Smoke and Mirrors by K.D. Halbrook - ADVISABLE

Smoke and Mirrors by K.D. Halbrook, 233 pages. Paul Wiseman (Simon & Schuster), 2018. $17

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Sasha and her little brother, Toddy, are living in two different worlds - the world of the cirque where their parents perform and they all live, and the world of the islanders where the two go to school each day. Sasha is having a hard time fitting in in both places and lets a darkness take over her and it claims her parents in a tragic accident. Magical realism takes over as Sasha and Toddy find their way in this new life. 

This book is a beautiful mix of school drama and fantasy. I felt deeply for Sasha and her role as a protective older sister. The language is very descriptive, to the point where it slows the plot down drastically. The magical realism is subtle for the first half of the book, but becomes dominant in the second half and may be confusing to some readers. 

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher