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Reading age
8-12
Genre
Fantasy (GN)
Publisher
HarperAlley
Publication date
May 23, 2023
It’s up to one girl to fix a spell that might harm the town.
Shakti, a 12-year-old girl, has moved to Amherst, Massachusetts, with her moms. It’s not the first time they had to move because of her moms’ jobs. On top of that, Shakti will be a big sister soon; her mother, Terri, is expecting a child. So, as Shakti is settling in, something is happening at school; the teachers seem to disregard what bad things HEK (the mean girls at school; it stands for Harini, Emily, and Kelly) is doing. HEK has the whole school under an evil spell, and soon they will try to control the entire town. Will Shakti, with her friend’s help, stop them before it’s too late?
I learned a new Indian mythology story from this book, and I loved the little interludes that explain myth and magic. I liked the colorful drawings, and Kali Ma’s design is superb. I could relate to the moving part since I was born first in Illinois, then moved to Colorado at 1 yo, then moved to Tennessee before I started 3rd grade because of my dad’s job.
Shakti is a kindhearted individual and a powerful witch. Her moms are brilliant, and the HEK are pretty unkind girls. She is also a manga fan (Femme Magica).
Give this book to an Indian Mythology enthusiast who loves an excellent semi-realistic fiction story.
My rating
