Sam’s Magic Mirror

In a well-intentioned early reader that struggles under the weight of its message, a girl named Sam is terrified when her friends nominate her to be class president; even though Sam is sincere and well liked, she’ll be running against Gemma, “the most popular girl in school.” Expected to give a speech for the election, Sam thinks that having a “magic mirror that could change her into someone else” is the only way that she might win. As the week unfolds, Sam spends a lot of time staring into her (non-magic) mirror, and as she tries to improve her odds of winning the election—by getting a makeover, making an aggressive move during a soccer game, and teasing her sister to impress her classmates—Sam loses touch with her sense of identity, while hurting her friends. Bzymek’s digital illustrations establish a cheerful mood, but while some readers may take heart in Madill’s point about being true to oneself, its delivery is belabored amid repetitive narration that dwells on Sam’s insecurities and long, unrealistic blocks of dialogue. Ages 6–9. (BookLife)