Longbeard the Wizard

by Sid Fleischman

A bored young king disguises himself as a wizard and mingles among his people until word of his magic spreads.

Genres: Fantasy

48 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

As a children's book author Sid Fleischman felt a special obligation to his readers. "The books we enjoy as children stay with us forever -- they have a special impact. Paragraph after paragraph and page after page, the author must deliver his or her best work." With almost 60 books to his credit, some of which have been made into motion pictures, Sid Fleischman can be assured that his work will make a special impact.

Sid Fleischman wrote his books at a huge table cluttered with projects: story ideas, library books, research, letters, notes, pens, pencils, and a computer. He lived in an old-fashioned, two-story house full of creaks and character, and enjoys hearing the sound of the nearby Pacific Ocean.

Fleischman passed away after a battle with cancer on March 17, 2010, the day after his ninetieth birthday.

He was the father of Newbery Medal winning writer and poet Paul Fleischman, author of Joyful Noise; they are the only father and son to receive Newbery awards.

Reviews

[Muse Here · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an all time favorite of mine. Even long after I'd left home I could still remember the bit about the queen.
This is a story about a very clever king and his quest to end boredom and make his village wealthy.
It took me a while to track it down, especially since I couldn't remember much about it. But once I found it, I read it to my children and they all enjoyed it as well.

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A boy king decides he'd rather be a magician than rule, so he dons a pointed cap and fake beard. There's trouble, however, when a neighboring kingdom mistakes him for a real wizard, and abducts the boy to perform certain "tricks" for the greedy king and queen.

This is delightful from beginning to end, and yet another winning title by Fleischman.