TIDEMAGIC

A young face-changer searches for her father in a town where magic’s power rises and falls like the daily tides.

Searching for her missing parent, Ista has come to Shelwich, where nearly everyone has a Tide-blessing (the name for “any gift that came in with the Tide”), and certain streets can play hard to find. In return for room and board, she uses her ability to assume people’s appearances to steal odd items for a reclusive collector. She falls in with Ruby Mallard, an acrobat whose gift is to always land on her feet, and budding journalist Nat Shah, a rare “no-blessing boy,” to investigate a rash of seemingly random disappearances (including that of Ravi, Nat’s little brother). Ista discovers not only a network of tunnels beneath the streets but also a nefarious scheme to steal an upcoming local election. As a magical, atmospheric urban setting, Shelwich has some appealing quirks, and Harlow populates it with a diverse supporting cast that, along with a trio of doughty and determined young leads, includes both an affectionate same-sex couple and a friendly, if terrifying, giant eel. The author also tucks in secret messages, a magical key, and other clear signs that her intrepid questers’ exploits are far from fully told. Mountford’s lively ink-and-wash-style illustrations adorn the book, adding to the charm. Ista reads white; Ruby appears to be Black, and Nat is cued South Asian.

Brisk action, fiendish political chicanery, and magic with an intriguing twist.