The Forgotten Magic of Zoey Turner

by Erin Stewart Narrated by Mirai

Overview

A girl whose anxiety disorder has been ruling her life since her father's death unexpectedly has the story she's written come alive in this “bewitching” (Publishers Weekly) and tender middle grade coming-of-age novel perfect for fans of Barbara Dee and Jamie Sumner.

Zoey Turner used to see magic everywhere. With a dad like Zoey's, it was hard not to. Not only did they read The Magic of Ever After series together every day, they also used to create original stories. Used to. Ever since her dad died unexpectedly last year, all Zoey sees is danger.

Fear has shrunk homeschooled Zoey's life to the span of one block, where she keeps close to the people that she needs the most. Her mom is almost never out of sight, and Jada, the owner of Ever After Books, is always around to talk about their favorite fantasy trilogy. Zoey finally ventures outside her comfort zone for the chance to meet famed author Raven M. Wells, only for the outing to lead to a panic attack.

Instead of a signed book, Zoey ends up with a novelty pencil embossed with the phrase make your own magic that she uses to cope with her disappointment by writing a story like the ones she and her dad shared. The next day, Zoey is shocked to find her fantastical tale has come true. Emboldened by the pencil, Zoey takes risks she thought were long behind her in pursuit of her happy ending. But is she really in charge of how the story ends?

Editorial Reviews

11/15/2024 - STARRED REVIEW Kirkus

This emotional narrative skillfully informs readers about anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder and will comfort anyone facing challenges similar to the main characters’, reminding them to look for the pockets of joy in every day and inspiring them to discover their own forgotten magic.

Hope prevails in this story, filled with a resounding authenticity. (Fantasy. 10-13)

12/01/2024 - Booklist

Stewart uses her excellent descriptive talents to share the intense reality of a young girl’s experience of grief and its resultant panic attacks and agoraphobia. Believable supporting characters and a satisfying surprise reveal make this a worthwhile read. Recommended for middle-graders who appreciate their reality sprinkled with magic, this tale of transformation will be an excellent addition to library collections.

10/7/2024 - Publishers Weekly

Stewart (The Words We Keep) depicts mental health challenges with a touch of magic in this bewitching tale, a middle grade debut.

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2024-10-11
Terrifying statistics run through Zoey’s mind day and night, controlling her decisions.

After her father dies in a bus accident, anxiety-ridden 12-year-old Zoey Turner, who presents white, spends her summer escaping into the familiar world of her favorite fantasy series, the Magic of Ever After by Raven M. Wells. When a book signing ends in a panic attack, Zoey receives a pencil allegedly belonging to Wells herself. Zoey writes a story with the pencil, which seems innocent enough until the next day, when the events of her story happen in real life. Always the type to practice extreme caution, the nervous seventh grader asks Derek Beal, the redheaded president of a fantasy club with his own anxieties and fears, for help in how best to use her new magic. She keeps the pencil a secret from everyone else in her life, even her Lebanese American best friend, Lena. Zoey fears losing Lena when secrets and fears begin to separate them. As Zoey sharpens the pencil with each new story, her chances of writing the perfect ending dwindle away. She’ll need to find her own magic before it’s too late. This emotional narrative skillfully informs readers about anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder and will comfort anyone facing challenges similar to the main characters’, reminding them to look for the pockets of joy in every day and inspiring them to discover their own forgotten magic.

Hope prevails in this story, filled with a resounding authenticity.(Fantasy. 10-13)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940193724582
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster
Publication date:	01/14/2025
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

Read an Excerpt

Chapter One

Chapter One
If I could jump into the pages of a book, feet first, I’d do it without a second thought.

And I don’t do anything without a second thought.

And a third.

And sometimes a fourth (just to be sure).

But living in a book? That’s a no-brainer.

Of course, I’d pick a book from the Magic of Ever After series (another no-brainer) because it’s epic. Mom says when I read it, I disappear. Like nothing else exists. That’s kind of handy, really, being able to block out the world. So I don’t go anywhere without one of the books under my arm.

Not that I really go anywhere. But you know—if I did.

I’m getting ahead of myself. It’s very important to start a story in the exact right place. That’s what Raven M. Wells, the author of the Magic of Ever After series and my personal idol, says, anyway. A good tale starts on a day when the world of your MC (that’s writer slang for “main character”) changes forever.

I could start the day Dad never came home. That changed everything. Or the day we moved down to Main Street so Mom could open her cupcake shop with an apartment above it that was just the right size for two gals like us. The Panic Attack Heard Round the Neighborhood would be a good starting point too, since that was the day I stopped going to real school.

But this story isn’t about Mom’s bakery or about homeschooling or even about Dad. This story is about magic. So I guess that’s where it should start.

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