A young boy fights to get his father back from a magical realm! KINGSTON AND THE MAGICIAN'S LOST & FOUND by Rucker Moses & Theo Gangi & Sequel
ABOUT THE BOOK
Magic has all but disappeared in Brooklyn, but one tenacious young magician is determined to bring it back in this exciting middle grade mystery.
Kingston has just moved from the suburbs back to Echo City, Brooklyn--the last place his father was seen alive. Kingston's father was King Preston, one of the world's greatest magicians. Until one trick went wrong and he disappeared. Now that Kingston is back in Echo City, he's determined to find his father. Somehow, though, when his father disappeared, he took all of Echo City's magic with him. Now Echo City--a ghost of its past--is living up to its name. With no magic left, the magicians have packed up and left town and those who've stayed behind don't look too kindly on any who reminds them of what they once had. When Kingston finds a magic box his father left behind as a clue, Kingston knows there's more to his father's disappearance than meets the eye. He'll have to keep it a secret--that is, until he can restore magic to Echo City. With his cousin Veronica and childhood friend Too Tall Eddie, Kingston works to solve the clues, but one wrong move and his father might not be the only one who goes missing.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Rucker Moses is the pen name of Craig S. Phillips and Harold Hayes Jr. They both hail from Atlanta and started telling stories together at the University of Georgia. Together, they've been nominated for three Emmys for writing in a children's program and have written for TV shows based on books by R. L. Stine and Christopher Pike. They also make virtual reality experiences and own a production company named SunnyBoy Entertainment. In no particular order, their favorite things to write about are ninjas, magic, space, and abandoned amusement parks. When not doing all that, they are hanging with their wonderful families at home in Los Angeles. Visit https://www.ruckermoses.com/
Theo Gangi is a novelist and writing teacher based in Brooklyn. He's written several acclaimed novels and short stories, and he's worked on shows for Netflix. He writes far-out adventures that happen right next door. He directs the MFA program at St. Francis College and lives with his wife, young son, and their dog.Kingston and the Magician's Lost and Found is his first book for young readers. Visit his website at www.theogangi.com.
REVIEW
This entertaining middle grade fantasy novel transports readers right into the heart of Echo City, Brooklyn, the main setting for this unusual tale. Kingston returns to Echo City after four years away. But those four years haven't erased Kingston's memories of the night his father, a famous magician vanished. And despite his mother's best efforts, Kingston can't help but be drawn back to the place it happened, especially after seeing a strange shadow inside. What he doesn't expect is to discover his father's Magician's Lost and Found box while wandering through the old burnt-out theater. Soon, Kingston, his cousin, Veronica, and his friend, Too Tall, find themselves facing a chance to find and save Kingston's father. But someone else wants the box, and Kingston, Veronica, and Eddie quickly find themselves in way over their heads trying to learn how to use the real magic they've gained access to, without losing themselves and completely trapping Kingston's father in the process.
The authors have certainly created an entertaining story that moves quickly and intensely toward a powerful climax. Echo City comes to life through the eyes and experiences of Kingston and his friends. The story picks up dramatically once Kingston comes across his father's box and discovers there might be a way to bring his father home. The magical realm that they discover makes for an interesting addition to the story. And it's different than any I've read about before in the way it works. Having black protagonists and characters inspired by real life magicians makes the book stand out even more. While there are a growing number of fantasies with BIPOC characters, there still aren't enough, so this is a great one to add to the list. I did appreciate the fact that though the kids are at the center of the story, they get some great help and advice from the adults in their lives. An exciting story for young readers who love stories about young people who have to step up and save the day.
ABOUT THE BOOK
The genre-smashing adventures of Kingston and his friends returns in the final chapter of this exciting duology in what Kirkus calls, “An illuminating sequel. ”KINGSTON AND THE ECHOES OF MAGIC picks up where the first book left off, with Kingston’s father still trapped in the Realm. Only this time, the stakes are even higher as Kingston, V, and Too Tall find themselves traveling through time―from Ancient Egypt to 1920’s New York―to save their beloved Echo City.
Kingston might have saved Echo City but the victory is bittersweet without his pops by his side. The holidays are approaching and if Kingston could have one wish, it would be to have his father, who is trapped in the Realm, come home. But as new problems arise and blackouts blanket the city, Kingston begins to have a persistent feeling of déjà vu, as if he's lived this same day before—and he has. Echo City living up to its name, is caught in a repeating time loop.
Maestro, his father's old rival, has found a way to overwrite reality with an alternate timeline where he rules overall. It will be up to Kingston, Too Tall, and V to find a way to enter the Realm and travel back through time to stop Maestro and save Brooklyn before it's erased for good. Inspired by the magic of illusions, Rucker Moses conducted in-depth research on real 19th and 20th century Black magicians that has been woven into the series.
KINGSTON AND THE ECHOES OF MAGIC is filled with humor and a fast-paced mystery that’s sure to draw in young readers.
REVIEW
Kingston and his cousin, V, and his friend, Too Tall, find themselves in more trouble than ever in this follow-up to Kingston and the Magician's Lost and Found. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, they were unable to rescue Kingston's father from the Realm. And now it seems that Echo City itself is caught in an unending loop. If they don't do something fast, their reality may become a loop permanently. With the help of Kingston's uncles, they set off into the Realm in order to prevent, Maestro, their father's rival, from turning Echo City and their lives into a permanent echo.
As Kingston and V learn more about their family tree, they discover their connects to the Realm may be greater than they ever realized and those connects might just provide the help they need to stop Maestro from changing the prime reality. But will it be enough to stop a most powerful magician from achieving his greatest dreams? Only time will tell.
Once again, Rucker Moses and Theo Gangi have created a fast moving, exciting story. While I found the magic a bit harder to follow in this one, the action was just as intense. As the magic of the Realm and it's creation get explored more in this sequel, it's not surprising that things get more complicated. The trio of kids is as likable as ever, with each one contributing to their efforts to stop Maestro. One of the things I especially like about this series, is that the secondary characters are just as interesting as the main characters. Even the villain in this tale is more sympathetic than one might imagine. And the visits the kids make to a variety of different time periods adds to the interesting nature of the story. I often have a hard time with time travel stories, they don't always work for me. But the way the Realm and it's existence have been set up made it easier for me to suspend my disbelief and enjoy the incredible courage and determination the kids exhibit as they try to save their home and families. Overall, a winner of a series. I look forward to finding out what happens to Kingston, V, and Too Tall in the future.
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