Trouble With Violet (Sister Magic)

Violet's starting kindergarten soon, and Mabel has been coaching her carefully to prepare for the first day. As they begin their back-to-school shopping, though, strange things start to happen. New shoes just won't behave. Reflections get fuzzy in store mirrors. And then a visit from mysterious Uncle Vartan exposes a big secret: There's magic in their family. Mabel is sure she's the one with the magic. Imagine her dismay when she realizes that it's actually adorable, annoying Violet. And life will never be the same!

Grade 2–4—Mabel is annoyingly organized—a real perfectionist—while her younger sister, Violet, is a free spirit with magical abilities. This revelation comes after many subtle clues appear throughout the novel—whispered secrets among parents, a mysterious ability to find Mom's missing wallet, watching a Frisbee heading toward a window suddenly change directions. (Okay, they're not all that subtle.) As Mabel prepares lists for school shopping, organizes her life and her mom's, and carefully keeps a gift book from Uncle Vartan from Violet's grubby hands, events unfold that reveal a long-kept family secret. While this is a delightful beginning chapter book, the intended audience may stumble over Mabel's lists written in cursive. In fact, she is just entering the third grade where one traditionally learns cursive, so readers may wonder why she writes that way. Fans of Mazer's Abby Hayes will welcome this entry in a new series.—Debbie Whitbeck, West Ottawa Public Schools, Holland, MI
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Living with a little sister is never easy, especially if you are organized and responsible while your sister sports tangerine high-tops and a head full of jam. Mabel, the utterly tidy sister, generally tolerates Violet, but life gets harder after mysterious Uncle Vartan sends them a book of fairy tales. Soon after, strange things happen: shoelaces spontaneously untie, and their mother's wallet materializes in the freezer. Mabel's sleuthing unearths a family secret that heightens the sisters' tension, and what begins as a straightforward sibling story morphs into a tale with magical elements. While both sisters are broadly drawn, the story is fun and the embarrassment Mabel feels over Violet's behavior rings true. Short chapters and a mix of full-page and embedded black-and-white illustrations make the text accessible for children reading beginning chapter books. The first of a planned series, this will appeal to readers looking for a magical Judy Moody. Harold, Suzanne