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AbrakaPOW
Based on a true World War II story, Isaiah Campbell tells a charming mystery about a mishap at a magic show at a POW camp—featuring magic how-to diagrams throughout.
Try as she might, cheeky middle schooler Maxine Larousse (you may call her Max “La Roo” or The Amazing Max, if you’d like) has yet to learn the one magic trick she needs the how to reappear in New York City. That is where she used to live with her parents before her father, Major Larousse, was put in charge of a Nazi POW camp in Abilene, Texas. At least in this desolate wasteland she’ll have plenty of time to practice her illusions, even if the only audience member is her ferret Houdini.
When she’s tasked with entertaining the Nazi prisoners with a magic show, the pressure may be too much. But with the help of some classmates and an unexpected magic expert, the performance is a hit—until twelve Nazis escape during her final act. Will she be able to track them down before her reputation as a magician is destroyed forever?
Try as she might, cheeky middle schooler Maxine Larousse (you may call her Max “La Roo” or The Amazing Max, if you’d like) has yet to learn the one magic trick she needs the how to reappear in New York City. That is where she used to live with her parents before her father, Major Larousse, was put in charge of a Nazi POW camp in Abilene, Texas. At least in this desolate wasteland she’ll have plenty of time to practice her illusions, even if the only audience member is her ferret Houdini.
When she’s tasked with entertaining the Nazi prisoners with a magic show, the pressure may be too much. But with the help of some classmates and an unexpected magic expert, the performance is a hit—until twelve Nazis escape during her final act. Will she be able to track them down before her reputation as a magician is destroyed forever?
400 pages, Hardcover
First published November 8, 2016
17 people are currently reading
374 people want to read
About the author
Isaiah Campbell
4 books18 followersIsaiah was born and bred in Texas, and he has the cowboy hat to prove it. Not that he’d actually WEAR the cowboy hat, but he keeps it in case anyone needs proof. He spent his childhood reading a blend of Dickens, Dumas, and Stan Lee, and he dreamed his whole life of becoming a writer. And also of being bitten by a radioactive spider. Unfortunately, only one dream has panned out.
For the last 15 years Isaiah has devoted his life to teaching and leading students and young adults, whether it was through large scale assemblies for new recruits at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO, or through the classroom as a teacher in Albuquerque, NM. He has also written various freelance articles for magazines aimed at the teenage culture and worked as a writing coach for students participating in the National Fine Arts Festival. He has now turned his gift of storytelling and creative presentation to writing novels for children and young adults.
Isaiah lives with with his wife, three children, and his sanity, although that may be moving out soon. He occasionally searches the classifieds for the bulk sale of spiders and uranium but hasn’t found a price he is comfortable with yet. He is represented by Marietta B. Zacker of the Nancy Gallt Literary Agency.
For the last 15 years Isaiah has devoted his life to teaching and leading students and young adults, whether it was through large scale assemblies for new recruits at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO, or through the classroom as a teacher in Albuquerque, NM. He has also written various freelance articles for magazines aimed at the teenage culture and worked as a writing coach for students participating in the National Fine Arts Festival. He has now turned his gift of storytelling and creative presentation to writing novels for children and young adults.
Isaiah lives with with his wife, three children, and his sanity, although that may be moving out soon. He occasionally searches the classifieds for the bulk sale of spiders and uranium but hasn’t found a price he is comfortable with yet. He is represented by Marietta B. Zacker of the Nancy Gallt Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 22, 2016
I know it's a kids book and shouldn't be taken too seriously, but the plot in this book was pretty hard to believe. Yes, it's based on a true story, but all of the elaborations were too much. The scenes too complicated to elaborate on were commented on as past events in a paragraph at most, which was a shame. If the main conflicts are too complicated to explain, then don't make them the main conflicts. Some of this language was a little too hard for this age group to undetstand--there are adults who wouldn't know some of the words. I also found the characterizations a little too stereotypical--the kids are comprised of an Asian-American, the "dumb kid", the "short girl", "the jerk", and the popular girls. The adults aren't much better with a bumbling father, an oblivious mother, a Bible-thumper, a Jewish old person, a near-sighted teacher, and a sexually ambigious GI. There was also a random devil-worshipping subplot explained away as a "prank." To sum the book up, bratty tween and her annoying ferret break a ton of laws and all is well in the end without consequences for anyone. They seriously help one POW escape after he pulled some major shady stuff, but that's okay because he knows the words to "Yankee Doodle." *eye roll*
January 6, 2017
What the book's about: Middle-schooler and budding magician Maxine Larousse (aka "The Amazing Max") moved from New York City to Texas when her father, Major Larousse was put in charge of a Nazi POW camp in Abilene. She wiles away her time in her desolate new town by practicing her illusions and putting on magic shows for her ferret, Houdini.
When Maxine puts on a magic show for the Nazi prisoners, the performance is a hit -- until 12 prisoners escape during the final act. Can Maxine track them down?
This entertaining mystery is based on a true World War II story. How-to diagrams sprinkled throughout let curious readers try out some of Maxine's tricks at home.
What The Nine-Year-Old likes about it: "I really like the way the tension is building. The Nazis have just escaped! I have to get back to reading now so I can see if Maxine finds them again."
Review originally posted on Caterpickles
When Maxine puts on a magic show for the Nazi prisoners, the performance is a hit -- until 12 prisoners escape during the final act. Can Maxine track them down?
This entertaining mystery is based on a true World War II story. How-to diagrams sprinkled throughout let curious readers try out some of Maxine's tricks at home.
What The Nine-Year-Old likes about it: "I really like the way the tension is building. The Nazis have just escaped! I have to get back to reading now so I can see if Maxine finds them again."
Review originally posted on Caterpickles
October 1, 2016
Holy twists-and-turns, Batman! Isaiah Campbell has done it again~ taken a historic time period and setting full of tension and prejudice and conflict, and filled it with authentic characters who have adventures that will make you cheer, hold your breath, get uncomfortable, get angry, and more than anything else, keep you turning those pages to see what happens. And the magic! I love magic and am terrible at performing magic tricks, but Max's story gave me another urge to try out Ye Olde Card Tricks and more (which is doable, because the book is filled with instructions for tricks!). I have no idea how he plotted this one out, but I kept being thrown for a loop. Last thing~ the moment when the title plays into the story~ very cool.
July 20, 2017
I liked it less the more I read. At first it was quirky, fun, and humorous. But then the characters acted far too grown-up for eleven-year-olds. And there were too many references to smoking, drinking, and relationships. Overall it wasn't an age-appropriate book. But it was a very interesting take on a WW2 story--different perspective, different location (Texas POW camp), different that what you'd expect.
Favorite quote:
"You can't be hurt by that which you do not see happen."
Favorite quote:
"You can't be hurt by that which you do not see happen."
November 26, 2023
I was quite surprised to learn that Nazis were brought to the US-Texas-and that they lived and even worked in the community. This book is about a young gal who is quite an accomplished magician and how a magic trick during her big show caused quite a situation for her father, the Major in charge of the prison camp.
December 29, 2016
see my review at http://www.thereportergroup.org/Artic...
January 24, 2022
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got this book in an attempt to read an author with the same name as me for a reading challenge. This was one of the few options my library had for books written by an Isaiah or with an Isaiah main character. So I thought this would be a better fit than some sports biographies.
This book follows Max and she navigates moving to a new town, being a ferret owner, and being a young magician. Her father is a major, though is branch of military is not mentioned. He is in charge of running the POW camp in Texas, which is why they moved from New York City. They are Jewish, but that is only mentioned randomly. Max also speaks German, which is only mentioned when it is convenient for the plot, but not when characters are speaking German. German is not translated at all, but supposedly Max speaks German so would have translated it as the narrator. Max is also wonderfully racist, which is to be expected in the time period and the setting.
So Max visits her father in the POW camp all the time, which totally sounds like a good idea to have a child running around a POW camp unsupervised. Her dad sets up a magic show for the Nazis that are being housed there. Max runs into a group of super nasty Nazis. They even have a special arm band they wear, which is a mark of pride. How did they sneak these into a POW camp and keep them hidden from the guards while parading around in them? No one will ever know. They threaten to kill her, which isn’t surprising. What is surprising is she is able to escape from being held captive in one of their bunks with the help of her Asian friend (who she is super racist against, but then she has a crush on him by the end WTF?) and the help of her friendly Nazi friend (who is also wearing the arm band of the super bad Nazis). The rest of the book is Max and her group of “friends” (people she tolerates to get even with three bitchy girls) preparing for the magic show and dealing with the aftermath.
This paragraph is all spoilers: The aftermath being the friendly Nazi uses Max’s show as a distraction to help 12 Nazis escape. She then trusts him AGAIN because he promises to help her capture all the escaped Nazis in exchange for a telephone call. In the end Max is kidnapped by the leader of the super bad Nazis and is held captive by the friendly Nazi at gunpoint, which for some reason Max is convinced is not loaded despite you know the obvious reasons of him being part of the super bad Nazis, helping Nazis escape, and lying to her all the time. She fits the “too dumb to live” trope and it was so annoying. Add in that the friendly Nazi that literally held her at gunpoint and helped people escaped was aided by the military to assume the identity of a member of the US Armed Forces at the end was just ridiculous.
The book just ended up reading as a racist book that was somehow halfheartedly pro-Nazi. The characters kept making jokes and using Nazi Lover or things like that as insults, but then kept referring to how nice the Nazis were and how they weren’t really bad, just part of the opposing Army. I’m just going to ignore the devil worshiping jew plot line.
I got this book in an attempt to read an author with the same name as me for a reading challenge. This was one of the few options my library had for books written by an Isaiah or with an Isaiah main character. So I thought this would be a better fit than some sports biographies.
This book follows Max and she navigates moving to a new town, being a ferret owner, and being a young magician. Her father is a major, though is branch of military is not mentioned. He is in charge of running the POW camp in Texas, which is why they moved from New York City. They are Jewish, but that is only mentioned randomly. Max also speaks German, which is only mentioned when it is convenient for the plot, but not when characters are speaking German. German is not translated at all, but supposedly Max speaks German so would have translated it as the narrator. Max is also wonderfully racist, which is to be expected in the time period and the setting.
So Max visits her father in the POW camp all the time, which totally sounds like a good idea to have a child running around a POW camp unsupervised. Her dad sets up a magic show for the Nazis that are being housed there. Max runs into a group of super nasty Nazis. They even have a special arm band they wear, which is a mark of pride. How did they sneak these into a POW camp and keep them hidden from the guards while parading around in them? No one will ever know. They threaten to kill her, which isn’t surprising. What is surprising is she is able to escape from being held captive in one of their bunks with the help of her Asian friend (who she is super racist against, but then she has a crush on him by the end WTF?) and the help of her friendly Nazi friend (who is also wearing the arm band of the super bad Nazis). The rest of the book is Max and her group of “friends” (people she tolerates to get even with three bitchy girls) preparing for the magic show and dealing with the aftermath.
This paragraph is all spoilers: The aftermath being the friendly Nazi uses Max’s show as a distraction to help 12 Nazis escape. She then trusts him AGAIN because he promises to help her capture all the escaped Nazis in exchange for a telephone call. In the end Max is kidnapped by the leader of the super bad Nazis and is held captive by the friendly Nazi at gunpoint, which for some reason Max is convinced is not loaded despite you know the obvious reasons of him being part of the super bad Nazis, helping Nazis escape, and lying to her all the time. She fits the “too dumb to live” trope and it was so annoying. Add in that the friendly Nazi that literally held her at gunpoint and helped people escaped was aided by the military to assume the identity of a member of the US Armed Forces at the end was just ridiculous.
The book just ended up reading as a racist book that was somehow halfheartedly pro-Nazi. The characters kept making jokes and using Nazi Lover or things like that as insults, but then kept referring to how nice the Nazis were and how they weren’t really bad, just part of the opposing Army. I’m just going to ignore the devil worshiping jew plot line.
March 19, 2017
Review copy provided by NetGalley
This was a surprising book, both funny and insightful, the sort of book that makes a person think and laugh and think and laugh some more. There aren't many books that can bring together Nazis and child magicians and POW camps still keep the experience light without making the whole thing seem insincere. Still, this book manages to accomplish the unlikely task, and leave this reader feeling satisfied. I think the greatest strength that the author exhibits is his ability to make a tense scene humorous with a quick-witted turn of phrase or an unexpected perspective on the situation.
I genuinely enjoyed this book, and despite the touchier subject matter, it delivers the story in a middle-grade friendly way that would make for great discussion. As an added bonus, there are magic tricks explained at the conclusion of many of the chapters which would make for great fun in a large group reading situation. If anything, it would this book unexpectedly one that would lend itself quite well to STEM thinking. Students could design a magic show and either try the tricks recommended within or try making some of their own illusions.
I think the simplest way to sum up what makes this books so good is to say that the author has a strong grasp of what would appeal to his audience. He knows how to take a piece of the plot and bring it right up to the audience that it is intended for in a clear, engaging way. For a first book, this is genuinely impressive.
This was a surprising book, both funny and insightful, the sort of book that makes a person think and laugh and think and laugh some more. There aren't many books that can bring together Nazis and child magicians and POW camps still keep the experience light without making the whole thing seem insincere. Still, this book manages to accomplish the unlikely task, and leave this reader feeling satisfied. I think the greatest strength that the author exhibits is his ability to make a tense scene humorous with a quick-witted turn of phrase or an unexpected perspective on the situation.
I genuinely enjoyed this book, and despite the touchier subject matter, it delivers the story in a middle-grade friendly way that would make for great discussion. As an added bonus, there are magic tricks explained at the conclusion of many of the chapters which would make for great fun in a large group reading situation. If anything, it would this book unexpectedly one that would lend itself quite well to STEM thinking. Students could design a magic show and either try the tricks recommended within or try making some of their own illusions.
I think the simplest way to sum up what makes this books so good is to say that the author has a strong grasp of what would appeal to his audience. He knows how to take a piece of the plot and bring it right up to the audience that it is intended for in a clear, engaging way. For a first book, this is genuinely impressive.
May 10, 2018
Campbell, Isaiah AbrakaPOW, 391 pages. Simon and Schuster Books For Young Readers, 2016. $17. Language: G (0 swears 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG13.
Max is a amateur magician who moves with her mother and father from Brooklyn to Texas. Her father works for the army during World War II and is put in charge of a P.O.W. camp. Max becomes enemies with a trio of girls and joins The Gremlins, a group of social misfits, and befriends a Nazi prisoner named Felix. When her father offers her a chance to perform for the Nazi prisoners everything goes wrong. Her final disappearing act makes eleven prisoners vanish. Max and her friends then go on an adventure to find all the prisoners so she will not have to go and stay with her grandma. Max and the Gremlins come up with clever plans to catch the prisoners while dealing with the troublesome trio of girls.
I loved all the plot twists that have you stumped until the end of the book. It is so cool how the author really makes the book come alive with all of his details. I loved how Max's pet ferret, Houdini, shows you how to do the magic tricks that Max performs in an easy step by step walkthrough.
EL - ESSENTIAL 7th Grade Student Reviewer OJ
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
Max is a amateur magician who moves with her mother and father from Brooklyn to Texas. Her father works for the army during World War II and is put in charge of a P.O.W. camp. Max becomes enemies with a trio of girls and joins The Gremlins, a group of social misfits, and befriends a Nazi prisoner named Felix. When her father offers her a chance to perform for the Nazi prisoners everything goes wrong. Her final disappearing act makes eleven prisoners vanish. Max and her friends then go on an adventure to find all the prisoners so she will not have to go and stay with her grandma. Max and the Gremlins come up with clever plans to catch the prisoners while dealing with the troublesome trio of girls.
I loved all the plot twists that have you stumped until the end of the book. It is so cool how the author really makes the book come alive with all of his details. I loved how Max's pet ferret, Houdini, shows you how to do the magic tricks that Max performs in an easy step by step walkthrough.
EL - ESSENTIAL 7th Grade Student Reviewer OJ
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
July 4, 2017
Abrakapow started a little slow but gathered speed until the end is racing. I loved the setting with the little-known fact of a POW camp in Abilene, TX. The magic tricks should prove fun for the kids to try, but the basis of the book empowers tweens to grow their friendships, step up to bullying, and stretch themselves to work through problems all while having lots of fun solving the mystery. It is a great read and I can't wait to took talk it to my students.
January 24, 2017
What happens when you take a true story of German prisoners held at a camp in Texas in 1944 and add in an 11-year-old girl magician? The result is Abrakapow, a wholly entertaining novel for young readers by Isaiah Campbell.
The story centers around The Amazing Max, a girl who moves with her mom from New York City to Abilene, Texas, to be near Max’s dad, who is in charge of the prisoner of war camp. With World War II being fought against Hitler and the Nazis, anti-German sentiment is high. Still, Max develops a friendship with one of the prisoners when she finds out he knows magic and he can help her with an upcoming performance.
While Abrakapow takes place more than 70 years ago, the issues Max deals with are sure to resonate with young readers of today. These include making friends in a new place, being able to see people for who they are instead of who you expect them to be, being honest with family and friends, taking risks for what you believe is right, confronting racism, and more.
As historical fiction, Abrakapow presents Jewish characters and those of Japanese heritage in the negative ways they were sometimes viewed at the time. This lets young readers consider their own views and recognize the differences between those days and now. It also shows differences in the way parents and teachers acted toward children. All the issues are likely to create great discussions in mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 9 to 12.
In addition, the book is just plain fun. Max is a sympathetic character with a pet ferret and a desire for the spotlight. Instructions for completing some of her magic tricks end several chapters in the book. All in all, Abrakapow blends historical fact with relatable characters while creating a story that is sure to entertain and provoke thought. It’s hard to ask for more.
The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The story centers around The Amazing Max, a girl who moves with her mom from New York City to Abilene, Texas, to be near Max’s dad, who is in charge of the prisoner of war camp. With World War II being fought against Hitler and the Nazis, anti-German sentiment is high. Still, Max develops a friendship with one of the prisoners when she finds out he knows magic and he can help her with an upcoming performance.
While Abrakapow takes place more than 70 years ago, the issues Max deals with are sure to resonate with young readers of today. These include making friends in a new place, being able to see people for who they are instead of who you expect them to be, being honest with family and friends, taking risks for what you believe is right, confronting racism, and more.
As historical fiction, Abrakapow presents Jewish characters and those of Japanese heritage in the negative ways they were sometimes viewed at the time. This lets young readers consider their own views and recognize the differences between those days and now. It also shows differences in the way parents and teachers acted toward children. All the issues are likely to create great discussions in mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 9 to 12.
In addition, the book is just plain fun. Max is a sympathetic character with a pet ferret and a desire for the spotlight. Instructions for completing some of her magic tricks end several chapters in the book. All in all, Abrakapow blends historical fact with relatable characters while creating a story that is sure to entertain and provoke thought. It’s hard to ask for more.
The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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April 30, 2017I received a copy of this book from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews