The Magic Grandfather

Grandpa is known by the more respectable members of the community, including his daughter-in-law, as a lazy lay-about! Sam finds him a very satisfactory companion and dismisses the criticisms. Then one evening he walks in on a very strange scene and discovers that Grandpa is an enchanter. It would seem that no other member of the family has inherited this magic until Grandpa disappears and Sam puts all his energy into learning the skills that will bring him back. The text is full of little messages about application, the dangers of too much television, and the evils of listening in on private conversations. Although it is an exciting story there is something smug about it and the highest praise from testers was 'very interesting'. Avid readers in middle schools will try it but I would be surprised if there was a rush for copies.