Secret Spells & Curious Charms

This fanciful collection of magic spells and incantations covers love""I place my shoes like a letter T,/ Hoping my true love I shall see''; luck, both good and bad``See a pin and pick it up,/ All the day you'll have good luck'' and ``Who kills a spider/ Bad luck betides her''; money``Flibberty, gibberty, flasky flum,/ Calafa, tarada, wagra wum./ Hooky, maroosky, whatever's the sum,/ Heigho! Presto! Money come!'' and more. These tidbits of traditional lore are as much fun to recite as Beisner's captivating illustrations are to behold. Circles, triangles and squares contain magically detailed portraits and scenes. The shapes are housed in vertical panels that border some of the pages, and the panels are dotted with tiny mystical masks. The full-page paintings, in brilliant color, have a surreal, dreamlike quality. (All ages)