Gr 4-6 Despite the titular magic, there is no fantasy in this quietly moving, well-paced workjust the reality of a child deep in denial ultimately coming to terms with her parents' death. Ten-year-old Kobi and her older sister live in Paris with their grandmother, enjoying a seemingly enviable lifestyle: they are homeschooled by a tutor, dine on gourmet meals prepared by a housekeeper, and wear fashionable French clothing. While Kobi misses her parents, whom she believes to be on an extended ocean voyage, she can see them whenever she wants by uttering one of the 27 magic words her mother gave her before she and Kobi's father left five years earlier. A move to Iowa to live with her uncle leaves Kobi struggling to adjust in every way possible: to school, to a new culture, to a much less luxurious lifestyleand eventually to the realization that her parents aren't coming home. Told from Kobi's point of view, this character-driven novel does a remarkable job of allowing readers to see the world through Kobi's eyes, both as a five-year-old believing in her parents' magical abilities and as a 10-year-old surrounded by adults who are coping with their own heartbreaks and traumas. Secondary characters are portrayed equally deftly, and even minor characters come across as living, breathing individuals. A former artist who has Alzheimer's receives a particularly sensitive treatment, as does Kobi's sister's obsessive compulsive disorder. VERDICT This well-honed middle grade title packs a considerable emotional punch and could be just the ticket for a tween dealing with loss. A highly recommended purchase. Eileen Makoff, P.S. 90 Edna Cohen School, NY

Kobi's mother, an author, gave her 27 fantastic words written on Post-its, like razzmatazz and squelch, when she was little. After her parents disappear at sea, when Kobi is just five, she infuses those 27 words with magical meanings, like avanti!, which, when uttered, conjures up an image of her parents stranded on a desert island. Now, after spending the last five years living with her grandmother in Paris and being homeschooled, she and her sister, Brook, are going back to the U.S. to live with their uncle Wim and attend regular school. It's there that Kobi's magic words start to fail her, and she resorts to lies and exaggerations when her new classmates ask about her family and her past. As the truth comes out, Kobi has to face the facts she's been repressing for years and find the strength to properly grieve for her parents. This tender, heartwarming story sensitively addresses ways children cope with grief, while emphasizing the importance of all types of families and the enchanting power of language.