Elementary school students don’t know what a trope is. They might quickly lose interest in a story that’s played out or too familiar, but they can’t say that they weren’t interested in it due to the tired use of its trope. The Worst Wizard: Awkward Magic is reluctant reader food that flies in the face of the plot devices that are trying to drag it down. Wizards and those who don’t realize that they are yet can be an overplayed device in children’s literature. However, kids also want to read about wizards and the underdogs who might become them. You can see how the window of opportunity in capturing young readers in these books can be challenging.
In the case of The Worst Wizard: Awkward Magic, it’s Ned who is the wizard in question. He’s a goof that wants to go to Battle School and become a great warrior but seems destined to be a Wizzie, or with the much-less-cool wizards. He knows that swords grab more attention and are much better with crowds than magic. Unfortunately for Ned, he bonds with a ghost named Saraja, which almost certainly means that he’s more magic than the hand-to-hand combat-inclined sort that he wants to become.
If you’re an older reader, like in upper-elementary school, then the description so far of The Worst Wizard: Awkward Magic might not do much to persuade you to read it. Thankfully for you, and for your slightly younger brethren, there are twists and snaps that subvert what you expect to happen. Yes, there is a sword in the stone that every warrior (and Ned) try to remove. Ned is convinced that he’s the one in the prophecy that will be the great one and the book sets up a couple of climactic events that could allow that to happen. There are also other characters in the book that, under the correct circumstances would have something added to them if they were to remove it. The dark horse, or the underdog is sometimes the better character to root for, and while Ned is a character who you want to succeed, this might not be his journey to tell.
The Worst Wizard is for the reluctant reader. The chapters are short and contain sentences that are an approachable length. They are paired with the occasional illustration that allow those readers who normally approach books in a state of duress, a moment of levity to make them realize that their teachers and parents aren’t the cruel tyrants they think they are. The text and story will do that too, but sometimes those reluctant readers hold a mighty grudge with such momentum that they won’t realize that they’re enjoying the words that they’re reading.
This is silly, funny entertaining stuff for elementary school students who want to read Harry Potter, Percy Jackson or some other fantasy novel, but are intimidated by its format or don’t have the confidence to realize that they can read it. When it comes to not reading, it’s often lack of confidence that builds the unwanted fire to those reluctant readers. I tell my students, and my children, that reading is fun, can open up worlds and will reward you in the future with better grades and earning more money.
When teachers encounter those reluctant readers in elementary and lower-middle school it’s often because they’ve grafted those traits onto their personality as a characteristic or badge of honor. In actuality, overcoming those reluctant readers is quite simple, once they find a book that fits their jam. Because each person is different, the books that they need to get them past their supposed insistence that they’re reluctant readers will vary. For some silly kids who want to read, but aren’t ready for more middle-grade oriented books in content or Lexile level, The Worst Wizard: Awkward Magic, will be their jam. It lets them in on the fun that they can have while reading. With any luck, this book can replace the tilting of the windmills these students have been warranting on about.
The Worst Wizard: Awkward Magic is by Nic Jeter with illustrations by Cory Walker and is available on Bushel & Peck Books.
There are affiliate links in this post.
Facebook
Twitter
Flickr
GooglePlus
Youtube