Half Magic

Published in 1954, American author Edward Eager’s novel Half Magic is a classic in children’s fantasy literature. Illustrated by N. M. Bodecker, this novel is the first in a seven-book series dubbed The Tales of Magic. Set 1920s Toledo, Ohio, Half Magic follows four siblings—Jane, Mark, Katharine, and Martha—who find a magic coin that grants half wishes. Their adventures span another country and a different time, but mostly land them in tricky situations in their own hometown. Told from a third-person omniscient point of view, the narrative highlights the themes of The Paradox of Wishing, The Need for Precise Language and Clear Thinking, and The Value of Rules and Structure.

Although primarily a playwright and lyricist, Eager is most known for his children’s literature, of which Half Magic was his first work. Influenced by the English children’s writer and poet Edith “E.” Nesbit, Eager penned this novel for his son.

This guide refers to the 1999 Harcourt Young Classics edition of the text.

Content Warning: The source material contains depictions of antisemitism, racial stereotypes, and gender discrimination, as well as a scene of graphic violence.