Now You See It...
by Vivian Vande Velde
Published by Magic Carpet Books/Harcourt
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Reviewed by Jennifer Peacey
What would you think if the sunglasses you found on your lawn not only
matched your prescription perfectly, but were also enchanted--allowing
you to glimpse magic at work? This is the imaginative premise of Now You See It...
Wendy, the 15-year-old main character, suffers from typical teenage
worries and woes such as family, popularity, and fitting in. While wearing the sunglasses she finds on her front lawn, she realizes that she can see things that are obviously not of this world...a popular cheerleader in her class resembles an ancient hag, the new boy suddenly sprouts pointy ears, and a little blue man is on the loose who wreaks havoc wherever he goes.
During a visit to her grandmother (who suffers from Alzheimer's), Wendy stumbles through a gateway into another world where she learns that an Elvin prince is in danger and only she can save him. Through a mix-up, she then travels back through time and meets her lively and kind 18-year-old grandmother who she enlists in her attempt to save the prince.
Dragons, witches and evil elves ensue, and Wendy learns a valuable
lesson in appearances, bravery and loyalty.
Overall, Now You See It... is a Young Adult book that seems a bit confused over who its target audience actually is. Although the story features a 15-year-old heroine with older teen issues, it appears to be written for a much younger target audience, perhaps in the 10-12 year range. The humor is mostly of the slapstick variety--little blue men called Spreenies who enjoy eating socks seem more the type of character that a pre-teen would find engaging.
Armchair Interviews says: Young adult book that seems to be written for youngest in that age range.