FORTUNE’S MAGIC FARM
by Suzanne Selfors and illustrated by Cátia Chien
Abandoned as an infant, ten-year-old Isabelle lives in Runny Cove, a dreary town where everything is the color of sludge, residents suffer a perpetual cold and nothing grows there except the mushrooms between Isabelle’s toes and the lichen in her hair. One evening Isabelle is given an apple by a friendly sea monster. This out-of-the-ordinary gift triggers a series of fantastical happenings that takes Isabelle far from Runny Cove, to her real family, who run Fortune’s Magic Farm, the place where ingredients used in magic spells and potions are grown. Guided by her Great-Uncle Walnut, Isabelle learns she’s the last tender. “Tenders are special”—they grow things. Tension builds slowly as Isabelle’s family secrets come to light. Soon Isabelle confronts a momentous decision: whether to save Fortune’s Farm or her friends in Runny Cove. Interspersed throughout this droll, plot-driven story are Isabelle’s comical songs and Chien’s spot illustrations. Despite a few threads left unresolved, newly confident readers will cozy up to the tale’s quirky characters and enjoy the many twists and turns of this magical adventure. (illustrations not seen) (Fantasy. 8-12)