27 Magic Words

Starred review from Kirkus: “Kobi’s world is vividly portrayed, shimmering with just a soupçon of magic from the opening pages . . . Both tragic and uplifting, this winsome tale perfectly depicts some of the many aspects of magic.”

Starred review from School Library Journal: “This well-honed middle grade novel packs a considerable emotional punch and could be just the ticket for a tween dealing with loss.”

Awards: A 2017 Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts; Iowa Center for the Book 2016 title for National Book Festival’s “Discover Great Places through Reading” map

From the publisher: An irrepressible eleven-year-old with a vibrant imagination must reconcile her fantasies with reality in this beautifully written novel about facing the future.

When the story begins, Kobi is shielded from the world by people who love her: Grandmamma, her sister Brook, Mr. Gyver. Yet she chooses to deal with the loss of her parents privately, trusting the power of the secret magic words her mother gave her. A move from her privileged life in Paris to an ordinary life in Des Moines, Iowa, is hard. She’s forced to grow up. And she does—making friends and family in a new place. And she never gives up her belief in magic words.