November 15, 2010
In this featherlight launch to the B Magical series, B (short for Beatrix) is a likable witch—basically a preteen version of Sabrina—with a problem. She's the only 11-year-old in the Magical Rhyming Society who can't yet induce magic via rhymed couplets. Adding to her anxiety is the upcoming class spelling bee, the winner of which will clinch tickets to a concert. Though B is a crackerjack speller, she's terrified of speaking in public ("If only she had her magic and could work a spell to eliminate stage fright"). When the concert tickets disappear, B is determined to retrieve them. The author plays on both meanings of "spell" as B realizes that the key to her magic is spelling, rather than rhyming, words. Her inadvertent magical charms before this discovery (and her intentional ones afterward) contribute to the book's lightly comedic tone. The characters are generic and the plotting predictable (save for a humorous spelling bee–related twist), but struggling readers may find it helpful for building confidence. B spells on in The Trouble with Secrets, published simultaneously. Ages 8–12.
January 1, 2011
Gr 3-5-Beatrix is distraught. She is an 11-year-old witch, which means that her spell-casting ability should have kicked in by now. Unfortunately, the only thing she does well is spell words correctly-literally. She cannot help but feel depressed about her situation, but when a new English teacher arrives at school, B starts to learn that she is not as ordinary as she feared. In fact, her talent for spelling makes her more special than she could ever imagine. This is a great book in a new series, and one that reluctant readers will be pulled into because of the fantasy elements. The story line itself is one many readers can relate to, as B has insecurities she has to deal with, such as being too shy to speak in class and too timid to stand up to the class bully. It is a good start for those moving beyond the Daisy Meadows books (Scholastic).-Elizabeth Swistock, Jefferson Madison Regional Library, Charlottesville, VA
Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.