Review of Magical Matthew by Linda Derkez

Good, fun beginning.  What kid hasn't wished for magical yet practical powers!  The relationship between the main character and his wheelchair bound sweet friend is endearing and unique. The message that we can all do wonderful things that seem magical if we work together and care about the world around us is timely and necessary.  The artwork is captivating and fun.

My 4 year old daughter sat on my lap as I read it to her on my iPad.  She loved it.

Linda Derkez

Author of:  Chip's Sharing Day and One Large Peanut Butter Sandwich to Go.

Review from Connie Arnold's Blog

Monday, December 3, 2012

Magical Matthew

Children are fascinated by things that seem magical, and Matthew certainly fits into this category in this delightful book by Penelope Anne Cole. Matthew has a special talent that many people would love to have. When something is broken, he just thinks about it being fixed and it is.

But although Matthew has the magical power to fix objects, he discovers he can't fix everything. His young friend Lily is in a wheelchair and can't walk. He wants very much to make that happen, but he can't. He soon learns a valuable lesson about what can be accomplished without resorting to magic and in spite of handicaps as friends work together for a common goal of helping others and making things better.

The bold and colorful illustrations by Kevin Collier add to the attraction of the story for children, who will likely be asking for this book over and over, enjoying Matthew's gift, thoughtfulness and the surprise at the end. 

 From:

 http://childrensauthorconniearnold.blogspot.com/

 

Posted by Connie Arnold at 8:22 AM 0 comments

Here's Another Amazon Review!

5.0 out of 5 stars It is fun to do good, November 29, 2012

By 

susan,mt.view, CA - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magical Matthew (Hardcover)

I can see my son in this story. As a child, he identified with superman to the extent that he wanted to wear his superman pajamas, all day every day. He is not alone in his desire to have super powers. How wonderful to able to get things done, with the wink of an eye, like a genie. In Ms. Cole's story, Matthew discovered he had magical powers at the age of four, to be able to fix things. He loves fixing things clandestinely, using his powers for the benefit of himself (fixing broken toys, mending clothes) and his family (repairing things around his home). We see him mature with his gift, having compassion, by wanting to fix the legs of his paralyzed friend, Lily, but sadly discovering that there was a limit to his powers. Since he spent a lot of time with her, she eventually suspects his secret power. This story of Matthew lifts our spirits, as he is a kind and thoughtful boy delighting in making his world a better place. Ms. Cole uses her story as a means of teaching children that they are not helpless, nor alone. She unveils the close relationship he shares with his grandmother, in showing that he trusts her enough to tell her his secret. She empathizes with him of the difficulty and necessity of keeping his powers secret. But, she points out that other people can be trusted too, but not everyone, asking him if he thinks he can trust his secret to Lily. He thinks about this and decides that she is trustworthy. Because Lily is trusted with his secret, they both learn that more can be accomplished by working together. They delight in their daily neighborhood search for things that can be improved. This story is not scary. There is no Lex Luther, or monster, to give your child nightmares. Instead, they will gain the confidence to discover the gifts that they were born with. Unfortunately, there are no Magic Matthew pajamas for your child--the author will have to work on that one. I am looking forward to reading more stories by Penelope Anne Cole.

One More Amazon Review

5.0 out of 5 stars It Takes More than One Person, November 28, 2012

By 

Jacky - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magical Matthew (Hardcover)

It was inspiring to read how a young child can feel empowered to fix things in his or her own mind, but mostly be able to fix things when they allow someone else to come into their world. I enjoyed the positive message this story tells.

Another Amazon Review

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical Matthew is Magical!, November 23, 2012

By 

Lisa M. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magical Matthew (Hardcover)

I was pleased to be one of the first to hear Magical Matthew read to me. It's a cute story about a boy who has magical powers to fix things -- he fixes things secretly. This is a big secret he keeps from his family. He has a friend in a wheelchair, Lily. He tries to fix her, but he can only fix things. They work together to find and fix things in their neighborhood. Later in the story he loses his magical powers and has to face life as a normal kid. His Grandma helps him understand that we can still help and fix things even without magic. It's a nice story for kids to see that we don't need magic. We can help fix things and do good just by trying our best and working together. I liked the surprise at the end, too.

Nancy Stewart's Books - Blog Review:

Children's Book, Magical Matthew, by Penelope Anne Cole

 

Magical Matthew, a lovely and thoughtful book by Penelope Anne Cole, was launched in October, 2012, by Guardian Angel Publishing. 

It is the story of young Matthew, a boy who realizes he has magical powers, is confused by them in the beginning, but then he tries to use them to do good.

Matthew's good friend, Lily, is a young girl who must use a wheelchair. One day as Matthew and she are talking, Lily notices some strange and wonderful occurrences around Matthew.  She thinks she needs to understand him better and decides to watch him closely.  The book ends on a happy and hopeful note and will leave the reader with a fine feeling about life in general.

Magical Matthew, Ms. Cole's debut book, is about goodness and sharing and caring for friends.  This is a book that has a marvelous message for young children.

The artwork by Kevin Collier is whimsical and colorful.  The children's faces are joyful and full of life. The combination of Cole and Collier join to make a winning book for children and parents alike!

You can learn more about Ms. Cole, her books and what is coming next at:  http://penelopeannecole.blogspot.com/

Mr. Collier's work may be found at:  http://kevinscottcollierhomepage.blogspot.com/

Posted by Nancy Stewart at 8:59 PM 8 comments: Links to this post

Three Times A Charm with Penelope Anne Cole

Kai Strand:  Strands of Thought:  kaistrand.blogspot.com

Three Times a Charm is a weekly feature that spotlights authors, illustrators, bloggers, agents, editors or promoters from the children’s publishing industry.

This week we are visiting with author, Penelope Anne Cole. Penelope, can you share a little about yourself? 

I'm Penelope Anne Cole, author of "Magical Matthew."  I’ve had various positions in government service Human Resources (HR) and in teaching both adults and children.  Now I write and review children's books.  I love reading to children to encourage them to read on their own and love literature.  I live in Silicon Valley with my family and our rescued cats and dogs.  I enjoy dog walking, reading, gardening, church activities, singing in choir, and watching select TV shows: drama, comedy, romance, crime solving, and happy-ending movies.  I have a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and a Masters in Education.

Impressive credentials! And thank you for the support you show other authors and illustrators with your reviews.

Tell us about Magical Matthew.

Magical Matthew is my first published book.  It was inspired by my friend's son, Matthew, when he attained "double digits.”  That milestone marks the magical transition that children make from being an elementary "kid," to a middle school "tween."  They lose their childhood “innocence” but gain a growing maturity.  From there the idea developed about a boy with magical powers to fix things with his mind.

Now for the threes. Share your top three to the following to help us know you better.

• Top 3 books you’ve read in the past year.

Since the J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series ended, I’ve been looking for another series -- stories I can’t put down.  Last month I finished Michael Scott’s six book series, The Alchemyst, which begins with The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flammel.  Scott blends myth and fantasy with historical characters.  It’s a very satisfying series.  That’s ended, so I found another series.  I’m reading N.D. Wilson’s The Dragon’s Tooth:  Ashtown Burials.  It’s another engrossing fantasy series.

• Top 3 leisure activities.

            My three favorite leisure activities are (1) reading fantasy and myth stories, (2) watching well-written “Who Done it” crime-solving TV shows, and (3) spending time with my family.

• Top 3 professions you wanted to be when you grew up.

            I wanted to be a writer, a critic, and a teacher.  I’ve been fortunate to engage in all three of these professions.

Penelope, where can our tech-savvy readers go to keep up with you and your work?

My blog:  http://penelopeannecole.blogspot.com

And for my book:  http://magical-matthew.blogspot.com

Thanks for joining us on this week’s Strands of Thought, Penelope. Best of luck with your writing!

THANKS!

I am always looking for guests for Three Times A Charm. Especially lately since I’ve been really busy and haven’t been able to recruit guests! GUESTS WANTED! If you are an author, illustrator or book reviewer, an agent or an editor. If you have something related to children’s publishing that you’d like people to know about, feel free to contact me about a future appearance.

2 comments:

1. 
   Kelly BakshiNovember 21, 2012 11:39 AM

   What an amazing concept for a book for kids at such a tender age and what an amazing author, reviewer and teacher Penelope is! Best of luck Magical Matthew!

   Reply
2. 
   Margot FinkeNovember 21, 2012 11:58 AM

   Fun interview, Kai. Penny is a lovely lady and a growing writing talent.
   
   Margot's FREE 13x BOOK CATALOG:
   http://tinyurl.com/d8ppylg

   Reply