by Polly Shulman
I
picked this book up after reading a review about it in a magazine geared toward picking books for kids. It seemed really
promising: a girl finds out that fairytales are, indeed, true after working for a
New York library that specializes in lending magical items.
What
I got was a book that needed more editing, a stronger voice, and a
better handle of how a New York teenager would talk and act. Forgetting
that she was supposed to high school-age, I thought that the protagonist
was around 13.
The
10-year-old younger sister is treated as an equal, which is surprising,
considering she manages to plunge the group into difficult
circumstances more than once.
I
thought more showing, less telling would have been handy too. We’re
told that the protagonist's older stepsisters are overbearing and
demanding, but we only get glimpses of them. We also learn that the main
character’s father is very important to her, yet he makes maybe two (very brief)
appearances in the whole book. Shulman is trying to gain
sympathy for her character, but all I could think was that Elizabeth didn’t
spend enough time at home or with her family to have that strong of a
bond.
The pluses: Relatively engaging story. Perfect for someone younger, like 6th grade and younger.
The minuses: Needed a stronger editor and the protagonist got on my nerves quite quickly.
Recommended for: A kid who likes fairytales, spending hours in the library, and still believes that the impossible can happen.
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