Magic in the City

Gr 3–5—Jake and Simon are having a run of bad luck. Their dad has been arrested, they've lost their home in Canada, and they're moving to London to live with their aunt Rachel and cousin Hannah. As soon as Jake and Simon arrive in England, they encounter Philippe Fontaine, an eccentric street magician who is retiring and selling all of his magical paraphernalia. Inexplicably, he gives the boys three magical objects for free: a time stopper, a magic camera, and a magic carpet. Almost immediately, the boys discover that the items are real, and they, along with Hannah, come up with a scheme to steal the crown jewels while riding the magic carpet into the Tower of London. That plan fails, of course, ruining the carpet in the process. The children still have two objects, and they just know that they can somehow use magic to solve their family's financial problems. This leads the three kids on lots of wacky adventures, including meeting the queen and literally traveling into a painting inside Buckingham Palace. The magical objects allow Jake, Simon, and Hannah to live out fantasies that many young people wish they could experience. Readers will love living vicariously through this trio and will be thrilled with the constant element of danger. This story is high on plot and low on character development, resulting in a fast, fun read.