Books in Magic Shop series

Step inside Mr. Elives' magic shop, where the shelves are stocked with strange and mysterious goods. The children in these five books each leave the shop with magical items intended especially for them. In The Monster's Ring, Russell Crannaker, bullied all his life, gets a chance to fight back when he is given a monstrous magical item. In Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher, a boy receives a small marbled dragon's egg—and when it hatches, his wildest dreams take wing. In Jennifer Murdley's Toad, a girl "in a plain brown wrapper," buys a talking toad who knows a thing or two about the true nature of beauty. In The Skull of Truth, Charlie Eggleston, the biggest liar in town, steals a skull from the shop, and it puts him under some sort of spell: He can only tell the truth—but now no one believes him! And in Juliet Dove, Queen of Love, a shy girl suddenly becomes the most popular girl in school when she wears the ancient amulet given to her at the magic shop. These funny and fantastic tales are collected in a boxed set, perfect for gift-giving.

Jennifer Murdley, a homely fifth-grader who would give anything to be beautiful, accidentally stumbles into a magic shop and purchases a very ugly toad. The toad, it turns out, can talk and ends up getting Jennifer into the worst trouble of her life. This madcap, head-spinning adventure is also a thought-provoking story about the nature of true beauty.

Mr. Elives’s magic shop is back, and this time it is on the other side of Tucker’s Swamp. And Tucker’s Swamp is where Charlie Eggleston heads to escape a beating-for lying. Charlie can’t seem to keep from lying, though sometimes his lies are for a good cause. When Charlie stumbles into Mr. Elives’s magic shop, his eyes light upon The Skull. Charlie steals The Skull and it puts him under some sort of spell-he can only tell the truth. Trouble is, now no one believes him. . . .

Juliet Dove is a girl who doesn't like to be noticed. But though she may be shy, she has a wickedly sharp wit. Whenever someone does take notice of her, she tears into the person with a savagery that's earned her the nickname Killer. Juliet ends up leaving Mr. Elives' magic shop with Helen of Troy's amulet--that is, a virtual man magnet. Juliet doesn't know what she's got, but the boys in her class do--they start to notice her. Soon every boy in town is swoony for her. Yet, much as she'd like to lose all the unwanted attention, she can't: The amulet won't come off! A sidesplittingly funny, heartbreaking whirlwind of a book about the high cost of loving, from the award-winning author of My Teacher Is an Alien and The Unicorn Chronicles.

Twelve-year-old Maggie Malloy can make wishes come true. But she’s learned that people like magic better in storybooks than in real life, and longs to find someone who understands her power. When she’s forced to spend a year with her grandmother, Maggie discovers an old magic repair shop—and the owner, Mr. McGuire, is a real magician, just like Maggie! She becomes Mr. Maguire’s apprentice and learns how to repair cauldrons, break disfiguring hexes, and mend magic hats that won’t stop duplicating rabbits. But Maggie is in more trouble than she bargained for when an evil magician, Milo the Magnificent, comes to town with his deadly magic act….

Bruce Coville's The Monster's Ring did more than launch his career as a children's novelist, it also introduced readers to the world of Mr. Elives' Magic Shop, where boys hatch dragons, toads talk, skulls spout Shakespeare, and the heroes and heroines of Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher, Jennifer Murdley's Toad, The Skull of Truth, and next year's Juliet Dove, Queen of Love find enchantment, adventure, and insight. Now available in twentieth anniversary editions, each of these modern classics has been given a new afterword by the author and stunning new jacket art by Tony DiTerlizzi.Twist it once, you're horned and haired;Twist it twice and fangs are bared;Twist it thrice? No one has dared! Russell is sure that the ring is just a silly magic trick, but he follows the instructions and twists the ring twice anyway--and becomes a monster!• ABA's Pick of the Lists• Children's Choice Award Nominee (in four states)• IRA Children's Choice

Now available in a twentieth anniversary edition, this modern classic has been given a new afterword by the author and stunning new jacket art by Tony DiTerlizzi.When Jeremy Thatcher stumbles into the magic shop, he leaves with a small marbled dragon's egg. When it hatches, Jeremy's wildest dreams take wing. Children's Choice Award Nominee (in sixteen states)IRA Teachers' Choice

Juliet Dove, Queen of Love is a multi-voiced recording featuring Bruce Coville as narrator and the fabulous Full Cast Audio family of actors. Twenty-five talented actors join together to bring to life this newest Magic Shop book, involving an a magical amulet and the hilarious complications it brings into the life of young Juliet. The roles of the children are played by real life children, which adds an authentic touch. Reminiscent of classic radio drama, this intriguing audiobook is even better because it contains the full, unabridged text.

Now available in a twentieth anniversary edition, this modern classic has been given a new afterword by the author and stunning new jacket art by Tony DiTerlizzi.Jennifer Murdley would give anything to be beautiful. But then she buys a particularly ugly toad--one who can talk and, in fact, won't shut up--who shows her a thing or two about the meaning of true beauty.• California Young Reader Medal• Children's Choice Award Nominee (in ten states)

Jennifer Murdley, a homely fifth-grader who would give anything to be beautiful, accidentally stumbles into a magic shop and purchases a very ugly toad. The toad, it turns out, can talk and ends up getting Jennifer into the worst trouble of her life. This madcap, head-spinning adventure is also a thought-provoking story about the nature of true beauty. “An unusually felicitous blend of lighthearted wit and imaginative plotting.”-Kirkus Reviews