No More Magic

by Avi

When his bicycle disappears on Halloween, Chris and his friends begin to wonder about magic. Newbery Honor winner Avi's first novel for young readers is a tale so intricate "even a witch couldn't anticipate the final twists of this plot!" (Kirkus Reviews).

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Chapter Books, Fiction, Middle Grade, Magic, Young Adult

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Avi is a pen name for Edward Irving Wortis, but he says, "The fact is, Avi is the only name I use." Born in 1937, Avi has created many fictional favorites such as The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Nothing but the Truth, and the Crispin series. His work is popular among readers young and old.

Reviews

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tracing the long, winding road of Avi's career isn't easy, but No More Magic, first published in 1975, is one of his earliest works. The word choice and sentence structure are kind of wandery, with less attention paid to form than conveying the story in a way true to the minds and hearts of the young characters. When Chris wakes up the morning after spending Halloween as his favorite superhero, the Green Lantern, he knows he made a mistake. Last night he left his bike outside, and it's gone. Chris was proud of that bike his mother found at Mr. Bullen's junk yard, a bike the exact shade the Green Lantern wears. Sick at his stomach, Chris tries to find the stolen bike around town in the obvious places, but he needs help. His parents will be disappointed he wasn't careful with his cherished possession.

"My father is always saying that when you have an idea you have to test it out on other people, cause when you talk to yourself nobody is listening."

—Chris, P. 32

Chris's mom and dad are less upset than he. They suggest returning to Mr. Bullen to get another used bike, but Chris isn't ready to let his go. He and his dad compile a list of facts about the case, including kids who trick-or-treated at the house and what costumes they wore. Can Chris pinpoint the identity of every one? Masks and makeup complicate the process, but he narrows it down to a few suspects. The main one is a kid who dressed as a warlock; who was that? Chris's best friend Eddie says it was Muffin, a new girl who lives with her aunt. Chris heads to meet and investigate her, but is charmed by Muffin. Her parents are gone and she is shy, but willing to help Chris. She's more forthcoming than Eddie about last night, and Chris's suspicions turn on his best friend.

"Get the questions right before you get the answers wrong."

—No More Magic, P. 9

As recriminations fly between Chris, Eddie, and Muffin, the case gets muddled. Why did Muffin's parents leave? Is Chris's stolen bike magical as Muffin believes, and its disappearance linked to the absence of her parents? How does Mr. Podler, the town drunk who claims he saw a kid riding Chris's bike on Halloween, fit into this mess? How about Mr. Bullen, who Chris suspects may have stolen back the bike he sold him? What about Chris's older brother Mike, who has his own secrets? Chris claims that on a night after the theft, he witnessed his bike flying across the sky, and that the incident proves real magic is afoot. The central question remains: who took Chris's bike, and where is it? Relationships hang in the balance as Chris finds himself on the verge of an answer.

No More Magic isn’t the height of Avi’s literary powers, but it has a winsome quality. The story reflects the mindset of a kid who has lost something special and is desperate to connect threads that, to a dispassionate observer, aren’t connected at all. This culminates in Chris, Eddie, and Muffin's delightfully deranged denouement to Police Chief Byers at the end, proud of themselves for supposedly cracking the case. The narrative they present makes close to zero sense, but reveals how young minds operate. Parts of No More Magic are confusing, and I wish Chris, Eddie, and Muffin's ages were given so the reader can better frame their behavior, but I'll rate this book the full two stars. It has grown on me since I turned the last page.

[Phawe Phawe · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting and it was stress relieving to figure out what or who was creating the mystery because my brain hurts from solving and connecting my theories.

[The Overflowing Inkwell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can see people who enjoyed the Percy Jackson books liking this one, or, having enjoyed it, growing up to like to the Percy Jackson books. It's been a while since I've read the PJ books, but that style of writing the first person narrative more the way a kid thinks and talks is present in both books. It wore on me a bit, but I am most definitely not in the age range this book is directed to so that's fine. The plot is....meh. Though I thought the scene where Muffin misinterprets her father's saying he 'needed to get the magic back' with his wife as him literally needing to acquire magic to get his wife back was quite cute.

Reasons why it is Not THE Book: As with Monsterland, Halloween is skipped over entirely at the beginning of the book. There are no other realms explored here, no dark creatures, altars, or rescues; just a kid and his friends in their neighbourhood figuring out that his bike dropped into a pond.

[Chazzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

To Chris, his bike is magic. It is a green, like the Green Hornet. The colour alone means magic. But according to his parents and brother, there is no such thing as magic.

When Chris’ bike disappears on Halloween, he feels it’s magic that caused it. When he makes up his list of questions to help solve the mystery, the answers don’t add up. His dad always told him “Get the questions right before you get the answers wrong,” and that is what he did. But the answers don’t add up!

Chris, with his new friend Muffin, search to get “the right answers,” but it all doesn’t match up. Or are there pieces that are missing and they don’t know?

This is a good read for kids and adults, showing that research in detail may show more information than what is obvious on the surface.

[Victoria Marie Lees · Rating 3 out of 5]

No More Magic by Avi is a fun read told entirely through the first-person perspective of Chris. This middle-grade story begins on Halloween afternoon, as Chris and his best friend Eddie put the finishing touches on their super-hero Halloween costumes, Green Lantern and Batman, respectively. The novel moves along crisply as Chris, Eddie, and a new friend Muffin, try to solve the mystery of what happened to Chris’ bike and Muffin’s warlock costume on Halloween night.

Green is the color of magic in this story. Avi creates a slew of interesting and magical characters as he builds tension and intrigue at every turn. What I like about this mystery is that it makes sense. It’s believable. And that is the magic of story. No More Magic by Avi is a good middle grade read. Enjoy!

[Boni Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

My kids liked it!

[Flyingzebras · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent book, though clearly one of his earlier ones. Well done dialog and an interesting plot, but starts out a bit slow for kids today.

[guiltlessreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

My take: ... but maybe you should go read this book and maybe, just maybe, you will drop the adult tendency to dismiss magic ... and just believe. I love this book because it is so unpredictable! And I actually feel like I am 11 years old again - probably Chris's age - reliving and experiencing the worries and insecurities of a child. It incorporates kid's interest in comic book heroes, good looking bikes, of children's rationality and logic, and the importance of fitting in.

But there is never a time that the author has treated these worries condescendingly, giving Chris a voice that is clear and true.

I truly enjoyed this book! After having read this, I looked up Avi, and realized the following:

- This is a debut novel.
- From this novel, Avi (yes, that's his name) later went on to write other great books and became a Newbery Honor Author.
- Avi suffered from dysgraphia, a learning disability that makes writing difficult because it causes letter reversals and misspelled words.

“In a school environment,” Avi recalls, “I was perceived as being sloppy and erratic, and not paying attention.” Still, in the face of unending criticism, Avi persevered. “I became immune to it,” Avi says. “I liked what I wrote.

This is a very special book, highly enjoyable, great for reading together with your child.

More reviews here:
http://guiltlessreading.blogspot.com

[Sheetal Dash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ending dissapointed me.

This book was a complete entertaining partner in the beginning.It was such a pleasure to read.It will take to you to a fantasy world of magic and you would start believing in it but when you are done with the book everything vanishes!!! THE WORLD IS NORMAL AGAIN.

If u ask me, this book was a complete entertainer in the beginning.I loved reading it and simply couldn't put it down.I couldn't put it down without knowing all the answers just like there's a dialogue in the book " get your questions right before you get the answers wrong".This book will satisfy the categories of suspense as well as thriller as it has suspense to its core and it will keep you thrilled.

But I was completely dissapointed with the hasty ending.There was nothing at all in the end.For readers who are going to try it,let me tell them that this book will have their eyes glued to it till the end when you find there is actually nothing.

overall 4 stars for AVi's writing style which pleased me a lot and overall I HAD A VERY GOOD TIME READING IT(forget about the ending)

[Xiao Yan · Rating 3 out of 5]

No more magic basically is about Chris, a ll year old, and a missing bike. Chris buys a bicycle from a junk yard and treasures it alot. On Halloween night, Chris leaves his bike outside and it disappeared after her checked the following day. Chris then decides to find his bike back again. As he searches for evidence, he discovers some suspects and even think that magic was used to steal his bike. But it turns out that everything was a mistake from beginning to end,it was kind of like a accident and mistake. This book was kind of interesting because it kept you wondering, but it was kind of funny how everything was like a mistake. But this is typical for a 11 year old. to imagine and think about things that don't exist

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book about two children who believe in magic. When Chris's bicycle is stolen and Muffin's Halloween costume is stolen, they both believe the magic did it. If they can just find the bike and costume, the magic will go away and Muffin's parents will come back.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Available again in a new "Knopf Paperback" edition, Newbery honor
winner Avi's first novel for young readers is a tale so intricate "even a witch
couldn't anticipate the final twists of this plot!-- "Kirkus
"

[Parisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a good book! At every page it keeps you wondering.....

[Catherine Mustread · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grades 3+. When Chris's bicycle disappears on Halloween he and two friends become involved in a magical adventure.

[Jessica Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to read this book,because its Halloween!Hope nothing bad happens to me tonight!

[Tse · Rating 3 out of 5]

very interesting :/

[Sfk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sort of creepy, but like mystery in a way!

[Lucas Marchese]

It was so confusing at the end. All of this talk about magic, even though it wasn't magic. Chris thought the wrong thing.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute mystery. The main character kept jumping to conclusions, which was realistic for the character's age and personality but became annoying at times. Avi's skill as a writer definitely improved over time -- although, for a first book, this one wasn't half bad. I'd recommend it to the age it's appropriate for (perhaps third grade), but not to adults looking for a good kids read.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not find this book to be engaging, but my daughters enjoyed it.

[Tristan.V]

It was a good book I liked it