Like Magic

August 1, 2016
This wholesome, sensitive story follows three girls of varying racial and ethnic backgrounds during the summer before fifth grade, as they confront significant life changes. Artist Jada, uprooted from New Jersey to Utah by her father, hopes to convince her absent mother to come home. Musician Malia is worried that the arrival of her baby sister will shift family dynamics. Quiet writer Grace is mourning her best friend’s departure and struggling to find her voice. All three girls eventually journey to the Salt Lake City Library where a kind librarian lends them, in turn, a mysterious treasure box. As the girls alternately leave a significant item in it and receive the gift left by the previous borrower, they draw comfort from the gifts and from each other. All three girls’ stories are relatable, as debut author Vickers addresses real fears confronting girls this age and explores their encounters from multiple perspectives. Themes of sharing, trust, and family never overshadow the story’s heart: a natural longing for friendship and the unfettered joy of finding it. Ages 8–12. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary.

Grace, Jada, and Malia overcome fear and loneliness with the help of a mysterious treasure box. Being 10 isn't easy, especially when you're painfully shy and your best friend moves away, a new baby sister is on the way, or your mom left your family when you were little. For Grace, Malia, and Jade, respectively, these challenges cloud the summer before the start of fifth grade. But when they each discover a treasure box at the local library, their lives begin to fill with bright, new possibilities for creating art and making friends. As the girls fill the special boxes with treasures of their own, they are drawn closer to one another and to finding their places in the world, at a new school, and within their own families. Alternating chapters reveal each girl's personal struggles and the pivotal role of art--painting, music, poetry--in her growth and healing. Their stories are told in intimate detail, illuminating all that's beautiful and tough about being 10. Based on the cover art and details from the narrative, Grace is white, Jada is black, and Malia is brown. Their differences are woven into the fabric of this touching, engrossing story about dealing with change and working through fears. The Salt Lake City, Utah, setting is fresh, the city's landmarks and landscape adding another layer of richness to the novel. An endlessly endearing story of three girls' pursuit of friendship and the beauty and challenge of what it means to be 10. (Fiction. 8-10) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-A treasure box-and a dash of whimsy-unite three 10-year-old girls, each struggling to cope with changes in her family life. Homeschooled Malia frets over the impending birth of her first sibling. Shy Grace is anxious about speaking, especially since her best friend moved away. Jada longs for her mother, who abandoned the family to pursue an acting career. Without ever meeting one another, the girls develop a rapport by taking turns borrowing an ornate box from the public library, removing a personal "treasure" left by the previous user, and adding a new memento. Keeping the box circulating among the trio is an intuitive, possibly enchanted, elderly librarian who understands that what the girls need most is friendship. Debut novelist Vickers has created three appealing, diverse characters with distinct talents and voices; librarian Hazel is an affectionate spin on fairy-tale crones. The point of view changes with each chapter, providing insights into the girls' private aspirations and relationships with family members. Readers will be engaged by the near misses in which Malia, Grace, and Jada encounter one another but hesitate to introduce themselves, leading to an emotionally satisfying first meeting at the novel's climax. VERDICT Just right for sensitive tweens, this is a sweet story of friendship and learning to cope with common fears and life changes.-Marybeth Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2016
Grades 3-5 Right from the start of this endearing debut, readers will feel the heartache and the exhilaration of what it means to be 10. Shy poet Grace is dreading starting fifth grade without her best friend. Outspoken painter Jada, meanwhile, uprooted from New York City, is trying her best to make a new home in Utah with her dad, while secretly searching for the mother who abandoned her. And sensitive musician Malia anxiously awaits the arrival of her new sister, worried that the baby will take her place in her mother's heart. When the girls discover a treasure box at the local library and anonymously begin to share treasures of their own, they also begin to find comfort and friendship. Told in alternating chapters, Vickers gives each girl a unique and engaging voice, allowing each character's artistic passions to play a key role in overcoming her personal struggles. The Salt Lake City setting and gracefully embedded ethnic differences add freshness to a story with a message that will stand the test of time: friendship is like magic.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

Starred review from August 1, 2016
Grace, Jada, and Malia overcome fear and loneliness with the help of a mysterious treasure box. Being 10 isnt easy, especially when youre painfully shy and your best friend moves away, a new baby sister is on the way, or your mom left your family when you were little. For Grace, Malia, and Jade, respectively, these challenges cloud the summer before the start of fifth grade. But when they each discover a treasure box at the local library, their lives begin to fill with bright, new possibilities for creating art and making friends. As the girls fill the special boxes with treasures of their own, they are drawn closer to one another and to finding their places in the world, at a new school, and within their own families. Alternating chapters reveal each girls personal struggles and the pivotal role of artpainting, music, poetryin her growth and healing. Their stories are told in intimate detail, illuminating all thats beautiful and tough about being 10. Based on the cover art and details from the narrative, Grace is white, Jada is black, and Malia is brown. Their differences are woven into the fabric of this touching, engrossing story about dealing with change and working through fears. The Salt Lake City, Utah, setting is fresh, the citys landmarks and landscape adding another layer of richness to the novel. An endlessly endearing story of three girls pursuit of friendship and the beauty and challenge of what it means to be 10. (Fiction. 8-10)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.