Magic Below (Bewitched in Oz Series #2)

by Laura J. Burns, Liam Peters (Other)

Overview

When Princess Ozma summons Zerie Greenapple and her friends Vashti and Tabitha, they have no idea what awaits. Tasked with infiltrating Glinda the Good's palace, Zerie travels by water, Vashti by land, and Tabitha by air. Zerie transforms into a mermaid and enters the underwater realm of Aquaria, where she is met with impossible obstacles. Not only is Zerie's concept of time put to the test, but soon her memory, values, and sense of self are also strained. Unsure whom she can trust in Oz, will Zerie's magic ultimately be used for good . . . or evil?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781623706135
Publisher:	Capstone
Publication date:	01/01/2016
Series:	Bewitched in Oz Series , #2
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.00(d)
Lexile:	680L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 13 Years

About the Author

Laura J. Burns has written more than thirty books for kids and teens, touching on topics from imaginary lake monsters to out-of-control Hollywood starlets. She has also written for the TV shows ROSWELL, 1-800-MISSING, and THE DEAD ZONE. Laura lives in New York with her husband, her kids, and her two exceptionally silly dogs.

Interviews

A story of magical fantasy that is paired with many realistic coming-of-age elements that will resonate with tween audience; Compelling, fast-paced adventure; Protagonist struggles with friendship issues as well as romantic interests; Will appeal especially to fans of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Offers a new way of looking at the fantastical world created by L. Frank Baum

Editorial Reviews

2016-01-09
In this sequel to Bewitched in Oz (2015), Zerie and her friends join forces with Ozma against Glinda the apparently-not-so-good. Readers of the first book will be forgiven for feeling a bit of whiplash, as they spent the first book operating under the understanding that Ozma is evil and Glinda's the only hope for magic-workers to use their talents in public. Not so! An astonishingly flimsy explanation informs readers and protagonists that Ozma's ban on magic is a smoke screen to keep magic-workers out of the clutches of Glinda, who has turned traitor. Receiving this inversion of received truth with astonishing ease, Zerie, Vashti, and Tabitha (evidently the only magic-workers Ozma's subterfuge has uncovered) eagerly accept dangerous missions to support Ozma's siege of Glinda's palace. The narrative follows both Zerie, as she joins a small group of merpeople to travel to Quadling Country via underground streams, and Brink, imprisoned in Glinda's dungeon. Zerie knows she "likes" Brink, but she also finds herself attracted to hot merman Tryan, even cuddling with him while under the influence of underwater poppies. This apparent attempt at a love-triangle subplot makes the story feel like boilerplate teen genre fiction reverse-engineered for a younger audience. Characters are more sets of attributes than people, with the possible exception of the irascible and inscrutable Glass Cat, the only unpredictable element to the book. Puerile. (Fantasy. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews

If teen readers are turned off by all the heavy and dark reads populating the young adult shelves these days, this book will provide a light and playful antidote to their woes. The book is a pretty breezy read, much shorter than your average fantasy tale, and the cliffhanger ending strongly suggests there will be a sequel.

VOYA

Familiarity with the first book is not necessary to follow this story, and fans of mermaid stories will be attracted by the underwater backdrop, where most of the action is set.

Booklist Online

As a fan of THE WIZARD OF OZ I really enjoyed reading Burn’s spin off of this magical place. The author cleverly draws parallels of three friends traveling together to fulfill a quest. Like the original characters, each of our new characters has a special talent and a specific request. Unlike the original, they don’t have to hunt down the wicked witch. The cliffhanger ending piqued my interest —- when will the next book come out?

Kids Reads/The Book Report