Henry's Gift: The Magic Eye
Gr. 3-5. Young Henry, who sees visions where others see only meaningless patterns, undertakes a quest, venturing into the Necromancer's realm. With his staunch companions Byron and Nadia, Henry outwits a giant serpent, defeats a pack of trolls, finds a long-hidden treasure, overcomes the Necromancer, and discovers that he is the rightful heir to the throne. Henry vows to knight Byron and marry Nadia, and "thus the kingdom prospered . . . as anyone with vision could foresee." The references to vision allude to the "magic eye" illustrations that appear frequently throughout the book. Fans of the N. E. Thing Enterprises posters andMagic Eyebooks so popular last year will enjoy throwing their eyes out of focus to catch glimpses of the 3-D images (15 in all) that illustrate the story. Those who can't quite make out the hidden pictures can see smaller, shadowy versions at the end of the book. Other full-color illustrations appear throughout the volume as well. As fantasies go, the story's a bit thin, but readers still thrilled with their ability to see 3-D will enjoy the way that idea is woven into the story.Carolyn Phelan