
Reach for this book when your middle-grade child is struggling to accept a major family transition, such as a divorce or a move to a new town. It is a thoughtful exploration of how siblings process change differently, wrapped in a light supernatural mystery. While one sibling finds joy in a new hobby and another finds a sense of adventure, Nancy clings to the past, using her emerging psychic abilities to spy on her distant father and resist her mother's attempts to move on. The story handles the pain of divorce with grounded realism, showing that 'magic' cannot fix real-world problems. It validates the anger and grief a child feels when their family unit changes while gently nudging them toward the idea that new beginnings, though scary, can lead to personal growth. It is a classic Lois Duncan tale that balances the eerie lure of ESP with deep, resonant family dynamics.
Frequent themes of grief and anger surrounding a parental divorce.
The book deals directly and secularly with divorce. It portrays Nancy's resentment and her mother's exhaustion with a high-travel lifestyle. Kirby's leg injury introduces a brief arc about physical limitation and the fear of losing one's identity/passion.
A 10 to 12 year old who feels like the 'serious' one in the family and is currently navigating a loss of control in their personal life, especially regarding family structure.
Parents should be aware that Nancy uses her powers to invade privacy and spy on her parents' private thoughts and actions. This is a great opening to discuss boundaries. A parent might see their child acting out or becoming 'bitchy' (as Kirby calls Nancy) following a separation, or a child who is obsessively tracking a non-custodial parent's life.
Younger readers will be fascinated by the ESP and the 'test' scenes with Dr. Russo. Older readers will resonate more with the nuanced portrayal of the mother's need for an independent identity.
Unlike many fantasy books where magic solves the problem, this story posits that magic is an extension of the self that can actually complicate emotional healing.
After their parents announce a divorce, Nancy and her siblings move to their mother's childhood home in Florida. They discover they have inherited 'gifts' from their grandmother: Kirby has the gift of dance, Brendon the gift of music, and Nancy the gift of magic (ESP). Nancy uses her telepathy and astral projection to stay connected to her father in Paris and to sabotage her mother's budding relationship with a local man. The plot culminates in a medical emergency where Nancy must decide whether to use her gift for help or continue hiding it.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
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