Rufus and the Dark Side of Magic

Rufus & Magic, #3

by

Marilyn Levinson

Rufus meets his Uncle Hector, a rich and powerful witch with an evil reputation whom he never knew existed, at the annual Samhain celebration.

Rufus and the Dark Side of Magic is the third book in author Marilyn Levinson’s fun and exciting children’s fantasy series, featuring 5th-grade magic initiate Rufus Breckenridge and his family and friends. When the Breckenridge family attends the annual Samhain night celebration, they are surprised when Hector, Rufus’s father’s brother, shows up during the evening’s fireworks display. 

Rufus realizes Uncle Hector has come to the party looking for him even though they’ve never met before. Hector leaves after making eye contact with his young nephew; however, on the way home, Grandma Lavinia and Aunt Ruth caution Rufus to stay away from the evil witch, and for good reasons. But later that night, Uncle Hector makes another surprise visit, this time outside Rufus’s bedroom window. 

Rufus finds his uncle charming and fun and is persuaded to pursue a relationship with him despite his family’s warnings and without his parents’ knowledge. Uncle Hector has a beautiful estate but soon expresses some ideas and uses some magical spells that are contrary to what Rufus has been taught are right. But has Rufus gotten too close to his uncle to come clean with his family and escape his evil demands? 

Except for his magical gifts, Rufus is the epitome of what regular fifth-grade boys are like, and it was easy to understand how he was persuaded to disobey his parents and embrace the lavish lifestyle his uncle offered him. He is tempted to try out spells on his friends, even though he knows it is wrong to take advantage of them in this way, and crossing that line causes him to rethink his choices. Young readers will find the relationship between Rufus and his little sister, Griselda, relatable, and even younger children will be able to understand the lessons presented in the book when read aloud. The chapters are short enough to provide easy stopping points, and even though this is the third book in the series, the story can be read as a stand-alone. Readers new to the series should have no trouble jumping into the story at this point. 

With its themes of friendship, respecting boundaries, the use of power, and respecting parental rules, there are numerous opportunities for further discussion and enrichment. I recommend RUFUS AND THE DARK SIDE OF MAGIC to upper-elementary and middle-grade fantasy readers. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.