 2 months ago and it was even worse the second time around. WHY IS THE TURTLE MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!! They are literally invisible for like the whole fucking story. This book made clinically insane for about eight weeks and i killed some poor family on the street with my car, now im in Atwater USP prison and i have been for a month. This is what happens if you read this book. NEVER READ IT.
Edit: i revisited this book 2 months ago and it was even worse the second time around. WHY IS THE TURTLE MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!! They are literally invisible for like the whole fucking story. This book made clinically insane for about eight weeks and i killed some poor family on the street with my car, now im in Atwater USP prison and i have been for a month. This is what happens if you read this book. NEVER READ IT.
May 10, 2016
Not as strong a story nor as interesting a central concept as Half Magic was but still an enjoyable read. There was a bit more racism in this book compared with Half Magic as well (including part where I chose to just imagine Ewoks instead.)
I am certainly curious about the remaining books and what other sort of central magical ideas they might hold.
I am certainly curious about the remaining books and what other sort of central magical ideas they might hold.
December 30, 2016
Edward Eager's books were stories I loved as a child and having re-read them as an adult I still quite enjoy them. The stories and characters hold up to the test of time. These books are clever and intriguing and the characters are very endearing.
August 31, 2018
Magic by the Lake was so good I had to start the four book of the series right away. I'm loving to get to know Eager's book and making the decision to read his series over the summer was one of the best decisions in my life!
December 29, 2022
I must have read this and Eager's other books three dozen times, from age 9 to adulthood. Much wisdom about magic--and extremely fun.
March 3, 2017
Classic children's fantasy fiction. Just excellent. Such a nostalgic treat to revisit these great stories again with my own children now, after all these years. Lovin' every minute of it.
October 7, 2019
I remember loving this book as a child!
July 24, 2020
Just the best.
February 3, 2015
Exciting "gave chase" p 63. More silly than scary. Not too many old sayings. Just enough flapper era for fun.
Magic has rules, limits, misunderstandings. Not quite literal like Amelia Bedelia https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... But same, improved by illustrations. I could wish for color, but not too much in text to go by. Imitating mermaid (hands crossed demurely over front p 15), Jane was "combing her longish ungolden hair" p 30 is dark at 16. Not syrupy sweet, tempers do flare, accidents happen.
Drawings spike curiosity. Title page has spectacled bearded explorer in Inuit furs, petting cat in basket, and looking sideways at similar plump bearded pirate holding telescope and sword. Are those cannon balls behind him? Second title page has mermaids holding turtle legs between them and banner "Oh Turtle". On p1, Katharine ("nine" p 68) stands up (before seat belts) beside Mark and Jane (12 going into "seventh grade" p 13 "twelve" p 67), had to search for tiny Martha ("seven" p 133) between parents, Smiths, in front. Is cat Carrie hiding under car blanket? already leaped out?
In "middle of July" p 13, on their first country vacation, cottage is (called "Magic by the Lake" p 7. In the rowboat, girls and boy have same one-piece (black?) U-neck, no-sleeve p 12, boy-cut bottoms that bell out under water p 14 swimsuits. Some three hours from home in a Model-T (1908-1927), Mark catches a big turtle, who talks. By wishes, the whole lake is filled with magic beings "fairies .. Davy Jones .. Neptune" and more p 18.
What happened to other boats and people? Did they see magic? Being sunset and dinnertime, maybe not.
Mark grabs the tortoise's head, so he agrees to three more wishes. Learning from the book before, they ask for one magic adventure per day. "No grown-ups noticing" .. nothing scary" p 21. Except "nothing does" p 21 scare Turtle.
A mermaid tows them underwa
ter to a tropical isle, where they invsibly - pirates are "grown-ups" - watch pirate captain bury treasure. Hearing the children whisper, Captain Chauncey Cutlass threatens to shoot crew, but doesn't, unlike Robert Stevenson's " Treasure Island" https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Aboard ship, "small, fat" p 43 Martha's p 40 "Pinch them, fairies, black and blue" p 38 to provoke mutiny goes too far, and "spirits" p 39 splash overboard.
Identical flappers in dark bobs p 42 could give a clue, but I forgot how young 1920s teens married. Older two girls dip toes in water, wish to join romantic dance, age 16. In those days "dark" meant opposite of "blonde". Topsfield "dark" and Wigglesworth "blonde", both 16 at "Princeton Prep" p 71, disbelieve "grubby" p 63 "tag-alongs" p 66, escort beauties p 62 on canoe ride.
Turtle warns a "dry-land wish takes a lot out of a lake" p 76. Mark threatens to paint him "white .. with pink rosebuds" p 78, to get wishes every third day. On that stormy, leaky roof day, wishes seem far till Jane realizes "lake water .. in pan". Who knew school science cycle of evaporation and condensation could be magic? They take cups full of hot cocoa on purpose, and Carrie by accident, to the South Pole, but Mark finally remembers "midnight sun" p 95 stays up all night there.
Mark overhears parents "His Business is Suffering" p 105. Holding lake water in emptied perfume bottle, "Martha in a rage" storms "all the rules were broken and .. with the pirate's treasure" p 115. Silly Mark just wishes they follow. Cannibals tie them up and start boiling big pots of water. Going back fails again. Magic seems all used up from careless wishes. Turtle hints "Time will tell" p 189 when Martha asks about meeting Roger and Ann again.
Magic has rules, limits, misunderstandings. Not quite literal like Amelia Bedelia https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... But same, improved by illustrations. I could wish for color, but not too much in text to go by. Imitating mermaid (hands crossed demurely over front p 15), Jane was "combing her longish ungolden hair" p 30 is dark at 16. Not syrupy sweet, tempers do flare, accidents happen.
Drawings spike curiosity. Title page has spectacled bearded explorer in Inuit furs, petting cat in basket, and looking sideways at similar plump bearded pirate holding telescope and sword. Are those cannon balls behind him? Second title page has mermaids holding turtle legs between them and banner "Oh Turtle". On p1, Katharine ("nine" p 68) stands up (before seat belts) beside Mark and Jane (12 going into "seventh grade" p 13 "twelve" p 67), had to search for tiny Martha ("seven" p 133) between parents, Smiths, in front. Is cat Carrie hiding under car blanket? already leaped out?
In "middle of July" p 13, on their first country vacation, cottage is (called "Magic by the Lake" p 7. In the rowboat, girls and boy have same one-piece (black?) U-neck, no-sleeve p 12, boy-cut bottoms that bell out under water p 14 swimsuits. Some three hours from home in a Model-T (1908-1927), Mark catches a big turtle, who talks. By wishes, the whole lake is filled with magic beings "fairies .. Davy Jones .. Neptune" and more p 18.
What happened to other boats and people? Did they see magic? Being sunset and dinnertime, maybe not.
Mark grabs the tortoise's head, so he agrees to three more wishes. Learning from the book before, they ask for one magic adventure per day. "No grown-ups noticing" .. nothing scary" p 21. Except "nothing does" p 21 scare Turtle.
A mermaid tows them underwa
ter to a tropical isle, where they invsibly - pirates are "grown-ups" - watch pirate captain bury treasure. Hearing the children whisper, Captain Chauncey Cutlass threatens to shoot crew, but doesn't, unlike Robert Stevenson's " Treasure Island" https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Aboard ship, "small, fat" p 43 Martha's p 40 "Pinch them, fairies, black and blue" p 38 to provoke mutiny goes too far, and "spirits" p 39 splash overboard.
Identical flappers in dark bobs p 42 could give a clue, but I forgot how young 1920s teens married. Older two girls dip toes in water, wish to join romantic dance, age 16. In those days "dark" meant opposite of "blonde". Topsfield "dark" and Wigglesworth "blonde", both 16 at "Princeton Prep" p 71, disbelieve "grubby" p 63 "tag-alongs" p 66, escort beauties p 62 on canoe ride.
Turtle warns a "dry-land wish takes a lot out of a lake" p 76. Mark threatens to paint him "white .. with pink rosebuds" p 78, to get wishes every third day. On that stormy, leaky roof day, wishes seem far till Jane realizes "lake water .. in pan". Who knew school science cycle of evaporation and condensation could be magic? They take cups full of hot cocoa on purpose, and Carrie by accident, to the South Pole, but Mark finally remembers "midnight sun" p 95 stays up all night there.
Mark overhears parents "His Business is Suffering" p 105. Holding lake water in emptied perfume bottle, "Martha in a rage" storms "all the rules were broken and .. with the pirate's treasure" p 115. Silly Mark just wishes they follow. Cannibals tie them up and start boiling big pots of water. Going back fails again. Magic seems all used up from careless wishes. Turtle hints "Time will tell" p 189 when Martha asks about meeting Roger and Ann again.
October 12, 2025
I skipped book 2 because my daughter only had 1 & 3. I like this book a lot. The characters are the same as book 1. I like Martha better in this one even though she still seems wise beyond her years. The author has grown in his writing and storytelling.
August 2, 2021
A light summer read, but it struck me as I was reading it that compared to its original age group audience of 1957, 9-11 yo kids of the third millenium probably don't have enough active vocabulary to enjoy this--let alone the literary references. The only "Aladdin" they know about is the Disney cartoon, and would they know about Sinbad I wonder.
Even in 1957 formal dancing was a big deal--dine and dance restaurants, dance halls etc were still around. Today's kids would probably laugh at the idea of wearing evening dress to go out dancing.
Even in 1957 formal dancing was a big deal--dine and dance restaurants, dance halls etc were still around. Today's kids would probably laugh at the idea of wearing evening dress to go out dancing.
December 10, 2017
Oh, they don't make many children's books like this anymore. This book was positively enchanting. It was reasonable without being mundane (ex: "the four children, while bright and often agreeable, were not saints"), thrilling without actually being frightening (there's always a deus ex machina to get them out of trouble), and picturesquely quaint (who doesn't want to read a book about lakeside magical summer adventures?). The vocabulary level is also a lot higher than books children often get today. I noticed: veto, prostrate, protrude, venturesome, smote, wan, excursion, just to mention a few. I saw many words that I've been using as word-of-the-day words in my class, so that strengthened my feeling that I'm choosing the right words. And all in all, this book just had that delicious feel of an old-fashioned adventure, free of care and concern.
I will say that there are some dated elements that bear discussing with whoever reads this. There's a lot of reference to frocks and excursion launches and motoring and other things from a by-gone era that would need a bit of explaining. The thing that I found really interesting though was Eager's mention of stereotypical characters. There were two in particular I wanted to point out. The first was cannibalistic natives and the second was the forty thieves from the 1001 Arabian Nights. In each case, the portrayal was not exactly how we would probably choose to portray them today (they were cannibalistic natives, after all). But there was enough humor in them, I think, to make them less of a stereotype. For example, the natives spoke in that antiquated "white-person-imitating-native-speak-Peter-Pan" nonsense. You know: "Who speakum to usum likum to gettum killedum" stuff reminiscent of the 1950s and 1960s. But on the other hand, all the children try to pretend they are gods because that's what worked for the conquistadors, but it doesn't work on these folk. Mark tries to prove it by digging out a match and lighting it, but the chief scoffs and informs him they know all about safety matches. So it's a mixed bag. Likewise, with the forty thieves, there's a lot of "Allah" mentioning and mentioning Mecca and stuff like that, but when a thief has to climb in the oil jar to surprise Ali Baba, he says, "Oh dear, I always get so nervous in an enclosed space. I don't think I can go through with it, I really don't!" As British as any British chap that ever Britished Britishly. So while there are some cultural stereotypes, they all seem to be offset by adding in something distinctly culturally white. I don't want to use the term "normal" because it's not that white should be normal, but it is true that white culture was the majority cultural trend in those days in America and Britain. I think he was trying to being a smack of the familiar and therefore it offsets a too intense cultural stereotyping. But it still should be discussed with the readers. I have many complicated feelings about this that don't come off well in writing, too, so please, keep in mind I'm a bit of a poor excuse for a communicator.
What I hate is people rejecting books completely because of outdated stuff like that. This book has many, many merits. It shouldn't be completely discarded because of some outdated elements. Should those outdated elements be discussed and pointed out why they are dated and what a much better modern approach should be? Absolutely. That would require some level of parenting skill, however, so my final recommendation is: this book should be read by children whose parents are willing to talk to their children and have real discussions with them about representation and how that matters in the real world. Children of parents who don't parent, you're on your own and I hope you come to some good conclusions on your own.
I will say that there are some dated elements that bear discussing with whoever reads this. There's a lot of reference to frocks and excursion launches and motoring and other things from a by-gone era that would need a bit of explaining. The thing that I found really interesting though was Eager's mention of stereotypical characters. There were two in particular I wanted to point out. The first was cannibalistic natives and the second was the forty thieves from the 1001 Arabian Nights. In each case, the portrayal was not exactly how we would probably choose to portray them today (they were cannibalistic natives, after all). But there was enough humor in them, I think, to make them less of a stereotype. For example, the natives spoke in that antiquated "white-person-imitating-native-speak-Peter-Pan" nonsense. You know: "Who speakum to usum likum to gettum killedum" stuff reminiscent of the 1950s and 1960s. But on the other hand, all the children try to pretend they are gods because that's what worked for the conquistadors, but it doesn't work on these folk. Mark tries to prove it by digging out a match and lighting it, but the chief scoffs and informs him they know all about safety matches. So it's a mixed bag. Likewise, with the forty thieves, there's a lot of "Allah" mentioning and mentioning Mecca and stuff like that, but when a thief has to climb in the oil jar to surprise Ali Baba, he says, "Oh dear, I always get so nervous in an enclosed space. I don't think I can go through with it, I really don't!" As British as any British chap that ever Britished Britishly. So while there are some cultural stereotypes, they all seem to be offset by adding in something distinctly culturally white. I don't want to use the term "normal" because it's not that white should be normal, but it is true that white culture was the majority cultural trend in those days in America and Britain. I think he was trying to being a smack of the familiar and therefore it offsets a too intense cultural stereotyping. But it still should be discussed with the readers. I have many complicated feelings about this that don't come off well in writing, too, so please, keep in mind I'm a bit of a poor excuse for a communicator.
What I hate is people rejecting books completely because of outdated stuff like that. This book has many, many merits. It shouldn't be completely discarded because of some outdated elements. Should those outdated elements be discussed and pointed out why they are dated and what a much better modern approach should be? Absolutely. That would require some level of parenting skill, however, so my final recommendation is: this book should be read by children whose parents are willing to talk to their children and have real discussions with them about representation and how that matters in the real world. Children of parents who don't parent, you're on your own and I hope you come to some good conclusions on your own.
December 7, 2022
This third book in the Magic series was fun again, with all sorts of changes happening to the magic throughout the book!
July 9, 2012
After reading Half Magic I was delighted to learn, as was my daughter, that Edward Eager wrote a sequel to it. Unfortunately it was considerably less charming than the original. I got the feeling that Eager felt pressured (maybe by his publisher, maybe by himself) into writing this book to capitalize on the success of the first one. But he'd already accomplished what he set out to do in Half Magic, so Magic by the Lake feels forced. In the first story the children do not realize initially that they have obtained a magical coin that can make their wishes come true. Therefore the first few wishes are made accidentally. Then there's the fact that the magic is only potent enough to make a wish come half true, causing all manner of trouble until they figure out how best to utilize it. In the sequel it's an entire lake that is magical, with a talking turtle as its representative. The magic is no longer halved. Instead, what the kids wish for needs to be water based. There's a bunch of negotiating with the turtle to establish and re-establish rules for the magic that I found to be needlessly convoluted. In books as in life, magic is difficult to recapture. Once is enough when done right and Half Magic was done just about perfectly. Transporting the magic to a lake was an unnecessary trip. By the end of the story the kids feel they are done with it. I don't blame them. Too much of a good thing can transform it from wondrous to tedious, from exhilarating to a major hassle. This is the message I got from Magic by the Lake, though I'm not sure if Eager intended to make this point by boring his previously captivated audience.
May 29, 2022
2021 reread:
I reacted the same this second time as I did the first--the story does not feel very magical. I was hoping the adventures the children have would be more enchanting. So far I am most impressed by Half Magic, which leans less on literary characters and tropes than the Knight's Castle and Magic by the Lake. I think Eager's own imagination is strong enough to stand on its own instead of being combined with other authors' works. But, I still enjoy the book and the children, especially the grumpy turtle.
As for the cannibal part, yes, depicting the only native characters as villains and caricatures is problematic. But in Eager's defense, there have been real cannibal natives, and that is "savage," hence the term "savages." To a society that is not cannibalistic, that term seems natural, especially in Eager's time. Why do we need to be politically correct about people who eat other humans? It's not exactly an admirable practice. I could do without that whole part in any case, though, as it is not very appealing to me. I only like how the children meet Martha's future children, who save the day.
I want to like this one better, because Jane Penderwick reads it while she is sick in Penderwicks on Gardam Street, so it must be one of her favorites. But I can't force it!
I reacted the same this second time as I did the first--the story does not feel very magical. I was hoping the adventures the children have would be more enchanting. So far I am most impressed by Half Magic, which leans less on literary characters and tropes than the Knight's Castle and Magic by the Lake. I think Eager's own imagination is strong enough to stand on its own instead of being combined with other authors' works. But, I still enjoy the book and the children, especially the grumpy turtle.
As for the cannibal part, yes, depicting the only native characters as villains and caricatures is problematic. But in Eager's defense, there have been real cannibal natives, and that is "savage," hence the term "savages." To a society that is not cannibalistic, that term seems natural, especially in Eager's time. Why do we need to be politically correct about people who eat other humans? It's not exactly an admirable practice. I could do without that whole part in any case, though, as it is not very appealing to me. I only like how the children meet Martha's future children, who save the day.
I want to like this one better, because Jane Penderwick reads it while she is sick in Penderwicks on Gardam Street, so it must be one of her favorites. But I can't force it!
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