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27 Magic Words
An irrepressible eleven-year-old with a vibrant imagination must reconcile her fantasies with reality in this beautifully written novel about facing the future.
Although Kobi's parents sailed into a storm at sea five years ago, she knows they are alive. If she says "Avanti!" she can see them. Now that her life is being turned upside down again, she will need the magic words her mother left behind more than ever. Instead of living with wealthy Grandmamma in Paris, Kobi and her sister will temporarily stay in Des Moines, Iowa. There, the girls will, as Uncle Wim puts it, "live like normal kids for a change." To fit in at her new school Kobi tells lies that soon catch up with her.
In a heart-wrenching climax, she must confront not only the untruths she has told others but the stories she has made herself believe. Only then will she be able to grieve for her parents and move on with her life.
Although Kobi's parents sailed into a storm at sea five years ago, she knows they are alive. If she says "Avanti!" she can see them. Now that her life is being turned upside down again, she will need the magic words her mother left behind more than ever. Instead of living with wealthy Grandmamma in Paris, Kobi and her sister will temporarily stay in Des Moines, Iowa. There, the girls will, as Uncle Wim puts it, "live like normal kids for a change." To fit in at her new school Kobi tells lies that soon catch up with her.
In a heart-wrenching climax, she must confront not only the untruths she has told others but the stories she has made herself believe. Only then will she be able to grieve for her parents and move on with her life.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published July 30, 2016
6 people are currently reading
515 people want to read
About the author
Sharelle Byars Moranville
10 books30 followersWhen I was a kid, I wanted to be an engineer--and some days still do. But I love being a writer and teacher of creative writing. I live on a small acreage with my husband in the midwest and am devoted to gardens and grandchildren. I spend most of my time helping things grow: ideas into stories; seeds into flowers; grandbabies into miracles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
June 12, 2020
4.5 stars
I was surprised what a wonderful story this turned out to be! Kobi and Brook's parents went missing on a cruise nearly 5 years ago and now they live with their Grandmother in Paris. At the beginning I was slightly put off by the way Kobi and the narrator constantly referred to her magician father as The Great Alighieri
When Kobi and Brook go to stay with their uncle in the US whilst Grandma is away they have to go to school and face problems like fitting in and standing up for what's right. There were some really great characters in this book, we loved Sally and uncle Wim and so enjoyed experiencing the girls change of life with them. Norman is a lovely character too. This story covers many problems, bullying, making friends, family relationships, alzheimer's, cancer, OCD, and the loss of a loved one. The sisters relationship was beautifully described and the end of the story was very heartwarming and wonderful to finish on a happy ending that didn't feel forced or tied up for the sake of it.
There are many interesting elements to the story, the characters and their relationships were very absorbing, we wanted this book to be much, much longer. It's age guide was 8-12 yrs, although there's nothing unsuitable for younger children, there are some sad and quite moving parts to the story and this definitely has interest for older readers, there is so much in here for a YA reader. The parts that dealt with illness and loss were very believable. There was sadness but much hope and happiness too, having began the book thinking the magic words were an unneeded extra for the book we enjoyed this element by the end and can see how these helped Kobi at a time when she needed some help.
I was surprised what a wonderful story this turned out to be! Kobi and Brook's parents went missing on a cruise nearly 5 years ago and now they live with their Grandmother in Paris. At the beginning I was slightly put off by the way Kobi and the narrator constantly referred to her magician father as The Great Alighieri
When Kobi and Brook go to stay with their uncle in the US whilst Grandma is away they have to go to school and face problems like fitting in and standing up for what's right. There were some really great characters in this book, we loved Sally and uncle Wim and so enjoyed experiencing the girls change of life with them. Norman is a lovely character too. This story covers many problems, bullying, making friends, family relationships, alzheimer's, cancer, OCD, and the loss of a loved one. The sisters relationship was beautifully described and the end of the story was very heartwarming and wonderful to finish on a happy ending that didn't feel forced or tied up for the sake of it.
There are many interesting elements to the story, the characters and their relationships were very absorbing, we wanted this book to be much, much longer. It's age guide was 8-12 yrs, although there's nothing unsuitable for younger children, there are some sad and quite moving parts to the story and this definitely has interest for older readers, there is so much in here for a YA reader. The parts that dealt with illness and loss were very believable. There was sadness but much hope and happiness too, having began the book thinking the magic words were an unneeded extra for the book we enjoyed this element by the end and can see how these helped Kobi at a time when she needed some help.
June 18, 2020
I actually read an e-book edition borrowed from the library with an ISBN of either ISBN 978-0-8234-3706-1 (ebook)w or ISBN 978-0-8234-3707-8 (ebook)r.
This was a solid 4 star book from the start for me and then well into the book something happened and it became a 5 star book and for me it turned into a 5 star book. 4-3/4 stars.
I have loved many books and many characters but it’s not typical that I deeply love characters, especially multiple characters, the way I did from this book. Kobi, Wim, Sally, Brook, Norman, Grandmamma, and several others.
I especially loved Kobi from the start. It’s funny how readers approach books from our own perspectives. I immediately understood one thing but guessed wrong in a major way another thing, a thing that should have been obvious, but I know why I misinterpreted what I did. This book inspired me to think about some of my own memories from childhood. I was the “new kid” at school a few times and I could identify closely with Kobi’s experiences at her school.
I loved the subplot with Wim and Sally and their relationship, and loved Wim’s chosen profession & lifestyle and the gardening and the gardening plan.
Nothing in this book rang false to me. It’s a lovely story about loss and grief and coping and love. It’s a lovely sister story. It’s a sad but not a depressing story and there is happiness and fun and humor too, so it’s not at all too dark despite the subject matter. All the adults and all the children seemed like real people. They are good people and it was comforting to read about them, even though not all of them always exhibit good behavior.
I think the story brilliantly captures the psychology of 5 to 10 year old children and their psychology and shows some possible ways they deal with difficult emotions and life circumstances.
It would be a great bibliotherapy book for many children, particularly those with OCD or other mental health challenges, those suffering the loss of a parent or parents, kids who know someone close to them with dementia, kids who like art or writing or gardening or or collecting or math (and kids who don’t like math too) and also for kids who must move to a new home and/or new school, children who’ve suffered any sort of trauma or loss, and all children 8-12 and older readers able to enjoy an excellent children’s book.
I loved it. Thank you to Goodreads friend Hilary whose review and especially recommendation motivated me to read it as soon as I could.
This was a solid 4 star book from the start for me and then well into the book something happened and it became a 5 star book and for me it turned into a 5 star book. 4-3/4 stars.
I have loved many books and many characters but it’s not typical that I deeply love characters, especially multiple characters, the way I did from this book. Kobi, Wim, Sally, Brook, Norman, Grandmamma, and several others.
I especially loved Kobi from the start. It’s funny how readers approach books from our own perspectives. I immediately understood one thing but guessed wrong in a major way another thing, a thing that should have been obvious, but I know why I misinterpreted what I did. This book inspired me to think about some of my own memories from childhood. I was the “new kid” at school a few times and I could identify closely with Kobi’s experiences at her school.
I loved the subplot with Wim and Sally and their relationship, and loved Wim’s chosen profession & lifestyle and the gardening and the gardening plan.
Nothing in this book rang false to me. It’s a lovely story about loss and grief and coping and love. It’s a lovely sister story. It’s a sad but not a depressing story and there is happiness and fun and humor too, so it’s not at all too dark despite the subject matter. All the adults and all the children seemed like real people. They are good people and it was comforting to read about them, even though not all of them always exhibit good behavior.
I think the story brilliantly captures the psychology of 5 to 10 year old children and their psychology and shows some possible ways they deal with difficult emotions and life circumstances.
It would be a great bibliotherapy book for many children, particularly those with OCD or other mental health challenges, those suffering the loss of a parent or parents, kids who know someone close to them with dementia, kids who like art or writing or gardening or or collecting or math (and kids who don’t like math too) and also for kids who must move to a new home and/or new school, children who’ve suffered any sort of trauma or loss, and all children 8-12 and older readers able to enjoy an excellent children’s book.
I loved it. Thank you to Goodreads friend Hilary whose review and especially recommendation motivated me to read it as soon as I could.
July 8, 2020
Rating: 3.5
Kobi’s father, the Great Alighieri, is a “razzmatazz” magician, the type that pulls rabbits out of hats; her mother is a literary one, using words to “create characters” and to make those characters do “exactly what she wants them to.” After mornings at school, five-year-old Kobi spends afternoons resting near her mother who busily works at her writing. Occasionally the woman passes along Post-it notes to the child. Each square of paper has an unusual word jotted on it. Before long, the little girl has a collection of twenty-seven words, all with their own special power. Kobi learns that when she uses a flower word lost things can be retrieved; another word can ensure that people important to her return home safely; yet another makes things glow. Sadly, Kobi hasn’t discovered the magic in all of the words when her parents mysteriously disappear. They leave on a sailing trip to the South Seas, but something goes very wrong. Kobi will eventually be able to use a word that will let her see her mother and father—and be comforted.
Five years after her parents have vanished, Kobi and her older sister, Brook, are living with Grandmamma in her stylish Parisian apartment. We learn that while Kobi has her words, Brook has rituals—obsessive-compulsive ones related to numbers—to keep her safe. The girls are well-cared for, but they’re unsettled. Kobi, in particular, longs to be reunited with her parents. Eventually, with their grandmother about to marry, the two travel to Des Moines, Iowa to live with kindhearted, slightly eccentric Uncle Wim, their mother’s younger half-brother. Wim’s girlfriend, Sally, and her “dotty” mother, Patricia, an artist famous for her installations and her creative exploration of transience, also figure prominently.
Having lived many years with older people in France and having been tutored at home, the sisters have to make challenging adjustments to their new American life with Uncle Wim. Kobi has a particularly hard time getting used to school and grade-five classroom politics. Because she’s younger, Kobi can’t attend the middle school her sister does. For the first time in her life, she’s not part of a pair. Gauche, oddly dressed —and essentially an object to be mocked by the class’s queen bee and her sidekick—Kobi is befriended by an imaginative, eccentric boy. However, even his support isn’t enough. She is troubled to find herself lying and embroidering stories about her family and friends in order to cope. Ultimately, things come to a head for Kobi. Circumstances force her to confront important truths she’s been hiding from.
Sharelle Byars Moranville has packed a great deal into her short, quirky novel for middle-grade girls. At first I thought this book was akin to Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. In tone, it also reminded me of Canadian children’s writer Polly Horvath’s novels, including Everything on a Waffle. However, the novel moves in directions I didn’t anticipate. In the end, as much as I admired Moranville’s creativity and her ability to address more serious themes with a light and playful touch, I did not warm to the book quite as much as I expected to. Even so, I think this is a quality piece of writing that deserves an audience.
Kobi’s father, the Great Alighieri, is a “razzmatazz” magician, the type that pulls rabbits out of hats; her mother is a literary one, using words to “create characters” and to make those characters do “exactly what she wants them to.” After mornings at school, five-year-old Kobi spends afternoons resting near her mother who busily works at her writing. Occasionally the woman passes along Post-it notes to the child. Each square of paper has an unusual word jotted on it. Before long, the little girl has a collection of twenty-seven words, all with their own special power. Kobi learns that when she uses a flower word lost things can be retrieved; another word can ensure that people important to her return home safely; yet another makes things glow. Sadly, Kobi hasn’t discovered the magic in all of the words when her parents mysteriously disappear. They leave on a sailing trip to the South Seas, but something goes very wrong. Kobi will eventually be able to use a word that will let her see her mother and father—and be comforted.
Five years after her parents have vanished, Kobi and her older sister, Brook, are living with Grandmamma in her stylish Parisian apartment. We learn that while Kobi has her words, Brook has rituals—obsessive-compulsive ones related to numbers—to keep her safe. The girls are well-cared for, but they’re unsettled. Kobi, in particular, longs to be reunited with her parents. Eventually, with their grandmother about to marry, the two travel to Des Moines, Iowa to live with kindhearted, slightly eccentric Uncle Wim, their mother’s younger half-brother. Wim’s girlfriend, Sally, and her “dotty” mother, Patricia, an artist famous for her installations and her creative exploration of transience, also figure prominently.
Having lived many years with older people in France and having been tutored at home, the sisters have to make challenging adjustments to their new American life with Uncle Wim. Kobi has a particularly hard time getting used to school and grade-five classroom politics. Because she’s younger, Kobi can’t attend the middle school her sister does. For the first time in her life, she’s not part of a pair. Gauche, oddly dressed —and essentially an object to be mocked by the class’s queen bee and her sidekick—Kobi is befriended by an imaginative, eccentric boy. However, even his support isn’t enough. She is troubled to find herself lying and embroidering stories about her family and friends in order to cope. Ultimately, things come to a head for Kobi. Circumstances force her to confront important truths she’s been hiding from.
Sharelle Byars Moranville has packed a great deal into her short, quirky novel for middle-grade girls. At first I thought this book was akin to Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. In tone, it also reminded me of Canadian children’s writer Polly Horvath’s novels, including Everything on a Waffle. However, the novel moves in directions I didn’t anticipate. In the end, as much as I admired Moranville’s creativity and her ability to address more serious themes with a light and playful touch, I did not warm to the book quite as much as I expected to. Even so, I think this is a quality piece of writing that deserves an audience.
August 29, 2016
*Thank You To The Publisher For This Review Copy*
I would give this book a million stars if I could!!
It was spectacular! <3 <3
Because of her mother, a writer, and her father a magician, Kobi has grown up learning that words are magic!
But a few years later, they go on a boating trip and never return!
Kobi and Brooke adjust to their life in Paris. But gets turned upside down when her grandmother tells her and her sister Brooke they will be living with their Uncle Wim in Des Moines, Iowa.
Staying there until Christmas, both Brooke + Kobi must adjust to their new life.
Brook suffers as well from not only the loss of her parents, but from constant worry over her sister Kobi by making herself feel safe through obsessive compulsive behaviors!
So she turns to the 27 Magic Words her mother wrote to her on post its some years ago to comfort her in difficult situations from learning about her grandmother's illness, adjusting to her older sister becoming more independent & facing the truth about the whereabouts of her parents.
But one special word "Avanit!" gives her the opportunity to see her parents on a small island, where she believes they are stranded and finding a way to come home!
The writing style is whimsical and delivers a certain magic but never takes the reader out of the story. The plot keeps the reader connected not only to Kobi's journey from beginning to end, but also all the main/supporting characters that are written with such depth.
The true magic of this novel is not only through the rich characters and the beautiful writing style, but also the captivating plot that discusses grief, family, and the trials and tribulations of growing up!
I would give this book a million stars if I could!!
It was spectacular! <3 <3
Because of her mother, a writer, and her father a magician, Kobi has grown up learning that words are magic!
But a few years later, they go on a boating trip and never return!
Kobi and Brooke adjust to their life in Paris. But gets turned upside down when her grandmother tells her and her sister Brooke they will be living with their Uncle Wim in Des Moines, Iowa.
Staying there until Christmas, both Brooke + Kobi must adjust to their new life.
Brook suffers as well from not only the loss of her parents, but from constant worry over her sister Kobi by making herself feel safe through obsessive compulsive behaviors!
So she turns to the 27 Magic Words her mother wrote to her on post its some years ago to comfort her in difficult situations from learning about her grandmother's illness, adjusting to her older sister becoming more independent & facing the truth about the whereabouts of her parents.
But one special word "Avanit!" gives her the opportunity to see her parents on a small island, where she believes they are stranded and finding a way to come home!
The writing style is whimsical and delivers a certain magic but never takes the reader out of the story. The plot keeps the reader connected not only to Kobi's journey from beginning to end, but also all the main/supporting characters that are written with such depth.
The true magic of this novel is not only through the rich characters and the beautiful writing style, but also the captivating plot that discusses grief, family, and the trials and tribulations of growing up!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2016
Kobi knows that her parents are still alive. When they sailed off on a two month adventure five years ago and didn’t return, Kobi was still able to see them when she used the magic word “Avanti!” It is one of 27 words that her writer mother gave her when she was little and told her were magical. Kobi and her older sister lived with their grandmother in Paris but now are heading to Des Moines, Iowa to go to school for a few months and live with their Uncle Wim. As Kobi tries to adapt to her new environment, she finds herself telling lies defensively as her classmates ask her questions. As the lies begin to catch up with Kobi, she is forced to realize that she has been lying to herself as well.
Moranville has written a book that is a blissful read. She uses small moments to speak to larger issues, captures details that bring the world she has created fully alive. There is Norman who wears clothes to blend in and not be noticed. There is Kobi’s older sister who is struggling with OCD. The entire family fills the pages with art, gardens, food and color. It is a beautifully built world.
The writing throughout the novel is exceptional. There are paragraphs that are completely exquisite. This one appears on page 108 and is about a woman struggling with Alzheimer’s:
Ms. Hancock was like a beautiful picture that had been rained on, then driven over by a car, then left under a pile of leaves to be nibbled by squirrels, and the only beautiful bit left was a tiny patch of incredible blue in one corner.
A strong novel that blends grief, lies, loss and the potential for real magic. Appropriate for ages 9-12.
Moranville has written a book that is a blissful read. She uses small moments to speak to larger issues, captures details that bring the world she has created fully alive. There is Norman who wears clothes to blend in and not be noticed. There is Kobi’s older sister who is struggling with OCD. The entire family fills the pages with art, gardens, food and color. It is a beautifully built world.
The writing throughout the novel is exceptional. There are paragraphs that are completely exquisite. This one appears on page 108 and is about a woman struggling with Alzheimer’s:
Ms. Hancock was like a beautiful picture that had been rained on, then driven over by a car, then left under a pile of leaves to be nibbled by squirrels, and the only beautiful bit left was a tiny patch of incredible blue in one corner.
A strong novel that blends grief, lies, loss and the potential for real magic. Appropriate for ages 9-12.
August 23, 2016
This is a moving story for middle graders about dealing with change and coming to terms with reality. This book shows the journey to acceptance of the truth can be complex and messy, not only for the main character, Kobi, but for her whole family who just want her well being. The stories that become sort of secondary plot lines of Grandmamma, the Hancocks, and Uncle Wim deal with the same topic as everyone has things they must come to terms with as their lives change. This book shows beautifully the theme that bad things might happen in life but the way they are handled makes all the difference in how they affect someone. The way the author handles grief, anxiety, and both mental and physical health in such an appropriate way for young readers is touching, but honestly this is not just a book for children. I read this book in all of about 4 hours and it made me cry towards the end.
Making connections between the 27 magic words themselves (some of which I had to look up as an adult with an English degree) to the "magic" Kobi thinks they produce is a good exercise in vocabulary building. Between that and the author's occasional use of less common sentence structure (eg "we're not to do that" vs. "we're not SUPPOSED to do that") young readers will be challenged to think critically about their understanding of the book.
Making connections between the 27 magic words themselves (some of which I had to look up as an adult with an English degree) to the "magic" Kobi thinks they produce is a good exercise in vocabulary building. Between that and the author's occasional use of less common sentence structure (eg "we're not to do that" vs. "we're not SUPPOSED to do that") young readers will be challenged to think critically about their understanding of the book.
June 12, 2016
Ten-year-old Kobi Alighieri has 27 magic words given to her by her mother, a writer, and she uses them to comfort herself. She has become convinced that certain words will have specific results, and that she can see her parents when she says, "Avanti!" When she and her older sister Brook move from their grandmother's Paris home to Des Moines to live with their uncle, Wim, the words help Kobi cope. But she finds American schools confusing, and tells lies about her parents and her neighbors to her classmates in order to impress them and ends up betraying Norman, a classmate who has befriended her when the others made fun of her. Meanwhile, Brook has her own methods of coping with her sorrows and the anxieties caused by a move to a new place. Readers hearts will break as they realize what the truth about the Alighieris and marvel at the coping mechanisms humans use to get them through tragic life events. Clearly, these girls are loved and cherished, even though it might not be by the ones they wish were still by their sides. There are wonderfully subtle hints about the histories that are shared among humans, especially in the case of Grandmamma and Ms. Hancock.
July 18, 2017
I cannot wait for this book's official release so I can start recommending it to my patrons. It's original, whimsical, and very fun. I like the thin line between imagination and perceived reality, which makes this a book suitable for all ages.
I received this book as an ARC.
I received this book as an ARC.
July 20, 2016
A very irrepressible ten-year-old with a vibrant imagination who has a goal to reconcile her fantasies with reality in this beautifully written novel about facing the future.
Although Kobi's parents sailed into a storm at sea five years ago, she knows they are alive. If she says the word Avanti she can see them. Now that her life has been turned upside down again, she will need the magic words her mother left behind more than ever (great read). Instead of living with wealthy Grandmamma in Paris, Kobi and her sister will temporarily stay in Des Moines, Iowa. There, the girls will, as Uncle Wim puts it, live like normal kids for a change. To fit in at her new school Kobi tells lies that soon catch up with her, very, very interesting... but good!
In a heart-wrenching climax, she must confront not only the untruths she has told others but the stories she has made herself believe. Only then will she be able to grieve for her parents and move on with her life.
Although Kobi's parents sailed into a storm at sea five years ago, she knows they are alive. If she says the word Avanti she can see them. Now that her life has been turned upside down again, she will need the magic words her mother left behind more than ever (great read). Instead of living with wealthy Grandmamma in Paris, Kobi and her sister will temporarily stay in Des Moines, Iowa. There, the girls will, as Uncle Wim puts it, live like normal kids for a change. To fit in at her new school Kobi tells lies that soon catch up with her, very, very interesting... but good!
In a heart-wrenching climax, she must confront not only the untruths she has told others but the stories she has made herself believe. Only then will she be able to grieve for her parents and move on with her life.
September 3, 2016
So sweet and sad
February 14, 2017
I don't read a lot of realistic fiction--they tend toward messy endings I've noticed, and those are totally not my thing--yet, I couldn't put this one down! I am a strong believer in the power of words, this book just made that even more real. The characters, the settings, everything was so strong! I keep on thinking about this. Highly recommend.
Warning:The missing parents influence the plot a great deal and in particular, the actions and reactions of the sisters.
Head's Up: grieving, lying, missing parents, dementia, kissing (haha), bullying, math, (haha), ocd type behaviors, smoking, anger issues, and
Applauding: sister bond, family love, celebration of the arts, reaching out to those in need, gardening, appreciation of other cultures, standing up for what is right, telling the truth, being friends, going through the grieving process, forgiveness
Warning:The missing parents influence the plot a great deal and in particular, the actions and reactions of the sisters.
Head's Up: grieving, lying, missing parents, dementia, kissing (haha), bullying, math, (haha), ocd type behaviors, smoking, anger issues, and
Applauding: sister bond, family love, celebration of the arts, reaching out to those in need, gardening, appreciation of other cultures, standing up for what is right, telling the truth, being friends, going through the grieving process, forgiveness
September 10, 2016
Ten-year-old Kobi Alighieri and her older sister Brook have had a quiet life in Paris with their Grandmamma since their parents disappeared five years ago. They are home-schooled, eat French delicacies, and live in a beautiful apartment. But when their grandmother decides to marry her friend Mr. Gyver and take an extended wedding trip, everything changes. Grandmamma escorts Kobi and Brook to the United States to live with her son Wim. Uncle Wim is nothing like his mother. His house is simple and not particularly clean, and he doesn’t seem to know what to do with two girls. He enlists his girlfriend Sally Hancock to watch them after school, and they meet her mom, a world-famous artist who suffers from dementia. For five years Kobi has relied on twenty-seven magic words on colorful Post-it notes to help her cope with her parents’ disappearance. With so many confusing changes in her life, their magic may not be enough.
27 Magic Words is the best novel I’ve read in a long time. I highly recommend it to children and adults alike.
27 Magic Words is the best novel I’ve read in a long time. I highly recommend it to children and adults alike.
October 21, 2025
The magic in the words that Kobi's mother writes for her—"Avanti," "Frippery," "Carillon"—is in the love of a mother for her daughter and right back. Kobi is five when she gets her magic, written on 27 separate Post-it notes, and the book takes place when she is ten and trying to live with the loss of both of her beloved parents. She evokes the words when she needs them—"Avanti" transports her to an imaginary world in which her parents are happily stranded on a tropical island. "Hogwash" helps her deal with mean girls in her new school after she moves from Paris to Des Moines. Moranville deftly and lovingly takes issues of death, grief and loss and weaves them into a touching story of a girl facing life in big and small ways. I also commend the publisher, Holiday House, and cover artist Victoria Antolini for taking such good care of this book—it is as beautiful to look at as it is to read.
October 18, 2016
In the same vein as Counting by 7's or The Thing About Jellyfish, this is a beautifully written story about Kobi, whose father was an amateur magician and whose mother was an author. Before her parents disappeared on a sailing trip, her mother gave her post-it notes with "magic" words, which she uses to cope with all the bad things that happen after the tragedy of losing her parents. What is so well-done is getting inside Kobi's head, how she really doesn't accept what happened to the point where the reader roots for her "magic" to work. And all of the characters were so well fleshed out. Just loved it!
October 6, 2016
Characters seem older sometimes than the age they are, which sometimes stretched credulity for me. Also, things got tied up a little too quickly and neatly for me. These were minor flaws in an otherwise absorbing story with memorable characters.
October 18, 2016
Beautifully written and surprisingly fun story about a young girl and her sister who must make several adjustments to bad events beyond their control. "To create art that lasted only a little while reminded people to eat soup while it was hot."
October 23, 2016
I couldn't put this book down about 10 year old Kobi coming to terms with the death of her parents. Well-written and takes place in Paris and Iowa. Both places well-described with great characters! I highly recommend this MG book!
October 24, 2016
You will love the MC in this book, as she faces the inevitable changes and losses life brings her. And I'm thinking we could all use a few magic words in our lives. Beautifully written and plotted with a timeless message about love and family.
December 19, 2016
I liked this a lot. It is unique and special and well told. The characters are wonderfully written, and there's a gentle sweetness to it that is really appealing for the depth of emotion of this story.
June 29, 2016
I'm so glad I visited Holiday House's table at ALA and got this little gem of a story. It's very sweet and I loved the bits and pieces of magic in it.
August 29, 2016
An exquisitely written, beautifully crafted bittersweet story.
December 23, 2018
A lovely little story about loss, change and learning to accept both. And to come to terms with the greatest loss of all.
May 27, 2017
What a sweet and enduring book that made a few tears fall and also gave me the warm, wholesome fuzzies that I think are so necessary for middle grade books. ❤️
July 18, 2022
This book was hard to get into, but moved me enough to make me cry. (Insert:What? Like it’s hard? Gif)
I loved all the characters. Especially Norman.
I loved all the characters. Especially Norman.
March 12, 2017
Simple and comforting. A great read for a kid (or adult) who might be going through a tough time.
February 8, 2017
fifth grader kobi's 27 magic words help her through a traumatic life changing event.
February 25, 2017
It has been five years since 10-year-old Kobi's parents disappeared while sailing. She imagines them living on a desert island, and clings to the "magic" words her mother gave her--words like "Avanti" and "freesia" and "dimpling." Her mother knew about words, being an author. She and her older sister, Brook, have been living in Paris with their grandmother. Now, however, Grandma is getting remarried and going on a honeymoon. The girls go to stay with their uncle in the United States. Fitting in is hard. Book has dealt with the loss of their parents by using OCD behavior. Kobi uses her imagination. There are now new people to meet and new circumstances. Maybe it's time Kobi realized the truth about her parents. This is a beautifully-written introspective book that catches at the heart and draws the reader in. I just wish the cover had more kid-appeal.
September 10, 2016
Ten-year-old Kobi Alighieri and her older sister Brook have lived with Grandmamma in Paris since their parents sailed into an ocean storm five years ago. Before their novelist mother disappeared, she gave Kobi twenty-seven magic words written on Post-it notes. Since then Kobi has worked to figure out the special power in each one. The most powerful “Avanti!” takes her to the island where her parents are shipwrecked. Although they can’t see or hear Kobi, their presence comforts her.
Everything changes when Grandmamma and her dear friend Mr. Gyver decide to marry. While they take their wedding trip, Kobi and Brook are to live in Iowa with their half uncle Wimbledon. It’s hard enough that they barely know Uncle Wim, but his home has none of the comforts they’re used to. Instead of being homeschooled, they are sent to separate public schools where they don’t know anyone. Brook, an excellent student, loves school right away, but Kobi hates it. It seems the only way she can fit in is to lie, and, before she knows it, one lie leads to many more.
This is a beautiful, touching novel. The characters are flesh-and-blood real, and their relationships are complex. Kobi and Brook cope with their changing lives in very different ways. Uncle Wim is awkwardly caring in his new role as parent. The secondary characters are as believable as the primary ones and are essential to the page-turning plot.
27 Magic Words is an excellent choice for readers of all ages.
Everything changes when Grandmamma and her dear friend Mr. Gyver decide to marry. While they take their wedding trip, Kobi and Brook are to live in Iowa with their half uncle Wimbledon. It’s hard enough that they barely know Uncle Wim, but his home has none of the comforts they’re used to. Instead of being homeschooled, they are sent to separate public schools where they don’t know anyone. Brook, an excellent student, loves school right away, but Kobi hates it. It seems the only way she can fit in is to lie, and, before she knows it, one lie leads to many more.
This is a beautiful, touching novel. The characters are flesh-and-blood real, and their relationships are complex. Kobi and Brook cope with their changing lives in very different ways. Uncle Wim is awkwardly caring in his new role as parent. The secondary characters are as believable as the primary ones and are essential to the page-turning plot.
27 Magic Words is an excellent choice for readers of all ages.
February 14, 2017
Words are transformative. Avanti!
June 19, 2017
While it took me a little while to get into this story, it is a nice tale and worth the read. I think it wasn't quite what I expected, so that threw me off a bit in the beginning.
I enjoyed Kobi's story once they got to Des Moines, and the descriptions in the book are beautifully done. The last half was much better and the read is perfect for about 5th graders. The sense of loneliness in a new place, and being the new kid will really resonate with many children.
I enjoyed Kobi's story once they got to Des Moines, and the descriptions in the book are beautifully done. The last half was much better and the read is perfect for about 5th graders. The sense of loneliness in a new place, and being the new kid will really resonate with many children.
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