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Magic Attic Club #1
The Secret of the Attic
Alison, Heather, Keisha, and Megan find a golden key that turns out to unlock the attic in a neighbor's old Victorian house. Once inside, Keisha spots a trunk filled with wonderful costumes--ball gowns, a ballet tutu, and many, many more.
It's not long before the best friends find beautiful dresses that seem meant for them. And when they stand together in front of the old-fashioned mirror, they suddenly find themselves on an adventure in the past!
At first they don't know what's happened, or how to help the young girl whose Christmas party seems ruined. Why does she look so familiar? And how will they ever get back home? The answers they discover are the beginnings of the Magic Attic Club!
It's not long before the best friends find beautiful dresses that seem meant for them. And when they stand together in front of the old-fashioned mirror, they suddenly find themselves on an adventure in the past!
At first they don't know what's happened, or how to help the young girl whose Christmas party seems ruined. Why does she look so familiar? And how will they ever get back home? The answers they discover are the beginnings of the Magic Attic Club!
75 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
About the author
Sheri Cooper Sinykin
31 books13 followersSheri Sinykin was lead author of the Magic Attic Club series in the mid-90s, and published nine other books for young readers. She lives in Wisconsin and in Arizona."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
August 3, 2017
I remember reading this book when it first came out. Re-reading it today was probably a mistake, because I think I had fonder memories of the book than it deserved.
This series came out as something competitive to the American Girl books - even to the point of coming out with their own dolls to go with them. The problem was, the stories were so...ugh...ok, dressing up in party dresses and then the adventures that follow in quick succession....I think someone pointed out how dated the roles are. Princess. Ballerina. Ice Skater. Sheesh. Not the role model stuff I was hoping for for my daughters.
The books themselves are hard to read. There's so much jumping point of view that it's hard to know whose head you're even in. The girls seems to be close, yet as the story progresses you wonder if the girls really know each other at all. They meet a neighbor whom everyone seems to know, and get permission to play in this lady's attic where all theses dress up games ensue. (In today's world this might even seem a bit creepy but then I have a twisty mind.) Details from the past seem to be really spotty - not much about the story even feels like the past - there just isn't much detail.
I'm sorry to see this, as I was hoping the series would be better. Especially when the books are printed so attractively. My daughter was bored with the first book. I don't think she looked at any of the others. I might read them because I have them from the library. But they're certainly not at the top of my list.
I really wish this could have been better.
This series came out as something competitive to the American Girl books - even to the point of coming out with their own dolls to go with them. The problem was, the stories were so...ugh...ok, dressing up in party dresses and then the adventures that follow in quick succession....I think someone pointed out how dated the roles are. Princess. Ballerina. Ice Skater. Sheesh. Not the role model stuff I was hoping for for my daughters.
The books themselves are hard to read. There's so much jumping point of view that it's hard to know whose head you're even in. The girls seems to be close, yet as the story progresses you wonder if the girls really know each other at all. They meet a neighbor whom everyone seems to know, and get permission to play in this lady's attic where all theses dress up games ensue. (In today's world this might even seem a bit creepy but then I have a twisty mind.) Details from the past seem to be really spotty - not much about the story even feels like the past - there just isn't much detail.
I'm sorry to see this, as I was hoping the series would be better. Especially when the books are printed so attractively. My daughter was bored with the first book. I don't think she looked at any of the others. I might read them because I have them from the library. But they're certainly not at the top of my list.
I really wish this could have been better.
October 31, 2016
I was obsessed with American Girl dolls (the historical ones) when I was little. This was a competitor with the exact same idea - dolls with tie in novels, where you could read the book then buy the outfit. Having already bought the redheaded American Girl doll, I couldn't justify buying the redhead from this world too. I regretted that decision immediately. The redhead here, Megan, was the bookworm. I chose Alison, the blonde, who was the sporty tomboy. Which has just...never been me.
Anyway, this book is the introduction to the whole world and doll line. I loved the idea when I was 12 but middle reader books have improved IMMENSELY since then and this was almost unreadable. On the other hand, it was like 70 pages long with size 14 font and only took me about 30 minutes to read. It was nice to be reminded of my adolescence but no one would like this book without the tie in merchandise, which no longer exists except on Ebay.
Anyway, this book is the introduction to the whole world and doll line. I loved the idea when I was 12 but middle reader books have improved IMMENSELY since then and this was almost unreadable. On the other hand, it was like 70 pages long with size 14 font and only took me about 30 minutes to read. It was nice to be reminded of my adolescence but no one would like this book without the tie in merchandise, which no longer exists except on Ebay.
April 1, 2016
This book was about 4 girls who were going to go sledding in the hills. While they were walking they found a key that belonged to a new neighbor. When they went to give the key back the neighbor(Ellie) invited them to her attic. While the girls were in the attic they found a box full of nice clothes and shoes and other costumes. They had a cool adventure. I would recommend this book to ppl who like books about secret adventures.
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December 9, 2014Rereading this series is going to be the most fun ever.
August 10, 2019
This did not hold up to my memory. It was not well written at all. There are some continuity issues with the story and it just didn’t make that much sense to me. Unfortunately I was disappointed.
October 17, 2024
Here's where it all begins. Alison, Megan, and Keisha are long-time besties, and new-in-town Heather is anxious about fitting in with the group.
It's December, and the girls are happily making Christmas plans (another source of anxiety for Heather, who is Jewish) when they run into Ellie, an older woman who is moving back to the neighborhood. She gives music lessons, has a houseful of amazing memorabilia (and, it turns out, knows all their mothers, making her safe to get to know).
Is it a little weird that the girls come in to ask about lessons, and Ellie invites them to just go play dress-up in her attic for a while? Yeah. But also the company is called Magic Attic Club, so we all knew this was coming, right? It's there in the catalog, and on the cover of the book.
The attic, of course, is full of piles of outfits that happen to fit ten-year-old girls. They each choose a party dress, and when they stand back to admire themselves in the mirror, well, suddenly they're not in the attic anymore.
They find themselves in someone's old-timey house and discover that there's about to be a Christmas party here. What a good thing they all chose party dresses, and not, say, one tutu, one cowgirl outfit, and one cheerleading uniform — this could have been a lot weirder. (What would the mirror do with a group in mis-matched outfits? Send you to a Halloween party, probably.)
Unfortunately, this party doesn't go quite as expected: Instead, our girls wind up helping nurse their young hostess through a little hypothermia. But it's still good for friendship bonding. Later books refer back to this as an amazing first adventure, but while time travel is always amazing and the discovery of the magic mirror is certainly amazing, the events of their first jaunt through the mirror are fairly pedestrian.
It's implied that other kids over the years have used the mirror, too, maybe including their moms? Definitely including Ellie and her own childhood friends. To the extent I've read so far, this never seems to come up again. But the Magic Attic Club is officially formed, and the friendship is cemented.
Want more? Here are the other Magic Attic books I've babbled about.
It's December, and the girls are happily making Christmas plans (another source of anxiety for Heather, who is Jewish) when they run into Ellie, an older woman who is moving back to the neighborhood. She gives music lessons, has a houseful of amazing memorabilia (and, it turns out, knows all their mothers, making her safe to get to know).
Is it a little weird that the girls come in to ask about lessons, and Ellie invites them to just go play dress-up in her attic for a while? Yeah. But also the company is called Magic Attic Club, so we all knew this was coming, right? It's there in the catalog, and on the cover of the book.
The attic, of course, is full of piles of outfits that happen to fit ten-year-old girls. They each choose a party dress, and when they stand back to admire themselves in the mirror, well, suddenly they're not in the attic anymore.
They find themselves in someone's old-timey house and discover that there's about to be a Christmas party here. What a good thing they all chose party dresses, and not, say, one tutu, one cowgirl outfit, and one cheerleading uniform — this could have been a lot weirder. (What would the mirror do with a group in mis-matched outfits? Send you to a Halloween party, probably.)
Unfortunately, this party doesn't go quite as expected: Instead, our girls wind up helping nurse their young hostess through a little hypothermia. But it's still good for friendship bonding. Later books refer back to this as an amazing first adventure, but while time travel is always amazing and the discovery of the magic mirror is certainly amazing, the events of their first jaunt through the mirror are fairly pedestrian.
It's implied that other kids over the years have used the mirror, too, maybe including their moms? Definitely including Ellie and her own childhood friends. To the extent I've read so far, this never seems to come up again. But the Magic Attic Club is officially formed, and the friendship is cemented.
Want more? Here are the other Magic Attic books I've babbled about.
March 9, 2020
Another childhood favorite! This series was my everything!!
October 16, 2008
These books accompanied knock-offs of the popular American Girl Dolls. American Girl Doll books are nothing special, but at least they provide a basic grounding in history--MAC books are just derivative, paint-by-the-numbers insipid fantasy. The girls are all princesses and ballerinas...I think one is an ice skater. Ugh.
June 18, 2026
Just finished this with 7.5 yo. I read this series as a kid and it holds up. The pictures are definitely dated at this point but looking forward to reading a few more from the series with the kiddo.
September 23, 2010
I just got done reading a good book called "The Secret of the Attic," it was good. "The Secret of the Attic" was written by Sheri Cooper Sinykin. it takes place in Kansas close to Christmas time so there is a lot of snow on the ground and houses and it is really cold outside too. One day four girls named Alison, Heather, Keisha, and Megan were playing outside in the snow when they find a golden key outside buried in the snow. The key the girls found ended up to be the key to the attic of a neighbor's old house. In the attic the girls found a trunk full of many different beautiful outfits. Eventually the girls find the dresses that fit them so they try them on. After the girls put on the dresses they stand together in front of a mirror and find all of them stuck in the past. They meet some knew people and make some knew friends but how will they get back home? The story brings the reader in when they find the key buried in the snow. The book gets interesting when they find themselves stuck in the past giving the book the excitement it needs. The book is like life today because some people get lost or stuck and if you and your friends stick together you can get through anything. My opinion of the book is it's really fun if you understand it and some points are cool as well. Also the book is an adventure or a quest and that is amazing in some ways. The grade i give the book is a 7/10 because it is not awesome but it is a nice, fun book to read. You should really read it!
July 25, 2019
This is the start of one of my favorite series from childhood that I hope my future children enjoy. It's a shame that no new titles have been published in years, certainly since before I started reading them and that no one ever knows what I'm talking about when I bring them up.
Four girls: Keisha, Alison, Meghan, and Heather visit their older neighbor, Ellie's, house. She encourages them to go up in the attic where there are many costumes to dress up in. Each of the girls finds an outfit and looks in front of the large old-fashioned mirror. They soon find themselves somewhere else.
This is one of the few adventures where all four girls are together. The attic and its secret are used when the girls are having conflicts in their life and is used in the plot to often learn a lesson or solve a problem they're having. Ellie becomes a very good friend to the girls not only because of allowing the girls to pretty much bother her all the time to go on adventures but as a woman who has aged gracefully who gives sage advice.
One of the easiest to find
Four girls: Keisha, Alison, Meghan, and Heather visit their older neighbor, Ellie's, house. She encourages them to go up in the attic where there are many costumes to dress up in. Each of the girls finds an outfit and looks in front of the large old-fashioned mirror. They soon find themselves somewhere else.
This is one of the few adventures where all four girls are together. The attic and its secret are used when the girls are having conflicts in their life and is used in the plot to often learn a lesson or solve a problem they're having. Ellie becomes a very good friend to the girls not only because of allowing the girls to pretty much bother her all the time to go on adventures but as a woman who has aged gracefully who gives sage advice.
One of the easiest to find
August 17, 2008
This is a really good series for girls. It has 4 girls who are all different from each other who become friends through the Magic Attic, where they dress up in different outfits & when they look in the mirror they travel to another place & time. It has really good pictures (it kind of reminds me of the American Girl series) & deals with issues important in real life to girls this age, & they always learn a lesson on their trips through the Magic Attic.
February 23, 2014
The adventures of the Magic Attic Club start here when Ellie Goodwin moves back to her family home. Ellie invites the four neighborhood girls over to explore her attic, knowing they'll discover the secrets held by its tall gilt-edged mirror. The girls' first adventure is back to that same house when Ellie is a young girl recovering from an ice-skating accident in 1930. My favorite part was the implication that the girls' mothers had all played in the attic together and knew its secrets.
October 13, 2020
I know I'm too old to be reading these books, but they were a favorite when I was a kid. I never did finish the series and I wanted to because of nostalgia reasons. The book was a good as I remember! It such a cute little book about a good group of friends. I love the diversity, Keisha celebrating Kwanza and Heather celebrating Hanukkah. I think it's a good book for kids to read. I'm sad that the books are out of print, though.
July 16, 2008
Remember those books you read as a child and said, "I wish that would happen to me!". This is it.
Funny thing is, it actually did happen for me, in a way. My imagination was so sparked and fed by this series that my own adventures took new life. Even now, wearing costumes, dressing up, and acting still makes me feel transported to some magical other-place.
Funny thing is, it actually did happen for me, in a way. My imagination was so sparked and fed by this series that my own adventures took new life. Even now, wearing costumes, dressing up, and acting still makes me feel transported to some magical other-place.
August 11, 2012
Since this is the first book in the series, it's more of an introduction than an adventure. All the characters are set, the rules are laid down, etc. Even though the series itself is nonlinear, I would definitely recommend reading "The Secret of the Attic" first, just because it's the very beginning.
October 5, 2014
When I was in elementary school, I LOVED these books (the Magic Attic Club)! Even then they were quick reads, but they were able to transport you to a different time and place. While these books were light and fun, they were also somewhat education- they taught of different cultures in the past while comparing it to the "modern" world.
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August 22, 2016Wow did I read a lot of these. I guess I really liked how they went on adventures and the fact that each one of them had a certain color they also wore. lol. Heather was my favorite I think, shes the one I own anyway. I really liked Allison's adventures too.
June 9, 2014
Such a blast from the past. I loved these books when I was growing up, and re-reading through them now for memories is still enjoyable. These are great books to share with the kids. The concept is along the lines of the Magic Treehouse books.
December 5, 2014
My sister and I were obsessed with these books when we were younger and even labeled ourselves as the characters. I was Heather, my sister was alison, and our friend was keisha. My dad talked bout building us our own club house but it never happened.
June 15, 2017
I wish these books had gotten more attention. They were good reads but most girls in my class viewed them as American Girl knockoffs, since you could buy dolls and outfits to match each book. I loved the fantasy element.
February 21, 2010
This is the starter to the famous Magic Atitc Club. The general idea behind the books is quite good.
July 29, 2011
I loved this book when I was a little girl, and loved this book series. I wish they didn't stop making the dolls that went with them!
September 11, 2014
I was obsessed with this series as a kid. I can't seem to remember how far I got into the series though. It breaks my heart to hear that these books are no longer in print.
December 15, 2015
It may be a slightly dated story, but it's still a great introduction to science fantasy for kids, mostly girls.
December 30, 2015
I loved this series when I was a kid! Full of imagination.
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September 27, 2021Not my favorite, but my 5-year-old loved it.
March 27, 2016
C-. children's book, grade 3, girls', fantasy, not fleshed out enough, series, Magic Attic Club, #1
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 30, 2016Another novel I read as kid that I stumbled upon on Goodreads! I don't remember these being particularly good, just that they were sort of American Girl read-alikes.
May 21, 2017
I loved these books as a kid. The imagination and adventure always made me a jealous and the clothes they wore were always fun too. I liked how in this one they went back in time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews