When Macrobius the Magician begins casting spells on all of the animals of Shady Forest, said creatures are none too pleased. Each one now has an appendage - wings on Frog, duck feet on Fox - he doesn't want. It is Hedgehog who comes up with a solution, in the end, convincing the animals to follow his plan to scare Macrobius straight...

Originally published in the Netherlands under the same title, Abracadabra is the second magical picture-book from husband-and-wife team Ingrid and Dieter Schubert that I have read, following upon their Little Big Feet. It pairs an entertaining tale of magical hijinks gone awry with lovely illustrations that capture both the enchantment of the tale, and the animals' somewhat comical condition. There was even a reference to the witch of Little Big Feet, who appears in the illustrations here, in the scenes inside Macrobius' castle. Recommended to young picture-book readers who enjoy tales of magic and fantasy. ( )