Marvin and the Book of Magic is a heart-warming and hilarious tale that had me giggling and feeling fuzzy in equal measure.
Marvin has given up on his dream of becoming a magician after a disastrous appearance on a TV Talent Show involving a badly-behaved squirrel and ensuing chaos. Giggles guaranteed!
Marvin has always wanted to follow in the footsteps of his beloved grandad who had been a magician and had believed Marvin had a gift for magic, but Marvin no longer believes in this. His confidence and self-belief have been dented by the reaction to his TV performance which has made him doubt himself.
When his best friend Asha encourages him to take part in the school talent show, Marvin is adamant that he will never perform again. In fact, he is so sure that magic is no longer for him that he trades his box of magic tricks in exchange for an old book – a magic book. Has he just been conned, or is there still some small part of him that believes in magic? Can he find his magic again and make a comeback in the school talent show?
Be prepared for giggles galore as Marvin finds out more about his magical abilities through the book of magic, as his best friend Asha practises her talent show routine (seriously brilliant) and as they take to the stage.
I loved the friendship between Marvin and Asha which felt really genuine. Asha is confident, enthusiastic and brimming with positivity and, as soon as Marvin shows an interest in the talent show, she is immediately supportive. Will Marvin find his confidence and self-belief again? There is magic in this wonderful friendship and I absolutely loved how this was shown in the story.
The full-and-partial page illustrations throughout are wonderfully expressive and complement their warmth and humour of the story perfectly.
This is a gorgeously heart-warming, hilarious story brimming with the magic of sincere friendship, perfect for young readers of 7+.
This book is published by the wonderful Barrington Stoke who publish dyslexia-friendly, super-readable and accessible books for children of all ages. This one is for ages 7+ with a reading age of 7.
Thank you to Barrington Stoke for providing me with an early copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Book Craic 