05 Jun / The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd [in School Library Journal]
*STARRED REVIEW
Emma Casey, her brother Topher, and their Granny Blue call the Boneyard Café home. On weekends, Emma conducts tours of the haunted graveyard next door, while Topher warms visitors with his irresistible peach-lavender muffins and famous Boneyard Brew (aka hot chocolate).
When their cozy haven is threatened by a greedy developer, Emma channels her late mother’s promise that the women in their family are destined to be extraordinary. Since the late 1700s, the so-called Wildflowers have each had a “destiny dream” in a field of blue flowers to point the way to becoming a spy, teacher, trapeze artist, inventor, firefighter, or another exceptional path – all of which were recorded in the Book of Days.
Armed with two friends – one old, the other brand-new – a flowery legacy, and a healthy dose of magic, Emma has quite the extraordinary undertaking ahead to save her family’s future.
Verdict: Kate Simses adds the perfect blend of sass and wonder to Lloyd’s latest, making this a charming addition to any middle grade collection.
Review: “Multimedia,” School Library Journal, June 1, 2016
Readers: Middle Grade
Published: 2016