10-year-old Penelope has always been different from other children. Her hair has been gray since she was born. It rains every year on her birthday. And she knows what her mother is going to say before the words even come out of her mouth. But one day, Penelope wakes up with sparkling red hair and her mother confesses the truth: her father is not only still alive, he's a wizard, and Penelope has inherited his powers.
This peculiar girl embarks on a journey to find her father, who has recently stopped sending money and started sending packets of sand. Along the way, she learns more about magic — both of the wizarding sort and of the kind you find in the everyday. This heartfelt, adventure-filled, and charming novel is a whimsical and exciting middle-grade read.
"Slightly surreal touches that include a talking road keep the action light. Penelope’s concern with color extends not just to the magic of hair color or morose gray envelopes, but to the everyday: her house, speckled red and green like a dragon; a blue shoelace; a bottle-green dress. It’s a cheerfully childlike perspective, adding warmth even when Penelope is angry or frightened. The charming, comforting, and enjoyable tale of a magical girl discovering her (family and hair) roots." — Kirkus Reviews
Recommended Age | 8 - 12 |
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Author | Valija Zinck |
ISBN | 1338540610 |
Publication Date | Dec 3, 2019 |
Publisher | Chicken House |
Language | English |