Very Good condition. Very Good dust jacket. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner's name, short gifter's inscription or light stamp. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included.

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Bibliographic Details

Title: The Magic Room
Publisher: Harmony
Publication Date: 1987
Language: English
ISBN 10: 0517564513
ISBN 13: 9780517564516
Binding: Hardcover
Illustrator: Coco Dupuy
Condition: Very Good
Dust Jacket Condition: Dust Jacket Included

About this title

Synopsis

Phoebe's parents, who are magicians, forbid her to enter the magic room where they work, until an accident shrinks them to tiny size and they need her help in returning to normal.

Reviews

PreSchool-Grade 3 Dupuy's softly colored and often amusing illustrations are far more successful than Spencer's sappy story about a little girl who craves her parents' attention. The constant use of questions to readers is annoying, as is the incessant presence of the narrator's voice. The worst transgression, though, is not making a clear distinction between magician and scientist ; instead, the words are used interchangeably. Phoebe's mother and father, who call themselves scientists, spend all of their time experimenting, ignoring Phoebe. When an accident in the lab causes her parents to shrink to four inches tall, Phoebe takes care of them, plays with them, and gradually brings them back to their own size through laughter. Unnecessary explanations abound, almost as though the author assumes that children are unable to assimilate information and draw conclusions (``she was still hoping, you see. . .''). Certainly many children dream of having doll-sized parents that they can controlbut the treatment is too condescending here. Trev Jones, ``School Library Journal''
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Phoebe's parents are busy, serious sorts; they have little time for her, especially when they work in their secret laboratory at night. An accident there shrinks them to doll-size figures, a condition that Phoebe realizes can be reversed only with laughter. This therapy is effective, and it brings the family together as well. Spencer, author of Endless Love and other books for adults, has not succeeded in writing from a child's point of view. His text abounds with intrusive, direct addresses to the reader ("Do you know what I mean by a miracle?" he asks at one point); these create a distance and are likely to strike children as condescending. And he fantasy is contrived and unconvincing. Dupuy's paintings, though realistic and technically accomplished, are uninspiring. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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With 3 stores less than 1 hour outside the DC/Metropolitan area (1 in Gaithersburg, 1 in Frederick and 1 in Hagerstown, MD), we have the largest selection of books in the tri-state area. Wonder Book and Video has been in business since 1980 and online since 1997. We have over 1 Million books for sale on our website and another 1 Million books for sale in our 3 locations. Items on Abe are not necessarily in stock at our retail locations. Please do not call the stores to place orders for Abe Books sales. We have a very active online inventory and as such, we can receive multiple orders for the same item. We fill those orders on a first come first serve basis, but will refund promptly any items that are out of stock. Since 1980 it has always been about the books. ALL kinds of books from 95 cent children's paperbacks to five figure rare and collectibles. A merging of the old and new is where we started, and it is where we are today. Our retail stores have always been places where a reader can rush in looking for a title needed for a term paper that is due the next day, or where bibliophiles can get lost "in the stacks" for as long as they wish. In 2002 USAToday recognized us as "1 of 10 Great Old Bookstores", and we have been featured in numerous other newspaper and TV stories including Washington Post and CSpan. Members ABAA, ILAB.

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Wonder Book and Video, 1550 Tilco Drive, Frederick, MD, 21704, U.S.A.

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