Hamster Magic

by Lynne Jonell

            What child hasn’t imagined what life could be like if they could magically be someone or something else for just a little while? Celia Willow gets the chance to find out. As the baby of the family, Celia wishes she could be bigger.  Celia, her big sister and two big brothers have moved away from all of their friends in the city to go live in the country for a year, and it is hard on all of them. They would like to have a dog for a pet, but first they have to prove that they can be responsible with a small pet, a hamster. Unfortunately, things keep happening and they are now on their third hamster, who has just escaped. The children finally catch Hammy the third, only to discover that he has magical abilities. While they are trying to decide on a wish to be granted, (Hammy the third will only grant them one wish), Celia accidentally wishes to be bigger. All of a sudden, her older siblings now have a furry, very large hamster for a sister. They have only until morning to turn her back in to a little girl before their parents find out.

            This is a Stepping Stone book, perfect for younger readers who like their animals to be just a little magical. I found the story to be charming, and a very quick read. It is a good lesson in being careful what you ask for, and a good example of siblings working together to solve a problem. The black and white illustrations, by Brandon Dorman, do an excellent job of capturing the expressions of the characters. The look of distress on Hammy the Third’s face and the way he braced his paws against the door opening when Celia tried to put him back in his cage reminded me of my cats when I put try to put them in a cage to take them to the vet. Young readers will be able to imagine what it would be like to be a giant hamster when they look at the illustration of Celia in hamster form, leaping from the furniture and stuffing her pouches with fruit. I would not hesitate to recommend this book to my students who are animal lovers. Its honors include Junior Library Guild selection, Minnesota Book Award nomination, and Texas Bluebonnet Award 2012 -2013 nomination.

Click here to view book trailer.

Book jacket image downloaded from barnesandnoble.com