Birdie's Book

Bozarth gently melds magic, family history and self-determination in this multilayered debut, first in the Fairy Godmother Academy series. Sarah Cramer Bright (nicknamed "Birdie" for her redbird-colored hair) has been uprooted from California to New York, but it's not all bad news: she now has the opportunity to reconnect with her enigmatic Granny Mo. Birdie takes the reader along as her companion and confidante, sharing her love and knowledge of plants as she ventures into her grandmother's extensive and mysterious gardens. While resting near a waterfall, Birdie dreams herself into the fairy land of Aventurine, "a land for only the strongest dreamers.... Dreamers with destinies." But Aventurine is more than a dream%E2%80%94if Birdie and her guide, Kerka, can complete their quest to find the missing piece of the Singing Stone, Birdie can become a Fairy-Godmother-in-Training and have magic in her world "that can make a difference, not just to people, but also to the world itself." Bozarth crafts an alluring world that encourages lingering and further visits. Although conceived as part of an online experience, this novel is strong enough to stand by itself. Ages 8%E2%80%9412. (Aug.)