JUNEBERRY BLUE

A sentient plant, hereditary magic, and a dilapidated town in the Blue Ridge Mountains set the stage for this folksy story steeped in fairy tales and local history and snaked through with tendrils of magic.

It’s the summer of Andie’s 11th year, which means it’s time for her to face her Test Day, when she’ll demonstrate her family’s gift, one that’s passed down generationally to the eldest girl. Using key ingredients—notably “juneberries picked from the seven old original trees by the spring at true dawn”—she should be able to create a magical, life-changing recipe. For Andie, that means bringing her truck driver father home for good. But fate has other plans for her. Rather than inheriting this culinary gift, Andie finds that instead she can see and hear spirits. These ghosts have deep connections to the once-thriving factory town that’s covered in morning glories and the special soda, Juneberry Blue, that was produced there. When a property developer with dubious intentions makes an appearance, it’s up to Andie (and some otherworldly helpers) to save the town. Though the story has some loose threads and convoluted plot points, it’s charming and moves quickly. Fairy-tale aficionados will delight in the parallels and references to well-known stories peppered throughout. The intermingling of magic with everyday life adds interest, although this element, too, raises some unanswered questions. Most characters are coded white.

Kids save the day in this story filled with mystery, magic, and small-town mythos.