Like Magic

"An endlessly endearing story of three girls’ pursuit of friendship and the beauty and challenge of what it means to be 10.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Like Magic is truly a treasure.” —Liz Garton Scanlon, author of The Great Good Summer

“Debut novelist Vickers has created three appealing, diverse characters with distinct talents and voices. A sweet story of friendship.” —School Library Journal

“Themes of sharing, trust, and family never overshadow the story’s heart: a natural longing for friendship and the unfettered joy of finding it.” —Publishers Weekly

“Endearing. The 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.” —Booklist

For three ten-year-old girls, their once simple worlds are starting to feel too big.

Painfully shy Grace dreads starting fifth grade now that her best friend has moved away. Jada hopes she’ll stop feeling so alone if she finds the mother who left years ago. And Malia fears the arrival of her new baby sister will forever change the family she loves.

When the girls each find a mysterious treasure box in their library and begin to fill the box with their own precious things, they start to feel less alone. But it’s up to Grace, Jada, and Malia to take the treasures and turn them into something more: true friendship.

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