The Multiplying Menace

Magic Repair Shop #1

by Amanda Marrone

Twelve-year-old Maggie Malloy can make wishes come true. But she’s learned that people like magic better in storybooks than in real life, and longs to find someone who understands her power. When she’s forced to spend a year with her grandmother, Maggie discovers an old magic repair shop—and the owner, Mr. McGuire, is a real magician, just like Maggie! She becomes Mr. Maguire’s apprentice and learns how to repair cauldrons, break disfiguring hexes, and mend magic hats that won’t stop duplicating rabbits. But Maggie is in more trouble than she bargained for when an evil magician, Milo the Magnificent, comes to town with his deadly magic act….

Genres: Childrens, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Chapter Books, Magic, Juvenile

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 6, 2010

About the author

Amanda Marrone grew up on Long Island where she spent her time reading, drawing, watching insects, and suffering from an over-active imagination. It didn’t help that her father told bloodcurdling stories, and would take Amanda and her siblings for moon lit walks in the graveyard—the highlight of which involved having them march up to mausoleums and knock on the doors—alone. On more than one occasion, Amanda turned around to find they’d ditched her for laughs. (No, she didn’t find that particularly funny.)
Not surprisingly, she was extremely scared of the dark—living in fear of cats meowing at the door at night (she was sure they were really monsters pretending to be her cats), and things lurking in basements, attics, dark rooms, and closets.

Amanda successfully avoided monster attacks by leaving all the lights on in her house, and convincing other family members to let the cats in—eventually earning a B.A. in Education at SUNY Cortland. She taught fifth and sixth grade in New Hampshire, where she was known for putting on mini-musicals, and dissecting eyeballs and owl pellets with her students.

After taking a very early retirement to raise a family and write novels—some of which have vampires and other creepy creatures, Amanda now lives in Connecticut with her husband, Joe, two kids, two cats, a crayfish, hissing cockroaches, and their newest addition is Griffin, a havanese dog who can say "Hello" and "I love you". Check the links page to see Griffin’s YouTube videos where you can see him in action.

Amanda loves reading, going to Broadway shows, creepy crawly things, hiking, annoying her husband with show tunes, and is thinking about getting another tattoo. She is still scared of the dark.

Amanda’s first two books for teens, Uninvited and Revealers are available now, and her next book Devoured will be out in September of 2009. Her middle grade series The Magic Repair Shop Chronicles: The Multiplying Menace, Kobold Blues and The Shape Shifter’s Curse will be available starting in the summer of 2010.

Read more about Amanda Marrone here: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/A...

Reviews

[Brianna]

My 10 year old self: This is a awesome book about a 12-year-old girl who has magic. If you have ever read the amazing series of, The Frog Princess, this is like that, but a bit different. In this book, it is an ordinary girl with one friend, not boyfriend. Anyways, this is worth a borrow, and if you buy books, then buy it.

[Jennifer Wardrip]

Reviewed by Joan Stradling for TeensReadToo.com

Maggie Malloy can make wishes come true, which has gotten her into more than her fair share of trouble; the kind of trouble that gets her thrown out of school and sent to live with her grandmother in Connecticut.

In Connecticut, she discovers a secret about her family that leads her to a magic repair shop. After she helps the shop owner with a rabbit problem, she gets a job.

But the world of magic has more in store for her than just a job in a repair shop. Maggie has to stop Milo the Magnificent and his deadly magic act before it's too late.

I loved THE MULTIPLYING MENACE! The characters and plot were fun and enjoyable, and the idea of a shop where magic items can be repaired is fantastic. This is a great beginning to what promises to be an amazing series. I can't wait to read the next book, THE SHAPESHIFTER'S CURSE.

[Maybeline Tay]

Interesting read. The heroine is not exactly perfect and faces similar dilemmas a young person her age faces (except there is magic involved). She can be selfish but is learning to be a more responsible magician. I love the grumbling, grouchy rabbit. Makes me look at a rabbit and wonder what it is thinking.....The characters and plot were fun and enjoyable, and the idea of a shop where magic items can be repaired is fantastic. This is a great beginning to what promises to be an amazing series.

[Crystal Smith]

I read this book to my son and we both loved it. I am always looking for gender balance in kids' books and definitely found it here. As I said in the review I posted on the Chapters website, "This is a book featuring a female protagonist that would easily appeal to boys and girls. It is well written, creative, and populated with colourful characters. It also has elements of mystery, suspense, and the supernatural, along with a good deal of humour. The protagonist is an excellent role model for both boys and girls and the book, while dealing with themes of magic and the machinations of a "bad guy", never gets too dark for children to handle. My 8-year-old loved it, but it would also suit children in the recommended age range of 9-12."

The Multiplying Menace is the first in the Magic Repair Shop series. The second book in the series is also very good. We have just purchased the third book and I have high hopes for it.

[Mary]

Have you ever wished your wishes could come true. Well, Maggie Malloy's do, but it comes with it's own set of problems. Now, not only does she need to control her wishes, but she is living with her grandmother, attending a new school, and working part time at a magic repair shop where she encounters the evil magician, Milo. that's a lot for a 12 yr old to deal with.

[Emileyse]

The book is very interesting in the way it lays out the importance of morals, doing the right thing, and understanding responsibility. The magic tricks are interesting and sure to thrill young audiences. A very quick read that will leave adults and children alike waiting for the rest of the series to hit bookshelves. Fun read.

[Cait S]

This book is about 100 pages too long. It was enjoyable at first and then just dragged on...and on...and on. Maggie was unlikable to the extreme (although I guess if you're a kid reading this, you won't care that she manipulates and uses everyone she knows). Cute idea but not great execution. There are better magic middle grade novels out there.

[Liz L]

I read this one outloud to my kids. Cute story line for them. They laughed a lot while I read it. They want to read the next one in the series. I recommend if your kids like to read fantasy/mystery. Not to scary - just fun.

[Meredith]

Fast paced, funny with a hint of dark and edgy. The rabbit and Ms. Wiggins are hilarious and Milo makes for a great villian. I hope he'll be back in future books.

[Stacy Mozer]

I can't wait to read this one to my third graders. I was hooked as soon as her first wish came true.

[Misty]

Very funny. There was a magician with a rabbit that would not stop multiplying.

[A.C.E. Bauer]

A fun middle grade romp with plenty of action, its share of deliciously dreadful characters (as well as a few lovely ones), and humor.

[Lauren Lilienthal]

I thought the beginning took a little bit to get into, but the last half was good.