About This Book
Reach for this book when your middle schooler is navigating the dizzying social pressures of first crushes, school dances, and the temptation to take 'short cuts' to gain popularity or affection. It is a lighthearted yet relatable story about Rachel, a girl who tries to use her sister's magic to fix her romantic life, only to find that forced feelings and magical quick-fixes create more chaos than they solve. The story tackles the universal teen experience of feeling invisible and the intense desire to belong. While the magic is the hook, the heart of the book is about Rachel learning to take responsibility for her mistakes and realizing that authentic relationships cannot be manufactured. It is a safe, humorous exploration of social hierarchy and self-acceptance that provides a natural bridge for talking about honesty and the ethics of how we treat our peers.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
The plot centers on significant social humiliation and public embarrassment, which may be distressing for readers who are particularly sensitive to themes of social rejection.
Ideal Reader
A 12-year-old girl who feels like a 'late bloomer' or who is currently obsessed with school social dynamics and light supernatural tropes.
Parent Prep
Parents may want to be ready to discuss the ethics of the protagonist's choices and the importance of self-acceptance versus changing oneself to fit in. No other specific context is required beyond an understanding of basic 2000s-era middle school social structures. A parent might hear their child complaining about feeling 'uncool' or expressing a desire to change themselves fundamentally to fit in with a specific social group.
Age Experience
Younger readers (11) will focus on the slapstick magic and the 'coolness' of the prom setting. Older readers (14) will more deeply resonate with the cringe-worthy moments of social rejection and the ethics of Rachel's choices.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many fantasy novels where magic is the solution, Mlynowski uses magic as a metaphor for the disastrous consequences of trying to manipulate social outcomes.
Read plot summary
Rachel, a non-magical teen in a family of witches, convinces her sister Miri to cast a love spell to win over her crush, Raf. The spell backfires spectacularly, making Raf dislike her more while creating secondary magical disasters involving a herd of cows and the school prom. Rachel must navigate social humiliation and family tension to undo the damage.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
