From a three-time Newbery Honor author: Harry Houdini Marco had it
hard enough as a normal clumsy twelve-year-old--but growing wings made
it even worse.
Except for his unusual name, Harry Houdini Marco is unremarkable in
every way. While his namesake was the greatest illusionist of all time,
Harry can't even catch a ball. He is on the verge of a long, boring
summer--and he is dreading every moment of it. Then he meets a
mysterious traveling salesman named Mr. Mazzeeck. But Mr. Mazzeeck is
more than a traveling salesman, he's a wizard--at least, he claims to
be. Before he leaves town, Mr. Mazzeeck gives Harry a bottle of magical
oil, saying that the potion will give him wings. And to Harry's
amazement, the oil works: He gets wings! Now he just has to figure out
how to use them. This book features an extended biography of Zilpha
Keatley Snyder.