Bruce Coville's Book of Magic: Tales to Cast a Spell on You

Bruce Coville's Book Of... #6

by Bruce Coville (Editor), John Pierard (Illustrator)

Looking for magic? You've found the right place. Inside this book you can discover magic in all shapes and forms: scary magic, funny magic, magic that transforms--magic to match your wildest dreams and your deepest nightmares.

Magic can be in a witch's spell, a wizard's bag of tricks, or a glittering talisman. Other times it's woven right into the fabric of our world--the magic inside a name, a simple gift, or the song of a bird. Magic can be gentle or horrifying. Sometimes a mere glimpse of it can change your life.

Bruce Coville wishes you luck as you embark on your quest to claim your own magic from the world.

Introduction: Cloudy, with a chance of magic / Bruce Coville --
Wizards's boy / Bruce Coville --
Phoenix farm / Jane Yolen --
Horsing around / Lawrence Watt-Evans --
Windwood Rose / Janni Lee Simner --
Bear at the gate / Jessica Amanda Salmonson --
The fourth wish / Nina Kiriki Hoffman --
Byrd song / Nancy Springer --
Watch out! / Bruce Coville --
The Wonderworm / Laura Simms --
Questing magic / Mark A. Garland and Lawrence Schimel --
Visions / Sherwood Smith

Genres: Fantasy, Short Stories, Fiction, Middle Grade, Anthologies, Childrens, Young Adult

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Bruce Coville was born in Syracuse, New York, in 1950. His family lived in farm territory, about twenty miles north of Syracuse. Bruce grew up around the corner from his grandparents' dairy farm, where he spent a great deal of time as a child, dodging cows and chores to the best of his ability. As a young reader he loved Mary Poppins and Dr. Dolittle, and still has fond memories of rising ahead of the rest of his family so he could huddle in a chair and read THE VOYAGES OF DR. DOLITTLE. He also read lots of things that people consider junk (Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, and zillions of comic books). His only real regret is the time he spent watching television, when he could have been reading instead. (A mind is a terrible thing to waste!)

His first book, THE FOOLISH GIANT, was published in 1978. It was illustrated by his wife, Katherine, whom he had married in 1969. This was followed in 1979 by SARAH'S UNICORN, also illustrated by Katherine. After a long period of working separately, the Covilles began collaborating again with SPACE BRAT and GOBLINS IN THE CASTLE, both published in 1992.

Before getting published Bruce earned his living as a toymaker, a gravedigger, a cookware salesman, an assembly line worker, and finally as an elementary school teacher (second and fourth grades). He left teaching in 1981 to devote himself to becoming a full time writer - though it took another five years to achieve that goal!)

Bruce has published over 100 books, which have appeared in over a dozen countries around the world and sold more than sixteen million copies. Among his most popular titles are MY TEACHER IS AN ALIEN, INTO THE LAND OF THE UNICORNS, and THE MONSTER'S RING. In 2001 he founded Full Cast Audio, an audiobook company dedicated to creating unabridged, full cast recordings of the best in children's and young adult literature.

Reviews

[Ciarán Williamson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was pretty good overall, but in my opinion not as strong of a collection as the other books in the "Book of..." series edited by Bruce Coville. There were a few that I would have preferred to read as full length stories and might have bumped the rating up on the book overall if they were longer and the characters more fleshed out.

Some of the stories were just really sort of embarrassing and corny and seemed to really be stretching the theme of "magic". I think those were what moved the book from a four to a three to me really.

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think a lot of these stories are decent, but four in particular — "The Fourth Wish" (Nini Kiriki Hoffman), "Horsing Around" (Lawrence Watt-Evans), "Visions" (Sherwood Smith), and "Windwood Rose" (Janni Lee Simner) — are the real standouts, and they're the reason this book gets five stars.

[Dianna M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

My personal favorite story in this book has to be “Horsing Around.” I think this one had more to do with fun spooky magic, and I liked the fact that there was a witch in the story ( I liked it from beginning to end.) I also liked that it gives kids a good life lesson of the importance of being nice to others. (Overall, the whole book gives that message of being unselfish and to care about others before oneself, which I liked. The last story really brought that idea together. )

Apart from Horsing Around, Watch Out! and The Wizard’s Boy like I said previously…the other stories were not as good (mostly because there were a few that really didn’t nail the theme of “magic”.) Like for example “Phoenix Farm”, I don’t think it had anything to do with magic…which was kind of confusing. ( Or maybe I just didn’t really understand it.) Nonetheless, these stories still kept my interest and I was entertained. I guess it shows that magic can be perceived differently depending on each person and can be everywhere..all around us (and that there are unexplainable things that happen in this world that are constantly keeping us all in wonder..) I think life itself is magical!

I also wanted to point out that some parts were kind off sad as well.. since they talked about more serious themes, like for example…characters wanting to die and disappear and them just always feeling less than. ( Just really wishing and yearning to fit in.) Which was kind of depressing to say the least.) Also, more than one story talks about the main characters’ father’s being drunks and overall just very bad parents. (About real life struggles kids go through and deal with in their everyday lives. )

I would also like to add, that I would have liked some of these stories to have been just a bit longer as well. But overall, the thing I would have liked the absolute most is for this book to have had more “spooky” magic in it. That would have really made my rating a bit higher. This book had potential but the delivery wasn’t really there.. With that being said… I will give this book 2 out of 5 stars! :)

[Jazzmyn Bostic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good book because it had a bunch of good stories in the book. I would recmend this book because it has really good stories in it there good fantasty story so I would read it if I was you

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book years ago and love it just as much or more today. Wonderful collection of short stories, fit for a kid's bedtime reading or a 40 year-old's.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had its highs and lows, but each held different kinds of magic. Some tell of who had magic, some who attained it, and some who gave up it up for reality.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

22/25
5 original
4 good topic
5 fast read
3 plot
5 opinion

[Mikey · Rating 3 out of 5]

HUH? 0_O