The Wizard's Map: Tartan Magic, Book One

By Jane Yolen

Book Overview

Welcome to Scotland, where magic runs through the land like the stripes in the colorful Scottish tartans. Everyone and everything here, it seems, has some wizardry--old folks at rest homes, dusty old card games, even cowardly dogs. The only ones without magic are American twins Jennifer and Peter, and they're the ones who need it most.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0152163654
• ISBN13: 9780152163655
• Release Date: April 2002
• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Length: 156 Pages
• Weight: 0.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.0" x 7.5"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Light & Whimsical

Pretty good, but not great. We enjoyed this, it is the story of Peter and Jennifer (and their family) who are visiting their grandparents in Scotland and discover that magic is real! The story starts with the entire family driving to the grandparent's house and quickly turns into quite the little adventure. Upon arriving (in almost no time flat) the youngest daughter (Molly) inadvertently colors on an old map while the older children are trying to figure out an odd card game (all found in the attic, of course)...these two events set into motion the freeing of a very old and very evil magical (Michael Scot). Ultimately it becomes Jennifer's daunting task to find the magician in his magic lair and free her entire family...with the help of a dragon, a unicorn and a dog. We enjoyed reading The Wizard's Map, but even my usually less than observant daughter pointed out that since they were twins and the story played on the twins knowing things about one another, that Jennifer really should have been better able to tell when the evil wizard was possessing the brother, so there were some problems with the story, but overall, it was a quick, fun read. Perhaps the additional titles in this series will bring greater character development and tie up some of the loose ends that this particular story created. I give it a B-...it's entertaining and whimsical...but a little lacking in character development and the plot is not as tight as it could be.

Very enjoyable!

This is the first book in Jane Yolen's Tartan Magic trilogy about three American children visiting Scotland, who get a lesson in magic. In this book, the thirteen-year-old twins Jennifer and Peter, and four-year-old Molly discover a worthless old map. But, when Molly colors on the map, she inadvertently releases an evil wizard of great power, Michael Scot. And now, it's up to Jennifer, who possesses a magic she didn't know she had to set things right!My thirteen-year-old daughter first introduced me to these books, and I must say that I enjoy them as much as she does. Jane Yolen does an excellent job of bringing Scotland to life for the American reader (please remember that there is a Scottish glossary at the back!). In general, the author does not spend too much time on character development (outside of the children and their grandmother, the characters are very two-dimensional), but for many young readers, this will not prove a problem. So, let me just say that my daughter and I both enjoyed this book, and we highly recommend it to you!

A new story in an old tradition!

This wonderful story is one of three (so far) chronicling the adventures of three American children on vacation in Scotland, visiting their grandparents. However, before long, the children realize that magic is real in Scotland, and their grandmother is a potent witch. But, magic is not all fun and games, and before they know it the children find themselves facing the wrath of a powerful and ancient sorcerer, Michael Scott. And now it is up to 13-year-old Jennifer to find the magic in herself to defeat Michael Scott, and defend her family!This is a great story, harkening back so clearly to ancient folk stories. I especially liked the traditional idea of women as possessors of ancient wisdom and power, beyond men and their science, powerful and yet healing in nature. This is a great book that I recommend to everyone with children, especially girls.

The place where magic is real

"Wizard's Map" is the first of the delightful Tartan Magic books, a series about magic and mystery in a small village in Scotland. Currently numbering three, I hope these books don't stop anytime soon.The Dyers arrive in Scotland -- the parents, thirteen-year-old twins Peter and Jennifer, and their little sister Molly. They're staying with Gran and Da, an elderly couple who were once surrogate parents to their mother; Gran and Da seem a little weird but very nice. The same can be said of the house: A card game finishes itself without Peter, and Molly finds a magical piece of paper in the "actic" and scribbles on it.Upon seeing the paper, Gran is aghast, claiming that it's the map of the seemingly long-dead wizard Michael Scot. The others are, unsurprisingly, skeptical since the map is written in modern English and shows modern landmarks. But the next day, nearby wheat fields have been hit with crop circles -- crop circles that look exactly like Molly's scribbles. And on a sightseeing trip, a mysterious black-haired man simply vanishes into thin air -- with Molly. Scot is back, and he wants the map.Don't be fooled by the short length of this book. It's packed with excellent characterization, fast writing, and a charming, chilling plot. Yolen demonstrates her excellent skills at writing yet again, and she's in top form here.The characters, except for the parents (who aren't really around enough to make much of an impression): Gran and Da are great, especially Gran. Molly is a thoroughly believable tot, with all the irritation and cuteness that that implies; Peter and Jennifer are great counterparts to one another, similar but not alike. (That would be boring, and it isn't boring)Yolen's writing is nicely descriptive, and the aura of anything-could-happen is heavy on this book. Such events as the dragon, unicorn and dog are introduced in an especially evocative way, as is the showdown with Scot. From the moment the kids meet Gran and Da, you get the distinct impression that this wee corner of Scotland is magical.For fans of Susan Cooper's "Boggart" books, and mythology-laden tales like "Wild Hunt," this would be a great read. On to "Pictish Child"!

Yolen's magic maps out yet another grand adventure.

Jane Yolen has been called America's Hans Christian Andersen and while the comparison is apt, the breadth and depth of her talents are much larger than that darling Dane. Truly, with each new book, she further asserts her station as a true national literary treasure. In this, the first of a series called TARTAN MAGIC, her inventive imagination, precise and incisive understanding of humanity, and absolutely incredible ability to create endlessly fascinating characters and plots has never been more vital and positively organic. The story of three children visiting relatives in Scotland contemporaneously is enlivened by wee braw magicks afoot in hidden rooms in dust "actics." Fans of Yolen's other work, especially the Young Merlin trilogy will adore this as will her more mature admirers of her fairy story and folktale collections. This series, continuing on in THE PICTISH CHILD, will even brighten the spirits of those who have finished the fourth Potter and are moping for the fifth. Some aspiring graduate student in children's literature should consider well a comparative study of Rowlings and Yolen. Sounds like thesis and dissertation material to me.