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The Magic Grandfather
Sam can't believe it. His own grandfather is a real magician--and not just magic tricks, REAL MAGIC!!
Now the old man is summoning some strange beings from another world, and he's warned Sam: There must be complete silence. The room begins to glow...it swirls with color...the spell is working...
"Oh, wow!" yells Sam, forgetting.
Instantly, there's a loud popping sound, and his grandfather disappears! He's been zapped into that other world--and it's up to Sam to get him back. But can he? Can he really reverse the spell?
Now the old man is summoning some strange beings from another world, and he's warned Sam: There must be complete silence. The room begins to glow...it swirls with color...the spell is working...
"Oh, wow!" yells Sam, forgetting.
Instantly, there's a loud popping sound, and his grandfather disappears! He's been zapped into that other world--and it's up to Sam to get him back. But can he? Can he really reverse the spell?
- GenresFantasy
150 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
1 person is currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Jay Williams
157 books41 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Jay Williams (May 31, 1914–July 12, 1978) was an American author born in Buffalo, New York, the son of Max and Lillian Jacobson. He cited the experience of growing up as the son of a vaudeville show producer as leading him to pursue his acting career as early as college. Between 1931 and 1934 he attended the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University where he took part in amateur theatrical productions.
Out of school and out of work during the end of the Depression, he worked as a comedian on the upstate New York Borscht Belt circuit. From 1936 until 1941, Jay Williams worked as a press agent for Dwight Deere Winman, Jed Harris and the Hollywood Theatre Alliance. And even though he played a feature role in the Cannes prize winning film, The Little Fugitive produced in 1953, he turned his attention to writing as a full time career after his discharge from the Army in 1945. He was the recipient of the Purple Heart. While serving in the Army he published his first book, The Stolen Oracle, in 1943.
Williams may be best-known for his young adult "Danny Dunn" science fiction/fantasy series which he co-authored with Raymond Abrashkin. Though Abrashkin died in 1960, he is listed as co-author of all 15 books of this series, which continued from 1956 until 1977. Jay Williams also wrote mysteries for young adults, such as The Stolen Oracle, The Counterfeit African, and The Roman Moon Mystery.
In all, he published at least 79 books including 11 picture books, 39 children's novels, 7 adult mysteries, 4 nonfiction books, 8 historical novels and a play.
Williams and his wife Barbara Girsdansky were married June 3, 1941. They had a son, Christopher ("Chris"), and a daughter, Victoria. Jay Williams died at age 64 from a heart attack while on a trip to London on July 12, 1978.
Jay Williams (May 31, 1914–July 12, 1978) was an American author born in Buffalo, New York, the son of Max and Lillian Jacobson. He cited the experience of growing up as the son of a vaudeville show producer as leading him to pursue his acting career as early as college. Between 1931 and 1934 he attended the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University where he took part in amateur theatrical productions.
Out of school and out of work during the end of the Depression, he worked as a comedian on the upstate New York Borscht Belt circuit. From 1936 until 1941, Jay Williams worked as a press agent for Dwight Deere Winman, Jed Harris and the Hollywood Theatre Alliance. And even though he played a feature role in the Cannes prize winning film, The Little Fugitive produced in 1953, he turned his attention to writing as a full time career after his discharge from the Army in 1945. He was the recipient of the Purple Heart. While serving in the Army he published his first book, The Stolen Oracle, in 1943.
Williams may be best-known for his young adult "Danny Dunn" science fiction/fantasy series which he co-authored with Raymond Abrashkin. Though Abrashkin died in 1960, he is listed as co-author of all 15 books of this series, which continued from 1956 until 1977. Jay Williams also wrote mysteries for young adults, such as The Stolen Oracle, The Counterfeit African, and The Roman Moon Mystery.
In all, he published at least 79 books including 11 picture books, 39 children's novels, 7 adult mysteries, 4 nonfiction books, 8 historical novels and a play.
Williams and his wife Barbara Girsdansky were married June 3, 1941. They had a son, Christopher ("Chris"), and a daughter, Victoria. Jay Williams died at age 64 from a heart attack while on a trip to London on July 12, 1978.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 26, 2018
Found this in the boxes from Mom's attic; probably been 30 years since I've looked at it?
It's definitely set for a grade-school audience. I suspect I read this around 2nd grade or thereabouts when I first started getting into fantasy lit (Edgar Eager and the like, before glomming on to The Hobbit, Piers Anthony, and the Earthsea books from Ursula K. LeGuin. LeGuin's death, in fact is one of the reasons I decided to roll through this last night).
It's easy to see why I liked it as a kid; there's a major aspect of wish-fulfillment in here. (The fat nerd who gets bullied ends up with vast magical powers? I wasn't a fat kid, but I hit the rest of the marks, even if the bullying started much more in jr high/HS. Of course I liked it.) But overall, it's not a bad little story. Decent morals without being too heavy-handed and a creative little tale. Heck it even has a female character that become more than just a bland sidekick.
not bad for 150 pages.
It's a little dated, but still not bad for a younger set. I enjoyed the nostalgia.
It's definitely set for a grade-school audience. I suspect I read this around 2nd grade or thereabouts when I first started getting into fantasy lit (Edgar Eager and the like, before glomming on to The Hobbit, Piers Anthony, and the Earthsea books from Ursula K. LeGuin. LeGuin's death, in fact is one of the reasons I decided to roll through this last night).
It's easy to see why I liked it as a kid; there's a major aspect of wish-fulfillment in here. (The fat nerd who gets bullied ends up with vast magical powers? I wasn't a fat kid, but I hit the rest of the marks, even if the bullying started much more in jr high/HS. Of course I liked it.) But overall, it's not a bad little story. Decent morals without being too heavy-handed and a creative little tale. Heck it even has a female character that become more than just a bland sidekick.
not bad for 150 pages.
It's a little dated, but still not bad for a younger set. I enjoyed the nostalgia.
December 23, 2016
Blandly enjoyable urban fantasy story that's too short and somewhat underdeveloped. Ten year olds who long for some magic in their lives, but are at a reading level where Harry Potter is too big of a pill to swallow, would enjoy this.
December 23, 2019
Rounded up from 3.5 in honor of young me who would have loved this. I've always been a fan of 'what if....' What if you discovered magic as a 'tween boy, when up until then you loved TV more than anything else? What if your mentor was gone, and you needed to rescue him? What if the only person who could help you was your annoyingly (to you) smart girl cousin?
Jay Williams had talent, but didn't always have access to his muse. Some of his stories are gems, most are workmanlike. If you love this, you might like the Danny Dunn books (plugged here as one is on Sam's bookshelf). I favor, and recommend, his feminist fairy tales, like The Practical Princess, and Other Liberating Fairy Tales.
Jay Williams had talent, but didn't always have access to his muse. Some of his stories are gems, most are workmanlike. If you love this, you might like the Danny Dunn books (plugged here as one is on Sam's bookshelf). I favor, and recommend, his feminist fairy tales, like The Practical Princess, and Other Liberating Fairy Tales.
June 19, 2024
I loved this book as a kid. I was fascinated by so many elements of this book. I had a great deal of autonomy (as most kids in the 80s did), but we lived so rurally that it was the freedom to roam around the woods and ride my bike to the nearby state park. The idea of having the same freedom in town to knock around at the ice cream parlor or whatever intrigued me. I also was intrigued by the grandfather smoking and letting the grandson drink beer, two things people in my life as a kid Did Not Do. And, of course, I was (and still am) a sucker for a Chosen One narrative.
Bonus points for the female protagonist's characterization.
Bonus points for the female protagonist's characterization.
May 25, 2017
This was a favorite when I was a kid, and it holds up surprisingly well. This time I found myself affected by the friendship between Sam and his cousin Sarah.
August 23, 2020
I read this in Grade 5. I was visiting my mother in Edmonton and my Sister Kimberly had this on her book shelf. It is what started me into years of enjoyment in reading many fantasy Novels. I remember some and it was quite magical... Well written for the imaginations of a child.
I will always be grateful to this author for igniting my interests in reading and learning. After this one book I turned to our school Library and read everything they had of interest and continued to the Public Libraries and had many, many adventures which led to a Game Dungeons and Dragons.
Because of this beginning path, I created many wonderful memories of friends getting together to create our own stories.
Bless this Author and all those his heart touched.
Covey1969
I will always be grateful to this author for igniting my interests in reading and learning. After this one book I turned to our school Library and read everything they had of interest and continued to the Public Libraries and had many, many adventures which led to a Game Dungeons and Dragons.
Because of this beginning path, I created many wonderful memories of friends getting together to create our own stories.
Bless this Author and all those his heart touched.
Covey1969
April 7, 2015
Great story for a kid. I read it sometime between 5th grade and 7th grade. I loved it...back then.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews