The Magic Word

Catriona must write her name on all her thank you notes before she’s allowed to play with her birthday presents. It’s going to take forever! Unless…She puts her coloured pencils and a sprinkling of magical ingredients into a big pot. Then she says the magic word. But the pencils starting writing on walls, scribbling on the table, and doodling on the fridge! Can Catriona stop the magical mayhem? This is a hilarious new picture book from Lari Don, author of The Big Bottom Hunt and Orange Juice Peas!, vibrantly illustrated by Claire Keay, about the consequences of taking shortcuts, and the power of the magic word.

Reviews of The Magic Word

'Lari Don teams up with illustrator Claire Keay for a typically fun Lari Don story … I love the fact that Catriona just guesses at the magic ingredients and words and that she is actually successful. Only in Lari's world could this happen!' — Lothian Life 'Children will enjoy laughing at the mess Catriona makes, but all ends well – the magic word reverses everything and she settles down to write the letters herself. And, guess what? It doesn't take nearly as long as she thinks. Some lessons in perseverance and politeness here, as well as a whole lot of fun.' — Anabel Marsh, Anabel's Children's Literature Blog Brilliant! 'Every now and then you read a lovely story with a refreshingly new (yet somehow familiar) angle and tale to tell. The Magic Word is one of those … Funny, colourful, magical and quirky, this is a book for keeps.' — Early Years Educator 'Children will delight in this amusing book. I loved the humour created by the messages the pencils write, and the way the drawings completely fill the page. Don manages to comically convey the message that hard work is ultimately more rewarding than taking a short cut.' –The School Librarian 'Catriona's attempts at chore avoidance and mistake correction will seem familiar to most children, who are sure to root for her eventual success. This airy cautionary tale will draw young listeners in with its appealing illustrations as Catriona realizes that thank-you notes aren't so bad after all.' — Kirkus