Stopping for a Spell

by Diana Wynne Jones

Overview

In three wild and wacky tales, find out what can happen when...

...An old armchair that you've finally decided to get rid of comes to life -- and has a definite attitude. It thinks it can rule the entire household!

...Not one, but four grannies come to take care of you and your stepsister. You manage to work some magic, and are granted three wishes -- but soon fear you may get what you wished for!

...The rudest uninvited house guest comes to visit -- and won't leave! He insults every person who comes his way. But when he starts in on the furniture, that's the last straw. Even the furniture thinks so!

The bestselling illustrator of "Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm" teams up with a Nobel laureate in this buoyant fantasy of a boy who brings home a wave. Stunning oil paintings shimmer with light and laughter in this unexpected, unforgettable tour de force.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062200754
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/31/2012
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	144
Sales rank:	458,439
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

In a career spanning four decades, award-winning author Diana Wynne Jones (1934‒2011) wrote more than forty books of fantasy for young readers. Characterized by magic, multiple universes, witches and wizards—and a charismatic nine-lived enchanter—her books are filled with unlimited imagination, dazzling plots, and an effervescent sense of humor that earned her legendary status in the world of fantasy.

Table of Contents

	Chair Person	1
1.	Auntie Christa's Box	3
2.	Something in the Garden Shed	10
3.	A Busy Night	20
4.	Coffee Morning	27
5.	Junk Shop	34
6.	Party Games	45
	The four Grannies	57
1.	Erg Gets an Idea	59
2.	More Grannies Arrive	64
3.	Emily Gets Converted	70
4.	A Large Yellow Teddy Bear	74
5.	How to Keep Four Grannies Busy	79
6.	Erg's Invention Works	85
7.	Supergranny	91
	Who Got Rid of Angus flint?	99
1.	Angus Flint Arrives	101
2.	The Smell in the Night	106
3.	Roller Skates and Stew	111
4.	Cream Teas	117
5.	Angus Flint's Revenge	122
6.	The Tables Turn	126

Editorial Reviews

Troublesome houseguests overstay their welcome in Stopping for a Spell (1993) by Diana Wynne Jones, including an unruly armchair in "Chair Person," monstrous matriarchs in "The Four Grannies" and a rude old friend in "Who Got Rid of Angus Flint?" Of the original, PW noted, "These three stories brim with the wry takes on everyday situations that have made Jones's novels so howlingly funny." Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Set in a contemporary England that is only slightly beset by enchantments, these three stories brim with the wry takes on everyday situations and the marvelous slapstick wizardry that have made Jones's novels ( The Ogre Downstairs ) so howlingly funny. In ``Chair Person,'' a chance encounter with a genuine magic kit brings gloriously grumpy life to ``an armchair with a sofa opinion of itself.'' Armed with an insatiable appetite, a formidable lack of tact and a ceaseless flow of facts gleaned from an entire career spent in front of the television, the self-styled Chair Person threatens to take over Marcia and Simon's home. A chopstick that may or may not be a magic wand wreaks supernatural havoc when the title characters of ``Four Grannies'' come to take care of Erg and his step-sister Emily. In ``Who Got Rid of Angus Flint?'' an exceedingly unpleasant houseguest is finally vanquished when the tables--along with the grand piano, the carpet and assorted chairs--turn on him. None of these lighthearted stories possesses the emotional depth and the layers of meaning found in the author's novels for older readers--nor are they intended to. Aimed at a slightly younger audience, this book is an ideal introduction to the quirky humor and witchery that characterize this author's work, nicely complemented by the line drawings and spot illustrations scattered throughout the text. Ages 8-up. (May)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Gr 3-5-- Jones, best known for her books for older readers, turns to the younger set here with three short, easy-to-read fantasies, presented in inviting large type. Published originally in Britain in the 1970s and 80s, the stories have been brought together and reillustrated for their debut in this country. Each selection is made up of six or seven very brief chapters. All three overflow with the kind of slapstick humor children love, involving ordinary household objects brought to life by magic. ``Chair Person'' is the best: children will enjoy the trials of a family whose old armchair is mysteriously (and disastrously) transformed into an overstuffed, and overbearing, little man. Although their themes are appealing, the other two selections are confusing and the last one moves at a breathless pace. Briticisms, while an integral part of an import's style, here weigh down the text. Readers just honing their skills should not have to deal with such an overload of unfamiliar usage. --Ruth S. Vose, San Francisco Public Library

School Library Journal