Half Magic - Edward Eager

nIt all begins with a strange coin on a sun-warmed sidewalk. Jane finds the coin, and because she and her siblings are having the worst, most dreadfully boring summer ever, she idly wishes something exciting would happen.

• And something does: Her wish is granted

Or not quite. Only half of her wish comes true. It turns out the coin grants wishes--but only by half, so that you must wish for twice as much as you want.

Wishing for two times some things is a cinch, but other doubled wishes only cause twice as much trouble. What is half of twice a talking cat? Or to be half-again twice not-here?

And how do you double your most heartfelt wish, the one you care about so much it has to be perfect? n