Hocus Pocus Hotel by Michael Dahl

Ever since it was built by the great magician Abracadabra, the hotel Tyler Yu lives in has had its share of mysterious events. Ghosts wandering the halls, a magician who vanishes into thin air – Ty can’t figure these things out on his own. But Charlie Hitchcock, with his photographic memory, might just be the partner the school bully needs. Together, they’ll solve magical mysteries beyond your wildest imagination.

Goodreads Summary


Charlie (aka Hitch who's a huge geek) received a note from a school bully named Ty to meet him after school. Whoever gets a note from Ty to meet him ends up getting beaten. Sadly, Charlie had no choice but to go. Once he gets to the destination, it becomes apparent that Ty isn't going to beat him up. Instead, he needs Charlie’s help. There are mysteries to be solved at his parent’s hotel called The Abracadabra and he needs Charlie because of his amazing memory (he literally remembers what he sees!)... If I were to have a talent, that would be on my list.  They set off on what promises to be a fun adventure. Along the way, a friendship forms between them and the character development to get to that point is very intriguing.
Just because this book is aimed for younger children doesn't mean it's ONLY for that age group. I think any age would enjoy this story. It has magic, riddles, and illustrations done by the lovely Lisa K. Weber to show how some magic acts are actually completed. They're very complex tricks so it's not something children can perform at home. The secondary characters are fun to read and add to the creative plot. What's different is that there are two mysteries to be solved, not one. Thankfully, they don't overlap each other too much, so it's not confusing and the plot stays on course. I definitely recommend this book to middle graders and up. It's very cute and easy to read... a nice book for a gift.

4 Stars

*Reviewed by Rachel*

Find this book:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.