Jennifer, Peter, Molly, and their parents have come to Scotland to visit close friends of their mother. It doesn't seem much different from an ordinary vacation, until Molly finds a map with the power to change the world around them. The map's original owner, however, is an evil wizard who wants it back. Can Peter and Jennifer save their family from his grasp?The kids are well-drawn, with Jennifer and Peter caught between believing in the magic they thought they'd outgrown and being adult and pushing magic away. The plot is pretty easy to follow, and has enough surprises and enchantments to keep readers guessing until the end.If the plot is relatively easy, though, the setting presents some difficulties. Most of the Scottish words are explained as they come up, and there's even a glossary at the back to help. The magic, however, feels like way too much got dropped in with very little to explain it. The map is straightforward, but then there's also Major and Minor Arcana, Patience, and wizardry and witchcraft. And Peter also gets possessed, which just felt rather thrown in (I would have easily believed he'd play the game on his own, just to prove he wasn't intimidated by whatever was going on).Overall the story feels like a poor fit for the age level for which it's written. If the magic were simpler, the simple story would complement it perfectly. If the prose and plot were bumped up to accommodate older readers, the complicated magic would get more of a chance to breathe. As it is, there's little to recommend the book, but it's not terrible, just not very good. I rate this book Neutral.
Thirteen year-old twins, Jennifer and Peter Dyer, travel to Scotland with their parents and little sister, Molly. Soon after they arrive in Fairburn, the questions begin. What is this color magic that Gran talks about when she sees Jennifer’s red hair and green eyes? How can Gran’s walled herb garden contain a dark forest with a small white summer house in a clearing? How did the circles Molly drew on an old map turn into mysterious crop circles in a neighbor’s corn field? Who finished the card game Peter left unattended in the attic? Answers come when Gran sees the old map. She tells her family that Wizard Michael Scot drew it as a mirror to his heart. Soon, the wizard comes through time to get it back, but he cannot take it by force. The possessor must give it willingly; Gran knows that disaster will follow if she does. So, one by one, Michael Scot captures Jennifer’s family, and Jennifer begins a race against time to save them from the wizard’s evil powers. As a huge Jane Yolen fan, I lapped up these pleasantly shivery ghost stories. They contain enough chills and suspense to please without the horror that can cause nightmares. And the Scottish setting adds to the overall appeal. Yolen’s powerful prose paints the magic that drips from the mystical air of this ancient land.
What do You think about The Wizard's Map (2002)?
I've always wanted to go to Scotland so I was immediately drawn into this one! I also thought it would be cool to be a twin when I was younger, so I liked that aspect of this as well. Although this was a very quick read, I quite enjoyed it. The magic was fun, especially how it related to the card game, Patience. I also really liked the concept of the map that kept changing. And it was handy that she included a list of Scottish vocabulary at the end. Of course this would have been even better as a more fleshed out story, but for a quick read I quite enjoyed it. 3.5 stars.
—Luann
