A Matter-of-Fact Magic Book: The Trouble with Magic

When Barbara and Rick Benton find a wizard named Harrison Peabody in an old bottle, they quickly discover that magic isn't as simple as it looks. But even tricky magic is better than no magic, and soon the Bentons are flying around Prospect Park with a large black umbrella and befriending a sea serpent in the lake. How can they keep Harrison a secret, though, when he's living in their attic? Delightful stories that deal with matter-of-fact magic, Ruth Chew's books have been engaging young readers for over 40 years. Now another generation can discover the timelessness of these marvelous tales.

Working as a fashion artist, she started writing stories about witches for the youngest of her five children. The first of these, The Wednesday Witch, was a big hit, and her new career was born. Ruth Chew went on to write 29 tales of magic and fantasy that have enchanted generations of readers.RUTH CHEW was born in Minneapolis and studied at the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington, D.C.