Robbie Darko opens the book by talking directly to his audience as if he's a showman on stage. He warns us that there will be no explosions or car chases like in the movies but if we happen to make his book into a movie, feel free to add them where we see fit. Robbie explains to the reader that he is a magician, whether or not his fellow students appreciate him for it. Beaty does a good job of showing us Robbie's blunders without him seeing them as blunders as he tells us about them. The story truly takes off when Grandma Melvyn is introduced and becomes part of the family. She becomes Robbie's mentor in all things illusion whether he wants her to be or not. The story also has a believable and timely subplot dealing with money woes and parent's struggling to keep the family afloat during the economic downturn.
Overall, a good read for grades 4 and 5 with two cheeky main characters and a whole lot of Trixies.
Intended reading level: Grades 3-5
Questions for the Readers:
Why do you think Grandma Melvyn calls everyone Trixie? How would you feel if Robbie was your magician brother and took your stuff to use for magic tricks? How does the ending make you feel?
Read-alikes:
The One and Only Ivan, Secrets of the Cicada Summer
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