The Fantastical Adventure of Magic Mazik by Ian Joseph describes the adventures of Mazik Spark and his grandfather Mr Obadiah Spark or ‘Gramps’ as they discover magic. They find out the capabilities of the powers Mazik has and then utilise them against a malicious fashion designer.

This book boasts a unique fictional plot, and the main character having a grandfather for a partner-in-magic was rare. It is a fast-paced, adventure-filled story. The characters were a delight to get to know, and there were amusing scenes as well.  

For young children, Mazik is quite a relatable character. He is jealous of his elder brother Jimmy and his accomplishments. He wants to achieve something that will gain him the same popularity Jimmy has. Mazik also has a strong and close bond with his grandfather.

All the characters were fun to read about. I can’t wait to read more about them in the next book. They were memorable, and besides, an evil fashion designer is not something you read about every day.

In terms of writing, the use of dialect throughout the book as the grandfather’s dialogues is noteworthy. It was a new experience to read it and a fun way to enjoy the story too. It was not the only cultural reference and influence the book had. Additionally, whenever onomatopoeia was employed, the text was highlighted with a different and larger font.

I felt that the first chapter would be difficult to grasp for the younger members of the target age range, and it could have been simplified or made easier to read. There is room for improvement with the illustrations as well. I didn’t enjoy the scene where an unidentified figure’s nose ring was tied to the grate their face was lying on. I understand that they were attempting to apprehend the thief, but that detail seemed unnecessary and disturbing to think of.

Overall, I believe youngsters will like this book because of its inventiveness and innovation. There are interesting characters and the familiar backdrop of family themes and everyday life with the addition of magic. I’m excited to read the next book in the series.

More information on the book and the series can be found on their website.