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The Trouble with Magic

Ruth Chew

1976112 pagesabout 2–3 hours
1976
first published
  • 1976Dodd, Mead · 112 pages · ENGISBN 9780396073642
  • 1989Scholastic · ENGISBN 9780590436175
  • 1989Lucky Star · 112 pagesISBN 9780590410854
  • 1987Peter Smith PubISBN 9780844663494

He's short and tubby. He wears a funny hat and carries a magic umbrella. He pals around with a sea serpent named George. He can make the most wonderful magic—sometimes. When the wizard sets up housekeeping in their attic, Barbara and her brother Rick discover that magic can also be a very tricky thing. Ruth Chew has a special talent for blending magical events with realistic settings and characters. Her numerous books about slightly offbeat witches have earned her a large and loyal following. Like most Ruth Chew fantasies, this story takes place in Brooklyn, New York, in the neighborhood where the author herself lives.

How it feels

AtmosphereWhimsical

Worth knowing

Written forChildren

When and where

Reading situationRead aloud
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