Take the hilarious, magic-infused world of Eva Ibbotson's Which Witch, add the lovable feuding family from The Incredibles, and you'll get Wizardmatch--funny, fantastical, action-packed, and totally heartwarming.
Twelve-year-old Lennie Mercado loves magic. She practices her invisibility powers all the time (she can now stay invisible for fifteen seconds!), and she dreams of the day that she can visit her grandfather, the Prime Wizard de Pomporromp, at his magical estate.
Now Lennie has her chance. Poppop has decided to retire, and his grandchildren are coming from all over to compete in Wizardmatch. The winner inherits his title, his castle, and every single one of his unlimited magical powers. The losers get nothing. Lennie is desperate to win, but when Poppop creates a new rule to quelch any sibling rivalry, her thoughts turn from winning Wizardmatch to sabotaging it...even if it means betraying her family. --from the publisher
304 pages 978-0735227781 Ages 8-12
Read alikes: Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library; The Gollywhopper Games; The Candymakers *********
Wizardmatch (after Edgar Allan Poe)
Hail the wizard of the pomp— Pomporromp! With his rubber ducky staff and fudgy pudding swamp! How he sparkles, dazzles, babbles, In the castle where he dwells! Watch his family members scramble, All the grandkids long to dabble With the power of Pomporromp; Casting spells, spells, spells, In a contest that compels Would be wunderkindling wizards to make magic that excels. For their pomp, pomp, pomp, Poppop Pomporromp For the great Prime Wizard, Poppop Pomporromp.
From its opening line, Lauren Magaziner lets readers know that this story of grand wizards, inheritance, and patriarchy is going to make us laugh. I loved the absurdism, wordplay, and strong female MC in Wizardmatch. Kids who like fantasy with a heavy dose of humor and pratfalls will love this book.
Recommended by: Laura Shovan, Author of The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary and the soon-to-be published Takedown.
