MAGIC DELIVERY'

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Another humorous middle grade adventure from the author of the Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast series!



​ Nick is a natural born businessman. His schoolmates think he's a heartless hustler, but secretly he's just trying to earn money to help his mother, who works two jobs. Eager to be part of the popular circle, Nick wheedles an invitation to Hayley's upcoming Halloween party by agreeing to get her the answers to a test. His goofy friend Burger wants to be part of the deal too, and he nearly blows it for Nick, but desperate Hayley finally caves. Nick and Burger are riding home high on their success--even on their old, beat-up bikes--when they see a delivery van careen off the side of the road. The boys could have sworn that the driver was a bear . . . but that couldn't be right. Or could it? Turns out the van is carrying a load of costumes. With the driver nowhere in sight, Nick's first thought is about how much money he could get by selling the merchandise. Burger just wants to try them out, for fun. In the gorilla costume he chooses, Burger is very convincing. Is that just Burger fooling around, as usual, or is there something strange about these outfits? Once again Clete Barrett Smith makes a wild premise believable and funny in a story perfectly pitched to middle graders.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

Gr 4-6-Nick is the go-to guy for help at Bayside Middle School. He can delay a test or change your grade-all for a fee of course. This year, even Hayley Millard has asked him for help, in return for an invite to her famous Halloween party. Then Nick and his best buddy Burger witness a delivery truck go off a cliff and while trying to help they stumble across some Halloween costumes with very peculiar abilities, which they figure would be perfect for the party. But when the school bully and his crowd also find some of the special costumes, Hayley's Halloween party turns out much more scary than usual. Smith captures the essence of middle school and the teenage boy, with some well-placed exaggeration. An above average middle school adventure, zany and fast paced, with just enough magic to be dangerous.-Gretchen Crowley, Alexandria City Public Libraries, VA (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Book Review

A middle school con artist finds unexpected possibilities inmagic.Middle schooler Nick Stringer can make as much as $100 from his classmates for throwing a test or hacking a teacher's computer. When the beautiful and wealthy Hayley Millard comes to him for help, Nick and best friend Burger's negotiations include something even more valuable than money: an invitation to her Halloween party. Things take a strange turn when a delivery truck driven by what looks like a bear almost runs them down as they are riding home. They investigate, finding a truck filled with magical costumes. While wearing the gorilla costume, Burger finds he can swing from the roof. Nick's robot costume comes with laser technology and the ability to fly. Curious, the boys return to the truck to find the school's bullies have also discovered the magical cargo. It is up to them to save the town and the hapless delivery driver from magic gone haywire. Unfortunately, while the premise is quirky, the execution is less than masterful. The relationship between Nick, the good-hearted hustler, and Burger, the slack-jawed sidekick, holds promise, but any authenticity is lost in a sea of predictable humor and one-dimensional characterizations. The depiction of middle school dynamics, likewise, intrigues, but the magic angle almost intrudes on rather than enhances the tale.An unfortunate misstep from an otherwise solid author. (Fantasy. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.