A Review of Fred Gracely's "Misfit's Magic" (Audiobook)

I’m in a mood right now to read autumn-set horror and magical stories for kids. I just moved to a new town with actual fall-like weather. There’s even snow on the hills around the house right now! So I absolutely want to feel in the spirit of the season.

I decided to start with Fred Gracely’s “Misfit’s Magic,” narrated by Colin Wats. The story has all the best character tropes: an orphan, a grumpy foster dad and horrible foster siblings, a mysterious stranger, and a talking cat, to name a few. Our protagonist, Goff, has one dream: to write an essay good enough to get into fancy boarding school and away from his miserable existence. When a spell (for research, of course) goes awry, he finds himself a reluctant wizard who must try to stop an evil aristocrat from consuming all the children’s souls in town.

This was a fun listen. The narrator did a great job with the different voices, particularly the evil wizard. Goff is likable and brave, and his friends add a touch of humor to the story. The plot has time travel, disappearing adults, and lots of mystery. The ending is happy and quite satisfying.

I’m sure upper elementary kids would thoroughly enjoy this, and the crisp fall setting makes for a perfectly seasonal read. Fans of Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket would really dig this. I really look forward to where Fred Gracely is going to take his readers next. I received this audiobook from NetGalley.

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Writer and Editor C.B. Calsing/ G.G. Royale

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