The Wizard of Washington Square

by Jane Yolen

One day, while playing in Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village, David and Leilah are thrilled to discover a real wizard living behind the little black door in Washington Square Arch. Alas, he is only a second-class wizard, he tells them, and sometimes he has trouble with his spells. So when the Wizard accidentally turns David's Scottish terrier, D. Dog, into a statue and the statue is stolen by Mr. Pickwell, a nasty antiques dealer, it's up to David and Leilah to get D. Dog back--before Mr. Pickwell sells him!

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Middle Grade

96 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Jane Yolen is a novelist, poet, fantasist, journalist, songwriter, storyteller, folklorist, and children’s book author who has written more than three hundred books. Her accolades include the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Awards, the Kerlan Award, two Christopher Awards, and six honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Born and raised in New York City, the mother of three and the grandmother of six, Yolen lives in Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 2 out of 5]

When young David, newly arrived in New York City’s Village, meets Leilah in Washington Square Park, he finds himself caught up in an adventure with the second-class wizard who lives under the fountain. Banished to America because of his inability to perform magic properly, the wizard longs for an opportunity to truly help someone, thus fulfilling the Rule of Need and earning a return-summons to Europe. Leilah at first suggests circulating a petition amongst the local residents of the Village, requesting that the wizard be allowed to return home, but when the wizard accidentally turns David’s Scottish Terrier D. Dog into a statue, and that statue is then stolen by an unscrupulous antiques dealer, the wizard is given the opportunity to be of service...

This early Jane Yolen novel, recently reprinted by Starscape books in 2005, does not provide an especially engaging fantasy-adventure, and I have to wonder if it would have been revived at all, if its author were not so highly regarded in the field. I could not involve myself in the (very slight) plot, nor bring myself to care whether or not the wizard ever returned home. That said, as someone who works near Washington Square Park, and has spent some time in the area, I did enjoy the sense the book gives of the atmosphere in the 1960s Village. I also appreciated that this story involved a very matter-of-fact interracial friendship, something not always to be found in the fantasy genre. Finally, I am not sure whether the reprint edition contains the black & white illustrations provided by Ray Cruz that can be found in the original. It would be a shame if it didn't, as they are quite charming.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 3 out of 5]

My name is David, and being new to this town, I only wanted someone to notice me. I never would have imagined Leilah would introduce me to a real wizard living in the park's water fountain. It took me a while to believe in magic, but this wizard is legit, if not frustrating. He admits he's a second-rate wizard, and he has a terrible memory. It's dangerous to have magical abilities when you can't remember the proper spells. Things weren't too bad until he changed my dog into a statue! I know it was a mistake, but now my pet has been stolen (statue-napped?). The wizard is happy to be needed now, but how much help can he be without knowing any useful magic?

This book shares a short story of magic and can be read in a day or two. The summary above pretty much tells it all. The most entertaining part of the book is the wizard. He's been banished to the United States as a B-level wizard, since few people there believe in magic. He's sincere and wants to help, but his forgetfulness leads to unexpected results. David is reluctant to trust the wizard. especially when his dog is transformed to stone. All of this creates the conflict and uncertainty to drive the plot. The theft and recovery of the dog brings everything home to a pleasant resolution. The book will probably be most enjoyed by upper elementary readers. It's simple and straightforward, with a silly conflict and a bit of humor. Overall, it was a fun story to read.

[Kathy Chung · Rating 4 out of 5]

i find that more and more kids find it hard to relate to Enid Blyton's books nowadays. Probably because it's hard for them to relate to books like Faraway tree and wishing chair series as time is different now.

it is more likely for a boy to bump into a wizard in modern scene than those of the old days.

i like this book as it has a blend of "magic" !)and modern day. This will capture my son's interest as he can imagine playing by the fountain rather than in the woods.

interesting concept too to incorporate about how to start a petition and about a propest march.

yes i like reading this.

[Anne Patkau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scary bits end happyish. Shy new boy David loses Dog D. to a cheating second-hand dealer, after a game of statues with a brave girl and forgetful magician. A playful table helps in the rescue, while a policeman stands by.

[Lj · Rating 4 out of 5]

A vintage read (being, I believe, written about 50 years ago) for children. Simple and fun. Aside from the lack of mobile phones and the notion that a kid could buy lunch and snacks all day for a single dollar it stands up well to the test of time.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

9 yr old rated this a 4. I thought it was just okay.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite books in elementary school! So excited to have found it via google and reread it again. Now I have my own copy to revisit again and again. <3

[Asher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is as good now (if not better) than it was when I read it many years ago in third grade.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the literary equivalent of a Tootsie Roll.

I like books, and I like candy. Not all, but many, in both categories. I'm not super-picky. But if I am offered a wide variety of candy, a Tootsie Roll is about the last thing I will choose, unless everything else is gummy-something. If I didn't especially feel like having something sweet, and the Tootsie Roll was the *best* thing in the candy jar, I would probably pass altogether.

This book is the same way. I read the whole thing, and it was well-written and didn't make me cringe. There were some funny spots. But on the whole the story was nothing special. I don't expect to ever read it again. If a child asked me to read it aloud, I would, but I wouldn't mind if we never finished it.

I picked this up because I have loved several books by Jane Yolen, but this is no Cards of Grief.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Right, so, I'm apparently eating dinner with Jane Yolen at a writing conference tomorrow! Pre-conference, I caught up on a couple of her older fantasy novels. This one was cute -- liked the vaguely magic realism feel and the details of 1960s Greenwich Village.

[Carol]

This is a reprint of a 1969 edition and it shows. The dialog is dated, as are the situations, and the magic is way too unsophisticated for today's post-Harry Potter readers.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little weird but entertaining.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

something for Nate