Lucy Castor Finds Her Sparkle by Natasha Lowe - ADVISABLE

Lucy Castor Finds Her Sparkle by Natasha Lowe, 231 pages. A Paula Wiseman Book (Simon & Schuster, 2018. $17. 

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Lucy doesn’t like change and the start of fourth grade is looking like it will hold a lot change - her best friend doesn’t believe in magic anymore, her neighbor is building a huge fence, and her mom is pregnant. Lucy is grumpy about all of these things, but finds perspective through a teenage neighbor who babysits and befriends Lucy that year. 

I really liked Lucy, grumpy though she often was. I liked that she still wanted so bad to believe in magic. But more than Lucy, I loved the character of her next door neighbor who seems like a troubled teen, but turns out to be wise and kind and interesting. Lots of positive messages in this book and it will land especially well for any reader who is expecting or has a new sibling. 

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher