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shawna337's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
buildingtaste's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I loved Eager as a kid, and I wasn't sure if I'd read this one before. I think I have, but more importantly I'm surprised how well it held up, both from my memories of his work and just being a book from 1960. (Though it's not perfect.) It's a sweet story, and the kids are all great, if a little snotty (I'm looking at YOU James). The only time they did anything wrong was enabling car sprawl on arable land. But it was 1960, we can't blame 'em.
roshk99's review against another edition
2.0
A very poor book. The method of story-telling was interesting with the story flipping between different points of view, but the overall plot was dull and boring.
ashleylm's review against another edition
5.0
Ordinarily it would be a strong 4-stars from me, but knowing it's Eager's last book (that I haven't already read), hence the last one that I will read, gave everything just an extra soupçon of meaning and resonance. By the time I finished I was a bit blubbery—had this been written by Angus McCurrent-Writer, that wouldn't have happened. Still, one can't help it.
I wasn't as keen on the previous one (Magic or Not?) as I'm such a fantasy buff I get a bit irritated when clearly it's not actually a fantasy, it's just the characters who interpret events as if it were. But this time, prepped, I was ready for it, and I loved it. The real magic is people doing things for one another, and feeling a certain way, which means I can (and do) have magic in my life all the time. So whereas last time I was a bit put out, this time I was exceptionally moved. Plus ça change. (I don't normally use so many cedillas, what's got into me?)
I have recently stumbled upon Goodreads' ability to allow me to prioritize my "want to read" books, and this ended up being #1. If you prioritize your sequence, and your wants (and purchases) exceed your reach (i.e. you add more wants than you read) you can be sure you will never get to the last books on your priority list, so I was able to give them away. A wonderful feeling of lightness! And now I shall only read exactly what I want to in "icing first" order ... I'm old enough and I've earned it. To paraphrase Wilde, from now on I shall live entirely for pleasure.
Note: I have written a novel (not yet published), so now I will suffer pangs of guilt every time I offer less than five stars. In my subjective opinion, the stars suggest:
(5* = one of my all-time favourites, 4* = really enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = actually disappointing, and 1* = hated it. As a statistician I know most books are 3s, but I am biased in my selection and end up mostly with 4s, thank goodness.)
I wasn't as keen on the previous one (Magic or Not?) as I'm such a fantasy buff I get a bit irritated when clearly it's not actually a fantasy, it's just the characters who interpret events as if it were. But this time, prepped, I was ready for it, and I loved it. The real magic is people doing things for one another, and feeling a certain way, which means I can (and do) have magic in my life all the time. So whereas last time I was a bit put out, this time I was exceptionally moved. Plus ça change. (I don't normally use so many cedillas, what's got into me?)
I have recently stumbled upon Goodreads' ability to allow me to prioritize my "want to read" books, and this ended up being #1. If you prioritize your sequence, and your wants (and purchases) exceed your reach (i.e. you add more wants than you read) you can be sure you will never get to the last books on your priority list, so I was able to give them away. A wonderful feeling of lightness! And now I shall only read exactly what I want to in "icing first" order ... I'm old enough and I've earned it. To paraphrase Wilde, from now on I shall live entirely for pleasure.
Note: I have written a novel (not yet published), so now I will suffer pangs of guilt every time I offer less than five stars. In my subjective opinion, the stars suggest:
(5* = one of my all-time favourites, 4* = really enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = actually disappointing, and 1* = hated it. As a statistician I know most books are 3s, but I am biased in my selection and end up mostly with 4s, thank goodness.)
brighthappyness's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this book was gonna be a chore to get through because of the lack of fantasy but it was actually really sweet and heartfelt and there was so much characterization and growth that I found myself really engaged.
kylielovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I have such mixed emotions about the books with James and Laura and friends. My favorite thing about the first few books in this series is there is actual 100% magic. The ones with James and Laura have the reader decide if it's the wishes on the well, or if it's just basically coincidence. And while I really love the fact that the kids are kind of "looking" for good turns to do whether it be the well's magic or not, I really miss the 100% for sure magic aspect.
The adventures and wishes each kid gets in this book are really heartwarming. Well, mostly. Gordy gets to help a little girl whose parents have recently died kind of step out of her depression. Laura helps a man find a new place for his apple orchard, Kip gets to speak out against the "smugs" who don't want a particular family to move into their neighborhood due to the color of their skin and help make them feel welcome. Lydia however, tries to out-bully the bullies which turns out to be a pretty funny wish.
One of the biggest wishes in this book (Kip's) is about certain groups of people not being accepting of other groups of people and even though this book was written in 1960, the same issues arise in the present times. Which is super unfortunate, but the kids are so adamant about making these people feel at home and being inclusive. The lesson is great.
Definitely a solid book in the series even though it doesn't have proven magic.
The adventures and wishes each kid gets in this book are really heartwarming. Well, mostly. Gordy gets to help a little girl whose parents have recently died kind of step out of her depression. Laura helps a man find a new place for his apple orchard, Kip gets to speak out against the "smugs" who don't want a particular family to move into their neighborhood due to the color of their skin and help make them feel welcome. Lydia however, tries to out-bully the bullies which turns out to be a pretty funny wish.
One of the biggest wishes in this book (Kip's) is about certain groups of people not being accepting of other groups of people and even though this book was written in 1960, the same issues arise in the present times. Which is super unfortunate, but the kids are so adamant about making these people feel at home and being inclusive. The lesson is great.
Definitely a solid book in the series even though it doesn't have proven magic.
kateshark's review against another edition
4.0
Edward Eager's books are classics, and some of my very favorites from childhood. The illustrations by N.M. Bodeker were a huge influence on me, and I loved the stories (you think Harry Potter is original? Hardly). These are excellent books, published mid-century, that build on a foundation laid decades earlier by masters like E. Nesbit.
toryhallelujah's review against another edition
3.0
This is one of Edward Eager's cheesiest books. I know it's meant to be a deeper read (not as magic, more good deeds and such), but that makes it not as much fun. The problems throughout the book are all solved much too quickly, with very little plot arc.
kailey_luminouslibro's review against another edition
4.0
The five children are back for more magic from their wishing well. But this time the magic is including all sorts of unsuitable people in their adventures, and the children aren't sure if they can accept these new people encroaching on their magic business.
Can the school bully really be reformed by the magic, or does he deserve to be punished for his previous schoolyard crimes? Will the children try to help an extremely annoying opera diva, or will they avoid her like the plague? And what about the crazy witch-lady from the local insane asylum? Surely, the magic wouldn't expect them to make friends with a dangerous witch! But somehow the magic pulls through, the children find the courage and resourcefulness to overcome every obstacle, and they spread some good magic around their neighborhood while still having fun! They learn that anyone can become a friend if only you show them acceptance and kindness.
The only thing that I didn't like about this book was the changing POV. Each chapter is written by a different member of the Wishing-Well group, and while I thought it was interesting to see how they each had their own voice and unique perspective, changing POVs is one of my pet peeves. It IS well done in this book, but no matter how well-written, it still grates on my nerves. That's just me.
Otherwise, this is a 5-star book! The characters grow and make mistakes and have break-through ideas. The plot turns around in unexpected ways, and the writing is funny and bright. Even rereading this for the 2nd time, I was engaged and entertained and loving it!
Can the school bully really be reformed by the magic, or does he deserve to be punished for his previous schoolyard crimes? Will the children try to help an extremely annoying opera diva, or will they avoid her like the plague? And what about the crazy witch-lady from the local insane asylum? Surely, the magic wouldn't expect them to make friends with a dangerous witch! But somehow the magic pulls through, the children find the courage and resourcefulness to overcome every obstacle, and they spread some good magic around their neighborhood while still having fun! They learn that anyone can become a friend if only you show them acceptance and kindness.
The only thing that I didn't like about this book was the changing POV. Each chapter is written by a different member of the Wishing-Well group, and while I thought it was interesting to see how they each had their own voice and unique perspective, changing POVs is one of my pet peeves. It IS well done in this book, but no matter how well-written, it still grates on my nerves. That's just me.
Otherwise, this is a 5-star book! The characters grow and make mistakes and have break-through ideas. The plot turns around in unexpected ways, and the writing is funny and bright. Even rereading this for the 2nd time, I was engaged and entertained and loving it!