Mags lives in a trailer with her overworked mother, her perpetually hungry little brother Mooch and her retarded sister Hannie. As the oldest, Mags is the responsible one, but when Hannie finds a ratty old stuffed unicorn and says it's magic, Mags almost believes her. The wishes that come true aren't spectacular: Mooch gets a sandwich after wanting something to eat, and Mags gets new clothes--hand-me-downs from her aunt, but there is some kind of magic. The unicorn acts as a catalyst, letting Mags see beyond the humdrum of everyday life and realize how important her family is to her. With colorful regional language (Hannie is ``stubborn as an elbow,'') and clear psychological insight, Hesse's debut ranks with Betsy Byars's Pinballs and Cynthia Voight's Homecoming in describing families surviving as best they can under economic privation. Ages 9-12. (Apr.)

Gr 4-6-- Margaret Wade's family lives on the edge of poverty. Her mother is a single parent who works at night, and Mags feels beset by responsibilities and worries far beyond those of other 12-year-olds. Hannie, her retarded half-sister, finds a stuffed unicorn and is sure that it can grant wishes; Mags, too, almost comes to believe in the toy's power. There is no magic, but the events the unicorn's discovery precipitates lead Mags to a new realization of the depth of her love for her family. Hesse is sensitive to the youngster's mixed feelings of duty, caring, and frustration. Her plot moves satisfactorily, and she is successful in depicting the family's everyday environment; her description of the dinner Mags fixes for her brother and sister speaks volumes. The narrative is not always smooth, and the overuse of similes is distracting, but Hesse does capture the spirits of a stalwart young heroine and her family. --Tatiana Castleton, Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library, CA

The dogged struggle of the family in their trailer rings true . . . and no easy solution is offered. Kids will be moved by the burdens on the oldest girl, who resents adult responsibility and yet finds the loving strength to reach beyond her years.” —Booklist

“With colorful regional language and clear psychological insight, Hesse's debut ranks with Betsy Byars's Pinballs and Cynthia Voight's Homecoming in describing families surviving as best they can under economic privation.” —Publishers Weekly

“Hesse captures the spirits of a stalwart young heroine and her family.” —School Library Journal

“A compassionate story of a poor family who are rich in solidarity and spirit.” —Horn Book Guide

If wishes were horses, or maybe unicorns, then sixth-grader Mag’s life of poverty might improve. Imagine her surprise when a stuffed unicorn begins to spread magic throughout her troubled family and their trailer home. Narrator Kate Rudd moves ably from character to character as she portrays mentally handicapped Hannie’s slow, broken speech; preschooler Mooch’s exuberance and terrors; and Mag’s exasperation with her kin. Poignantly, Rudd depicts Mag’s longing for freedom from a bully and for acceptance from snooty classmates. Adults make sparse appearances but are also well delineated. Rudd is especially good at dramatizing Mag’s transformation as she realizes that the unicorn she hoped would change her life has actually changed her perspective. D.P.D. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine