In the middle of the all the books for kids and teens that Candlewick packed into their exceptional fall catalog was a YA biography by heavy hitter Susan Cooper on John Langstaff, creator of the The Christmas Revels. Unless you live in a few specific towns (specifically Cambridge), you probably have never heard of the Revels (I hadn't). I requested an ARC of The Magic Maker solely because it was written by Cooper who is an author I've long admired. I had absolutely no expectations for it - no idea at all what I was going to find or if it would hold my interest as anything other than a novelty title but I have to tell you this one surprised me in a big way. John Langstaff was a wonderful, creative man and Cooper, a friend who worked with him on the Revels for years, has done him a great service with this book which anyone - anyone at all - will enjoy.

Langstaff died in 2005 leaving behind some notes for an unpublished memoir as well as tapes, interviews and a wealth of papers that Cooper had access to (along with interviewing family and friends). She goes back to the beginning with the story of his musical upbringing and takes readers through the twenties and thirties as Langstaff found his way in the musical theater world through all sorts of schoolboy performances and summer camp jobs until he served in WWII in the most devastating of situations (he nearly died). He returned from the Pacific, married, children were born and he began trying to carve out a career as a performer while also working as a teacher. Eventually his love of traditional music, folk dance and drama blended into the Revels, an annual holiday performance that is like no other. Started on a shoestring it has grown into an institution performed by companies across the country. John Langstaff created something that becomes bigger and better with each passing year and keeps his love of music alive and well even after he has gone.

What a life, don't you think? What an amazing life.

I don't recommend The Magic Maker just because of what Langstaff started however, it is the way in which Cooper has written a book about this most interesting man that makes it so appealing. She successfully combines standard biography with a wealth of detail about music and theater in general and the Revels in particular making even readers who know little about the performing arts (that would be me) compelled to turn the pages. You learn so much in this book and the subject is so interesting and Langstaff and his crew such wonderful people that really it's the best sort of biography. I finished it wishing I could go to the Revels (everyone will want to after this) and also that John Langstaff had been my friend. It's not that Cooper paints him as a saint but rather that he's just so bloody intriguing that you want to spend some time picking his brain and seeing him in action. You wish you could have appreciated his view of the world like his friends and family were able to and more importantly, you wish you could learn to see things a bit like he did.

That's something I'm totally working on, this holiday season for sure.

Even though Candlewick is marketing The Magic Maker at teens, I think adults would thoroughly enjoy it. It appears there is a specific niche for the book - musical theater folks are the obvious audience - but once you start reading it you realize it has the broadest possible appeal. Susan Cooper has written a book about a man who lived well, who wouldn't want to read about someone like that? This is a stocking stuffer for any biography reader and a book that I dearly hope will find a wide and grateful audience.

And here's a peek at The Revels: