For her twelfth birthday, Sage Sassafras is gifted an unusual candle, along with strict instructions regarding the wishing that can be done on its flame. The magical candle couldn't have arrived at a better time for Sage: her father is behind bars, and her family is struggling to make ends meet, so there are plenty of improvements to ask for. As in her previous novel, The 11:11 Wish (2018), author Tomsic demonstrates that wishes have a power of their own, no matter the good intentions behind them. After some early success wishing on the candle, Sage learns that fulfilling desires is more complicated than it seems. While navigating this new magical territory, she is helped by a colorful group of friends whose engaging dialogue and ever-evolving relationships capture the essence of middle-school interaction. Though the book has an undercurrent of magic and mystical destinies, the story is grounded in the idea that people are ultimately responsible for their own actions. An important lesson that all readers can take to heart.

Middle school years are hard enough without an actual curse ruining your life!Sage knows this firsthand. Sage's narration is plucky, if a bit one-note, through most of the story as she describes how the Contrarium Curse negatively affected her mother and Mrs. Petty when they were students, turning friends into adversaries. It's preordained that Sage and schoolmate Priscilla Petty won't get along. Priscilla makes fun of Sage, and she's had more darts in her arsenal ever since Sage's daddy was imprisoned for trying to rob a bank. Given a magic candle, Sage wishes for a reversal of the curse, but it doesn't work as she had hoped. The consequences are disastrous, as expected. Magical thinking can't hold a candle to the true solution, which includes forgiveness, reconciliation, and acts of kindness. These discoveries, as well as finding the courage to confront Daddy's crime, allow Sage to grow. Primary characters seem to be default white, while some secondary characters are people of color. The feel-good ending satisfies, although Sage's father's appeal is realistically left pending.A thoughtful look at curse versus choice and an encouragement to youngsters to make their own paths. (Fiction. 8-12)

Gr 4-6 -Twenty-five years ago, pink lightning, a phenomenon occurring when lightning strikes during a snow and thunderstorm, struck and destroyed the friendship between Sage and Priscilla's mothers. Thus started the "Contrarium Curse" which now continues between their daughters. Then, on Sage's 12th birthday, she's given a magic wish-granting candle, which she hopes will get her dad out of prison, her mom out of desperate financial straits, and Sage out from under the thumb of bully Priscilla. It doesn't take long to find out that the wish she hoped would solve all her problems changes thingsinto a new configuration that might just be worse than the old one. Too bad the rules forbid "unwishing." This is a sweet story that offers commentary on bullying and stresses the importance of thinking before acting and being a good friend. Sage takes ownership of her own poor choices and learns that kindness can be a "curse-reverse." VERDICT Although there are no surprises and only a token nod to diversity here, upper elementary school readers seeking a happy ending won't be disappointed. Purchase where Wendy Mass's "Willow Falls" series is popular.-Elizabeth Friend, Wester Middle School, TX