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Sweet Valley Kids #53
The Magic Puppets
Anticipating the Halloween arrival of The Magnificent Magico, a famous puppeteer, Jessica and Elizabeth befriend his daughter, Sam, and learn that the magician plans to leave her behind in Sweet Valley while he tours the country. Original.
- GenresChildrensMiddle Grade
80 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
About the author
Francine Pascal
1,155 books1,870 followersFrancine Paula Pascal was an American author best known for her Sweet Valley series of young adult novels. Sweet Valley High, the backbone of the collection, was made into a television series, which led to several spin-offs, including The Unicorn Club and Sweet Valley University. Although most of these books were published in the 1980s and 1990s, they remained so popular that several titles were re-released decades later.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
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January 20, 2024It's Halloween (for the fifth time) and a famous puppeteer is visiting Sweet Valley to put on a show and judge a costume competition. The twins befriend his daughter, who believes her father loves his puppets more than her.
There's a lot of focus in this one on one-off characters, which means that the usual characters are thrust into the background, unfortunately. I wanted more about Lila stealing Jess's Halloween costume idea and less about Sam Whom We Will Never See Again.
There's a lot of focus in this one on one-off characters, which means that the usual characters are thrust into the background, unfortunately. I wanted more about Lila stealing Jess's Halloween costume idea and less about Sam Whom We Will Never See Again.
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March 8, 2026The Magic Puppets
The students are talking about what costumes they’re going to wear for Halloween. I kinda love how many Halloween’s there have been in these books. It’s like Sweet Valley is one big never ending Halloween celebration! Liz and Jessica get a little teasing on what they’ll be (two peas in a pod or maybe they’ll just switch name bracelets).
Jessica says she’s going to be Dorothy (from The Wizard of Oz). Lila says she can’t because she’s going to be Dorothy. Jessia says she stole her idea and Lila says she got it from a catalogue and besides she’s already bought the costume. Her costume has a Toto that jumps and barks (because of a battery) and its got real ruby slippers.
Lila offers that Jessica can be her scarecrow, Liz can be her Tin Man, and Winston can be her Lion. Winston says he’ll pass. Not scary enough. Charlie says if you want scary look no further and at the front of the class is a woman. Mrs. Otis introduces then to a old lady with dark hair, red lips, and a dress with shimmery stars. Lila says this is her neighbor “Crazy Creely” Sure enough it’s Ms. Creely and her great-neice Samantha Maggio.
Sam-as she lets it be known she’d rather be called- is the daughter of the Magnificent Magico (aka “The Puppet Man”) They travel all over the country with their puppets and will be there for two weeks to celebrate the opening of the old Stardust Theatre. Ms. Creely’s father owned the theatre. They’ll be staying with Ms. Creely. Mrs. Otis says there are two surprises and she asks Sam to tell them to the class, but she says she has nothing to say.
So, Ms. Creely says that Magnificent Magico will be putting on a show just for Sweet Valley Elementary called “The Tale of Gobin Run’. But before this all of the students will march two blocks to the school in their costumes. They’ll then by judged by the Magnificent Magico and the gran prize will be… Ms. Ceely gives Sam the chance to say it. She responds dryly “A puppet”. Ms. Ceely says with more enthusiasm a marionette dragon made by Sam’s father.
Liz says she’d love to win, but Jessica says it’ll be Lila and Liz knows she’s probably right. Mrs. Otis asks Sam to tell them about her father’s puppets and says she bets she helps her father. Sam says no he won’t even let her touch them. Ms. Crelly says she (Sam) can tell them about the theatre tho. They toured it the other day. Charlie says he’s heard it’s haunted and Mrs. Creely asks Sam if she saw anything strange. She mentions blue ribbons and bells. Ms. Creely says someone probably left the blue ribbons behind and she didn’t hear any bells.
There was a dancer that fell down the steps. She always wore blue ribbons in her hair and bells on her ankles. Some say she tripped. Others say she was pushed. But ever since noises were heard in the celler and thumping down the steps. She says its odd because thr’s nothing there but mice. Then she invites the students to see the backstage of the theatre. She invites them to come Thursday. Mrs. Otis invites Sam to do her work in class with them so she won’t be lonely. She says she isn’t and would rather do it at the theatre. Liz thinks about Sam’s erratic behavior and thinks *she’s* the real mystery.
On Tuesday, school is let out early and the students go to the park. Lila asks Jessica if she read her note. Jessica says she doesn’t want to be a Scarecrow or a Tin Man or a Lion. Lila says she can be the Good Witch and then shows her the Good Witch’s costume (which is beautiful). Lila says if she gets her parents to charge it, she can get it shipped over night. Liz thinks the dress looks to expensive and says maybe they can make it. Lila says that’s not good enough. She’ll look like every other fairy. She’ll look like “Crazy Creely” but Jessica says no because she’s a *bad witch”.
Liz tries to get them to be quiet because Sam is outside with them. Charlie starts to chant Creepy Creely! Creepy Creely! Amy asks what makes her creepy and Lila says she has a house full of cats and she’s up all night.
Liz and Jessica go over to talk to Sam. Sam is drawing on the sidewalk with chalk. Her drawings are of Elephants paraded in capes and plumes. Kangaroos danced with hula-hoops. A girl with red hair rode on the back of a red-and-green tiger. The twins compliment her and tell her (her) drawings are so good they wish they could put them on their bed room walls. And it’s too bad they’re on the side walk because they’ll just get washed away when it rains. Sam shrugs and says who cares. Her mother died when she was small and her father doesn’t pay her any attention. Her aunt she says is pretty creepy but she can be nice.
The twins ask her what it’s like to travel so much. She says it gets boring. There’s a lot of take out food. She’s not really involved in the shows either. Jessica suggest that maybe she can do a private show for her and Liz and some of the other kids. Sam says maybe she will. When Jessica asks when she smiles mysteriously and says “You’ll know when you know.” Sam isn’t at school Tuesday or Wednesday. When they get to the theatre Thursday, they don’t see her. The kids are introduced to Merlin (a puppet who tells them about the theatre). Then Gwenivere (also a puppet). Then Magico comes out and tells them not to touch the puppets. He tells them about how he makes the puppets but not a lot.
He We warms up a little when Winston compliments a pirate puppet. Liz and the others hears bells and then thumping coming from the cellar. Mrs. Creely says it’s the dancer. Magico says it’s the workmen. It turns out its Sam and she’s holding two blue ribbons. Magico makes her apologize. Liz takes up for her and says Sam was just trying to get them into the Halloween spirit. This doesn’t appease Magico. Sam apologizes and tells the twins they shouldn’t have asked for a show and storms out. Jessica thinks now she hates them but on their book bags each is a pretty blue bow.
The twins were their ribbons the next day. Jessica tells Lila Sam gave them the ribbons. Lila says she was bored and that Sam didn’t scare her. The twins sit with Sam -who shows up at school that day-. Later they ask how she made the thumping noise and she tells them she used a laundry bag stuffed with old books. At recess, Lila asks the twins over so they can do “Halloween things”. Ellen says she wants to show them her costume. Sam wants to come. Lila says there’s no more room in her car. She’s invited Charlie and Winston. Sam says that’s ok. She has to go with her aunt shopping. Jessica says ok but wonders why she invited boys. She tells Liz somethings up.
Jessica and Liz watch Lila try on her ruby shoes. Neither twin is in a good mood. She starts bragging that they can play with her dragon puppet next time they come by. Charlie and Winston have made a cardboard gravestone that says “Here lies Creepy Creely even weirder than her stories. Sam just shrugs it off and says her aunt *is* weird (which she said the other day). Liz says she likes her better than her dad. Sam again shrugs and says he loves his puppets and sometimes she wishes she were a puppet so he’d talk to her as much as he does them.
(Liz has gone over when Charlie tells her to go look). Sam’s aunt invites her inside for cookies and lemonade, but Sam tells her she can’t. She’s visiting Lila. She tells Liz to go have fun with the others. Liz tells her it’s not all that fun and then invites her over to her house Saturday. Sam just says maybe. Liz decides to be a pirate. Sam stops by. She suggest she put foil and colored paper on it to look like jewels.
Sam suggests Jessica be the Mad Hatter. She says she’ll show her how to make a top hat out of paper marche. Jessica says no one would know who she is. So, Sam suggests The Cat in the Hat or a magician. They can stick a rabbit up her hat and make her a cat. Sam thinks of a mermaid, a crab, and then a two headed sea monster. They can make extra arms and get shimmery material. They both agree. Sam says her aunt has some shimmery material from the stars on her dress. Alice volunteers to help them and says she has some sea shells. The twins go over to Sam’s house. Her aunt still has the gravestone up. She’s also made her own grave stone that says
Some call her Creepy Creely. Other’s Flaky Florrie. Stop by for a treat. She’ll tell you a gory story. Mrs. Creely shows Sam sketches that look a lot like hers. They belonged to her mother who would draw the puppets and her father would make them. Sam says she wishes her father would let her help him. Sam wants to know why Creely has the sketches and she says her father keeps them because he misses her mother. Sam says he’ll never miss her he wants to keep her there. Creely says she’d love to keep Sam but her father needs her more. He just doesn’t see it.
The twins suggest Sam show her dad her sketches but she says he’s always busy. Liz has an idea. She invites Sam to march with her in the parade. She can make a costume that will really make her dad take notice. Two days later, Lila comes to school with crutches. Charlie guesses correctly that she was prancing around in her ruby shoes. Jessica helps her with her bag and Lila says she thought she’d be happy. Jessica says she *was* made but she’s still her friend. Sam offers to help Lila when she sees her crutches. She says she’ll need white socks. During art she works on her project. She paints each sock (sockers) in the shape off a slipper with red glitter. Lila likes them.
Mrs. Otis compliments her and says they have a class artist. Sam tho gets upset and says her father’s leaving her and runs out the class room. There’s someone in class sitting in a chair dressed as Pinocchio. They realize it’s Sam. She’s even dancing as a marionette. They all march to the Stardust Theatre. Mrs. Otis tells Magio one of his puppets has escaped and he laughs. Liz says she doesn’t think Magico recognized Sam. Jessica says she wants to win but she also wants Sam to win. The wins win a prize for their costume. Sam wins the grand prize. Pinocchio dances and then she and the dragon (whose brought out) have a fake fight. Then Sam takes off her mask.
Sam asks does he love her better this way and if she were a puppet would her take on the road. He says he loves her as his little girl. Sam gets to travel with her dad after all. She gives the twins the dragon and says next time they see her she’ll be in the show.
Rating: 5 This kind of reminded me of “The Haunted House” where Lila and the Unicorns are nasty to Nora because she’s the witches grand-daughter. They even pull a “prank” on “Creepy Clearly” the same way they did Nora’s grandmother and grandfather. Tho in this is more watered down since it’s the kids series. I actually thought the costume ideas were good. I don’t think tho that as a parent it should have taken your kid to parade themselves in front of you for you to finally get a clue that your daughter has talent SMH but again this is SV and we all know these parents are just BAD!
The students are talking about what costumes they’re going to wear for Halloween. I kinda love how many Halloween’s there have been in these books. It’s like Sweet Valley is one big never ending Halloween celebration! Liz and Jessica get a little teasing on what they’ll be (two peas in a pod or maybe they’ll just switch name bracelets).
Jessica says she’s going to be Dorothy (from The Wizard of Oz). Lila says she can’t because she’s going to be Dorothy. Jessia says she stole her idea and Lila says she got it from a catalogue and besides she’s already bought the costume. Her costume has a Toto that jumps and barks (because of a battery) and its got real ruby slippers.
Lila offers that Jessica can be her scarecrow, Liz can be her Tin Man, and Winston can be her Lion. Winston says he’ll pass. Not scary enough. Charlie says if you want scary look no further and at the front of the class is a woman. Mrs. Otis introduces then to a old lady with dark hair, red lips, and a dress with shimmery stars. Lila says this is her neighbor “Crazy Creely” Sure enough it’s Ms. Creely and her great-neice Samantha Maggio.
Sam-as she lets it be known she’d rather be called- is the daughter of the Magnificent Magico (aka “The Puppet Man”) They travel all over the country with their puppets and will be there for two weeks to celebrate the opening of the old Stardust Theatre. Ms. Creely’s father owned the theatre. They’ll be staying with Ms. Creely. Mrs. Otis says there are two surprises and she asks Sam to tell them to the class, but she says she has nothing to say.
So, Ms. Creely says that Magnificent Magico will be putting on a show just for Sweet Valley Elementary called “The Tale of Gobin Run’. But before this all of the students will march two blocks to the school in their costumes. They’ll then by judged by the Magnificent Magico and the gran prize will be… Ms. Ceely gives Sam the chance to say it. She responds dryly “A puppet”. Ms. Ceely says with more enthusiasm a marionette dragon made by Sam’s father.
Liz says she’d love to win, but Jessica says it’ll be Lila and Liz knows she’s probably right. Mrs. Otis asks Sam to tell them about her father’s puppets and says she bets she helps her father. Sam says no he won’t even let her touch them. Ms. Crelly says she (Sam) can tell them about the theatre tho. They toured it the other day. Charlie says he’s heard it’s haunted and Mrs. Creely asks Sam if she saw anything strange. She mentions blue ribbons and bells. Ms. Creely says someone probably left the blue ribbons behind and she didn’t hear any bells.
There was a dancer that fell down the steps. She always wore blue ribbons in her hair and bells on her ankles. Some say she tripped. Others say she was pushed. But ever since noises were heard in the celler and thumping down the steps. She says its odd because thr’s nothing there but mice. Then she invites the students to see the backstage of the theatre. She invites them to come Thursday. Mrs. Otis invites Sam to do her work in class with them so she won’t be lonely. She says she isn’t and would rather do it at the theatre. Liz thinks about Sam’s erratic behavior and thinks *she’s* the real mystery.
On Tuesday, school is let out early and the students go to the park. Lila asks Jessica if she read her note. Jessica says she doesn’t want to be a Scarecrow or a Tin Man or a Lion. Lila says she can be the Good Witch and then shows her the Good Witch’s costume (which is beautiful). Lila says if she gets her parents to charge it, she can get it shipped over night. Liz thinks the dress looks to expensive and says maybe they can make it. Lila says that’s not good enough. She’ll look like every other fairy. She’ll look like “Crazy Creely” but Jessica says no because she’s a *bad witch”.
Liz tries to get them to be quiet because Sam is outside with them. Charlie starts to chant Creepy Creely! Creepy Creely! Amy asks what makes her creepy and Lila says she has a house full of cats and she’s up all night.
Liz and Jessica go over to talk to Sam. Sam is drawing on the sidewalk with chalk. Her drawings are of Elephants paraded in capes and plumes. Kangaroos danced with hula-hoops. A girl with red hair rode on the back of a red-and-green tiger. The twins compliment her and tell her (her) drawings are so good they wish they could put them on their bed room walls. And it’s too bad they’re on the side walk because they’ll just get washed away when it rains. Sam shrugs and says who cares. Her mother died when she was small and her father doesn’t pay her any attention. Her aunt she says is pretty creepy but she can be nice.
The twins ask her what it’s like to travel so much. She says it gets boring. There’s a lot of take out food. She’s not really involved in the shows either. Jessica suggest that maybe she can do a private show for her and Liz and some of the other kids. Sam says maybe she will. When Jessica asks when she smiles mysteriously and says “You’ll know when you know.” Sam isn’t at school Tuesday or Wednesday. When they get to the theatre Thursday, they don’t see her. The kids are introduced to Merlin (a puppet who tells them about the theatre). Then Gwenivere (also a puppet). Then Magico comes out and tells them not to touch the puppets. He tells them about how he makes the puppets but not a lot.
He We warms up a little when Winston compliments a pirate puppet. Liz and the others hears bells and then thumping coming from the cellar. Mrs. Creely says it’s the dancer. Magico says it’s the workmen. It turns out its Sam and she’s holding two blue ribbons. Magico makes her apologize. Liz takes up for her and says Sam was just trying to get them into the Halloween spirit. This doesn’t appease Magico. Sam apologizes and tells the twins they shouldn’t have asked for a show and storms out. Jessica thinks now she hates them but on their book bags each is a pretty blue bow.
The twins were their ribbons the next day. Jessica tells Lila Sam gave them the ribbons. Lila says she was bored and that Sam didn’t scare her. The twins sit with Sam -who shows up at school that day-. Later they ask how she made the thumping noise and she tells them she used a laundry bag stuffed with old books. At recess, Lila asks the twins over so they can do “Halloween things”. Ellen says she wants to show them her costume. Sam wants to come. Lila says there’s no more room in her car. She’s invited Charlie and Winston. Sam says that’s ok. She has to go with her aunt shopping. Jessica says ok but wonders why she invited boys. She tells Liz somethings up.
Jessica and Liz watch Lila try on her ruby shoes. Neither twin is in a good mood. She starts bragging that they can play with her dragon puppet next time they come by. Charlie and Winston have made a cardboard gravestone that says “Here lies Creepy Creely even weirder than her stories. Sam just shrugs it off and says her aunt *is* weird (which she said the other day). Liz says she likes her better than her dad. Sam again shrugs and says he loves his puppets and sometimes she wishes she were a puppet so he’d talk to her as much as he does them.
(Liz has gone over when Charlie tells her to go look). Sam’s aunt invites her inside for cookies and lemonade, but Sam tells her she can’t. She’s visiting Lila. She tells Liz to go have fun with the others. Liz tells her it’s not all that fun and then invites her over to her house Saturday. Sam just says maybe. Liz decides to be a pirate. Sam stops by. She suggest she put foil and colored paper on it to look like jewels.
Sam suggests Jessica be the Mad Hatter. She says she’ll show her how to make a top hat out of paper marche. Jessica says no one would know who she is. So, Sam suggests The Cat in the Hat or a magician. They can stick a rabbit up her hat and make her a cat. Sam thinks of a mermaid, a crab, and then a two headed sea monster. They can make extra arms and get shimmery material. They both agree. Sam says her aunt has some shimmery material from the stars on her dress. Alice volunteers to help them and says she has some sea shells. The twins go over to Sam’s house. Her aunt still has the gravestone up. She’s also made her own grave stone that says
Some call her Creepy Creely. Other’s Flaky Florrie. Stop by for a treat. She’ll tell you a gory story. Mrs. Creely shows Sam sketches that look a lot like hers. They belonged to her mother who would draw the puppets and her father would make them. Sam says she wishes her father would let her help him. Sam wants to know why Creely has the sketches and she says her father keeps them because he misses her mother. Sam says he’ll never miss her he wants to keep her there. Creely says she’d love to keep Sam but her father needs her more. He just doesn’t see it.
The twins suggest Sam show her dad her sketches but she says he’s always busy. Liz has an idea. She invites Sam to march with her in the parade. She can make a costume that will really make her dad take notice. Two days later, Lila comes to school with crutches. Charlie guesses correctly that she was prancing around in her ruby shoes. Jessica helps her with her bag and Lila says she thought she’d be happy. Jessica says she *was* made but she’s still her friend. Sam offers to help Lila when she sees her crutches. She says she’ll need white socks. During art she works on her project. She paints each sock (sockers) in the shape off a slipper with red glitter. Lila likes them.
Mrs. Otis compliments her and says they have a class artist. Sam tho gets upset and says her father’s leaving her and runs out the class room. There’s someone in class sitting in a chair dressed as Pinocchio. They realize it’s Sam. She’s even dancing as a marionette. They all march to the Stardust Theatre. Mrs. Otis tells Magio one of his puppets has escaped and he laughs. Liz says she doesn’t think Magico recognized Sam. Jessica says she wants to win but she also wants Sam to win. The wins win a prize for their costume. Sam wins the grand prize. Pinocchio dances and then she and the dragon (whose brought out) have a fake fight. Then Sam takes off her mask.
Sam asks does he love her better this way and if she were a puppet would her take on the road. He says he loves her as his little girl. Sam gets to travel with her dad after all. She gives the twins the dragon and says next time they see her she’ll be in the show.
Rating: 5 This kind of reminded me of “The Haunted House” where Lila and the Unicorns are nasty to Nora because she’s the witches grand-daughter. They even pull a “prank” on “Creepy Clearly” the same way they did Nora’s grandmother and grandfather. Tho in this is more watered down since it’s the kids series. I actually thought the costume ideas were good. I don’t think tho that as a parent it should have taken your kid to parade themselves in front of you for you to finally get a clue that your daughter has talent SMH but again this is SV and we all know these parents are just BAD!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2024
This was a weird one.
January 18, 2025
Loved this book!
December 5, 2021
I can’t believe I’m about to say this… but I think they’re running out of book ideas already 😳 It’s Halloween AGAIN (I’ve actually lost count) and this time a creepy neighbour of Lila’s is visiting with her great-niece, whose father (Magico) is a puppet maker with no time for his daughter Sam. She’s very hot and cold with the kids, but Liz and Jess manage to worm their way in. Her father is pretty rude, as the kids discover when they visit the family theatre to see a puppet show, and he yells at Sam. Anyway, Sam is a really good artist, and helps the twins with a two headed monster costume (I think Alice should get more credit for, you know, making it), and comes up with a secret costume of her own. Her dad is the costume judge at school (yep, random) and the prize is a dragon puppet. The twins win ‘most unusual’, Lila wins nothing after spending a ton of money on a Dorothy costume and spraining her ankle in the Ruby heels 👠, and Pinocchio puppet costume just steals the show and wins - and I know you didn’t see this coming, but it’s Sam! 😱 She tells her Dad maybe now she’s a puppet he’ll pay attention to her. They make up, she gives the prize to the twins and I’m glad it’s over 🤷🏼♀️
My rating - 2/10 - a bit boring I’m afraid 😕.
My rating - 2/10 - a bit boring I’m afraid 😕.
August 30, 2011
Also loved this a little girl because it's about.. well, magic puppets. :))
July 9, 2013
I have read so many of these books I can't remember all of them.
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