Gr 4—7—Avi transports listeners to Renaissance Italy in this companion story (2009) to Midnight Magic (2009, both Scholastic). Fabrizio, the ten-year-old servant of Mangus the Magician, strives desperately to please his master and learn the art of magic. But when treasonous papers appear in Pergamontio calling for the overthrow of King Claudio, Mangus is arrested. The papers are exact duplicates of each other and everyone in the kingdom knows only the magic of the devil could create such a thing. With Mangus in prison, it is up to Fabrizio to discover the truth and free his master. Fabrizio befriends Maria whose parents have brought a printing press to Pergamontio and they race the clock to uncover the real traitor before Mangus is put to death. Jeff Woodman provides terrific narration, giving each character a distinct voice. Although the abrupt ending might be disappointing, most listeners will enjoy this slightly spooky stroll into the past.—Tricia Melgaard, Centennial Middle School, Broken Arrow, OK
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