Review Detail

I never thought anything good could ever come from eating a bug. Once I read Lynne Jonell’s GRASSHOPPER MAGIC, I realized I was completely wrong.

GRASSHOPPER MAGIC is the third book in the early reader Magical Mix-Up series that follows the Willow siblings. These four kids just so happen to live on a magical piece of land. They’ve already experienced the property’s magic through fantastical mishaps featuring hamsters and lawn mowers, and the Willow children’s third magical adventure begins when their neighbor encourages them to eat grasshoppers caught in their front yard. The only problem is, those grasshoppers have been steeped in their home’s magic. As Abner and Tate take the plunge and eat a bowlful of these crunchy insects, the grasshopper magic takes hold, allowing the kids to jump 20 times their height!

This was such a fun adventure! What kid doesn’t want to be able to jump up hundreds of feet into the air, playing on the rooftops of buildings and getting a sky-high view of their surroundings? By the end of the book, I found myself wishing to eat my own bowlful of insects, which is something I never could have anticipated wanting to do. The Willow kids’ magical hopping skills allow for some physical comedy, and you can’t help getting pulled along in the kids’ elation at their new talent. For those who have never read a book in Jonell’s Magical Mix-Up series before (like myself), don’t worry about feeling left behind in the storyline. Jonell expertly catches new readers up to speed in a quick paragraph, allowing for newbies to the Willows’ adventures to participate in the fun just as much as seasoned Willow readers. The magical fun in this fast-paced read is sure to appeal to boys and girls, and keep them excited for the next Magical Mix-Up.