Mia's Golden Bird

Charmed Life #2

by Lisa Schroeder

Four best friends, one lucky bracelet, and an utterly charming new middle-grade series!

Mia loves two things: surfing and photography. When she breaks her foot, she tries to stay busy, making scrapbooks, but she's still bored. Then one day Mia's scrapbooks catch someone's eye: the famous actress Lacy Bell! Lacy likes to go birdwatching with her grandma. She offers to pay Mia to be their photographer. It's perfect -- until the kids at school start gossiping. Mia's glad she has her BFF's charm bracelet -- she's going to need it!

Genres: Juvenile, Childrens, Middle Grade

192 pages, Paperback

First published May 27, 2014

About the author

Lisa Schroeder is the author of more than twenty books for kids and teens. Her latest novel is A NIGHT TO DIE FOR, a YA murder mystery. She lives in Oregon where she works full-time and writes when she can.

twitter: www.twitter.com/lisa_schroeder
instagram: lisaschroeder15

Reviews

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a review of books 1 and 2 in the Charmed Life series.

In Charmed Life, a new paperback series from popular middle grade author Lisa Schroeder, four girls from different backgrounds - Caitlin, Mia, Libby, and Hannah - meet at summer camp and become best friends. At summer's end, they buy a (possibly lucky) charm bracelet as a token by which to remember each other, promising to take turns keeping it throughout the year. When it is her turn, each girl will add a charm to the bracelet which represents her personality. In Caitlin's Lucky Charm, Caitlin takes the first shift with the bracelet, hoping that its luck will help her acclimate to her new school. In Mia's Golden Bird, Mia finds herself laid up with a broken foot and left out of her usual favorite activities, but is surprised when a popular child actress hires her to take photos on her birdwatching expeditions.

The refreshing thing about this series is that the characters are more than just talking heads or stock archetypes. They are fully realized kids with cultural identities, complete backstories and unique interests. The plot of each story is strongly structured, even if the overarching charm bracelet gimmick is a bit unnecessary, and the friendship theme is just perfect for the target age group. Especially enjoyable are the portrayals of different types of friendships between the main characters and their various classmates, acquaintances, and occasionally even adults. Even Mia's unlikely friendship with a celebrity comes across as perfectly believable and natural, because the author takes the time to build the relationship in a way that makes sense and engages the reader.

The Charmed Life series is most appropriate for grades 4 to 6, though the books' appeal may span a wider range. The wholesome friendship-focused storylines will appeal to girls who have enjoyed the American Girl of Today books, the Baby-sitters Club series, and the Allie Finkle series.

[Joel Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter, who I read this with, rates it 20,000 stars out of 5.

[Eve L-A Witherington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mia is the next camp member to get delivery and take care of the charm bracelet the girls bought to share.



After returning home and breaking her leg, the bracelet and her photographs from camp keep her in good spirits as she also meets another teenager with a very different life and helps her mum to keep their cafe open and keeps Mia earning money for them. Despite the friendship issues that arise from the soon well known company she keeps getting out...



This book shows how anyone and everyone can be friends despite anything in the way. It was a good read in that not many young chapter books shows appreciation for nature and birds especially as a hobby but this book included that extremely well in my opinion!

[Miki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mia has a broken leg which means she can't do the things she likes to do which is to surf and play soccer. Her Mom owns a coffee shop and she ends up meeting an actress her age who likes to go bird watching with her grandma. After seeing Mia's photography skills they ask her to come with them bird watching. Can an average girl on a fixed income become real friends with an actress? When you can't do the things your other friends do will friendships survive? I liked this book but I found the main character Mia bratty. Maybe if I were an actual 13 year old she wouldn't be as annoying. Even though Mia was the main character I was more interested in the feelings of Lacey. I enjoyed the ending.

[Shelby]

I really want to read this book and I read the first one it is amazing so I totally recommend her to anyone that is into like friends books because this is the first book is about like a girl and like Kaitlyn is the main character in that book but through the books it likes which is the main character which is I like so in the first book it’s Kaitlyn and the stories about her and like her new school and then when she sends a bracelet they go to camp when she sends it to Mya then Mya‘s book starts and so on so I think that the author did a really great job at😀😃👌🏻👍🏻☺️

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an awesome book! It was about a girl, named Mia going bird watching with an Celebrity, Lacy Bell to earn money for camp. They became really good friends and learned that there is fun things and bad things about being a celebrity.

[Alisa Cummins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as the first book, (Charmed life; Caitlins lucky charm) in my opinion. But it is still really good and different from the other ones.

[Elisa Hoopes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mia likes to surf and play with her friends.

[Ivy-Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book actually wasn't too bad. I thought it was gonna be really different and horrible because of where it's for younger people, but I actually liked it some. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, but I guess it's worth the read.

[Maddie Eggers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this book a 4 star rating. This book is very good. I love how this book shows kids that they don't need to give up even when things are hard. Mia breaks her leg and she cant do what she loves so she does scrapbook and that got her somewhere she never thought she would be.

[Shazzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid second installment. Lisa Schroeder is doing a good job of not making these girls goody-cardboard-cutouts, but complex girls with difficult situations and real lives. Kudos.

[thames cranz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fantastic!

I loved how this book had many ups and downs.It also told a great lesson and story of Mia. This was probably one of the best books I have ever read.

[Jnase1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked the first book better, but still liked this one. Good book about friendship for tween girls.

[Simone S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprisingly less annoying than the first one. I liked Mia allot better than Caitlin and I thought the story progressed well enough. Hope to read the next two books in the series soon. :)

[Manaika Gabriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

pretty nice

[Melissa Nguyen]

i just want to read more i enoy all of the series.

[Jeni · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was awesome

[Isabelle Pittman]

fun and exciting.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good book and It's about this girl missing camp and her friends

[Jakenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was supper good and fun. I never got board.