The Boy in the Big Black Box
by by Rebecca Lisle
Illustrated by Tim Archbold
When Theo, Joe and Laurie visit Ivor Trick's magic show, they have no idea that they will soon be caught up in an exciting mystery involving a disappearing boy, a half-witch, a croco-cat and some rather unexpected food. Rebecca Lisle is very good at purveying detailed information such as how long Clinky Monkey the dog takes to eat a wand (26 seconds) just the sort of thing her readers will love together with lots of clever action, just the right amount of fear, and, of course, the inevitable outwitting of stupid grown-ups by her three heroes.
This is a perfect book for small boys who like the best kind of really dreadful puns along with slugs and pickled eyeballs, but who appreciate a story which moves along at a rollicking pace as well. It's also just the right length for beginning readers who are moving on to something more challenging.