Two Impossible Things before Breakfast: Magical Kids by Sally Gardner

English author Sally Gardner seems to have sprung whole from the forehead of Roald Dahl. Gardner's brand new fantasy, Magical Kids requires that kids bring along their freewheeling imaginations as they enjoy this twofer, two cheerily silly stories packaged together as a flip book.

The Invisible Boy tells of the misfortunes of Sam, whose parents win a promotional vacation on the moon which doesn't include small children. Neighbor Mrs. Hilda Hardbottom steps in as volunteer caretaker, not out of fondness for Sam, but for the thrill of getting her face on TV, but when Sam's parents go missing somewhere in space, Mrs. Hardbottom gleefully seizes the role of foster parent just to get her greedy grasp on Sam's insurance payment. What the horrible Hilda doesn't know is that Sam has aquired an ally in space alien Splodge from Planet Ten Rings. Splodge is just a fledgling space traveler, but he does have an extra invisibility patch which Sam puts to good use in outwitting the wily Hardbottom, while Spodge's deep space parental units pitch in to get Sam's parents safely home from space.

The second tale tells the story of Josie Jenkins, average eight-year-old, who, faced with her classmate's head stuck between two railings, suddenly becomes The Strongest Girl in the World. When Josie feels a strange tingling in her limbs and bends the bars to release Billy Brand, it's only a matter of time until she acquires mendacious agent Mr. Two Suit and becomes a worldwide sensation, lifting Fords, moving houses, and even shoring up the tottering Brooklyn Bridge. When Josie and her family begin to weary of notoriety, Josie conveniently loses her magical strength and the unwanted services of Mr. Two Suit.

Kids who are able to believe at least two impossible things before breakfast will have no trouble flipping through these pleasant, English-style fantasies and identifying with two magical kids who get the better of spectacularly unattractive and overbearing adults in a most satisfying way.