It's Magic!

Even as an adult, I enjoy kids' chapter books that feature smart, spunky, funny kids--and just a tiny bit of magic. And the following three books fit the bill. Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms: Magic, Mystery, and a Very Strange Adventure by Lissa Evans tells the story of a boy named Stuart who sets out on a quest to learn what happened to his mysterious Great Uncle Tony, who disappeared years earlier--and to unearth his secret workshop. Uncle Tony was an inventor and a magician, and Stuart wants to learn his tricks. He stumbles upon a handful of of gold coins and with them, begins to unlock clues all over town.

Bliss by Katheryn Littlewood describes the chaos and hilarity that ensue when Rosemary and her siblings (Parsley, Sage, and Thyme) discover the magic cookbook their parents use in their bakery while Mom and Dad are out of town. When they try their hand at Love Muffins and Cookies of Truth, it becomes a recipe....for disaster. With the unexpected arrival of their exotic Aunt Lily (whom they've never met), they aren't sure whether to 'fess up and ask for help or to try another magical recipe to repair their mistakes.

Finally, The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman by Meg Wolitzer features a boy named Duncan who's ordinary in every way--except for his ability to "read" any kind of text with his eyes closed, just by touching it. This talent gives him a special advantage when playing Scrabble because he can select the tiles he wants, without anyone knowing. And it's up to Duncan to decide how to use, or not use, his magic fingertips. What follows is a fascinating look at the world of competitive Scrabble, told from the alternating perspectives of three different players.


~Queen of Books