December 2, 2011
Our Best Book of the Library Haul: 9 Magic Wishes by Shirley Jackson
Harriet is amazing, and so too turn out to be the books she randomly plucks off the shelf at the library. And this week it was 9 Magic Wishes by Shirley Jackson, a book I didn’t even realize existed. This new edition is illustrated by Miles Hyman, Jackson’s grandson, who so perfectly managed to capture the essence of Shirley Jackson: the Gothic architecture of the house, the cat’s constant presence, the weirdness. But there is nothing sinister here, and the book is absolutely charming. The prose displaying Jackson’s skill with cadence and euphony. It’s the story of a strange day during which all the trees were flying balloons, and a magician came down the street granting 9 magic wishes, but what if you only want 8? (My favourite wish was “a little box, and inside was another little box and inside is another little box and inside is another little box and inside is an elephant.”)
How lovely! Clever Harriet!
Doesn’t Clever Harriet sound like an excellent book title? Hmm, will have to give that some thought.
Clever Harriet just fell off the couch and smacked her head on the chair. The narrative is not so straightforward.