A SPLIT SECOND

Two girls examine the shifting landscape of their friendship while trying to undo a magical spell.

Elise is celebrating her 12th birthday at a fall carnival with her two best friends, Melinda and Ivy, when she sees Cora, someone she used to be close to. Cora tries to speak to her, but Melinda and Ivy pull Elise away. As the three girls settle in for a birthday sleepover, Elise’s mom gives her a bag that was left on their porch. Inside is a box containing a beautiful necklace with a silver locket that reveals a tiny clock. When Elise wakes up, she finds that her friends are gone, six months have passed, and she can’t remember anything since October. She arrives at school, only to find that Melinda and Ivy are mad at her but won’t say why. She also learns that Cora gave her the locket and has an identical one—she missed Elise and used a magic spell that caused them both to time jump. Now the girls must work together to solve the mystery and put things right. Elise and Cora, who are cued Black, have a relationship that feels unevenly developed at times but ultimately solidifies as the plot unfurls and their characters are fleshed out. This story, which will appeal to fans of light magical tales, also thoughtfully delves into the consequences of the social isolation many young people experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A nuanced look at middle school friendships.