Late Summer Magic (Books)🪄📚
MBH no. 17
Hello, hello!
Thanks so much to everyone who entered the second giveaway—I wish I could give copies of The Penderwicks out to you all, truly…but as I buy my own books, that’s just not possible—yet! 😉
We selected the winner using the same method as Hound, the Penderwicks’ dog, who decides which sister will go to Boston (The Penderwicks on Gardam Street).
We wrote the names of the subscribers who commented or liked the post on pieces of paper, scattered them around the room, and chose the first one our dog, Story, attempted to eat!
So congrats to Christine T, and I’ll keep you all posted on the next giveaway.
With all the book lists for back-to-school, I wanted to share some recommendations that capture the last bit of summer magic: a light chapter book about three magical sisters, a middle grade novel that gives a nod to Irish myth, and a hilarious fractured fairy tale that we're listening to on audiobook.
Enjoy!
Trillium Sisters (series), by Laura Brown and Elly Kramer, illustrated by Sarah Mensinga (2021, 2022)
Eight-year-old triplets Emmy, Clare, and Giselle live in a treehouse on the side of a mountain with their little brother and veterinarian father.
In the first book, the triplets are excited to celebrate their “Founding Day,” the day their father found them in the forest beside a mysterious glowing trillium flower. (yup).
The girls, along with their pets, discover that they have superpowers they can use to protect their community—and each other.
Trillium Sisters will appeal to young readers just transitioning into longer chapter books and those who love stories about sisters, animals, nature, magic, and mysteries. Adults and older children will find the characters a little flat and the overly upbeat tone…less appealing.
However, I had to include this lesser-known series because my 2nd grader and two friends (one of whom is a reluctant reader) read all four books and loved them. And if our goal is to create lifelong readers, whatever piques and sustains their interest is more than fine by me!
When I told my daughter there wasn’t a fifth book out yet, she said, distraught,
“But they haven’t found out what happened to the eagle yet!”
Needless to say, she’s hooked on Trillium Sisters, and your reader might be too!
Recommended for ages 6-8
The Storm Keeper’s Island (series), by Catherine Doyle, 2018, 2019, 2021
Nothing on Arranmore is inconsequential. No blade of grass, no drop of rain, no wisp of cloud. There is magic in everything…There is magic in memory.
Although Fionn Boyle comes from a long line of Irish seafarers, he has always feared the water. Perhaps it has something to do with his father’s mysterious death before Fionn was born, or maybe his fear stems from the way Arranmore Island and the surrounding sea have always haunted his mother.
Either way, the moment Fionn and his older sister step onto Arranmore Island for a summer with their grandfather, he begins to sense strange magic stirring within the island.
Fionn soon learns that his grandfather is more than just an eccentric candle maker—he is Arranmore’s Storm Keeper, a protector charged with preserving the island’s memories and keeping its magic safe from an ancient enemy.
However, Fionn’s grandfather knows that his time as Storm Keeper is almost up and that soon, the island (which is very much alive) will choose the next protector from Arranmore’s oldest families. This sparks a rivalry among the families—even as a dangerous enemy threatens them all.
Author Catherine Doyle based this trilogy on her real-life ancestral home and the stories she grew up hearing from her own grandparents. She does an excellent job of paying homage to Irish myths and legends while keeping her characters modern and relatable.
The magic is wonderfully unique, blending storms, memories, and secrets—but Fionn’s relationships are definitely of this world—the conflict and bickering with his older sister, his anxiety surrounding his grandfather’s memory loss, his worry for his mother, and his longing for a father who died before he was born.
Middle grade readers will love Fionn’s character as he uncovers his own kind of bravery, and the suspenseful ending is a perfect setup for the rest of the trilogy.
Recommended for ages 9-12
What We’re Listening To
Cinders & Sparks: Magic at Midnight, by Lindsey Kelk, narrated by Shaina Summerville (2021)
Cinders & Sparks is a zany take on Cinderella, aimed at kids ages 7-9.
Cinders and her dog, Sparks, live with her predictably selfish and mean stepmother and stepsisters.
We all know the story…or do we? In this fractured fairytale, Cinders discovers that she has magical wishing power and a fairy godmother named Brian. Also, Sparks is suddenly able to talk. However, Cinders can’t quite get the hang of her magic, and her fairy godmother isn’t exactly reliable. Tons of other fairy tale characters show up along the way, which adds to the lighthearted mayhem.
We’re listening on Audible, but the print version looks great, too— I love the illustrations:
If your child is new to listening to audiobooks, grab a print copy and listen as you follow along.
Wishing you hours and hours of reading magic,
Katie
Love these recommendations -- and capturing as much late summer magic as possible!