Don't Expect Magic

Gr 7 Up—After her mother dies, Delaney Collins, 15, flies from her home in New Jersey to live with her dad, Dr. Hank, a TV life coach, in California. Her guard is up and she's feeling hostile. It doesn't get any better when she is enrolled in high school where all of the teachers have expectations. Life gets even stranger when her dad shares his secret: he is a fairy godmother, and that the f.g. gene is hereditary. Delaney soon discovers that she can wave a wand and revive a wilted rose. But wait, those expecting this to be just a novel about magic and fairies will be pleasantly surprised to find that there is more to it. The magic powers are secondary to the realism here. Delaney is upset after her mother dies—and she has the sarcasm and bad attitude to prove it. After she meets Flynn Becker, her world changes. Even though she could use a little magic with him, she knows that her powers can't change the relationship they have because she is sure that he has an eye for another girl. She knows that will have to come with a change in her attitude toward life, and that's what happens. Readers will see her soften and see Flynn grow to like her more and more. This book is about letting one's guard down and not relying on wishes to make a situation work out. Readers looking for magic will be disappointed; those looking for the magic that lies within will want to read it again.—Karen Alexander, Lake Fenton High School, Linden, MI