The Marvelwood Magicians

July 1, 2017

Gr 4-6-The Marvelwoods are mighty interesting. Each member of the family has a particular talent. Eleven-year-old Mattie can read minds. Her brother Bell can disappear at will, her little sister Tibby levitates, her mum tells fortunes, and her dad can create illusions. After the family's old van suffers yet another breakdown, they end up in a small town right as a traveling circus is visiting. Invited to perform by the charismatic but menacing Ringmaster Master Morogh, the Marvelwoods meet fascinating and kind performers. Mattie makes a close friend and finds satisfaction in being in one place with the same people instead of constantly being on the road. The Marvelwoods have a tendency to distance themselves from others so that no one learns that their talents are real. Mattie is the only one to notice that performers' special abilities are disappearing, one by one, while Morogh seems to be gaining abilities apace. After her best friend and her family members are targeted, she realizes they must do something to stop the evil Morogh. The suspenseful plot moves quickly, and Zahler vividly portrays the unbearable pain of losing an innate part of one's self. VERDICT Bound to entice voracious and reluctant readers alike. Hand this one to fans of Ingrid Law's Savvy and Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes.-B. Allison Gray, Goleta Public Library, CA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2017
Mathilda "Mattie" Marvelwood wants a normal life: friends, school, and a home in one place.Instead, the five Marvelwoods travel all year in a cramped caravan, making a living performing at carnivals, fairs, and circuses. Each Marvelwood boasts a special talent: mom Maya is a fortuneteller; dad Simon is a master illusionist; 11-year-old Mattie is a mind reader; her 9-year-old brother, Bell, can disappear at will; and their sister, 4-year-old Tibby, can levitate. A big secret separates the Marvelwoods from other performers: their talents are real. After the family joins Master Morogh's Circus of Wonders, Mattie discovers the shady ringmaster is stealing his performers' talents. When he takes Bell's and Maya's powers, Mattie offers up what the ringmaster covets most: her mind-reading skills. Mattie doesn't want her ability, anyway; she's tired of being different, and Maya and Bell will get their powers back. However Mattie discovers life without mind reading isn't as liberating as she thought it would be. Can she defeat Morogh and recover her talent? The close-knit family of diverse circus folk is the book's highlight. Mattie's da is from a Scottish Traveller clan, and Maya is Indian. There's an Italian family of aerialists; a Sumatran tiger tamer; a quintet of Hungarian tumblers; and a dark-skinned tightrope walker. A hair-raising, exhilarating, big-top mystery. (Fantasy/mystery. 8-13)

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August 1, 2017
Grades 3-6 Though most children have longed for magical powers or to be in a circus, 11-year-old Mattie might urge restraint on these wishes. Each member of her family has a special giftMattie reads minds, and her brother disappearsbut these talents often get the family into trouble, forcing them to flee in the middle of the night. On one such occasion, their vehicle breaks down, but they land a spot with a traveling circus. However, dangerous warning signs surface as performers begin to lose their special abilities. Suspicion rightfully falls on the ringmaster, who hypnotizes people in order to steal their gifts. After this happens to Mattie's mother and younger brother, Mattie devises a plan to sacrifice her talent in order to save her family. Will it work? Zahler has created realistic characters with believable emotions, and the circus setting is dynamic and full of exciting activity. By adopting an omniscient point of view, the story allows readers to share the feelings of all the characters, not just the protagonist, making for an engaging, well-executed fantasy.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2018
Eleven-year-old Mattie (who can read minds by touching another person) and her magical mixed-race traveling family join Master Morogh's Circus of Wonders. They soon discover that the sinister ringmaster has the ability to steal talents. Despite some moralizing, the story features eerie suspense and a pleasingly diverse cast of kind and helpful circus characters that behave like family.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)