Upside Down Magic (by Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle, and Emily Jenkins)

Publication Date: September 2015
     

SYNOPSIS: Nory Horace is nine years old. She's resourceful, she's brave, she likes peanut butter cookies. Also, she's able to transform into many different animals. But Nory's shape-shifting talent is a bit wonky. And when she flunks out of her own father's magic academy, Nory's forced to enter public school, where she meets a group of kids whose magic is, well, different.

THOUGHTS: This was definitely a fun story about fitting in. As we know, many kids cannot get enough magic and Upside-Down Magic will be a nice read for fans of Harry Potter and The Familiars (by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson). It is full of humor and interesting happenings, with quite a diverse group of characters. Most kids will find a character they can relate to, or at least cheer for. Though there will be a sequel, this book does not end on a cliffhanger.

CARTWHEEL AWARD NOMINEE?: Definitely possible. The story has a relatable theme, light fantasy appeal, and lots of humor.