Reviews

Magic for Sale by John Shelley, Carrie Clickard

z0diackiller's review against another edition

2.0

Miss Night's shop isn't the only thing that's cluttered; the plot seems to scatter almost immediately. My library shouldn't have cataloged this as a Halloween picture book as it has more to do with adventure than a specific holiday.

sharonskinner's review against another edition

4.0

Fun story. Good rhyme scheme. Loved the illustrations!

snazel's review against another edition

4.0

In which inventory-taking saves the day.

Lovely and imaginative illustrations, and fun tongue-twister rhymes.

backonthealex's review against another edition

3.0

This is a fun book that is told in rhyme and is perfect for Halloween, although it also works anytime of the year. Young Georgie McQuist has been double dared to find the ghost that is rumored to be hidden in a room marked forbidden in the shop of Miss Pustula Night. Hiding until the shop is closed for the night, Georgie trips and finds himself dropping into a hidden room, where he scares the ghost living there. In fact, the ghost is there because he is being punished for a prank and must make a list of everything in the overly crowded room. Naturally, he never gets its right. Georgie, who is clearly not afraid of the ghost, decides to help him. Are two heads better than one? They are if one of them is practical Georgie. But when Miss Pustula Night finds him there, he leaves with an unusual and unexpected companion but one that makes for a great show and tell the next day. The rhyme was great, but my kids really loved looking at the illustrations. They are simply packed with all kinds of hauntingly fun items to explore, and really carry the sense of the overly cluttered, almost claustrophobic magic store. But that’s OK, Georgie is a little bit the same way - entering the store carrying every conceivable thing he thought might be useful. This book was a pleasant surprise for my kids and myself.

melaniegaum's review against another edition

5.0

I loved the detailed illustrations and rhyme scheme.

fernthepanda's review against another edition

4.0

I just want to spend so much time looking at the all of the detail work in the illustrations.

adelas's review against another edition

3.0

The illustrations are the treasure here. The plot is kind of pointless, the limerick-ish rhymes on each page don't follow a consistent meter, and there is no characterization.

But the intricate illustrations are crowded with details that captivated my attention. It is fun to see all the different things the witch has in her shop.

There are occult items (tarot, voodoo head) and creepy items (zombie dog, pickled elf) in addition to fantasy magic, so the book may not be for everyone, but I really enjoyed browsing the shelves and bins of the little magic shop.

azuki's review

1.0

The charming premise and Black main character drew me in, but I couldn't enjoy this book. Inside the strange shop that the title promises, young readers will be inundated with images of Native and ancient Egyptian artifacts. When white authors and illustrators reinforce the idea that indigenous and ancient Egyptian cultures can be automatically associated with anything spooky / weird / otherworldly / mystical / icky, it sends a racist message. It also normalizes the idea that indigenous culture is fit for the taking -- rather than understand ceremonial masks and mummies (who are buried ancestors) as sacred items that belong to the descendants of those cultures, these artifacts are sitting in a "curiosity" shop for anyone to purchase. I would not recommend this title for families who wants to challenge the subtle ways that children's literature so casually instills white supremacy (and therefore, disrespect for peoples of color).