The Magic Trap (The Lemonade War, #5) by Jacqueline Davies

The Magic Trap (The Lemonade War, #5) Reviews

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  Lisa B.

  The fifth book in this series. Boy, I sure hope there's more. I love the way the author writes. The stories are fun yet educational - word definitions, math concepts and morals. What a great way to teach young readers.
• 
  Annalise Bowman

  The Magic Trap is all about how even in disaster if people stay together everything will turn out fine. In the beginning of the book it explains how their are two siblings, Jessie and Evan, they have divorced parents. Their mother goes away on a business trip and asks their dad to stay with them. Evan wants to be a magician. Being the cool father that he is his dad decides to make that happens. He builds a stage and helps Even develope magic tricks. On the day of the show their dad leaves for work because their mom will be home later. But after their dad leaves and before their mom comes back a destructive storm comes through. Can Evan and Jessie survive this storm on their own?
  
  This book was very well written. It showed how a community can ban together to help out. I really liked the writing style and how everything was very believable, that is why I rated this five stars.
• 
  Nancy Kotkin

  In this fifth book of The Lemonade War series, Evan practices his magic act to perform a show with Jessie as his assistant. Their estranged dad comes to visit and ends up babysitting his children while their mom goes on a work-related trip. But their dad leaves just before a hurricane hits and the airport is closed; meanwhile the mom's flight home is delayed due to the bad weather, which leaves Evan and Jessie home alone for two days to struggle through the hurricane. The third-person POV alternates between the brother and sister. Magical terms and tricks are woven into the story.
  
• 
  Kelly Arie

  The reappearance… and then disappearance really pulled on mine and Killian’s (age 11) heartstrings.
  Big thumbs up to the “family first” theme.
• 
  Becky

  The Magic Trap is the fifth novel in Jacqueline Davies' Lemonade War series. Her newest book starring Evan and Jessie Treski opens in the month of May. It is almost summer once again, readers have almost spent an entire year with these two siblings.
  
  Mrs. Treski is going on a business trip. She'll be gone a whole week. She's hired a sitter to stay with Evan and Jessie. But hours before she's scheduled to leave and just mere minutes after an unexpected knock at the door, she learns that the sitter has been in a car accident and needs surgery. While she'll be fine, there is no way she'll be able to keep two kids. The knock at the door? Evan and Jessie's father. He just happens to be in town for a day or two; he just happens to be in between stories for the moment; he's a war correspondent. He volunteers to stay with the kids the whole week. She is hesitant. After all, the last visit he stayed just a few hours. He is always in and out of their lives. He rarely stays around longer than a day or two at most. A whole week with the kids?! Is he capable of sticking around that long? Of putting his kids first? She isn't positive. But she goes.
  
  Evan is working on a disappearing act of his own. Evan's new interest? Magic tricks. He's got a handful he's great at. He's working at mastering several more. He's found an old--really, really old--magic book. He needs help, and Jessie and his Dad are ready to help him out. Evan plans a big magic show and everything...
  
  But life doesn't always go according to plan. And Jessie and Evan are about to be severely tested. All week long, their dad has been emphasizing over and over and over again how tough Treskis are and how they can do anything. Jessie and Evan will be given the chance to prove just that...
  
  The Magic Trap certainly has its dramatic moments. Mr. Treski makes Mrs. Treski look like the most responsible, most caring parent ever. Seriously. I still can't believe that he LEFT the children on their own so he could go do a news story! And the fact that he LEFT when there was a HURRICANE on the way, the fact that he was leaving BECAUSE there was a hurricane on the way, that he cared more about escaping the storm himself than taking care of his two kids through the storm, is something.
• 
  Angie

  Jessie and Evan Treski are over a year apart in age but in the same class at school. Jessie is smart and skipped a grade. They live with their mom in a big, old house that seems to always need something fixed. Mom is getting ready to go on a trip when dad suddenly shows up. Dad has been out of their lives for a while. He is a war reporter and always gone. Since the divorce he might pop in for a day every once in a while but never stays long. When their babysitter has an accident and can't stay with them, dad decides he can handle the kids for a week while mom is gone. The only problem is dad is not real good with parenting. He is always on the phone and does a lot of things mom would not approve of.
  
  Evan has become obsessed with magic and wants to put on a magic show. He needs a big finally however to make the show great. Dad actually helps out when he gets Evan a bunny and a magic box. Jessie volunteers to be the assistant and they prepare for the magic show in the backyard. Only problem is a hurricane is heading up the east coast right for them. Dad needs to catch a plane before the airport closes so he takes off unexpectedly leaving the kids by themselves. Mom's flight home is cancelled because of the hurricane. The kids are left on their own to endure the hurricane and the damage it causes.
  
  I haven't read the rest of this series but I don't think you have to in order to enjoy this book. I liked how resourceful and intelligent Jessie and Evan were. They were fine on their own in incredible circumstances. I thought the dad was a bit over the top. I'm not sure even the worst parent would leave two kids home alone with a hurricane approaching, but you never know. I liked how Evan really worked with Jessie when she got over-excited. I am assuming she is somewhere on the autism spectrum even though it was never stated. I thought it was good that it was portrayed as just a part of their everyday life. Evan knew how to calm her and get her back on track.
• 
  Sienna

  This book was very happy and sad. When I was reading this, I had mixed emotions. When the hurricane happened, I was like, "WOAH!!! WHAT HAPPENED? What did I just read? I have to read these chapters again!!!". When they found the bunny under the porch I was jet like, "awww!! That poor little guy!". And in many other situations, I was like that too...
  
  I read this series backward and I hope you guys don't do that too! Start with this book and follow.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  And lastly, this book.
  
  
• 
  Isaac Bryson

  This book tells about two kids, Even and Jessie. Even is a talented magician and when there dad came home he had the urge to put on a magic show for him. After a day their mom left on a business trip and they are left with their dad and on the day of the show their dad leaves again and there is a huge category one storm and now they have to survive floods, earthquakes and rapid winds.
  
  I would recommend this book to some of my friends because it may not be a good book for some people but it was definitely a good book for me. This book shows emotion and the power of independence .
• 
  Juliet

  I loved this!! They are the best characters and there is so much action!! I never expected that in the lemonade war books. A definite to-read for everyone.
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  Ayman Naz

  Put of the whole series, this book actually had something sad in it. And I hate the main characters dad. Period. Just saying, he is like not good at being a parent
• 
  Amanda

  I've been reading this series with one of my advanced and very well behaved 3rd grade students. She reads the book, then I read the book and we talk about the series as we go. I remember the day when she must have gotten to the climax of this book because I actually saw her sneak reading in class. She's the type of girl that is always doing what she is supposed to be doing so I was pretty surprised. Now that I've read the book on own, I can see why she took the chance and kept reading while I was teaching. Even as an adult reading this book, I thought that the Category 1 hurricane survival scenes near the end of the book were intense. I was so angry at Evan and Jessie's dad for a choice that he made too. The ending was perfect and brings you full circle to the beginning of the series where the two kids had lemonade stands. I highly recommend this series to 3rd-5th grade boy or girl readers. My favorite books in the series are books #1 and #5. The books should definitely be read in order.
• 
  AMY

  257 pgs. This is the final book in the Lemonade War series. I was trying to get into it. I tried and tried. I read 100 pages. I have just given up. It is a story about two kids whose dad has been away for so, so long and the family is coping the best way they can. The boy Evan is into magic and works on his project to not only capture a real live rabbit but also work on a project involving wood and building. It has lots of additional information sprinkled throughout on magic tricks and the history of magic. I think if you are into the series you will want to finish with this book. I gave it a good try and I am going to be honest...it was not for me. I really loved the first two. Maybe if I read all the way to the end I might I would find more drama to complete the earlier story. However, I am going to stop here. I am currently too bored with the plot. Sorry...I did try. Recommended for Grades 4-5 only if you are already into the series.
• 
  Ellen

  I was shocked by how emotionally invested I got in this last book of the Lemonade War series. In this book, the kid in me enjoyed Evan's latest passion: magic tricks! Who wouldn't love to learn how some of these classics are done? What I didn't expect was the emotions of the kids seeing their dad again and some of the boneheaded moves he made that put them in danger. No spoilers, of course, but wow.
• 
  MaryAnne

  Jacqueline Davies has stated that she deliberately tries to avoid labels about characters in her books. Although I appreciate the sentiment, it makes it difficult to list her Lemonade War series on a list of children's books that include characters with disabilities. Readers have suspected that one of her characters, Jessie, has high functioning autism. But there are too many unanswered questions. Jessie demonstrates some characteristics but could also be considered quirky.
• 
  Laura

  I've really enjoyed this whole series, but this one may be my favorite. I liked how the author brought the dad back into the picture for Jessie and Evan to have to work out their feelings.
  I like how the series tackles a lot of hard topics in age-appropriate ways. I recommend the series for middle grade readers.
• 
  Will White

  My 10 year-old-daughter loves this series, and I'm hooked now too. It's a nice read-aloud book For bedtime since it has short chapters. Most of the chapters end on a cliff hanger and make it hard to put down.
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  Amanda Weeder

  This book felt more intense than the rest of the series, but it seemed like a fitting end to the series. The main themes covered an absentee parent, disappointment in relationships, and working together to get through hard things. Overall, this is definitely a series I'll share with my kids.
• 
  Kenzie Rae

  The last book in the adorable series! This one was probably the most interesting for me since I'm obviously not the target group. I wanted to smack their dad upside the head pretty much every time he appeared, and the ending left me heartbroken and 'awwing' over the absolute cuteness of it all! Recommend for ages 8-12
• 
  Nancy

  This is a really great series for upper elementary students! I’ve used The Lemonade War with both 4th and 5th grade and the kids have always loved it! This will be awesome for a Book Group tie-in about performing magic!
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  Jacks

  I wish the series wasn't over!
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  Pam

  Great story with Jessie and Evan at the center. Some unexpected twists and turns! Great series, sad to see it end.
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  Lisa

  Another really great book in the series. I enjoy reading about Evan and Jessie and it was interesting to see their dad finally in the picture and how his presence and absence affects both kids.
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  Shloak Menon

  It's such a good book! Definetly my favorite series . . . But, I don't recommend to people that are easily emotional.