Copper Magic

Gr 5–9—It's 1906, and 12-year-old Violet Blake feels abandoned. Her half-Odawa mother and brother are away, and she fears they may never return. She goes to the place where her mother would pick herbs and unearths a magical copper hand. She wishes for a new dress. When her wish is granted, she wishes for the return of her family. Will the hand be able to bring her family back together? Narrator Sandy Rustin's detailed voices and distinct intonations are engaging and complement the author's unique writing style. Interwoven plotlines are brought together expertly with a spellbinding effect. The author's treatment of minorities, particularly Native Americans, is handled with great care. Readers who enjoy magic, adventure, historical fiction, and Scott O'Dell's books will be whisked into Violet's world.—Jessica Moody, Olympus Jr. High, Holladay, UT