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Masked Magic
A full-color illustrated novel about 5 unlikely friends who find a cave full of magical masks that unlock almost any transformation imaginable. What's the catch? Well, if worn too long, these masks will gradually steal the kids' actual identities.
249 pages, Hardcover
Published December 1, 2022
4 people want to read
About the author
Scott Wiser
8 books9 followersScott Wiser is a filmmaker and character animator for films, games, television, commercials, and four self-published books. His books and animated shorts all double as feature film pitches, and he has pitched them to studios and executives throughout the animation industry. He has several more such properties in the works!
Find out more about the author and his work at scottwiser.com
Find out more about the author and his work at scottwiser.com
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 23, 2025
There’s a chapter in the book where a little girl stands before the Mask maker, wrestling with the temptation to put on a mask. She’s seen what the masks have done to her friends—how they lose their identity and become hollow copies of something else. And yet the temptation is still there. "Just once won’t hurt", she tells herself. "Just for a little while."
That moment hit me hard. Those are the very thoughts that haunted me during the darkest parts of my addiction. Even after losing almost everything—relationships, health, self-respect—I still thought, "Maybe just one more time."
What makes this book powerful is that the little girl doesn’t give in. She chooses not to wear the mask. And that choice, though it may seem small, is everything. It’s the same choice I’ve had to make every day for the past eight years. And somehow, seeing it portrayed so simply, so beautifully, through the eyes of a child, gave me a renewed sense of strength and clarity.
Masked Magic is more than a fantasy—it’s a parable. It’s about identity, and how easily we can lose it when we give in to what’s convenient, fun, or socially acceptable. The masks in the story aren’t just magical objects—they're metaphors for every lie we tell ourselves, every role we play to fit in, every addiction we feed to avoid facing our pain.
I used to think children's books were just whimsical tales meant to entertain. I didn’t understand why people said books like Alice in Wonderland were meaningful. I've come to understand, sometimes it takes fantasy to speak the truth in a way that disarms our defenses. Perhaps a fantasy can touch us more deeply than facts or lectures ever could.
At the end I cried. It was touching how they all became friends at the end and bonded over their experience. They were unlikely to ever become friends. The most popular, the least popular, and even the outcast. Not to mention two girls that pretty much had it out for each other.
Watching them bond through this experience made me long for moments like that when walls come down and where people see each other clearly. It reminded me that none of us are just one thing. We all wear masks. We all make mistakes. And we all need grace.
Thank you Scott for creating something rare: a story children can enjoy and adults can be changed by.
That moment hit me hard. Those are the very thoughts that haunted me during the darkest parts of my addiction. Even after losing almost everything—relationships, health, self-respect—I still thought, "Maybe just one more time."
What makes this book powerful is that the little girl doesn’t give in. She chooses not to wear the mask. And that choice, though it may seem small, is everything. It’s the same choice I’ve had to make every day for the past eight years. And somehow, seeing it portrayed so simply, so beautifully, through the eyes of a child, gave me a renewed sense of strength and clarity.
Masked Magic is more than a fantasy—it’s a parable. It’s about identity, and how easily we can lose it when we give in to what’s convenient, fun, or socially acceptable. The masks in the story aren’t just magical objects—they're metaphors for every lie we tell ourselves, every role we play to fit in, every addiction we feed to avoid facing our pain.
I used to think children's books were just whimsical tales meant to entertain. I didn’t understand why people said books like Alice in Wonderland were meaningful. I've come to understand, sometimes it takes fantasy to speak the truth in a way that disarms our defenses. Perhaps a fantasy can touch us more deeply than facts or lectures ever could.
At the end I cried. It was touching how they all became friends at the end and bonded over their experience. They were unlikely to ever become friends. The most popular, the least popular, and even the outcast. Not to mention two girls that pretty much had it out for each other.
Watching them bond through this experience made me long for moments like that when walls come down and where people see each other clearly. It reminded me that none of us are just one thing. We all wear masks. We all make mistakes. And we all need grace.
Thank you Scott for creating something rare: a story children can enjoy and adults can be changed by.
October 10, 2023
Scott Wiser has a very unique way of writing and portraying a story. In Masked Magic, we can easily imagine and feel the characters, and the world that surrounds them. The illustrations are beautiful and help build the world with its vibrant colours. The writing is really good, it has got its special touch where it weaves with emotion and can easily speak to the reader. The characters are very interesting and have their unique personalities. And speaking of personalities, the world in the book is a mirror of nowadays life where people tend to "pretend" of being someone else in order to please everyone and be accepted in a group, or simply willing to be someone else and ignoring their own personal and unique qualities.
In Masked Magic, the reader is taken on an unlikely adventure, following 5 characters that will have to go through many obstacles together and learn to understand each other, but also their own selves. The book has some very nice and unexpected twists, and the ending is really interesting! What I really like is that we don't have the "bad vs evil" concept that we encounter in most stories. The characters have reasons for their actions.
In a world where you've got endless possibilities of being someone else, it's up to you to choose who you really want to be. This book is about friendship, forgiveness, self-growth, the willingness to lend a helping hand, overcoming selfish desires, and learning to see the world through your own eyes!
In Masked Magic, the reader is taken on an unlikely adventure, following 5 characters that will have to go through many obstacles together and learn to understand each other, but also their own selves. The book has some very nice and unexpected twists, and the ending is really interesting! What I really like is that we don't have the "bad vs evil" concept that we encounter in most stories. The characters have reasons for their actions.
In a world where you've got endless possibilities of being someone else, it's up to you to choose who you really want to be. This book is about friendship, forgiveness, self-growth, the willingness to lend a helping hand, overcoming selfish desires, and learning to see the world through your own eyes!
November 16, 2023
My daughter (age 9) and I read this together and she couldn't wait each night to see what would happen next. She also begged me to read a little more and a little more in each sitting. The plot and characters are page-turning and original. As a parent, I am glad we read it together because it sparked conversations about identity and choices. It doesn't gloss over some dark themes, and covers them in an appropriate and thought-provoking way. I feel that is so important. On a lighter note, you should really see and touch this gorgeous cover in person. This will sound like hyperbole, but it's one of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen. That makes sense given that Wiser is an animator. The illustrations throughout are delightful too.
September 18, 2023
This was the book that I discovered and backed on Kickstarter. That was also how I got Scott Wiser's other two books. I am so glad that I did! With this one, the story was beyond fantastic and beautiful! The plot was captivating, (just like the masks in the story), and had me wanting to know what would happen next! The kids felt and believable, and made me care what happened to them (even though kids will be kids). As always, the illustrations were gorgeous and help with forming the images in my mind. Like the other two books, I could definitely see this being an animated movie! That is how on point the descriptions and imagery are! Another one that I highly recommend!
December 19, 2022
This is an amazing book. How Scott weaves his characters and their stories together is truly a fun experience to be part of. The way addiction was covered and how the characters were able to improvise, adapt and overcome the challenges associated with some of the addictive choices was really inspiring and can give hope to all who read this. As I was reading this I kept wondering what my mask was that I hold so close and am afraid to release. Excellent work and I am looking forward to his next creation.
June 29, 2023
I really enjoyed the read! I loved the way Scott able to describe details and emotions throughout the book, but my favorite part throughout the whole thing was the different character relationship arcs like aiden and zed or Eva and Jinn. It really fits well with the age of the characters, and will hopefully impact the younger readers in showing that friends can sometimes come from very unexpected places
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2023
Masked Magic was full of wonderful and mysterious surprises. My kids loved illustrations of the magical masks and the creativity of the Imp character. We enjoyed the twists and turns of this magical journey of friendship and adventure. Scott has a wonderful imagination full of stories to tell. We can’t wait to read his other great adventures.
December 25, 2022
Dudes & Dudettes!
This book is amazing!
magic-filled masks, Junior high drama amusement & epic imaginative visualisation of the conflict & conclusion
vibrant artworks introducing the characters to the reader, no need of written descriptions, keeps the story focused.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book is amazing!
magic-filled masks, Junior high drama amusement & epic imaginative visualisation of the conflict & conclusion
vibrant artworks introducing the characters to the reader, no need of written descriptions, keeps the story focused.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
December 31, 2022
Love the book! It’s a very easy read so perfect for any ages. My favorite part is the when they learned what the results will be if they break one of the rules. No spoilers. Must find out on your own! It involves a very chaotic and hilarious moment.
January 14, 2023
Magical story with mask magic, themes of identity and magical illustrations too! No regrets on supporting the project!
October 1, 2023
Great read! My son has a hard time getting into reading but this storyline kept him engaged the whole time. Loved the artwork as well!
December 20, 2022
Really fun read. Was very entertaining and creative.
March 14, 2023
So great!! I loved the idea and was so surprised at how it never had a dull moment and kept me thinking of my own “masks” as well as the ones I would want to wear from the book.
I also loved that it wasn’t just a story but a story that made me think and brought a good message and feeling to my heart.
It brought my love for reading back to life, which I’ll be forever grateful for. Thank you! :)
I also loved that it wasn’t just a story but a story that made me think and brought a good message and feeling to my heart.
It brought my love for reading back to life, which I’ll be forever grateful for. Thank you! :)
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews