Spellbound

Tyme is a young witch who wants nothing more than to leave her magical education behind and attend a 'normal' human school. Her parents eventually agree, but Tyme finds that keeping her magical heritage a secret while navigating the social cliques of middle school is harder than she imagined. When she makes a new friend and encounters a mysterious cat, she must decide if she can truly be herself without her magic, or if her magic is what makes her special. SENSITIVE TOPICS: The book handles the theme of identity and 'coming out' as different in a secular, metaphorical way through the lens of witchcraft. The resolution is hopeful and empowering. EMOTIONAL ARC: The story begins with a sense of restriction and longing, builds through the tension of maintaining a double life, and concludes with a joyful acceptance of self-identity. IDEAL READER: A 10-year-old girl who feels like she has to hide her true interests or family quirks to be accepted by the 'popular' group at school. PARENT TRIGGER: A parent might notice their child being unusually quiet about their day or expressing a desire to change their personality or appearance to avoid being teased. PARENT PREP: This is a safe, cold-read book. There are no major triggers, though parents may want to discuss the ethics of keeping secrets from friends. AGE EXPERIENCE: Younger readers will focus on the fun of the magic and the mystery of the cat. Older readers will resonate more with the social politics of the school setting and the internal conflict of identity. DIFFERENTIATOR: Unlike many urban fantasies where the protagonist is excited to find magic, this book uniquely focuses on the desire to be ordinary, which makes the eventual embrace of magic more poignant.

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