The Wand: The Return to Mesmeria

Mesmerian Annals #2

by Allan W. Eckert

The twins, Lara and Barnaby, find a new way back into Mesmeria, but in a time frame different than originally. The good Queen Mag Namodder has been kidnapped by the evil King of Bluggia and will die unless the twins and their friends can rescue her. In the effort, they encounter many dreadful hazardsand Lara becomes a witch.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

156 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Allan W. Eckert was an American historian, historical novelist, and naturalist.

Eckert was born in Buffalo, New York, and raised in the Chicago, Illinois area, but had been a long-time resident of Bellefontaine, Ohio, near where he attended college. As a young man, he hitch-hiked around the United States, living off the land and learning about wildlife. He began writing about nature and American history at the age of thirteen, eventually becoming an author of numerous books for children and adults. His children's novel, Incident at Hawk's Hill, was a runner-up for the Newbery Medal in 1972. One of his novels tells how the great auk went extinct.

In addition to his novels, he also wrote several unproduced screenplays and more than 225 Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom television shows for which he received an Emmy Award.

In a 1999 poll conducted by the Ohioana Library Association, jointly with Toni Morrison, Allan W. Eckert was voted "Favorite Ohio Writer of All Time."

Eckert died in his sleep on July 7, 2011, in Corona, California, at the age of 80.

Reviews

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The twins accidentally return to Mesmeria while trying to find the baggage claim area in Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Instead of the baggage claim area, they find themselves in a tunnel with talking stalgmites. Continuing down the tunnel, the emerge in Twilandia, and what a shock awaits them! What was once a beautiful, peaceful country has been almost destroyed. Soon the twins learn that althou only one month had passed in Florida time since they first left Mesmeria, 894 years have passed here. The first person the children meet is a dwarf named Quill who tells them that an evil wizard named Krumpp from Darkland invaded Mesmeria almost 750 years aga and tood Mag Namodder and her warriors as prisoners. For the remainder of the story, the twins, Quill, and other friends make a long journey to Krumpp's stronghold where they are able to release the prisoner, depose the wizard Krumpp and return Mag Namodder to her rightful place in Twilandia.
The story is exciting, suspenseful, and will keep readers turning the pages until the end.

[Alena R · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite book when I was a child. I especially liked its warm, musty smell. I read it so many times that I can still remember the two heroes, Lara and Barnaby, the villain, and the beautiful illustrations. The plot is a little bizarre; I remember some strange three-legged mushroom creatures that I think come to the rescue at one point. Or maybe they're evil.

[Elin · Rating 3 out of 5]

a cute sequel to his first YA fantasy book, the dark green tunnel. Definitely not as good as I remembered it from reading it at age 11, but cute