The Three Rules of Everyday Magic

by Amanda Rawson Hill

Overview

Magic doesn't work the way you think it will, but it's what Kate needs as she confronts friendship trouble, her parents' divorce, and Grammy's dementia in this lyrical middle-grade coming-of-age novel for fans of Half a Chance and The Same Stuff as Stars.

Kate has trouble believing in magic, especially since the people she loves keep leaving her. But when Grammy tells her the three rules of everyday magic—believe, give, and trust—Kate can't resist believing, at least a little. Following Grammy's advice, she tries to bring her father, her best friend, and even Grammy herself back to her. Nothing turns out as Kate expects, yet the magic of giving—of trusting that if you love and give, good things will happen, even if you don't see them happen—will change Kate and her family forever.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781629799407
Publisher:	Astra Publishing House
Publication date:	09/25/2018
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Amanda Rawson Hill grew up in Rock Springs, Wyoming with a library right out her back gate. She moved to Provo, Utah, to earn her bachelor's degree in chemistry at Brigham Young University. Today she resides in Atwater, California with her husband and three children. She loves to knit, homeschool, make music, and volunteer in the community. The Three Rules of Everyday Magic is her first novel.

Editorial Reviews

Narrated in Kate's quiet first-person voice, the book is the book is divided into three parts, one for each rule… (r)eading cultivates empathy. This should do the trick.” - Kirkus Reviews

“While familiar unions are falling apart, other surprising connections are blossoming. As Kate struggles to untangle the truth and find her power, she discovers new friendships and the enduring love of her family. The theme of loss is heartrending, the story line fast-paced and compelling. A fine addition to middle grade collections in need of character-driven family stories.”- School Library Journal

“Using the three rules of everyday magic—believe, give, and trust—…Kate tries to fix the broken people and relationships in her life. Credibly flawed and feisty, (she) cycles through embarrassment, hope, determination, anger, and even some mild depression as she comes to terms with what is and isn’t within her control…Without being overoptimistic, this shows the magic of belief and trust when combined with action.” - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“The real beauty of the Everyday Magic is that it offers neither magic solutions nor easy fixes, but personal strength and a path to acceptance.”
—Suzanne LaFleur, author of Listening for Lucca

“This honest and heartfelt story sings of family, friendship, and helping each other through the hard things. The Three Rules of Everyday Magic made me smile and ache and, ultimately, absolutely believe.”
—Elaine Vickers, author of Like Magic
 
“This stand-out debut is a vivid portrayal of shifting friendships and family ties. Through poetic detail and empathy for her characters, Amanda Rawson Hill has created a story that will stay with readers long after ‘The End.’ I want to hand this book to every kid who is secretly struggling. They will find a trusted friend in Kate Mitchell.”
—Laura Shovan, author of The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary

From the Publisher

08/01/2018
Gr 4–6—Kate has been hit with a triple dose of bad luck. First, her father has been gone for close to five months, his whereabouts a mystery. Secondly, her Grammy has dementia and must come to live with Kate and her mom. She loves her grandmother but is disconcerted about one more disruption in her life. Finally, her best friend Sofia is drifting away, forming a new friendship that Kate can't accept. When Kate and her Grammy see her disheveled, downtrodden dad at the market, they follow him to a run-down apartment. Kate tries desperately to salvage both her relationship with her dad and her friend, but both continue to unravel. While familiar unions are falling apart, other surprising connections are blossoming. Her Grammy's lucid moments yield secrets about something she calls "everyday magic." As Kate struggles to untangle the truth and find her power, she discovers new friendships and the enduring love of her family. The theme of loss is heartrending, the story line fast-paced and compelling. VERDICT A fine addition to middle grade collections in need of character-driven family stories.—Diane McCabe, John Muir Elementary, Santa Monica, CA

School Library Journal

2018-06-25
Life is always changing but not necessarily in the ways we expect.Kate Mitchell needs some magic. Her father, who has depression, left four months ago, and no one knows where he is; her best friend, Sofia, has broken their promise to be best friends forever; and her grandmother, who moves in with Kate and her mom, suffers from dementia. Grammy, whose good days include knitting and baking cookies, tells Kate about Everyday Magic and its three rules: Believe in magic or it won't work, give magic to people you love, and trust the magic to work. If skeptical Kate can believe, maybe magic will bring Dad home and help her win Sofia back. Perhaps it will make Kate, who hasn't played music since Dad left, feel like singing again. Narrated in Kate's quiet first-person voice, the book is divided into three parts, one for each rule, and is punctuated with Kate's unsent letters to Dad. Although depression is referred to as a sickness, it's also oversimplified as mere sadness that may be susceptible to cookies and magic knitted hats. Certainly this could be an 11-year-old's understanding of depression, but debut author Hill misses the chance to challenge this damaging belief. Whiteness is assumed for those characters whose skin color isn't called out. Important supporting characters include Chinese-American and Spanish-speaking classmates.Reading cultivates empathy. This should do the trick. (Fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews