The Art of Magic

The Art of Magic is the story of third-grader Zuzu, who befriends the new boy next door and with him discovers a set of magical art supplies that allow them to bring their art to life. On one hand, it is a story about a lonely young girl who slowly learns to come out of her shell. But it is also a story about magic and creativity, of grudges and forgiveness. The opening chapter finds Zuzu in ordinary life, in a situation many third-graders could doubtlessly empathize with: feeling lonely and awkward at a school picnic while her parents push her to make more friends. But the second chapter throws that on its head, pulling the reader into a world of magic that leaves them eagerly looking to what happens next. The rest of the book seamlessly balances the realism with the fantastical. The chapters are short and quick paced, sure to make young readers feel like they're breezing through it. Officially this book is for kids ages 9-13, but kids closer to the 9-10 range will get more enjoyment out of it than their older peers.

What a wonderful story about the power of friendship, the magic of art and music, and our ability to choose to be good and kind after we've made missteps. I loved Zuzu and Andrew's friendship and the idea that their magic is at its most powerful when they combine their gifts. I loved the visitons and am sure that readers will love the cute, cuddly and fierce monsters.

This is sure to be a hit with young readers!

This was absolutely adorable. ZuZu was excellent and believable, and I loved the non-adversarial relationship she had with Banjo. Andrew was a terrific sidekick, and I liked the little twist about the hair burrs.

The storyline itself was well done. I liked the explanation of the magic system - it's a very unique system and I was impressed. I liked the plot and the action was exciting. I can imagine a young MG reader would very much enjoy this.