Wednesday, November 27, 2013

The Magician's Bird: A Tuckernuck Mystery by Emily Fairlie Review


Book Nerd Review by Chloe

In this sequel to The Lost Treasure of Tuckernuck, Bud and Laurie solve another mystery at Tuckernuck Hall. This second hilarious installment is perfect for fans of From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler,Chasing Vermeer, The Westing Game, and the Mysterious Benedict Society books.

In The Magician's Bird, the mystery Bud and Laurie must solve is much more serious than a treasure hunt—their beloved school founder, Maria Tutweiler, has been accused of murdering Marchetti the Magician!

Can Bud and Laurie—with the help of enthusiastic Misti and evil but useful Calliope—prove Maria Tutweiler's innocence? Or will Tuckernuck Hall be closed down for good?

Emily Fairlie once again blends lists, notes, and classic prose to tell a story that sings with humor, suspense, and magic.



The Magician's Bird is the second book in the Tuckernuck Mystery series written by Emily Fairlie.

Bud Wallace and Laurie Madison return after having solved the treasure hunt of Maria Tutweiler, the founder of the Tuckernuck Hall School. The prize, besides all the long lost art, is the privilege of designing their own treasure hunt. With the help of their friend, Misti Pinkerton, Bud and Laurie set off to find a spot to start hiding clues. Misti thinks she has found the perfect place to start the hunt, but the floor seems a little soft. Bud bounces on the floor and falls through! Misti and Laurie run down the stairs that have appeared in the broken floor. They find Bud in front of a door. He opens it to find......

The plot of The Magician's Bird was very straightforward, which I like. I also thought the names Candy and Mr. Winkle called each other were very funny. For example, Your Lambikins, Dumpling, and Angel Cakes were my favorite. There was another part that made me laugh a lot. Misti's Bedazzled Accident was a good way to lighten the mood at the height of the mystery. It was a good way to remind us that the kids are still only 7th graders even when they are working on solving the mystery. The most exciting part of the book, for me, was when Fairlie creates suspense when Bud fell through the floor. She continues to create suspense by telling the story from several points of view. The cliffhanging between characters left me wanting more.

The Magician's Bird is an exciting read from beginning to end. It is a book that kept me up late at night and I really looked forward to finishing. Loved it!

You can purchase The Magician's Bird: A Tuckernuck Mystery at the following Retailers:
        

Photo Content from Emily Fairlie

Emily Fairlie grew up in Virginia and went to Tuckahoe Middle School, which unlike Tuckernuck Hall was sadly lacking in hidden clues and treasure. She was also the proud owner of a family of gerbil escape artists with a taste for blood (and sunflower seeds). She now lives in Chicago with her dog Binky.

    
jbnspotlights

1 comment:

  1. Looks like a great MG- and that was a great review, Chloe! And one of my fav things in books are character nicknames, it just makes it so much more real. Plus, my last name is Wallace like Bud's so I need to get this, especially for my little boy to read one day! =)

    ReplyDelete