What if you could paint (or draw or sing or dance) whatever you wanted into existence? That's the world of The Art of Magic, a charming novel with an interesting new take on the middle grade fantasy genre.

When the story opens, 9-year-old Zuzu believes that she's just a regular kid with regular-kid problems ( dealing with bullies and a best friend moving away)... until she and her new friend Andrew discover some mysterious pens and paints hidden in a mysterious old house. As events unfold, they realize that there are magical forces at work that most people can't see, and that it's up to them to protect themselves, their families, and their town from an angry spirit bent on revenge.

I really low how the true the children's art felt, and how that art is woven into the story. Zuzu starts by painting a friendly monster to keep her little brother Banjo happy— and naturally, as soon as the monster jumps off the page, they name him Clawson and he becomes Banjo's best friend and protector. Equally naturally, Banjo can't resist getting into a big sister's art supplies, which leads to an entire crew of scribble monsters running around wreaking havoc. The silliness of the kid art provides a lovely counterbalance to the threat of danger and helps prevent the story from becoming too dark.

I also appreciated how the mechanics of the magical art meant that the kids were on their own to solve the mystery and save the town. Since non-magical people can't see the the magical creatures and are mostly oblivious to their effects, there was a lot of parent-related subterfuge involved in the kids' plan, which was both entertaining and would be appealing to a middle-grade audience.

Finally, I appreciated how the themes of bullying and kindness were present both in Zuzu's attempt to navigate elementary-school friendships and in the angry spirit's backstory. It felt very relatable and meaningful for the audience, and I can imagine myself at this age responding to those themes. I'd definitely recommend this book for kids in right age group, or even for adults looking for a quick and entertaining read!1 Ivy11

The best book I’ve read this year!1 Mark Buxton1,281 20

What worked:
Zuzu and Andrew finish third grade, and that summer they discover magical art supplies in an old, haunted house. The drawing tools seem innocent enough until the creatures they draw come to life. The drawings collapse on the floor when trying to leave the paper until the kids learn how to make them more solid. The creatures come in unusual shapes and sizes and add an amusing touch to the events. Clawson is the first beast created by Zuzu, and he behaves a pet/guardian/character for Zuzu, her brother, and Andrew. Clawson’s a ferocious fighter when protection is needed, but he’s a cute friend to Zuzu’s brother when they’re playing on the floor of his bedroom. Andrew suffers from Crohn’s Disease early in the book, and the author includes information about symptoms and treatment of this fairly common ailment.
The main conflict pits two spirits against each other, brother and sister when they were alive. Chester has a right to be upset since he was bullied as a kid, but he cast a spell while alive that will exact revenge against all of the friends and relatives of his tormentors. The innocent victims weren’t even alive when Chester was bullied. Martha, his sister, teams up with the kids when they display an aptitude for magic, and the plot progresses toward an anticipated showdown. The adventure includes fighting scenes between the visitons and aptitudes created by the main characters.
The magic of fine arts makes an intriguing twist on a common power. Characters with sensitivity to magic are able to use artistic abilities to create living things. Zuzu’s paintings are guided by her thoughts and feelings during their construction, and she discovers that her intentions are key. She also learns that two magic-sensitive characters working together generate a lot more power. This relationship results in an important partnership with Andrew, but it forces Chester to find a living accomplice.
What didn’t work as well:
The author could have come up with more imaginative names for the creations, since visitons and auditions are very neutral, blah terms. Also, it’s hard to envision 9 year-olds displaying the bravery, independence, and ingenuity seen in the story. They’re readily willing to face the uncertainty and dangers, and they mostly move around town freely. They’ve also just finished third grade. Nevertheless, the plot is creative, exciting, and fast-moving as the kids try to thwart Chester’s evil plans.
The Final Verdict:
The intent is what’s important. The whole idea of magical fine arts is original, and the conflict is easy to understand. Chester’s pain from being bullied is even justifiable, although his revenge against ancestors isn’t. Overall, this book is quite entertaining, and I recommend young lovers of magic give it a shot.
Melanie Dulaney1,683 89

Fantasy for middle grade readers abounds in most libraries, but Hannah Voskuil has created a new kind of magic, one based in music and the arts. In a modern day town, there are magically sensitive humans who, given the right set of paints, musical instruments, or lump of clay can bring marvelous OR malevolent beings to life. Chester, a boy bullied and humiliated, died before he could take his revenge upon those who made his life miserable, but with the help of young musicians, plans to reform and wreak havoc on the offending family. But ZuZu, her younger brother, new friend Andrew and a host of benevolent monsters created using specially empowered watercolors and drawing pens, good may triumph. Voskuil’s art-based magic is well-thought out and un any I have read before (although the coming back in a new body does have a hint of Voldemort) and its novel execution will appeal to lovers of the genre even if they do not have a flare for the fine arts. Mixed in with the usual good vs evil are encouraging themes of friend-making and not judging on first impressions.
Text is free of profanity, sexual content and the violence involves lots of melting and disappearing in puffs of dust. Main character Andrew suffers from Crohn’s Disease and coping with that life complication is included in the storyline. Highly recommended for those in grades 5-8.

Thanks for the print arc, Lerner Publishing Group/CarolRhoda Books.

fantasy middle-grades Elizabeth55

What I loved most about The Art of Magic< was how much imagination and creativity went into creating the magical auditons and visitons. The style and process of using magic in this book was delightful, creative, and innovative. I loved how Voskuil introduced the magic initially, explained the draw of only certain magic sensitive people, alluded to historical uses of magic, and explained the 'harmonic principle' of magic all while keeping the reader engaged. ZuZu and Andrew must, and I mean MUST, work together to succeed or risk the fate of their town.

The Art of Magic captures many of the challenges of growing up, the pain of being separated from a friend without any say when their family moves, or understanding that sometimes people are trying their best to do what is right and good, but just not quite hitting the mark. Secondary characters ZuZu's brother, Banjo, bring the magic to life in their own ways and force ZuZu to evaluate her priorities and give others the benefit of the doubt. I enjoyed their amicable sibling relationship.

????? of five stars for it's middle grades audience

The Art of Magic is a joyful reflection on the magic of childhood friendship and a great book for its target audience, late elementary to early middle school ages; however, I would also recommend this as a fun quick read for an adult looking for light-hearted joy. Leandra268 65

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

I can easily see middle grade readers enjoying this book. Its main protagonist, ZuZu, is brilliantly relatable. I 100% believed her insecurities about finding new friends after her closest friend moves away. The magical realism aspect was particularly fun, especially Clawson's introduction into the world. The subplots that involve bullying and childhood illness were also thoughtful additions to the major conflict. It added complexity to the storyline, but it also allowed for more realistic issues and obstacles for the children to face together. So as they battled the ghostly figure of Chester and his auditons with their visitons, the children were also growing from and overcoming problems in their non-magical lives.

The narrative's pace was a bit slow in places, but I believe the loveable characters would pull most readers to the end as they root for ZuZu, Andrew, and the rest of their little army. A lovely, wholesome middle grade read! Kim720 24

This is a book I would have loved to read as a child. Magic, monsters, good versus evil. Zuzu is feeling out of sync with her life. Her best friend has moved away, her young brother is annoying, and to top it off, she falls victim to a prank which leaves her heart even more hurt. Her parents want her to jump back into life in their small town with art lessons at the local historical mansion, and also to join the swim team; things which used to make her happy, but Zuzu would rather nurse her wounds alone. A chance encounter brings her face-to-face with a new friend, and a huge pile of magical mystery soon follows. Zuzu finds herself at the center of good against bad, and she learns valuable lessons about herself, about friendship, and how nursing and feeding hurts can have a detrimental long term affect on the direction life leads a person.

Simple, filled with fun, monsters and a lot of magic, this is a good book to share with young readers looking for stories about magical realism Elley Shin320 2

Thank you NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group for providing the ARC of "The Art of Magic!"

The concept was super cool and the magical world that Hannah Voskuil built was awesome. The idea that magic is built around music and the arts is very intriguing and will bring attention to younger readers interested in those topics. I loved the theme of building new friendships in the midst of separating from old ones. It's always hard to make new friends and it seems ZuZu made multiple! ZuZu is a lovable, strong character who can overcome anything! (With the help of her trusted friends, of course)bbfk-22 childrens netgalley Tarra Lyn | TLCBookNook50 24

Perfect fantasy for middle graders! This story was infused with so much magic and encouraging themes making friends and not judging others by their looks, my heart feels so full. I love that the magic was centered around the arts (music, clay, art painting and drawing) and un anything I've read before. It was a breath of fresh air with its wholesomeness.

This book captures many of the challenges of growing up and all its insecurities. The main characters and even secondary characters are relatable and the obstacles they faced can give many learning experiences on how to overcome them.

Thank you to Netgalley for the copy in exchange for my honest review. Krystal50 7

The Art of Magic was a lot of fun! It's aimed at a younger audience but I still enjoyed it a lot! ZuZu's first summer without her best friend is looking meh until she meets ther new kid Andrew at the historic Mapleton Mansion. Together they stumble upon some enchanted art supplies and discover that the shapes they draw and paint can come to life.! Sounds pretty cool and fun but of course monsters start showing up because someone else knows about this ability and is using it in a sinister way. It's cute and light read to relax. Highly recommend!

Thank you Netgalley for giving this opportunity to read this ARC. Jenn469 7

This was absolutely adorable. ZuZu was excellent and believable, and I loved the non-adversarial relationship she had with Banjo. Andrew was a terrific sidekick, and I d the little twist about the hair burrs.

The storyline itself was well done. I d the explanation of the magic system - it's a very unique system and I was impressed. I d the plot and the action was exciting. I can imagine a young MG reader would very much enjoy this. Jill1,229 5

As an artist myself and a fantasy lover this one really appealed to me. The characters were fun, the story was great, and while I thought the villain and his flunkies were a bit lame ~ I mean, it's a middle grade novel (and on the younger side, I think), so I'm not going to dock for that!

I d how much of ZuZu's brother the author included in this book as well.

Anyway this was a cute concept and I d how everything played out, so this is a win for me. I'd rec it for younger readers easily and may keep it on the backburner for my niece once she's old enough. Elizabeth Tedesco1 review

What an enjoyable read! I found this book to be incredibly engaging and creative. I was drawn into ZuZu’s world and became invested in her quest to help good triumph in the end. The author truly brought the characters’ art to life and many of the creations live on in my mind long after having finished reading the story. What a fantastic world we were brought into! I can’t wait to gift this to all of my middle grade book loving family and friends. Rebecca123

Thoroughly enjoyed. Read it in one sitting. Fun book for third or fourth grade! I felt the complexity of the magic, discussion of Crohn’s disease, and main character development seemed at odds with the one-dimensional villain, which made the book feel narrowly targeted as far as audience, but it still felt believable and relatable. Appreciated the themes of friendship, and Clawson is my favorite. Jessica205 8

Looking for a magical tale about good versus bad with a touch of monsters and loads of fun? "The Art of Magic" is the story for you! Meet Zuzu, navigating life's twists and turns—new friends, a dash of mystery, and valuable lessons about friendship and healing. This book is perfect for young readers seeking magical adventures. It's a solid 3-star read, offering enchantment, though a bit more depth could have made it even more spellbinding. Overall, a delightful addition to any bookshelf!
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