Forcing the Ace

by Erin Thomas

Overview

Alex wants to enter the Silver Stage magic competition, but he needs a sponsor.

Jack, a veteran card wizard, is willing to take on the role, but only if Alex agrees to team up with Zoe, another young magician—and Alex’s rival. Working with Jack and sharing the spotlight with Zoe, Alex comes to see that there are other ways to be a magician besides competing—and that magic is about entertaining people, not fooling them.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459806450
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	09/01/2014
Series:	Orca Limelights Series
Pages:	152
Product dimensions:	4.75(w) x 7.25(h) x 0.38(d)
Lexile:	HL550L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Erin Thomas is the author of several books for children and teens. She lives in Whitby, Ontario, with her husband, their daughter, a small gray cat and a large black dog.

Editorial Reviews

"An important story of growing up and finding meaning in the profession you aspire to. Many teens will go through similar anxieties and uncertainties to those that Alex goes through during the magic competition...With its simple and easy to comprehend language, Forcing the Ace is suitable for reluctant teen readers...Highly Recommended."

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"Thomas has researched extensively, and magic becomes an effective backdrop for well-written characters and intriguing plotting. This novel is a convincing sleight of hand, with a carefully finessed reveal of meaningful life lessons."

Resource Links

"Told from an easy-to-engage, first-person perspective, allowing readers to make their own judgments of the storyteller's opinions and perceptions."

VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) Magazine

"Short sentences and chapters make this perfect for reluctant readers. Within that format, the author is able to create interesting characters and a convincing story. Eventually, Alex comes full circle, learning that performing magic is a way to bring joy to others rather than performing for the sake of winning. This book is a perfect addition to libraries needing hi/lo titles."

Library Media Connection

"Succeeds by showing the value of cooperation—joining forces—and how a mentor can help a teen boy discover what really matters."

LibraryThing

"An important story of growing up and finding meaning in the profession you aspire to. Many teens will go through similar anxieties and uncertainties to those that Alex goes through during the magic competition...With its simple and easy to comprehend language, Forcing the Ace is suitable for reluctant teen readers...Highly Recommended."

CM Magazine

"Succeeds by showing the value of cooperation—joining forces—and how a mentor can help a teen boy discover what really matters."

LibraryThing Early Reviewer Nicki S

2014-07-16
A young magician learns that it is better to have the crowd in his pocket than any number of competition trophies on the mantle. Alex Eisen is failing school, finding it so hard to read he uses a ruler to help track the words; his disdainful surgeon father doesn't give a fig about—indeed, discourages—Alex's passion for stage magic. But there is a new kid in school, Zoe O'Neill, who is also into magic. He is attracted—and competitive. He has an opportunity to work with Zoe under the tutelage of mysterious and sagacious magician great Jack Spader—the Jack of Spades—but Alex tries to sabotage the team in order to impress Jack. Jack eventually gets the two in sync, especially after a preparatory gig in a children's hospital, where Alex comes to appreciate it is better to entertain than impress any competition judge. (Alex's father, who conducts his surgery there, also learns a thing or two.) All gets neatly tied up at the end: Zoe and Alex connect, the magic dazzles, Alex tackles schooling like an old pro simply by applying himself. None of this will particularly surprise readers, because Thomas broadcasts her intentions so clearly throughout. Even the novice magician knows that broadcasting will take the wind out of any magic routine, and since a "good routine tells a story," so too with this book. (Fiction. 11-14)

Kirkus Reviews