Magic By the Lake

By Edward Eager

Rating: 3 3/4 stars

Reviewed by Noelle

Jane, Katharine, Mark and Martha were last seen in the story Half-Magic. Now, the four siblings are at a cottage called Magic by the Lake for the summer with their mother and new stepfather. The children happen to wish for some more magical adventures and the turtle Mark had caught earlier turns out to be a magic turtle, capable of granting their wish. From their previous experience with magic, the children know they need to be careful, so they make up some rules like grown ups being unable to see what magic is going on, and adventures only can happen every three days. But the four are still able to mix it up with pirates, discover the South Pole, tangle with cannibals, and many more adventures before Martha wishes to break all the rules and the magic in the lake goes haywire. Can the others fix the magic before it is too late? A light and fun bit of fantasy and adventure. Eager takes a page from his favorite children's author, E. Nesbit, in his style. Readers will be happy to know more books in the series exist, including Knight's Castle, Magic or Not?, The Time Garden, The Well-Wishers, and Seven-Day Magic.