Edward Eager, born in 1911 in Toledo, Ohio, attended Harvard University, but never received his diploma. While an undergraduate, he wrote the play Pudding Full of Plums, which was such a success. Afterward, he decided to leave school to pursue writing. From then on, he worked mostly as a playwright and lyricist for musicals, television, and radio. He was a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. While his plays and lyrics are mostly forgotten today, his children’s literature continues to be widely read.

In 1951, Eager struggled to find good books to read with his son, Fritz. So, drawing on inspiration from his favorite childhood author, E. Nesbit, he began writing Half Magic. Published in 1954, the book became the first in a series of seven novels. He paid homage to Nesbit by mentioning her books in Chapter 1 and by borrowing her narrative framework: Children in a quiet town discover an item that grants wishes.

Although Eager’s classic tale is considered fantasy, it really has roots in magical realism. While fantasy often has a mythical setting and is rife with supernatural beings, magical realism infuses magic into the ordinary, everyday world.