Tucked away in a dark alley of Bleaktown, Sebastian Cream's Curiosity Shop sits, waiting for the right customer to make a purchase. Most people don't even notice the tiny shop full of creepy and mysterious items for sale, but if you do...look out! There's no telling what strange adventures await the kids who buy from Sebastian Cream's Curiosity Shop. Full of chilling excitement that will make you "scream," each book is packed with pick-your-path choices that put the reader in control of the story's outcome!
Ben Michaels has always wanted to be a great magician, and he can't resist buying the Dr. Presto's Magic Kit that beckons him from the window of Sebastian Cream's Curiosity Shop. But there's no way for Ben to know that Dr. Presto, a real magician who died when one of his tricks went terribly wrong, wants to use the kit to come back to life! When Ben gets the magic kit home and starts trying the spells, he realizes that this magic kit is not for kids. These spells really work-with some crazy consequences! Can Ben reverse the spells, get his life back to normal, and keep Dr. Presto from coming back? The choice is yours!
Illustrated by Brian W. Dow.
Abracadanger (Scream Shop Series #1), Vol. 1 ANNOTATION At Sebastian Cream's Curiosity Shop, a twelve-year-old boy buys a magic set belonging to Dr. Presto, a once famous magician who vanished without a trace.
FROM THE CRITICS Children's Literature - Cindy Carolan
Ben has worked really hard delivering newspapers in order to save up to buy a magic kit, which is understandable as magic is his all-consuming passion. One day, while on his way home from collecting from his paper route, he encounters Sebastian Cream's Junk Shop, a mysterious store he swears he never noticed before. Inside the store he stumbles upon Dr. Presto's Magic Kit (that would be the evil Dr. Presto whose spirit is trapped in the kit), which appears authentic, and is selling for the exact the amount that he has saved thus far! From Ben's first attempt at performing a magic trick out of the kit, the reader determines the outcome of the story, frequently being presented with two choices at pivotal points. Countless versions of the tale exist, and readers, particularly reluctant ones, will eagerly read on to find out what happens next, and then go back to see what would happen if they had made a different choice. Fairly tame in it's creepiness. It is refreshing to see the platonic relationship between a young man and a young woman (Ben and his best friend Lori) and nothing beyond that is forced in the story. Not a book for heavy thinkers but still a fun, interactive read! The first of four titles in the "Scream Shop" series, which also includes the titles Now You See Me, Now You Don't, Eye Spy Aliens, and Revenge of the Gargoyle. 2003, Grosset & Dunlap, Ages 8 to 12. School Library Journal Gr 4-6-These first two titles in a new series resemble the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books (Dell). Readers pick their path when Ben wanders into a curiosity shop with a magic kit for sale and, in the second book, Amy receives a magical necklace for her birthday. Children are given two choices at the end of each short episode and determine what will happen next to the characters. Ben and Amy are believable kids with the common concerns of middle-schoolers-friendship, family, and school. Each of their lives is changed by acquiring a magical item. They are forced to make decisions every four or five pages and readers somewhat control what happens to them. Depending on the path, Amy and Ben face good and evil with sometimes less than positive endings. No matter what the choice, the tension and mood will keep readers holding their breath and then sighing with relief, only to repeat the process again and again. The plot lines vary and can change with each rereading, providing infinite hours of scary reading pleasure. With easy-to-read large font and attractive covers, these titles will draw even reluctant readers who enjoy a scary tale. These books have the potential to rival R. L. Stine's "Goosebumps" series (Scholastic) in terms of popularity.-Molly S. Kinney, Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
|
