Wanda Seasongood and the mostly true secret

Gr 3--6--Quick-moving, humorous, and full of adventure, this title takes readers along on a magical quest that perfectly sets the stage for future books in the series. Wanda Seasongood is tired of feeling like an outsider in her family. So when a talking bird, Voltaire, crashes into her window on her 11th birthday with a message for Wanda about a secret that could change her life, the unlikely pair set out together on a journey through the Scary Wood in search of answers. Along the way, they must outwit and outrun all sorts of fantastical creatures--including the boorish groods, the sinister swamp goblin, and a coven of evil witches--who threaten to end Wanda's journey or, even worse, her life. This fast-paced middle grade fantasy draws inspiration from classic fairy tales while feeling wholly original. The creatures that Wanda and Voltaire encounter throughout the Scary Wood are imaginative and memorable, thanks to Lurie's detailed descriptions coupled with Harney's expressive illustrations. Perhaps the most endearing part of this story, however, is the friendship that develops between Wanda and Voltaire, who together have the courage and smarts to overcome every challenge thrown their way. VERDICT Readers will find it hard to put this book down once they start reading and will be excited to find out what's next for Wanda and Voltaire. A great choice for general purchase.--Lauren Hathaway, University of British Columbia

Wanda's 11th birthday begins with a bluebird flying smack into her bedroom window, and then it gets worse.Wanda always tries to be kind and helpful. Still, her parents chastise her and praise Zane, her horrible beast of a younger brother, no matter what happens, even when he spits peas at her across the dinner table. Every birthday she wishes to suddenly become an orphan. It turns out that the bluebird, named Voltaire, has a secret message to deliver, but he cannot remember it. On a journey to learn what it is, the two go into the Scary Wood among all sorts of creatures who wish her ill (and frequently almost succeed in doing it). Amid many magical mishaps, transfigurative perils, and a smooch-obsessed frog, Wanda hopes to discover her "true" family. The text is well constructed, containing odd scraps sewn together into an imaginative story quilt. There's a supernatural cast chock-full of familiar types in fiendishly new forms, such as the Groods, chimerically composed of various flora and fauna. Wanda is by turns charmingly flabbergasted and persistently practical but ever well meaning; readers are sure to root for her along the journey. Textual descriptions combine with Harney's cartoon illustrations to establish a largely white cast; in a welcome twist for a genre that too often racializes evil, the dreadful witch has "creamy" skin.This inventive, modern fairy-tale adventure is sprinkled with wry humor. (Fantasy. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.