Fourteen-year-old Ozzy lives near Portland, Oregon, and is desperate for help. His scientist parents have been kidnapped after discovering a formula that enables mind control. Their work was so top secret that Ozzy is afraid to go to the police, but without help, he fears he’ll never find his parents. Then he stumbles across a classified ad in the local newspaper that says “Wizard for Hire. Call 555-SPEL.” Ozzy has read about wizards in books like Harry Potter, but wizards couldn’t actually exist today, could they? After Ozzy meets the wizard Labyrinth—a.k.a. Rin—he’s even more skeptical.
Sure, Rin dresses like a wizard, but the short robe and high-top tennis shoes seem unorthodox, as does Rin’s habit of writing notes on his shoes and eating breakfast for every meal. Plus, Rin doesn’t even cast any magic spells, which means that the unexplained coincidences that start happening around Ozzy are just that—coincidences.
With the help of a robotic talking raven invented by Ozzy’s father, a kind and curious girl at school who decides to help Ozzy, and of course, a self-proclaimed wizard who may or may not have a magical wand, Ozzy begins an unforgettable quest that will lead him closer to the answers he desperately seeks about his missing parents.
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“Dialogue is delightful, especially between Rin, the eccentric wizard who performs no magic, and Ozzy. While readers might expect resolutions via impressive magic, it’s strokes of luck, quick thinking, or fast-talking that often save the day. Winning characters and witty humor elevate the plot.”
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School Library Journal