Playing croquet one day, a prince accidentally hits a passing witch with his ball in this visually arresting picture-book from 1975, finding himself cursed into the form of a frog as a consequence. Seeking answers first in the library, the prince then hunts down a princess, determined to receive his kiss and be restored to his original form. When this doesn't work, he visits each of the kingdom's wizards, all to no avail. When all else fails, he finally visits the Wizard of Op, whose spells all involve optical illusions and art. Will this somewhat bumbling magic-maker's visual tricks do the job, or is the prince doomed to stay in animal form...?

Although quite familiar with the work of author/artist Ed Emberley, both through picture-books like Go Away, Big Green Monster!, and through his many instructional drawing and art-making books for children, The Wizard of Op is only the second of his titles that I have actually read. I sought it out because of my interest in witchy picture-book fare—a perennial pet project of mine—and am glad I did! It is really quite fascinating, from a visual storytelling perspective, alternating between comic-book-style pages in which the story is told through sequential panels, and full two-page spreads devoted to optical art, each of which represents a different spell undertaken by the eponymous Wizard of Op. This book was immense fun to read and peruse, even if some of the optical art made me rather dizzy, and I think young children who enjoy this sort of thing will be likewise entertained. It is to them that I would recommend it, as well as to fans of Ed Emberley. ( )