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Miri and Molly #1
The Magic Half
Miri is the only single child in the middle of a family with two sets of twins--older brothers and younger sisters. When the family moves to an old farmhouse Miri accidentally travels back in time to 1935 only to discover Molly, a girl in need of a real family to call her own. A very satisfying classic-in-the-making, with spine-tingling moments, this is a delightful family-friendly middle grade time-slip novel.
212 pages, Hardcover
First published December 26, 2007
143 people are currently reading
2846 people want to read
About the author
Annie Barrows
78 books986 followersAnnie grew up in Northern California, and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley, with a degree in Medieval History. Unable to find a job in the middle ages, she decided upon a career as an editor, eventually landing at Chronicle Books in San Francisco, where she was in charge of "all the books that nobody in their right mind would publish." After earning an M.F.A. in Creative Writing at Mills College, Annie wrote (as Ann Fiery) a number of books for grown-ups about such diverse subjects as fortune-telling (she can read palms!), urban legends (there are no alligators in the sewer!), and opera (she knows what they're singing about!). In 2003, Annie grew weary of grown-ups, and began to write for kids, which she found to be way more fun.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 487 reviews
January 12, 2013
This book would have been a favorite of mine when I was 8 or 9 through 11. It would have received 5 stars from me at that time. As an only child who wanted a twin sister or at least siblings, it would have been a perfect book for me.
It’s a wonderful book for girls who are fascinated with twins, only children, middle birth order children, kids who feel overlooked/not special, kids who enjoy time travel books and history, and magic. I don’t love it quite as much as one of my personal favorites, Time At The Top, or the excellent The Root Cellar, or other historical fiction time travel books written for children. It’s very light on the history. But toward the end when I knew what was going to happen, I was thrilled, and I loved the ending, though I wish it hadn’t ended so abruptly; I wanted more. Also, while at the beginning I wasn’t that wowed by the time travel aspect, by the end I decided this book deserves a place on my favorite-time-travel-books shelf.
It’s a wonderful book for girls who are fascinated with twins, only children, middle birth order children, kids who feel overlooked/not special, kids who enjoy time travel books and history, and magic. I don’t love it quite as much as one of my personal favorites, Time At The Top, or the excellent The Root Cellar, or other historical fiction time travel books written for children. It’s very light on the history. But toward the end when I knew what was going to happen, I was thrilled, and I loved the ending, though I wish it hadn’t ended so abruptly; I wanted more. Also, while at the beginning I wasn’t that wowed by the time travel aspect, by the end I decided this book deserves a place on my favorite-time-travel-books shelf.
May 3, 2020
On a purely emotional and personal level, I really do adore Annie Barrows' The Magic Half and would likely have loved this novel ardently as a child (as indeed, I have always rightfully or wrongfully felt like somewhat of a stranger in and misunderstood by my family and Miri's struggles thus resonate both loudly and clearly). However and that being said, although the storyline of The Magic Half flows mostly smoothly, with graceful emotionality, and while the time-traveling elements are generally successfully, believably conceptualised and presented, both the heroes and villains Miri encounters on the other side, in the 1930s, are a bit too fairy and folktale like for adult reader I (with Molly really being rather too much like an eponymous Cinderella type character in distress, and especially her aunt and male cousin Horst a trifle too one-sidedly monstrous and vile). For while I do much appreciate and often read folk and fairy tales (in their place), with The Magic Half, a bit more nuance and character development for the characters beyond the curtain so to speak would in my opinion make the plot more interesting than a standard good-versus-evil reading scenario that could be straight out of my Brothers' Grimm collection. Still, I truly do like The Magic Half and my childhood self was even more than prepared to award a high four star rating until the ending (which not only occurs much too abruptly, but simply having Miri and Molly suddenly appear as another set of family twins and thus, the default, really makes the entire premise of the novel, namely that Miri feels misunderstood and cast aside, forgotten, in and by her family, rather and unfortunately moot). All this notwithstanding, The Magic Half remains recommended, as especially the target audience of youngish Middle Grade readers will most likely appreciate (if not love) this sweet little family tale as an engaging, fun and also indeed magical reading experience.
September 13, 2018
I feel a little bit better now that I see this book is a part of a series. It felt too underdeveloped to be the only Miri and Molly adventure. (Okay, I double checked and there is only one other book in the series. My underdeveloped problem remains.)
Perhaps I have lost the magic of childhood but the internal logic of this book bugged me throughout. Miri travels back in time, finds a girl in need of rescue, and immediately decides the proper solution is to bring her back to her own time. But why is that the solution? The book never convinced me on it. Further, Miri (and the author) go out of their way to make sure timeline isn't too badly damaged in Miri's time. And we see that things change in her time after her visit to the past, so clearly the past/timeline where she visits hasn't already happened. But wouldn't the nature of pulling Molly irrevocably change everything? Why does that not change the timeline?
I guess the answer is "magic" and I find that utterly unhelpful.
Complaints aside, I really liked Miri and her imagination. That was basically me as a kid. Chapter 1 in particular left me smiling because her daydream sounded exactly like something I would have come up with. I liked her family and their internal dynamics.
Of course, weighing against Miri's family was the complete, unexplained evilness of Molly's. Who needs nuance when you need villains?
Overall I would say this book had good potential and some really excellent ideas but the follow-through felt underdeveloped and illogical.
Perhaps I have lost the magic of childhood but the internal logic of this book bugged me throughout. Miri travels back in time, finds a girl in need of rescue, and immediately decides the proper solution is to bring her back to her own time. But why is that the solution? The book never convinced me on it. Further, Miri (and the author) go out of their way to make sure timeline isn't too badly damaged in Miri's time. And we see that things change in her time after her visit to the past, so clearly the past/timeline where she visits hasn't already happened. But wouldn't the nature of pulling Molly irrevocably change everything? Why does that not change the timeline?
I guess the answer is "magic" and I find that utterly unhelpful.
Complaints aside, I really liked Miri and her imagination. That was basically me as a kid. Chapter 1 in particular left me smiling because her daydream sounded exactly like something I would have come up with. I liked her family and their internal dynamics.
Of course, weighing against Miri's family was the complete, unexplained evilness of Molly's. Who needs nuance when you need villains?
Overall I would say this book had good potential and some really excellent ideas but the follow-through felt underdeveloped and illogical.
May 26, 2024
An almost interesting time travel story about a modern-day, 11-year-old girl transported to the Great Depression where she bonds with a foster child in a hostile household. The plot works well enough, but the characters just seemed insubstantial or one-dimensional, reacting to events without much inner life.
March 3, 2019
Eleven-year-old Miriam Gill - Miri for short - is continually the odd one out in her family, excluded by both her twin elder brothers, Robbie and Ray, and by her twin younger sisters, Nell and Nora. When the family move into a rambling old house on Pickering Lane, Miri has no idea that a magical adventure will soon bring her something she has always wanted: a close companion and of her own. Banished to her room shortly after a disastrous fight with Ray, Miri discovers an odd piece of glass taped to the wall, and gazing through it, is drawn back in time to 1935, where she meets a young girl named Molly, living in the same house on Pickering Lane. Soon discovering that Molly is both unhappy - her adoptive aunt and cousins are often unkind to her, treating her like a poor relation - and in danger from her brutish cousin Horst, who is a thief and bully (and potentially worse), Miri is determined to help. When she finds herself unexpectedly in the present once more, she is desperately afraid of what might be happening (or might have already happened) to Molly back in the past. Can Miri find her way back to 1935? And if she does, will she be able to save Molly...?
Chosen as our February selection in The Children's Fiction Book Club to which I belong, The Magic Half is an entertaining time-slip fantasy for middle-grader readers, featuring two appealing but believable young heroines, and an engrossing story that will keep readers involved until the very end. Although it took me a few chapters to become really invested in it, by the latter half of the book I was racing for the end, determined to see how it would all work out. Horst makes for an atypically realistic villain - he is really a very creepy character for a book aimed at this age level, I think - and Molly is just different enough from Miri, in terms of vocabulary and knowledge, that the reader can believe she is from 1935. The time-travel itself is never really explained - save that it was meant to be, because (according to Molly's fairy-like Grandma May) "magic is a way of setting things right" - but the mechanics of the travel, how seeing through each girl's set of glasses takes you into her time, is interesting. I appreciated the scene in which Miri really begins to think about the nature of time, and how different choices could lead events in so many different directions. Although Barrows never uses the term, Miri is clearly struggling towards an understanding of the concept of a multiverse.
All in all, The Magic Half is an engaging time-slip tale, one I would recommend to middle-grade readers with a taste for such stories, as well as to children who feel a little left out in their families, or who long for something magical to happen to them.
Chosen as our February selection in The Children's Fiction Book Club to which I belong, The Magic Half is an entertaining time-slip fantasy for middle-grader readers, featuring two appealing but believable young heroines, and an engrossing story that will keep readers involved until the very end. Although it took me a few chapters to become really invested in it, by the latter half of the book I was racing for the end, determined to see how it would all work out. Horst makes for an atypically realistic villain - he is really a very creepy character for a book aimed at this age level, I think - and Molly is just different enough from Miri, in terms of vocabulary and knowledge, that the reader can believe she is from 1935. The time-travel itself is never really explained - save that it was meant to be, because (according to Molly's fairy-like Grandma May) "magic is a way of setting things right" - but the mechanics of the travel, how seeing through each girl's set of glasses takes you into her time, is interesting. I appreciated the scene in which Miri really begins to think about the nature of time, and how different choices could lead events in so many different directions. Although Barrows never uses the term, Miri is clearly struggling towards an understanding of the concept of a multiverse.
All in all, The Magic Half is an engaging time-slip tale, one I would recommend to middle-grade readers with a taste for such stories, as well as to children who feel a little left out in their families, or who long for something magical to happen to them.
February 22, 2009
What an interesting book to follow Firmin in my reading chronology. The two books could not have been more different. In Firmin, the writing and vocabulary were top notch, but that wasn't enough to make it a great book. This book was simply written, but engaging, fun and delightful. How did I find this book? My 9 year old brought it home from the school library with her! I had finished Firmin, wanted something to read and flipped open this book that was sitting on the chair next to me. After a chapter, I decided to read the whole thing. I'll admit I think it's fun to enjoy a book that my daughter picked out to read.
This book is about Miri, a 10 year old girl who has 12 year old twin brothers and 4 year old twin sisters. While I didn't grow up in a family with a "middle child," I am more sensitive to this role now that I have three daughters. Miri is truly stuck in the middle and feels out of place in her own family since she's the only one without a twin. The author did a great job of making me empathize with Miri. I also empathized with her somewhat harried mother who is frustrated by the way her children fight with each other all the time - but that might be more of a statement about my life than what the author intended!
At the start of the book, Miri and her family have just moved to an old house out in the country. Miri finds the lens of a glass in her attic bedroom, looks through it and is transported back in time to the same home in 1935, where she meets Molly.
This book is about magic - literally, the magic of traveling through time. Figuratively, it's about the magic that makes a family a family. It's about the magic that makes one person choose to help another, even when scared. It's also the magic of reading a book that makes you feel young again.
This book is about Miri, a 10 year old girl who has 12 year old twin brothers and 4 year old twin sisters. While I didn't grow up in a family with a "middle child," I am more sensitive to this role now that I have three daughters. Miri is truly stuck in the middle and feels out of place in her own family since she's the only one without a twin. The author did a great job of making me empathize with Miri. I also empathized with her somewhat harried mother who is frustrated by the way her children fight with each other all the time - but that might be more of a statement about my life than what the author intended!
At the start of the book, Miri and her family have just moved to an old house out in the country. Miri finds the lens of a glass in her attic bedroom, looks through it and is transported back in time to the same home in 1935, where she meets Molly.
This book is about magic - literally, the magic of traveling through time. Figuratively, it's about the magic that makes a family a family. It's about the magic that makes one person choose to help another, even when scared. It's also the magic of reading a book that makes you feel young again.
Read
May 16, 2013Most of my current reading is preview reading for my children. The oldest has a reading level that is high paired with a "scariness" tolerance that is low. Most of her chosen books through 4th grade were "fairy books". Therefore, I am constantly reading books and determining whether she'll find them scary.
While there is some dramatic tension in The Magic Half, it is a good choice for my daughter. It is a quick read with just enough magic for my fairy child.
August 13, 2016
Awe, memories! Very first middle grade book I read. Haha XD It actually gotten me into actual reading, and fantasy. Gosh, it was ages ago, but I still remember when I was in suspense in the book and when I was amazed by the ending. Now I think about it, if it wasn't for this book; I wouldn't be reading and if I wasn't reading, it would not make me the reading loving person or a goodreader that I am today! Wow, I am in this author's debt!
March 21, 2012
After finishing The Magic Half I find myself slightly confused. It is the story of Miri. Miri has twin older brothers and twin younger sisters. The book starts out with Miri expressing some of her frustrations with her sibling situation and feeling unjustly punished for an altercation she believes to be her brother’s fault.
She finds the lens from a pair of eyeglasses taped to the wall in her bedroom (they have only lived in the house for a week or two). When Miri looks through the lens she is transported back in time to 1935. She meets Molly, the girl who lived in her bedroom seventy years earlier. It is at this point that the story starts to lose its way. It seems to me that the story can’t really decide if it’s an adventure, a story about sibling order, the advantages of never losing your ability to pretend, a science fiction time travel episode or the tale of two young girls getting the better of a mean, bullying older boy (who also happens to be a jewel thief).
There are some moments that are engaging: the beginning with Miri and her siblings rings true in Miri’s words and actions; and the stints when MIri is in 1935 and dealing with the bully, Horst, are exciting and well-paced. The parts in between tend to drag. The character of Molly’s grandma in the 1935 house seems contrived and doesn’t really go with the rest of the story. Also all the pages that detail Miri’s thoughts about the nature of time and time travel are boring and confusing. It is obviously how the author made the time issue make sense in her head, as opposed to Miri’s. A much better example of how this could be handled within a story that is both easy to understand and exciting is The Missing series by Margaret Peterson Haddix.
All told, there are definitely some moments to enjoy in this story. Unfortunately, in my opinion, they do not outweigh the ones that aren’t.
She finds the lens from a pair of eyeglasses taped to the wall in her bedroom (they have only lived in the house for a week or two). When Miri looks through the lens she is transported back in time to 1935. She meets Molly, the girl who lived in her bedroom seventy years earlier. It is at this point that the story starts to lose its way. It seems to me that the story can’t really decide if it’s an adventure, a story about sibling order, the advantages of never losing your ability to pretend, a science fiction time travel episode or the tale of two young girls getting the better of a mean, bullying older boy (who also happens to be a jewel thief).
There are some moments that are engaging: the beginning with Miri and her siblings rings true in Miri’s words and actions; and the stints when MIri is in 1935 and dealing with the bully, Horst, are exciting and well-paced. The parts in between tend to drag. The character of Molly’s grandma in the 1935 house seems contrived and doesn’t really go with the rest of the story. Also all the pages that detail Miri’s thoughts about the nature of time and time travel are boring and confusing. It is obviously how the author made the time issue make sense in her head, as opposed to Miri’s. A much better example of how this could be handled within a story that is both easy to understand and exciting is The Missing series by Margaret Peterson Haddix.
All told, there are definitely some moments to enjoy in this story. Unfortunately, in my opinion, they do not outweigh the ones that aren’t.
December 10, 2012
I recently finished The Magic Half by Annie Barrows. This book begins with Miri who is stuck in the middle of two sets of twins. After moving to a new house she discovers a new world, well old world. Sinking through time unexpectedly and into 1935 meeting Molly, a girl living with her sick grandma,mean Aunt Flo, and two nasty cousins. When Miri discovers all of this the author describes her reaction and inner conversation really well so I can feel as well as understand Miri's thoughts. Twist and turns help make this story come alive and be filled with action and fantasy. I can connect with Molly because she was being treated as a servant and that reminded me of Cinderella being treated unfairly. With sinking into time,scaring evil cousins, and two new friends this makes this book awsome Good Read.
April 2, 2012
A cute little novel from the j-fiction shelves -- Cami is a fan of Ivy+Bean and really liked this one as well. Suspenseful and even a bit unsettling, but full of good writing, strong heroines, and great action. Cami is my reluctant reader, and there were several nights in a row where I had to *make* her stop reading to go to bed. Always a good sign.
September 30, 2014
Such a fun book! I went into this not knowing what to expect, and was more than pleasantly surprised. This had the feel of a classic like Charlotte Sometimes or E. Nesbit's Five Children books, but with a modern sensibility. I do wish that she'd spent more time exploring or explaining the magic, but I'm looking forward to the second one, which I'm sure will provide even more fun!
September 9, 2017
প্রতি ৫০ হাজারে কেবল ১ টা পরিবারে দু'জোড়া টুইন থাকে ।
মিরি'র খুবই মন খারাপ। একজোড়া বড় টুইন ভাই, আর ছোট টুইন বোন থাকলেও ওর কোনো টুইন নাই :/
দু জোড়া টুইন, আর একটা এক্সট্রা ?
হু। হয়ত এরকমই হতো । কিন্তু কোথাও ছোট্ট একটা ভুল হয়ে গেছে......
এরপরই আসে ম্যাজিক । মিরি চলে যায় ৬৫ বছর পিছনে ....ভুল সুধরাতে হবে তাকে ...
“Magic is just a way of setting things right.” 😍😍
মিরি'র খুবই মন খারাপ। একজোড়া বড় টুইন ভাই, আর ছোট টুইন বোন থাকলেও ওর কোনো টুইন নাই :/
দু জোড়া টুইন, আর একটা এক্সট্রা ?
হু। হয়ত এরকমই হতো । কিন্তু কোথাও ছোট্ট একটা ভুল হয়ে গেছে......
এরপরই আসে ম্যাজিক । মিরি চলে যায় ৬৫ বছর পিছনে ....ভুল সুধরাতে হবে তাকে ...
“Magic is just a way of setting things right.” 😍😍
August 25, 2013
Woah! A book with a lot of my favorite things: the feeling of being left out, surprises, friends, and pranking! This book is truly an amazing read, I have no other way to explain this miracle book. Except five stars and two (or MORE) thumbs up!
December 12, 2012
I LOVE IT!!!!!!!! Best book ever made!
September 15, 2019
Miri is the only single child in a family of twins. When she is whisked back in time, she meets a girl from 1935 named Molly, and the two embark on a mission to save Molly from her abusive aunt and cousins. But the magic that allowed Miri to travel through time is unpredictable, and it will take a special perspective for Molly and Miri to unravel the mysteries of time before it’s too late.
I liked the plot and the adorable characters! Miri is so relatable and sweet, and Molly is quite brave in the face of her terrible relatives.
The plot is not amazingly mind-blowing, but it kept my interest and I liked the interesting magic system that allowed Miri to travel through time.
The writing style is fine, but it gets extremely redundant and that was annoying. When a plot point happens, the writing often recaps all the points that led up to the new plot point as if the reader needed to be reminded again.
For instance, Molly finds the remains of an old barn, just a few bricks outlining where the barn used to be, and we have to hear AGAIN how her mother told her there used to be a barn out by the apple orchard, and how there was a thief years ago who might have hidden his loot in the old barn, and how the barn was hidden from view behind the orchard and it would have been the perfect place to hide stolen jewels and on and on and on with information we already know.
This happens often and I found myself skimming through paragraphs of redundant information.
A good story with sweet characters and decent writing. I liked it!
I liked the plot and the adorable characters! Miri is so relatable and sweet, and Molly is quite brave in the face of her terrible relatives.
The plot is not amazingly mind-blowing, but it kept my interest and I liked the interesting magic system that allowed Miri to travel through time.
The writing style is fine, but it gets extremely redundant and that was annoying. When a plot point happens, the writing often recaps all the points that led up to the new plot point as if the reader needed to be reminded again.
For instance, Molly finds the remains of an old barn, just a few bricks outlining where the barn used to be, and we have to hear AGAIN how her mother told her there used to be a barn out by the apple orchard, and how there was a thief years ago who might have hidden his loot in the old barn, and how the barn was hidden from view behind the orchard and it would have been the perfect place to hide stolen jewels and on and on and on with information we already know.
This happens often and I found myself skimming through paragraphs of redundant information.
A good story with sweet characters and decent writing. I liked it!
April 27, 2009
fun and compelling. kmm
October 20, 2018
Magic half with nothing magical about it ...I thought it would never end mehhhh
February 20, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This middle grade novel was just as great as I remembered it being when I read for the first time years ago. It’s safe to say I would recommend this to middle grade and YA readers who enjoy time travel and historical fiction.
Our book begins following a girl named Miri, who feels like the odd one out in her family because she has two sets of twins. She moves into an old large house from the 30s and finds a magical piece of glass that takes her back in time to save Molly, a girl her age who has a dark future ahead.
This book was paced so well and I loved the development of the characters. I felt like Miri’s sisters and brothers were very relatable and her parents weren’t put in the worst light like most grade books are.
I felt like there was no slow parts or parts that were too fast. I enjoyed every part of it and cannot wait to read the sequel. I loved how the history seems legit and the characters from the 30s spoke how they would’ve back then. I felt like all the details were very well done.
WAS IT CLEAN👇
God’s name used in vain three times, once was pointed out as a wrongdoing.
Miri’s ability to travel back in time is assumed to be magic, and believes Molly’s grandma is a fairy. No evil or demonic magic
Molly is mistreated by her family, mainly her older brother Horst who can be a bit scary and was believed to have killed Molly in secret in the future.
This middle grade novel was just as great as I remembered it being when I read for the first time years ago. It’s safe to say I would recommend this to middle grade and YA readers who enjoy time travel and historical fiction.
Our book begins following a girl named Miri, who feels like the odd one out in her family because she has two sets of twins. She moves into an old large house from the 30s and finds a magical piece of glass that takes her back in time to save Molly, a girl her age who has a dark future ahead.
This book was paced so well and I loved the development of the characters. I felt like Miri’s sisters and brothers were very relatable and her parents weren’t put in the worst light like most grade books are.
I felt like there was no slow parts or parts that were too fast. I enjoyed every part of it and cannot wait to read the sequel. I loved how the history seems legit and the characters from the 30s spoke how they would’ve back then. I felt like all the details were very well done.
WAS IT CLEAN👇
God’s name used in vain three times, once was pointed out as a wrongdoing.
Miri’s ability to travel back in time is assumed to be magic, and believes Molly’s grandma is a fairy. No evil or demonic magic
Molly is mistreated by her family, mainly her older brother Horst who can be a bit scary and was believed to have killed Molly in secret in the future.
June 8, 2011
This is a pretty cute book that I think would be loved by its target audience. Miri is a non-twin sandwiched between two sets of twins in her family; she's always felt like she doesn't belong and left out of what makes her family (and herself) special. One day, while exploring her family's new house, she is transported into the past, where she meets Molly, a girl her age who lives in the same house and claims that the year is 1935, the bedroom is hers, and that Miri must have come to save her.
The time travel aspect is fun, as is Miri's determination to save Molly from the horrible family she lives with. Miri isn't quite sure how to save the day, and at first she isn't sure what propels her back and forth in time, but she uses her brain to figure these things out. This book definitely had a nice blend of magic and reality; with the historical part thrown in, this novel has even more to offer.
There were some parts of the story that I absolutely loved, when it felt like there were so many magical possibilities that could happen at any moment, but there were also parts that seemed to come together all too neatly - such as the fact that the ending was perfect and the sort of happily-ever-after that only magic could bring about. However, this is probably indicative of the age group it's intended for (perhaps girls 8-12?), and I think this is a story that all ages would appreciate.
The time travel aspect is fun, as is Miri's determination to save Molly from the horrible family she lives with. Miri isn't quite sure how to save the day, and at first she isn't sure what propels her back and forth in time, but she uses her brain to figure these things out. This book definitely had a nice blend of magic and reality; with the historical part thrown in, this novel has even more to offer.
There were some parts of the story that I absolutely loved, when it felt like there were so many magical possibilities that could happen at any moment, but there were also parts that seemed to come together all too neatly - such as the fact that the ending was perfect and the sort of happily-ever-after that only magic could bring about. However, this is probably indicative of the age group it's intended for (perhaps girls 8-12?), and I think this is a story that all ages would appreciate.
August 31, 2014
Miri is the middle child in a large family. She has twin older brothers--Ray and Robbie--and twin younger sisters--Nell and Nora. The family has just moved into a new house, a not-so-new house. Miri's room used to be part of the attic, it is a bit unusual, and not just because of the super-ugly wallpaper. But Miri only comes to realize this a week or two after the move. One afternoon after a horrible fight that ends in punishment for Miri, she discovers something that will change everything. The discovery? A single lens from a pair of glasses taped to the wall near the floor. She looks through the lens. She's curious like that. And that's when it happens. She finds herself in 1935. She meets Molly. Molly's mom is dead, her dad is out of the picture--has been out of the picture for six years. Molly is "being raised" by her aunt alongside her cousins. Think Jane Eyre. That's really all I have to say about Molly's situation! Molly is convinced that Miri is her savior, could Molly be right? Has Miri traveled to the past to save Molly? And what does it mean to save Molly? Does that mean taking her back to the future? How would that even work? So many questions Miri has! She'll need to brainstorm if she's going to succeed.
I liked The Magic Half. I like fantasy novels. I like time travel stories.
I liked The Magic Half. I like fantasy novels. I like time travel stories.
May 15, 2010
So much of one's mood and history tempers one's reaction to a current read. I loved reading this book, but I had a disappointing day, which progressed into an even more disappointing evening, and Miri and Molly saved the day for me. The book, the plot, the characters and the magic helped pull me out of the blue funk I was in. I loved Miri, her self-discovery, her anger/frustration/love for her brothers and family, her intelligence, her connection with Molly. My only disappointment was with the book cover illustrator, who chose to ignore the fact that Molly and Miri had LESS than 20/20 vision -- would it have had such a negative effect on book sales to have put two young girls with GLASSES on the book cover???
Miri feels like the square peg in a family of round holes. Everyone in the family comes in a matched set but her. It's not until her anger with her brothers' teasing drives her to violence and she gets sent to her room that she discovers the key to the magic that will connect her with the past, her present, her history and future.
And I disagree with the readers who thought the ending was disappointing or lacking. I guess my mind runs along the same lines as Barrows. Made perfect sense to me!
Miri feels like the square peg in a family of round holes. Everyone in the family comes in a matched set but her. It's not until her anger with her brothers' teasing drives her to violence and she gets sent to her room that she discovers the key to the magic that will connect her with the past, her present, her history and future.
And I disagree with the readers who thought the ending was disappointing or lacking. I guess my mind runs along the same lines as Barrows. Made perfect sense to me!
August 27, 2015
Miri is a girl stuck in between two sets of twins, Ray and Robbie, and Nell and Nora. She moves to her new house and hears that there is hidden treasure somewhere around, then discovers an old barn, and before you know it is hitting Ray in the head with a shovel. As she’s in her room thinking about what her punishment might be she discovers a piece of glass taped to a baseboard in her room. It turns out to be a lens from an old pair of glasses. When she looks through the lens she discovers herself back in her room, with another girl who claims that it is her room! It turns out that Miri has been transported back in time to 1935 where eleven year old Molly was living in her house. Miri thinks her own life is bad only to discover Molly is in need for a real family who will take care of her and a place she can call home.
I loved this book, one of the best I’ve read in a long time. This book is about magic. Literally magic of traveling through time. And the magic of making a family a family. It’s about the magic of choosing to help someone in need even when you’re scared. The magic of reading this book sucks you into another world just wanting to turn the page and find out where Miri and Molly will go next. I can’t wait to read the next one!
I loved this book, one of the best I’ve read in a long time. This book is about magic. Literally magic of traveling through time. And the magic of making a family a family. It’s about the magic of choosing to help someone in need even when you’re scared. The magic of reading this book sucks you into another world just wanting to turn the page and find out where Miri and Molly will go next. I can’t wait to read the next one!
September 8, 2014
Miri is a single child in a family with two sets of twins, her older brothers and her younger sisters. When the family moves to an old farmhouse, Miri finds special glasses that allow her to travel back in time to 1935. Although she traveled back in time accidentally, she finds a new best friend, Molly. All of the most exciting adventure happens when she meets her.
I absolutely loved this story! My favorite part about this whole book is that I love how real feeling this book is. You feel like you are standing right next to the characters and going along this adventure with them. This story kept me turning the pages and I promised myself just one more chapter every night but I eventually just stayed up until 2 in the morning! So be carefull!
Overall this story was great and I would recommend this story to children from 4th grade to 7th grade. Again I love this book and would read it again and again!
I absolutely loved this story! My favorite part about this whole book is that I love how real feeling this book is. You feel like you are standing right next to the characters and going along this adventure with them. This story kept me turning the pages and I promised myself just one more chapter every night but I eventually just stayed up until 2 in the morning! So be carefull!
Overall this story was great and I would recommend this story to children from 4th grade to 7th grade. Again I love this book and would read it again and again!
August 26, 2016
The Magic Half, by Annie Barrows, is a story of an eleven year old girl whose name is Miri. When Miri finds a mysterious piece of glass taped to her wall, she looks into it and her whole time changes - literally. Miri finds herself transported back in time to 1935 to a girl (Molly) who believes Miri is a fairy and came to save her! Miri’s problem might not be so much as getting out of 1935, as much as trying to get back to 1935 and saving her new friend from troubled siblings and maybe even the goodness of the future!
The Magic Half represents a mysterious fantasy that will keep you guessing and wondering why! If you like a classic time travel with a little twist, a mystery that has you wanting more, or friendships that never stop loving, then you should read this book. I would recommend The Magic Half for all ages, you might find something you love!
The Magic Half represents a mysterious fantasy that will keep you guessing and wondering why! If you like a classic time travel with a little twist, a mystery that has you wanting more, or friendships that never stop loving, then you should read this book. I would recommend The Magic Half for all ages, you might find something you love!
December 29, 2008
This one does not have a superbly fresh idea -- time travel and how changed past might affect the myriad of futures has been a popular theme in children's lit. and popular cultures (Back to the Future movies, anyone?) And there is nothing exceptional at the sentence/text level to elevate this one above others.
I found the "convenient switching" to a different perspective (instead of Miri's for about 95% of the book) slightly jarring, and uncharacteristic dialog such as "Mom! It's sweltering!" from a boy of 12 in the year 2007 simply does not ring true.
And, "It's magic. Isn't it?" explanation of all that has happened to the characters and to time seems too light-weight, too. I did like the ending, though.
I found the "convenient switching" to a different perspective (instead of Miri's for about 95% of the book) slightly jarring, and uncharacteristic dialog such as "Mom! It's sweltering!" from a boy of 12 in the year 2007 simply does not ring true.
And, "It's magic. Isn't it?" explanation of all that has happened to the characters and to time seems too light-weight, too. I did like the ending, though.
July 19, 2011
That was different! Do you believe in magic and fairies? If you do, this is the book for you.
Miri, a girl who is not nice all the time and is the middle child of 2 sets of twins, goes on a magical adventure to the past (1935) to save Molly, a girl who lives with her grandma and other relatives. Molly's life appears to be in serious danger because of her one cousin, Horst. Horst is a truly, evil teenage boy who will do anything to torture his cousin.
Throw in a bit of time travel and a mystery and you have a truly magical and amazing story!
Miri, a girl who is not nice all the time and is the middle child of 2 sets of twins, goes on a magical adventure to the past (1935) to save Molly, a girl who lives with her grandma and other relatives. Molly's life appears to be in serious danger because of her one cousin, Horst. Horst is a truly, evil teenage boy who will do anything to torture his cousin.
Throw in a bit of time travel and a mystery and you have a truly magical and amazing story!
March 9, 2013
I stumbled upon this book when trying to put Half Magic on hold for my daughter. Our copy of Eager's book is tucked away in one of the kids' rooms, it seems.
What a delightful story! I can hardly wait until my daughter reads this. I also wish that my oldest hadn't already outgrown this reading level; it's one that she would have enjoyed when she was younger.
What a delightful story! I can hardly wait until my daughter reads this. I also wish that my oldest hadn't already outgrown this reading level; it's one that she would have enjoyed when she was younger.
August 6, 2016
I love this author. I've read many Ivy & Bean books, the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, and now this. I've read this book to both of my daughters around 4th grade and they were both captivated by it. It's magical, fun, and a little bit dark.
August 6, 2019
i adored this book as a child. it’s the book that made me love reading. i wanna reread it, but i feel as if that might make it lose some of its magic. so i’m satisfied with the memories of staying up all night with a booklight, devouring page after page.
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