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Any Which Wall
Four kids, a mysterious wall, and a good helping of common magic!
If you had a magic wall that could take you to any place and any time, where would you go? Would you want to visit castles and desert islands? Would you want to meet famous wizards, terrible pirates, beautiful queens, and dastardly outlaws? If so, then you are just like Henry and Emma, and Roy and Susan—and you will probably like this story a lot. In fact, you might even wish something similar would happen to you!
In Any Which Wall, author Laurel Snyder proves that you don’t have to be an orphan, know a dragon, or even be a child to get a taste of magic. You just have to keep your mind open and willing to let it happen. And when you do find magic (like Henry, Emma, Roy, and Susan), you might be surprised that along with all the fun, you also find out new things about your friends, your family, and maybe even a little bit about who you really want to be.
If you had a magic wall that could take you to any place and any time, where would you go? Would you want to visit castles and desert islands? Would you want to meet famous wizards, terrible pirates, beautiful queens, and dastardly outlaws? If so, then you are just like Henry and Emma, and Roy and Susan—and you will probably like this story a lot. In fact, you might even wish something similar would happen to you!
In Any Which Wall, author Laurel Snyder proves that you don’t have to be an orphan, know a dragon, or even be a child to get a taste of magic. You just have to keep your mind open and willing to let it happen. And when you do find magic (like Henry, Emma, Roy, and Susan), you might be surprised that along with all the fun, you also find out new things about your friends, your family, and maybe even a little bit about who you really want to be.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published May 26, 2009
17 people are currently reading
595 people want to read
About the author
Laurel Snyder
39 books807 followersLaurel Snyder is the author of six children's novels, "Orphan Island," "Seven Stories Up," "Bigger than a Bread Box," "Penny Dreadful," "Up and Down the Scratchy Mountains OR The Search for a Suitable Princess" and "Any Which Wall" (Random House) as well as many picture books, including "Charlie & Mouse," "The Forever Garden," "Swan, the life and dance of Anna Pavlova," and "Baxter, the Pig Who Wanted to Be Kosher."
A graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and a former Michener Fellow, she also writes books for grownups, and is the author of a book of poems, "The Myth of the Simple Machines" (No Tell Books) and a chapbook, "Daphne & Jim: a choose-your-own-adventure biography in verse (Burnside Review Press) and the editor of an anthology, "Half/Life: Jew-ish Tales from Interfaith Homes" (Soft Skull Press).
Though Baltimore will always be her home, she now lives happily in Atlanta.
A graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and a former Michener Fellow, she also writes books for grownups, and is the author of a book of poems, "The Myth of the Simple Machines" (No Tell Books) and a chapbook, "Daphne & Jim: a choose-your-own-adventure biography in verse (Burnside Review Press) and the editor of an anthology, "Half/Life: Jew-ish Tales from Interfaith Homes" (Soft Skull Press).
Though Baltimore will always be her home, she now lives happily in Atlanta.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
March 24, 2015
This is actually a re-read; I've been reading it aloud to my 9-year-old son, because I remembered it fondly from my first, solo reading a couple of years ago. ANY WHICH WALL is a loving tribute to the delightful books of Edward Eager (HALF MAGIC, SEVEN-DAY MAGIC and the like), who was inspired in his turn by E. Nesbit -- so I think it safe to say that anyone who enjoys either Eager or Nesbit will find Snyder's modern-day take on the "Group of Bored Kids Find Magical Wish-Granting Thing, Have Zany Adventures" subgenre as satisfying and delightful as I did.
And yet this book is more than an attempt to reproduce Eager's particular brand of magic; it has its own heart and wisdom and a uniquely modern (though not too modern) take on the story. The four child heroes, of varying ages and personalities, who participate in the adventure all have their own struggles to face and lessons to learn, and yet the narrative smartly avoids being too didactic about it. It's a shame this book isn't better known, because it ought to be.
I should also add a final note in praise of LeUyen Pham's accompanying illustrations, which are a perfect and delightful match for the whimsy and adventure of the story.
And yet this book is more than an attempt to reproduce Eager's particular brand of magic; it has its own heart and wisdom and a uniquely modern (though not too modern) take on the story. The four child heroes, of varying ages and personalities, who participate in the adventure all have their own struggles to face and lessons to learn, and yet the narrative smartly avoids being too didactic about it. It's a shame this book isn't better known, because it ought to be.
I should also add a final note in praise of LeUyen Pham's accompanying illustrations, which are a perfect and delightful match for the whimsy and adventure of the story.
July 13, 2009
I wish that I could give half stars, because 3 seems too low a rating for such an entertaining book. Yet, overall Any Which Wall does not quite measure up to the books to which I've given 4 stars.
The novel kept me turning the pages with an always-advancing plot, and I was interested in the characters' growth (except for Henry, whose character lacked a clear arc). I would certainly recommend it to 10-12 year old who is into adventure.
Unfortunatetly, at times the novel slipped too much into metafiction for my taste. In a novel that depends on buiding a realistic world that contains magic, I don't want to be interupted with asides about how fiction works. Also, the lessons learned at the end, especially by Susan were a bit too transparent. Then again, I'm sure that a 31-year-old man is not the target audience.
The novel kept me turning the pages with an always-advancing plot, and I was interested in the characters' growth (except for Henry, whose character lacked a clear arc). I would certainly recommend it to 10-12 year old who is into adventure.
Unfortunatetly, at times the novel slipped too much into metafiction for my taste. In a novel that depends on buiding a realistic world that contains magic, I don't want to be interupted with asides about how fiction works. Also, the lessons learned at the end, especially by Susan were a bit too transparent. Then again, I'm sure that a 31-year-old man is not the target audience.
December 7, 2012
A delightful book for the early-to-middle grades. There's magic -- that's obvious -- but it manifests itself in a way that both inspires awe and logical deduction. Snyder really knows how to write for her audience, as she presents dilemmas that are age-appropriate, conundrums that are interesting but not predictable, and includes really wonderfully written treatises on the nature of magic and its relation to "every-day life." The idea of a magical wall in the middle of a cornfield evoked both awe and wonder in me and my daughter -- a bit of the magical mixed in with the mundane. It had echoes of both Field of Dreams and Shawshank Redemption, but didn't copy either of them. Snyder's prose is a delight to read, and my seven-year old and I both found ourselves well-immersed in the "every day magic" of this story. Highly recommended.
April 16, 2009
One Sentence Review: Probably the most authentic tip of the hat to Edward Eager I've ever seen a middle grade novel attempt (though admittedly I never read Magic By the Book by Nina Bernstein).
October 30, 2009
When you develop a team of siblings whose job it will be to solve a mystery, survive an adventure, or deal with magic, you have three choices. You can establish verisimilitude by making them sniping, squabbling siblings who insult each other and barely endure each other's company, like the Grace family in Tony DiTerlizzi's Spiderwick stories; you can make them react believably to danger and uncertainty by banding tightly together, viz the Baudelaire siblings, who are as supportive and encouraging of each other as the events surrounding them are unfortunate.
Or you can take the middle path. Think Aldens. Or Cassons. Heck, think of the March girls. They don't always agree, and sometimes a fit is pitched, but as far as I'm concerned, there's your verisimilitude. No hair-pulling required.
What I'm saying is: brave, considerate, honest and smart does not equal BORING. Laurel Snyder's Any Which Wall is a Penderwick-y book, a Nesbitty book, an avowedly Eagery book, featuring four children who discover a wall that works magic, and who must figure out how to use it and what it can do. Once they've got that sorted, the next step for each kid is to decide - what to wish for. What's YOUR heart's desire? Hard to say? Try making that decision when you're six.
But while each child makes this decision based on his or her own interests (Henry wants pirates, Roy chooses American history, little Emma wants a castle, while big girl Susan just wants to see her best friend again), their adventures give each kid the opportunity to stretch underused muscles: independence, honesty, logic, compassion.
The writing is clear and pleasant - Laurel Snyder has a particular gift for describing place, and her dialogue is natural and unaffected. LeUyen Pham I have to guess was just a gift from Laurel's editor. Nobody draws regular kids, with their quirks of gesture and occasional annoyed expression, like Ms. Pham. Between the two of them, they've created four children as real as the kids messing around on my porch at this very minute.
Or you can take the middle path. Think Aldens. Or Cassons. Heck, think of the March girls. They don't always agree, and sometimes a fit is pitched, but as far as I'm concerned, there's your verisimilitude. No hair-pulling required.
What I'm saying is: brave, considerate, honest and smart does not equal BORING. Laurel Snyder's Any Which Wall is a Penderwick-y book, a Nesbitty book, an avowedly Eagery book, featuring four children who discover a wall that works magic, and who must figure out how to use it and what it can do. Once they've got that sorted, the next step for each kid is to decide - what to wish for. What's YOUR heart's desire? Hard to say? Try making that decision when you're six.
But while each child makes this decision based on his or her own interests (Henry wants pirates, Roy chooses American history, little Emma wants a castle, while big girl Susan just wants to see her best friend again), their adventures give each kid the opportunity to stretch underused muscles: independence, honesty, logic, compassion.
The writing is clear and pleasant - Laurel Snyder has a particular gift for describing place, and her dialogue is natural and unaffected. LeUyen Pham I have to guess was just a gift from Laurel's editor. Nobody draws regular kids, with their quirks of gesture and occasional annoyed expression, like Ms. Pham. Between the two of them, they've created four children as real as the kids messing around on my porch at this very minute.
Read
November 23, 2020In Laurel Snyder’s second middle-grade novel, Any Which Wall, long-time friends Henry, Roy, Susan and Emma are out of school for the summer and bored, bored, bored in their sleepy little town, until, hidden in an Iowa cornfield, they discover a mysterious wall—and an even more mysterious key.
“They pedaled forward slowly, and in a few minutes, the tall dark thing became a bigger dark thing. Finally it turned into a wall made of gray and black stones, heavy rough squares, each about the size of a large suitcase. As tall as City Hall and about that wide, the wall looked precarious, tilting toward them” (page 19).
Together, the two sets of siblings realize the wall is more than mysterious—it’s magical. It can take them to any place, at any time. They soon find themselves traveling far and wide, having adventures and learning that magic just might look a little different than they thought.
Written as a tribute to Edgar Eager and E. Nesbit this Junior Library Guild Selection by master storyteller, Laurel Snyder is lyrical, nostalgic, classic and timeless. Told by a fun and spunky narrator and peppered with delightful illustrations by LeUyen Pham, Any Which Wall veritably begs to be read aloud.
Fun, fast-paced and fantastical with characters to love. These kids aren’t singlehandedly battling evil. They don’t hold the world’s fate in their hands. They’re regular kids who remember what friendship is about and who create a little magic of their own. They remind the reader to slow down, to enjoy life’s ordinariness and to always, always, keep their eyes and imagination open. Magic still happens. A valuable lesson indeed.
From the Christian Library Journal; used by permission.
“They pedaled forward slowly, and in a few minutes, the tall dark thing became a bigger dark thing. Finally it turned into a wall made of gray and black stones, heavy rough squares, each about the size of a large suitcase. As tall as City Hall and about that wide, the wall looked precarious, tilting toward them” (page 19).
Together, the two sets of siblings realize the wall is more than mysterious—it’s magical. It can take them to any place, at any time. They soon find themselves traveling far and wide, having adventures and learning that magic just might look a little different than they thought.
Written as a tribute to Edgar Eager and E. Nesbit this Junior Library Guild Selection by master storyteller, Laurel Snyder is lyrical, nostalgic, classic and timeless. Told by a fun and spunky narrator and peppered with delightful illustrations by LeUyen Pham, Any Which Wall veritably begs to be read aloud.
Fun, fast-paced and fantastical with characters to love. These kids aren’t singlehandedly battling evil. They don’t hold the world’s fate in their hands. They’re regular kids who remember what friendship is about and who create a little magic of their own. They remind the reader to slow down, to enjoy life’s ordinariness and to always, always, keep their eyes and imagination open. Magic still happens. A valuable lesson indeed.
From the Christian Library Journal; used by permission.
November 26, 2009
Put together a Narnia-like plot device, Neil Gaiman's quirky narrative voice, and a setting which combines the modern world with throwback innocence. Add time-travel, a couple of great secondary characters, episodic structure, and didactic magic.
This is good old fashioned storytelling fun. At first, I thought the plot might be a little cliche. Four kids (two boys, two girls - aged 6-12) discover a wall in the middle of a field which will transport them to other times and places. The narrative voice just sparkles with self-awareness and humor, making special note about dangerous choices, and inserting mini-sermons about smart living within the text. This one made me laugh and tear up within pages and I couldn't believe how fast I read it, even limiting my reading sessions to breaks at work. Unfortunately, the innocence, kid-friendly cover and ages of the characters will make this primarily a 5th-6th grade booktalk, but I hope kids of many ages will discover it.
This is good old fashioned storytelling fun. At first, I thought the plot might be a little cliche. Four kids (two boys, two girls - aged 6-12) discover a wall in the middle of a field which will transport them to other times and places. The narrative voice just sparkles with self-awareness and humor, making special note about dangerous choices, and inserting mini-sermons about smart living within the text. This one made me laugh and tear up within pages and I couldn't believe how fast I read it, even limiting my reading sessions to breaks at work. Unfortunately, the innocence, kid-friendly cover and ages of the characters will make this primarily a 5th-6th grade booktalk, but I hope kids of many ages will discover it.
May 25, 2009
This middle grade fantasy is a quick fun read which was written very specifically in the tradition of Edward Eager, whose books are cited several times in the text. Because I am lazy and not particularly good at reviewing, I'm referring interested parties to my sister's review on her blog (http://charlotteslibrary.blogspot.com/). I pretty much am of her mind on this one except I don't agree that the illustrations are appealing.. I found them unpleasantly cartoon-ish and distracting.
May 12, 2009
ANY WHICH WALL is an admirable volume in the "careful what you wish for" genre, perfect for fans of Edward Eager and E. Nesbit. If you like books about plucky children, and magic, and adventure, and summertime, and dogs, you will like ANY WHICH WALL.
And the illustrations by LeUyen Pham put WALL firmly into "modern classics" territory!
And the illustrations by LeUyen Pham put WALL firmly into "modern classics" territory!
December 28, 2010
I liked the book about 3 million times more than I liked the cover. What were they thinking with that cover?
The story itself is gentle and sweet and reminiscent of Edward Eager by design. It's got moments of fun and quarter-moments of suspense. I like my fiction, even my middle-grade fiction, considerably darker. But this was a nice story with which to while away a rainy hour.
The story itself is gentle and sweet and reminiscent of Edward Eager by design. It's got moments of fun and quarter-moments of suspense. I like my fiction, even my middle-grade fiction, considerably darker. But this was a nice story with which to while away a rainy hour.
June 9, 2011
Entertaining to me as an adult who was a fan of Edward Eager in my childhood, and probably for modern kids who like such old fashioned books. But though my daughter has loved other Laurel Snyder books, somehow I couldn't imagine her reading this one....
January 23, 2021
It was the Edward Eager books that first set me on a hunt for books about magic. I devoured those books, and I was desperate to read more. I'd have been delighted to find Any Which Wall on the library shelf when I was eight.
I enjoyed the story. I did. It's about a magical wall, and who wouldn't love to find a magical wall that will take you to other times and other places? But a couple of things put me off the story including the segment with Merlin. I just don't think contemporary kids would become friends with Merlin as he was depicted. Guinevere was also offputting. And I didn't like the segment where the two friends reunite. Even the quirky librarian was a little disappointing, to be honest. The storyline felt completely stolen from Eager.
What I did enjoy were all the asides where the author talks directly to the reader (which is, of course, an Eager strategy that I don't mind was borrowed). I liked the ending, too; the ending was satisfying.
I enjoyed the story. I did. It's about a magical wall, and who wouldn't love to find a magical wall that will take you to other times and other places? But a couple of things put me off the story including the segment with Merlin. I just don't think contemporary kids would become friends with Merlin as he was depicted. Guinevere was also offputting. And I didn't like the segment where the two friends reunite. Even the quirky librarian was a little disappointing, to be honest. The storyline felt completely stolen from Eager.
What I did enjoy were all the asides where the author talks directly to the reader (which is, of course, an Eager strategy that I don't mind was borrowed). I liked the ending, too; the ending was satisfying.
January 14, 2018
I loved these characters! And Laurel Snyder did a perfect job of writing fantastical adventures that also shape her characters. Susan’s journey was my favorite, specifically as a middle school teacher.
January 31, 2011
I won this book from a Goodreads contest last summer--it was a surprise treat to receive it in the mail (signed) from Laurel. She also included a sticker, and a bookplate for another book (BAXTER, THE PIG WHO WANTED TO BE KOSHER). Unfortunately, I wasn't able to pick up the book until the late fall.
I read the first few chapters in November. Laurel's writing reminds me of timeless middle grade adventures from my childhood, updated for today. I mean, two of the kids have cell phones, but they ride their bikes freely all over the town. Parents are concerned about their welfare, but they send along the big sister to babysit...and of course, she gets sucked into the magic along with them. I love books about magic!
My daughter and I read Laurel's "UP AND DOWN THE SCRATCHY MOUNTAIN" last summer and we loved it. Another fairytale-ish story that could have been written yesterday or forty years ago. Destined to be a classic.
I can't wait to finish ANY WHICH WALL--and give it to my daughter to read.
Update: Finished it! I had to go back and start at the beginning with my daughter. It's a wonderful story about four kids who find a magic wall that can take them anywhere. We both loved it too. The pacing is just a tad slow, but that made it a really nice book to enjoy in the evening. I loved the relationships between the kids and the growth of one of them in particular. Recommended for kids 7+.
I read the first few chapters in November. Laurel's writing reminds me of timeless middle grade adventures from my childhood, updated for today. I mean, two of the kids have cell phones, but they ride their bikes freely all over the town. Parents are concerned about their welfare, but they send along the big sister to babysit...and of course, she gets sucked into the magic along with them. I love books about magic!
My daughter and I read Laurel's "UP AND DOWN THE SCRATCHY MOUNTAIN" last summer and we loved it. Another fairytale-ish story that could have been written yesterday or forty years ago. Destined to be a classic.
I can't wait to finish ANY WHICH WALL--and give it to my daughter to read.
Update: Finished it! I had to go back and start at the beginning with my daughter. It's a wonderful story about four kids who find a magic wall that can take them anywhere. We both loved it too. The pacing is just a tad slow, but that made it a really nice book to enjoy in the evening. I loved the relationships between the kids and the growth of one of them in particular. Recommended for kids 7+.
May 23, 2011
Ms. Snyder has set out to continue the everyday magic found in the books of Edward Eager, and she has succeeded magnificently. She acknowledges her debt to him by mentioning his books within the story, and by including him in the list of people she thanks for making this book possible. As in Mr. Eager's books, the magic happens to four children who are neighbors and friends. The magic is found quite by accident, and then its rules must be uncovered and understood. I love, love, love Mr. Eager's books, and I felt as though this were another of his. I so hope Ms. Snyder has more offerings up her sleeve.
Here is a little excerpt from pgs. 171-2 to whet your appetite:
"Mom always says you can solve most problems at the library, and there's a lady there who's my friend. We could ask her about helping Bernice. She has to answer people's questions. It's her job.....She has a bun on top of her head and wears glasses," said Emma. "And she talks in a voice that sounds like a squiggly line. Like a nursery rhyme."
"Not that strange librarian" said Susan, "the one who's always gazing off over your shoulder when you ask her to help you find a book?.....The one who wears her hair with a pencil stuck through it," asked Susan, "and dresses like a parrot?"
"Oh, I guess that is who I mean," said Emma, "but she's not strange. She's nice."
Here is a little excerpt from pgs. 171-2 to whet your appetite:
"Mom always says you can solve most problems at the library, and there's a lady there who's my friend. We could ask her about helping Bernice. She has to answer people's questions. It's her job.....She has a bun on top of her head and wears glasses," said Emma. "And she talks in a voice that sounds like a squiggly line. Like a nursery rhyme."
"Not that strange librarian" said Susan, "the one who's always gazing off over your shoulder when you ask her to help you find a book?.....The one who wears her hair with a pencil stuck through it," asked Susan, "and dresses like a parrot?"
"Oh, I guess that is who I mean," said Emma, "but she's not strange. She's nice."
August 3, 2011
If you would wish yourself to any place at any time how would you use that wish. In Any Which Wall by Laurel Snyder four children find a wall that turns out to grant these wishes. Watching these children figure out how the magic works was tons of fun!
One thing that I struggled with in this book was separating the characters. I had no trouble keeping track of the oldest child Susan and the youngest Emily, but the two boys Roy and Henry kept getting mixed up in my head. This didn't effect the story for me, but it did prevent me from making that connection to them as characters. I do not think this was the fault of the author as much as it was the fault of me being a lazy reader. Hopefully, this taught me something about myself as a reader that will help me in my teaching of young readers. If I struggle to keep characters straight, then I am sure my fourth grade readers will have the same issues.
Overall, this was a wonderful read. You can't help but think of where you would wish yourself. I would wish myself to Tiger Stadium in the fall of 1984 and I would watch the Tigers win the World Series. I don't think I would want to wish myself somewhere to serious.
One thing that I struggled with in this book was separating the characters. I had no trouble keeping track of the oldest child Susan and the youngest Emily, but the two boys Roy and Henry kept getting mixed up in my head. This didn't effect the story for me, but it did prevent me from making that connection to them as characters. I do not think this was the fault of the author as much as it was the fault of me being a lazy reader. Hopefully, this taught me something about myself as a reader that will help me in my teaching of young readers. If I struggle to keep characters straight, then I am sure my fourth grade readers will have the same issues.
Overall, this was a wonderful read. You can't help but think of where you would wish yourself. I would wish myself to Tiger Stadium in the fall of 1984 and I would watch the Tigers win the World Series. I don't think I would want to wish myself somewhere to serious.
March 10, 2012
Any Which Wall is a book about four kids and their very eventful summer. In the beginning of the book, they decide to take a bike ride into the corn field down the street from their house. When they get into the corn field, Roy sees something that looks like a huge wall. As they get closer to the object, they realize that it is a wall. This is very surprising for them seeing that they go to the corn field all of the time, but have never seen the wall before. Then, Emma sees something shiny in the dirt and rides her bike over to pick it up. It was the key to the wall. All of the kids get very excited and can't wait to find out more about the wall. Then the next day when they all get to the wall, they find out that the wall is magic and can send them to any place they wish for as long as there is a wall at the place. So throughout the whole summer, Henry, Roy, Emma, and Susan take several different adventures all over the world sometimes even going back in time. This book was a fun book that I would recommend to people that enjoy reading realistic fiction and fantasy books.
June 15, 2009
Charming read. My dad introduced my sister and me to Edgar Eager during our bedtime read alouds when we were very young. Later I happily read and reread his books (and those of his inspiration, E. Nesbit) on my own and then again to my students when I began teaching. So I was eager (pun intended) to read this title.
Snyder does a terrific job channeling Eager --- the voice is pitch perfect. So are the kids, their adventures, and the gentle humor. I did wonder about the narrator now and then --- that is, I can't recall if those in Eager's books were quite as intrusive as the one is here, giving suggestions and advice to the readers, sometimes several pages worth.
I liked the balance of old (the kids go to a matinee, ride bikes, go for ice cream, want adventures with pirates and such) and new (in particular the thread involving the oldest girl and her friendship). Made me think a bit of the Penderwick books as they too have an timeless quality to them.
Snyder does a terrific job channeling Eager --- the voice is pitch perfect. So are the kids, their adventures, and the gentle humor. I did wonder about the narrator now and then --- that is, I can't recall if those in Eager's books were quite as intrusive as the one is here, giving suggestions and advice to the readers, sometimes several pages worth.
I liked the balance of old (the kids go to a matinee, ride bikes, go for ice cream, want adventures with pirates and such) and new (in particular the thread involving the oldest girl and her friendship). Made me think a bit of the Penderwick books as they too have an timeless quality to them.
November 26, 2010
Friends, magic, wishes, and old fashioned fun make this book a winner! Henry, Emma, Roy and Susan are wasting away their summer waiting for something exciting to happen when on a bike ride they discover a large dark wall, in the middle of a corn field. In a very Narnian event the children rest against it and in doing so mistakenly active the wall which whisks them immediately into a nearby soda shop. This happens to be the exact wish of Susan as she sat down to rest and they realize the potential of the wall. If you could wish to visit anywhere at any time in history where would you go? A deserted island, a famous American city, the old west, ancient Egypt? The way the four children relate to each other is a throwback to the Pevensise’s on their visit to Narnia or the Penderwick girls. There is nothing brand new here but the book has a wonderful old time feel and is a purely enjoyable read.
February 13, 2011
Four friends from Quiet Falls, Iowa find a magic wall in a cornfield. Each child has the wall fulfill their magical wish of time travel. Susan, the oldest, wishes to see her best friend Trish again. Emma, the youngest at six, wishes to see a Queen. Henry and Roy wish to see pirates and the American Frontier. This sweet, innocent novel will bring the adult reader back to simpler times of childhood and the younger reader an appreciation of finding magic in the ordinary. The message of finding oneself ala Susan isn't preachy and many tween girls will be able to relate.
After reading so many fantasy books that require you to keep track of numerous characters and worlds, I truly enjoyed reading this down-to-Earth, Midwesterny, kids on summer vacation, fun book.
After reading so many fantasy books that require you to keep track of numerous characters and worlds, I truly enjoyed reading this down-to-Earth, Midwesterny, kids on summer vacation, fun book.
July 12, 2011
“Is it a boy’s book or a girl’s book?”, I wonder. Neither...it is a fun book! And even the book tells us “...fun does matter. It matters a lot.” So next I wonder why this book is fun. Why is it different from the numerous adventure stories in the bookstore today? I’ve decided because it is true, sincere and pure fun. It is not the facade of fun had at the expense of the dignity of the characters or the reader. It’s the real thing. Without being “preachy” in any way, the author has taken us into a series of adventures but did so through the minds and hearts of these four main characters. Along the way, there are important life lessons learned. See our evaluation against character education criteria http://www.litland.com/reviews_10-14/... .
October 25, 2010
I loved this book! Why? Because it may be short but the author found a way to fit in all of Susan, Emma, Roy, and Henry's adventures into 244 pages. Also because it is a very simple book in some ways but very complicated in others, if you realy think about it. My favorite part was the chapters about the 'pirate'. I liked it because it was one of the longest adventures that they had and it really suprised me that when Henry wished to go to the house of the worst pirate in the world that the wall would take that as the pirate that didn't do much pirate stuff. I would recommend this book to just about everyone.
July 31, 2012
recommended for E510 @ Chase Academy
In the vein of Edgar Eager (A Knight's Castle): Four kids discover magic that leads them to a variety of fantastic adventures. The magic is never really explained, but that's no biggie. The premise of a magical wall that transports you to places offers a lot of inspiration terms of creative thinking/writing. There's some room for thematic discussion about growing up, independence, the power of belief & magic, etc., but I think most teachers will probably want to focus on the adventure. The vocab is not all that difficult, but I think all the dialogue and magical hopping about will be challenging enough for E510 readers.
In the vein of Edgar Eager (A Knight's Castle): Four kids discover magic that leads them to a variety of fantastic adventures. The magic is never really explained, but that's no biggie. The premise of a magical wall that transports you to places offers a lot of inspiration terms of creative thinking/writing. There's some room for thematic discussion about growing up, independence, the power of belief & magic, etc., but I think most teachers will probably want to focus on the adventure. The vocab is not all that difficult, but I think all the dialogue and magical hopping about will be challenging enough for E510 readers.
May 20, 2012
One of the strangest things about reading children's books as an adult is trying to shut off your adult brain. Most of the time, it's easy enough. This is a funny, fun and quick little book that sort of winks at itself and the question of fate, free will and time. Kids will like it because it has to do with magic, time travel and kids being clever enough to save themselves (I myself liked it for those very reasons). A lot of the time, I felt the dialogue was a little bit false -- grownups talking as they think kids talk. But forget all that. It's a fun book with tons of great elements. That's really all you need for a good summer read.
December 13, 2013
Any Which Wall, Laurel Snyder,
This book is all about four kids who find magic. They learn to get along and to be creative. On their adventures with their magic wall they discover true friendship, how to care, and of course how to get along. They never know what is coming next until it happens, but they do have some great times. They get to meet the baddest pirate in the world, a criminal, a wizard, and a huge dog. Also, Susan, the oldest of the group, gets to see an old friend and visit New York. Emma, the youngest, gets to rescue a dog and meet a queen.Henry gets to see a pirate and Roy gets to meet the criminal.If you like adventure books read Any Which Wall.
This book is all about four kids who find magic. They learn to get along and to be creative. On their adventures with their magic wall they discover true friendship, how to care, and of course how to get along. They never know what is coming next until it happens, but they do have some great times. They get to meet the baddest pirate in the world, a criminal, a wizard, and a huge dog. Also, Susan, the oldest of the group, gets to see an old friend and visit New York. Emma, the youngest, gets to rescue a dog and meet a queen.Henry gets to see a pirate and Roy gets to meet the criminal.If you like adventure books read Any Which Wall.
August 26, 2014
Oh, this is good. It's kind of amazing how Snyder manages to get that whole mid-century kids-let-loose-for-the-summer vibe, while writing a contemporary story. It's the same trick that makes the The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy so appealing. I guess it's just magic.
September 3, 2009
Like The Penderwicks, this book has a wholesome, timeless(or should I say "retro"?) feel. It's a fun and creative magical adventure, but the author's voice occasionally intrudes to talk about what the story is doing, sometimes through overt references to the genre or writing style.
But what else can an author do, if she's setting out to write an Edward Eager-style magical tale for kids today? If she didn't make her debts known, we'd criticize the book as derivative. So, in that sense, it works.
But what else can an author do, if she's setting out to write an Edward Eager-style magical tale for kids today? If she didn't make her debts known, we'd criticize the book as derivative. So, in that sense, it works.
October 9, 2009
Initially I was indecisive as to whether to give this 3 or 4 stars! I finally enthusiastically settled on 4 since I did "really like" this quaint and gentle fantasy which blatantly channeled Edward Eager. Maybe it's because Henry, Emma, Roy and Susan remind me of my own childhood friends and the magic we could find in our own neighborhood. Plus, it reminds me that the magic of childhood is as real as we would like it to be no matter what our age. Now if I could only find that wall....!
Recommend to grades 3 through 5.
Recommend to grades 3 through 5.
April 28, 2010
One summer day four bored kids discover a magic wall in an Iowa cornfield that can transport them to other times and other places.
Fantasy...adventure...magic (even Merlin makes an appearance)...kids should like this book. But they seem to not be picking it up because of the cover design. The cover color choices and graphics make this title look like historical fiction...or ???? I like the artist, who also did the illustrations for the Alvin Ho books, but the cover may be off-putting to the book's potential audience.
Grades 4-6
Fantasy...adventure...magic (even Merlin makes an appearance)...kids should like this book. But they seem to not be picking it up because of the cover design. The cover color choices and graphics make this title look like historical fiction...or ???? I like the artist, who also did the illustrations for the Alvin Ho books, but the cover may be off-putting to the book's potential audience.
Grades 4-6
April 14, 2011
This book is sort of a tribute to Edward Eager's delightful "Half Magic" (which I recommend, by the way). Four children discover a magic wall which dispels their summer boredom, and, of course, they learns some lessons along the way. It's not as original as Half Magic (because, as the author will admit, she stole ideas from it), but it's lots of fun and kids will enjoy it. I appreciate books like this that entertain without using bad language or crude behavior, and have plenty of adventure and excitement, but no violence.
Age Recommendation: 7 - 12 years (great for read-aloud)
Age Recommendation: 7 - 12 years (great for read-aloud)
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