Award-winning author and illustrator Julie Paschkis casts a spell to transform word play into an entertaining and hilarious picture book that’s perfect for reading aloud.

With his trusty assistant, Zaza, by his side, magician the Great Aziz can turn
a dish into a fish,
a rose into a hose,
and a wire into a fire.
But when Aziz turns Zaza’s
wig into a pig—
well, he’s gone too far!

This beautifully illustrated picture book by critically acclaimed author and illustrator Julie Paschkis will have readers laughing out loud at this very silly story, all while learning very basic lessons about word play.

About The Author

Photograph by Joe Max Emminger

Julie Paschkis

Julie Paschkis is a painter, textile designer, and award-winning illustrator and author of many books for children, including Vivid: Poems and Notes about Color; Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People by Monica Brown, an Américas Award winner and an Orbis Pictus Honor book; Night Garden: Poems from the World of Dreams by Janet S. Wong, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book; Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella by Paul Fleischman; and Yellow Elephant: A Bright Bestiary by Julie Larios, a Boston Globe–Horn Award Honor Book. She lives in Seattle with her husband. Visit her at JuliePaschkis.com.

About The Illustrator

Photograph by Joe Max Emminger

Julie Paschkis

Product Details

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (April 4, 2017)
Length: 32 pages
ISBN13: 9781481422109
Ages: 4 - 8
Lexile ® AD470L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

Raves and Reviews

"Kids can't help but find this quite funny, and the possibilities for extension at home or in the classroom are both plentiful and obvious. This is a spell that is swell."

– Kirkus Reviews, 2/1/17

"The magic show is a conducive backdrop for using words that otherwise would take Seussical prowess to connect. Anytime there are words that rhyme, Paschkis puts them in colors, which makes it easy for kids to grasp. Paschkis’ whimsical gouache-and-ink illustrations, meanwhile, lend themselves to the whirling, swooping, colorful magic-show setting." — Stephanie Seales

– Booklist online, March 3, 2017

"Paschkis’s watercolor illustrations are full of energy and movement. The fluid lines and bold colors capture the power struggle between the two wordsmiths with aplomb. Verdict: A phenomenal phonological fun read-aloud. Children will be shouting for an encore performance."

– School Library Journal, May 2017

Resources and Downloads

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Book Cover Image (jpg): Magic Spell
Hardcover 9781481422109

Author Photo (jpg): Julie Paschkis
Photograph by Joe Max Emminger

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Magic Spell

Table of Contents

About The Book