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Big Magic #1
Big Magic
Eleven-year-old Tulsi comes from a long line of women magicians, but her mother has always forbidden her to learn Big Magic. It’s dangerous, thrilling, and powerful – and Tulsi wants it more than anything. But one hot summer’s night, a magic trick goes horribly wrong, and her mother disappears. Only one person can bring her back, and that’s Tulsi.
But first, she’ll have to learn a lifetime’s worth of Big Magic – in just one month. It’s an impossible task, especially when her teacher – her strange grandmother, Sylvie – was long ago banned from doing any Big Magic at all. Tulsi is determined to save her mum, but does she have what it takes? And where, exactly, has her mother gone?
But first, she’ll have to learn a lifetime’s worth of Big Magic – in just one month. It’s an impossible task, especially when her teacher – her strange grandmother, Sylvie – was long ago banned from doing any Big Magic at all. Tulsi is determined to save her mum, but does she have what it takes? And where, exactly, has her mother gone?
320 pages, Paperback
Published May 4, 2022
4 people are currently reading
116 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Armstrong
6 books49 followersSarah was a journalist with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation before writing three novels, Salt Rain , which was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award, 'His Other House' and 'Promise'. Her first novel for kids is 'Big Magic.' http://www.sarah-armstrong
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
April 29, 2022
I’m so in love with this book! Tulsi comes from a long line of women magicians, but her mother has always forbidden her to learn Big Magic. It’s dangerous, thrilling, & powerful – & Tulsi wants it more than anything. But one hot summer’s night, a magic trick goes horribly wrong, & her mother disappears. Only one person can bring her back, & that’s Tulsi. But first, she’ll have to learn a lifetime’s worth of Big Magic – in just 1 month. It’s an impossible task, especially when her teacher – her strange grandmother, Sylvie – was long ago banned from doing any Big Magic at all. I read the last 50 some % of this in 1 sitting. Couldn’t put it down. I loved the magic system/dynamic the author created for this story so much. Every detail was superb. Down to the connection between nature & the world around us, to the ones who came before us. I also loved the idea of the circus-especially it being just magical, & no animals(I’m against animal circuses). I also loved the aspect of….the location(no spoilers! Lol)Tulsi has to go to get her mom. Such an intriguing, thought provoking idea. Had me thinking about my own, & which changes would have led to another “branch” of my life. Tulsi is such a great MC. She is so scared, but willing to do whatever it takes for the ones she loves anyway-true courage/bravery. This is full of family, magic, adventure, & heart. Very atmospheric as well. Tulsi had superb character development/growth. I absolutely loved watching her come into her own. This was action packed/fast-paced in big part to the high stakes/race against the clock aspects. Loved it. I was so happy to see there will be a book 2! I’m so intrigued by things surrounding Tulsi & magic, & other things that happened….can’t wait to learn more, & see what happens next! This comes out May 4th, & I HIGHLY recommend! STUNNING cover by Julia Murray too!💜
August 15, 2022
I love this book! It really shows a connection to the earth that I've never really thought about before. I also met the author, and Sarah is really friendly!
March 17, 2024
Imagine Harry Potter wasn’t English and left in the care of his relatives - The Dursleys.
Imagine instead, a girl named Tulsi, here in Australia. Living with her parents, as part of a circus. But, only females can do magic and, it has to come down your family line. Boys are muggles.
Imagine her mother wanted to protect her, and just like Harry Potter, she hasn’t had the opportunity to learn and practice magic.
Imagine something dreadful happens… Who will be strong enough, brave enough to use BIG MAGIC?!
I loved this book.
For fans of magic and adventure stories and, confident readers aged 7+ years old.
This would make a sensational television show.
Looking forward to diving into the next book: Magic awry
Imagine instead, a girl named Tulsi, here in Australia. Living with her parents, as part of a circus. But, only females can do magic and, it has to come down your family line. Boys are muggles.
Imagine her mother wanted to protect her, and just like Harry Potter, she hasn’t had the opportunity to learn and practice magic.
Imagine something dreadful happens… Who will be strong enough, brave enough to use BIG MAGIC?!
I loved this book.
For fans of magic and adventure stories and, confident readers aged 7+ years old.
This would make a sensational television show.
Looking forward to diving into the next book: Magic awry
December 13, 2022
I was concerned at the beginning that Tulsi might be more in doing the magic than learning the why. I think the theory is important as the practical. You need to know the why.
But a very interesting read. I love the parallel universe and I agree with the theory that every decision creates a new one.
Looking forward to the next book.
But a very interesting read. I love the parallel universe and I agree with the theory that every decision creates a new one.
Looking forward to the next book.
January 3, 2024
I think big magic was a great book. It was very engaging and I wanted to read over and over again. It was very descriptive and it felt as if I were tulsi.
November 8, 2023
De dag dat mijn moeder verdween – Sarah Armstrong
Tulsi’s moeder is goochelaar in een circus. In haar show combineert ze kleine magie – goocheltrucs die iedereen kan leren – met grote magie. Wanneer Tulsi’s moeder grote magie oefent om het circus te redden, verdwijnt ze voor altijd.
Dan ontdekt Tulsi dat ze haar moeder kan redden: door met grote magie naar een parallel universum te reizen. Maar het duurt jaren om dat onder de knie te krijgen, en Tulsi heeft een maand de tijd…
De mooie kleurrijke cover van ‘De dag dat mijn moeder verdween’ spreekt al meteen tot de verbeelding. De illustrator Julia Murray heeft de sfeer goed weten te treffen, want in één oogopslag is duidelijk dat het hier een magisch verhaal betreft waarbij een circus, dieren, een veer en iets wat lijkt op een toverboek een belangrijke rol gaan spelen. Jammer dat er verder geen illustraties in het boek staan.
De schrijfstijl van Sarah Armstrong is prettig en beeldend en ik heb het verhaal dan ook als een film aan me voorbij zien trekken.
Tulsi, het hoofdpersonage van deze nieuwe serie, is een leuke meid, dapper en vastbesloten om haar moeder te redden. Koppig als ze is laat ze zich daar dan ook door niemand van weerhouden. Onbezonnen stort ze zich in een spannend avontuur, waarbij je als lezer op het puntje van je stoel zit.
Het is een mooi afgerond verhaal, waarin toch al verschillende lijntjes uitgezet worden naar vervolgdelen en ik verheug me er dan ook al op om te lezen hoe het verder gaat met Tulsi, haar ouders en beste vriend Kit.
‘De dag dat mijn moeder verdween’ is een spannend en magisch verhaal met volop avontuur en actie voor geoefende lezers vanaf ongeveer 10 jaar en om voor te lezen vanaf ongeveer 8 jaar.
Tulsi’s moeder is goochelaar in een circus. In haar show combineert ze kleine magie – goocheltrucs die iedereen kan leren – met grote magie. Wanneer Tulsi’s moeder grote magie oefent om het circus te redden, verdwijnt ze voor altijd.
Dan ontdekt Tulsi dat ze haar moeder kan redden: door met grote magie naar een parallel universum te reizen. Maar het duurt jaren om dat onder de knie te krijgen, en Tulsi heeft een maand de tijd…
De mooie kleurrijke cover van ‘De dag dat mijn moeder verdween’ spreekt al meteen tot de verbeelding. De illustrator Julia Murray heeft de sfeer goed weten te treffen, want in één oogopslag is duidelijk dat het hier een magisch verhaal betreft waarbij een circus, dieren, een veer en iets wat lijkt op een toverboek een belangrijke rol gaan spelen. Jammer dat er verder geen illustraties in het boek staan.
De schrijfstijl van Sarah Armstrong is prettig en beeldend en ik heb het verhaal dan ook als een film aan me voorbij zien trekken.
Tulsi, het hoofdpersonage van deze nieuwe serie, is een leuke meid, dapper en vastbesloten om haar moeder te redden. Koppig als ze is laat ze zich daar dan ook door niemand van weerhouden. Onbezonnen stort ze zich in een spannend avontuur, waarbij je als lezer op het puntje van je stoel zit.
Het is een mooi afgerond verhaal, waarin toch al verschillende lijntjes uitgezet worden naar vervolgdelen en ik verheug me er dan ook al op om te lezen hoe het verder gaat met Tulsi, haar ouders en beste vriend Kit.
‘De dag dat mijn moeder verdween’ is een spannend en magisch verhaal met volop avontuur en actie voor geoefende lezers vanaf ongeveer 10 jaar en om voor te lezen vanaf ongeveer 8 jaar.
June 14, 2022
Excellent! A really good yarn. Will look forward to 2023 when the next one comes out, and in the meantime will gift it to my nieces who I’m sure will enjoy it as much as me.
April 27, 2022
Eleven year old Tulsi lives and works in a travelling Australian circus with her mum and dad. Tulsi's mum Merry can do "big magic" (actual magic, not tricks) but she refuses to teach Tulsi yet. In desperation to save the failing circus, Merry attempts a disappearing spell - and doesn't come back. Can Tulsi harness the magic in her blood to find her mother... before time runs out?
This is a nice little middle grade read. I definitely loved the Australian circus setting, it's not something you see a lot of in literature! It's like Disney's Brave meets a suburban Aussie showground. There is a definite sense of place in the descriptions and even an acknowledgement of the indigenous land custodians which I thought was good.
The magic system taps into the Welsh heritage of the magic characters and I really liked that too. People often think of Irish Celts when they think of pagan magic, you don't often see Welsh rep. The Welsh language is used for a lot of the spells.
I found the first half a little slow going if I'm honest, I didn't feel super invested. But there is a location shift halfway through that I really enjoyed and the pace and stakes felt more immediately engaging from that point on. The climatic scenes are suitably dramatic and satisfying. The story wraps up nicely, while still dropping a hint or two about the possibility of a sequel (which is indeed coming).
There are some quite interesting "sliding doors" type ideas here, about the ways our choices affect our lives. I can't say I really agree with the book on the extent to which a choice can change who we fundamentally are as people - I found it hard to swallow that Merry and Sylvie would be such vastly different people based on one fork in the road. But I still think it's interesting food for thought.
I can see this one being a good read-together book - the type of book you might read a chapter of aloud each night at bedtime or every day in a classroom setting. It's engaging enough to keep the adult interested as well as the kid, and could prompt some interesting conversations.
This is a nice little middle grade read. I definitely loved the Australian circus setting, it's not something you see a lot of in literature! It's like Disney's Brave meets a suburban Aussie showground. There is a definite sense of place in the descriptions and even an acknowledgement of the indigenous land custodians which I thought was good.
The magic system taps into the Welsh heritage of the magic characters and I really liked that too. People often think of Irish Celts when they think of pagan magic, you don't often see Welsh rep. The Welsh language is used for a lot of the spells.
I found the first half a little slow going if I'm honest, I didn't feel super invested. But there is a location shift halfway through that I really enjoyed and the pace and stakes felt more immediately engaging from that point on. The climatic scenes are suitably dramatic and satisfying. The story wraps up nicely, while still dropping a hint or two about the possibility of a sequel (which is indeed coming).
There are some quite interesting "sliding doors" type ideas here, about the ways our choices affect our lives. I can't say I really agree with the book on the extent to which a choice can change who we fundamentally are as people - I found it hard to swallow that Merry and Sylvie would be such vastly different people based on one fork in the road. But I still think it's interesting food for thought.
I can see this one being a good read-together book - the type of book you might read a chapter of aloud each night at bedtime or every day in a classroom setting. It's engaging enough to keep the adult interested as well as the kid, and could prompt some interesting conversations.
April 12, 2022
"Maybe you can be both fearful and courageous. Actually, maybe it's not possible to be courageous unless you are afraid."
Tulsi loves her life travelling and performing in the circus with her family. But times are hard and the circus is under treat of being closed down. But Tulsi and her family have a big secret, she and her Mum have Big Magic and her Mum has a plan to save the circus by using it to create a new magic trick. But when something goes wrong and Tulsi's Mum vanishes before eyes,Tulsi quickly works out that she is the only person who can bring her back.
But can she learn enough Big Magic in time to go and find her Mum wherever she has disappeared to and bring them both back safely?
I loved this middle grade Fantasy. It is full of magic, family, friends, a young girl finding her courage and strength to dare great deeds and a glimpse into how small decisions can make huge differences in how you life pans out.
This is a wonderful read for anyone who likes to read about real life, with just a touch of magic thrown in.
Big Magic is a perfect example of how a well written middle-grade book appeals to all ages.
Thanks to HardieGrant Childrens for the advance copy of this book to read and review.
Tulsi loves her life travelling and performing in the circus with her family. But times are hard and the circus is under treat of being closed down. But Tulsi and her family have a big secret, she and her Mum have Big Magic and her Mum has a plan to save the circus by using it to create a new magic trick. But when something goes wrong and Tulsi's Mum vanishes before eyes,Tulsi quickly works out that she is the only person who can bring her back.
But can she learn enough Big Magic in time to go and find her Mum wherever she has disappeared to and bring them both back safely?
I loved this middle grade Fantasy. It is full of magic, family, friends, a young girl finding her courage and strength to dare great deeds and a glimpse into how small decisions can make huge differences in how you life pans out.
This is a wonderful read for anyone who likes to read about real life, with just a touch of magic thrown in.
Big Magic is a perfect example of how a well written middle-grade book appeals to all ages.
Thanks to HardieGrant Childrens for the advance copy of this book to read and review.
June 26, 2023
Tulsi’s life in the circus was perfect until the night her mother disappeared. Circus people were her family. They helped each other and stood together in times of trouble. But trouble dogged the circus. It was not making money, and the owner threatened to close it down if it couldn’t make money. That was the night Tulsi saw her mother vanish.
Tulsi’s mother could do big magic, travel between parallel universes, make things and shapeshift but refused to teach Tulsi magic, saying magic law forbade it until she was 16. Desperate to find her mother and bring her back, Tulsi takes magic lessons from her grandmother, who has a history of breaking magic law, doing the wrong thing and making trouble for everyone.
Three weeks have passed, and time is running out for Tulsi to bring her mother back. Can she learn big magic quickly enough, can she travel between parallel universes, and can she find her mother and get back in 24 hours?
I enjoyed the mix of circus life and magic.
Recommended for readers ten years and older.
Tulsi’s mother could do big magic, travel between parallel universes, make things and shapeshift but refused to teach Tulsi magic, saying magic law forbade it until she was 16. Desperate to find her mother and bring her back, Tulsi takes magic lessons from her grandmother, who has a history of breaking magic law, doing the wrong thing and making trouble for everyone.
Three weeks have passed, and time is running out for Tulsi to bring her mother back. Can she learn big magic quickly enough, can she travel between parallel universes, and can she find her mother and get back in 24 hours?
I enjoyed the mix of circus life and magic.
Recommended for readers ten years and older.
May 2, 2022
Tulsi’s adventure to rescue her magician mother Merry was just so enthralling. The use of nature as the energy force for magic was something I really liked and the blend of circus life, parallel worlds and women wielding Welsh language spells was so fun (and edge of the seat tense too).
I thoroughly recommend this book to middle grade readers who love a well paced story about family and identity and finding your inner strength.
I thoroughly recommend this book to middle grade readers who love a well paced story about family and identity and finding your inner strength.
March 31, 2022
Tulsi knows her mum can do "big magic" not just the slight of hand and other tricks of most magicians but real magic. It runs in their family. Tulsi's mum wont teach Tulsi big magic until she is older, so when the new trick Tulsi's mum is practicing in the hopes of saving their circus goes wrong Tulsi 's only hope of bring her mum back is to find her estranged grandmother, Sylvie. Sylvie was stripped of her magic by Tulsi's mum and aunts many years ago for breaking the rules, can Tulsi really trust her now? Does she have a choice?
This is a fabulous, magical story for 9+ readers. Big magic, parallel worlds, and a race against the clock make for an action packed adventure. Tulsi is a great protagonist introducing us to her life in circus travelling around Australia and to the big magic she has to discover in herself to rescue her mum.
This is a fabulous, magical story for 9+ readers. Big magic, parallel worlds, and a race against the clock make for an action packed adventure. Tulsi is a great protagonist introducing us to her life in circus travelling around Australia and to the big magic she has to discover in herself to rescue her mum.
July 18, 2025
An amazing cast of characters bring this story to life. Lots of challenging thought-experiments, perhaps a few too many for one book. No shortage of plot twists and turns to confuse the reader. Perhaps a fold-out diagram and a compass would help a reader keep up.
October 28, 2025
A colourfully fun and imaginative book. I enjoyed the gradual unveiling of what big magic meant and the way Tulsi had to grow into her new role as magician so fast. Many interesting characters snd much fun yet to come.
May 9, 2022
This was adorable. RTC.
January 10, 2023
An exquisite story about love and family, hope and magic. Sarah Armstrong's writing captures beautifully the voice or eleven-year-old Tulsi, and takes the reader on a journey through every page.
October 13, 2025
Het boek moest even op gang komen, maar daarna vloog ik er doorheen. Ik vond het heel mooi om te zien hoe Tulsi zich ontwikkeld en zo veel vertrouwen in haar zelf en in haar kunnen heeft.
April 26, 2023
52 Book club: #37 written in present tense
November 14, 2023
Deze prachtige, kleurrijke en actievolle cover weet direct mijn aandacht te trekken. De cover heeft een illustratie bam een jonge vrouw die boven op een open geslagen boek staat waaruit rook en magie rondom haar kringelt. Daar rond omheen is een circustent, een vos en een bosgebied te zien met een ree. De titel is op sterke wijze in de illustratie verwerkt. Waardoor het totaal een krachtige eenheid vormt. Het is het eerste boek van Sarah Armstrong dat ik ga lezen.
Tulsi en haar vader en moeder werken in een circus. De moeder van Tulsi is goochelaar, waarbij ze in haar show wat magie gebruikt. Op een dag verdwijnt de moeder van Tulsi na het beoefenen van ingewikkelde magie spoorloos. Tulsi is de enige die magische krachten heeft en is daarom de enige die haar moeder terug kan halen. Hiervoor moet Tulsi afreizen naar een paranormaal universum. Normaal duurt het jaren om dit onder de knie te krijgen, maar Tulsi heeft maar één maand de tijd. Zal het haar lukken?
Het is een ongelooflijk vlot, levendig en lekker geschreven jeugdverhaal. Het verhaal is geschikt voor lezers vanaf ongeveer 9 jaar. Sarah Armstrong heeft hierbij goed op woord- en zinskeuze als wel op de inhoud van het verhaal gelet.
Het verhaal is geschreven vanuit de jonge Tulsi die, net als haar moeder, ook magie door haar aderen voelt stromen. Ze is nog geen zestien en daarom wil haar moeder haar nog niet leren hoe je magie gebruikt. Tulsi is enorm goed neergezet. Ik vind het mooi dat Sarah Armstrong het meisje op zo'n pure, eerlijke, kwetsbare wijze heeft neergezet. Hierdoor kan je als lezer gemakkelijk met haar mee het verhaal in gaan.
Het verhaal begint met het plot op de dag dat de moeder van Tulsi verdwijnt, hiermee weet Sarah Armstrong me enorm nieuwsgierig te maken. Vervolgens switcht het verhaal na een aantal weken voordat dit begon en bouwt Sarah Armstrong langzaam toe naar het proloog om daarna ook te weten hoe het verhaal verder gaat. Tulsi en haar vader zetten alles op alles om haar moeder terug te halen uit het parallelle universum. In het verhaal zitten veel verschillende thema's verwerkt zoals het maken van levensbepalende beslissingen, familie, vriendschap, magie en geloof. Het is een fantasierijk, avontuurlijk en spannend verhaal. Er zitten veel plotselinge wendingen en gebeurtenissen in het verhaal waardoor het verhaal moeilijk is weg te leggen.
De dag dat mijn moeder verdween is een enorm fantasierijk, avontuurlijk en spannend verhaal. Het is enorm levendig en vlot geschreven en we volgen het verhaal vanuit de jonge Tulsi die op sterke wijze heeft neergezet. Het verhaal wist me meermaals te verrassen door de wendingen en gebeurtenissen die het nam. Het eindigt redelijk afgerond, maar ik kan niet wachten om van deel twee te gaan genieten.
Tulsi en haar vader en moeder werken in een circus. De moeder van Tulsi is goochelaar, waarbij ze in haar show wat magie gebruikt. Op een dag verdwijnt de moeder van Tulsi na het beoefenen van ingewikkelde magie spoorloos. Tulsi is de enige die magische krachten heeft en is daarom de enige die haar moeder terug kan halen. Hiervoor moet Tulsi afreizen naar een paranormaal universum. Normaal duurt het jaren om dit onder de knie te krijgen, maar Tulsi heeft maar één maand de tijd. Zal het haar lukken?
Het is een ongelooflijk vlot, levendig en lekker geschreven jeugdverhaal. Het verhaal is geschikt voor lezers vanaf ongeveer 9 jaar. Sarah Armstrong heeft hierbij goed op woord- en zinskeuze als wel op de inhoud van het verhaal gelet.
Het verhaal is geschreven vanuit de jonge Tulsi die, net als haar moeder, ook magie door haar aderen voelt stromen. Ze is nog geen zestien en daarom wil haar moeder haar nog niet leren hoe je magie gebruikt. Tulsi is enorm goed neergezet. Ik vind het mooi dat Sarah Armstrong het meisje op zo'n pure, eerlijke, kwetsbare wijze heeft neergezet. Hierdoor kan je als lezer gemakkelijk met haar mee het verhaal in gaan.
Het verhaal begint met het plot op de dag dat de moeder van Tulsi verdwijnt, hiermee weet Sarah Armstrong me enorm nieuwsgierig te maken. Vervolgens switcht het verhaal na een aantal weken voordat dit begon en bouwt Sarah Armstrong langzaam toe naar het proloog om daarna ook te weten hoe het verhaal verder gaat. Tulsi en haar vader zetten alles op alles om haar moeder terug te halen uit het parallelle universum. In het verhaal zitten veel verschillende thema's verwerkt zoals het maken van levensbepalende beslissingen, familie, vriendschap, magie en geloof. Het is een fantasierijk, avontuurlijk en spannend verhaal. Er zitten veel plotselinge wendingen en gebeurtenissen in het verhaal waardoor het verhaal moeilijk is weg te leggen.
De dag dat mijn moeder verdween is een enorm fantasierijk, avontuurlijk en spannend verhaal. Het is enorm levendig en vlot geschreven en we volgen het verhaal vanuit de jonge Tulsi die op sterke wijze heeft neergezet. Het verhaal wist me meermaals te verrassen door de wendingen en gebeurtenissen die het nam. Het eindigt redelijk afgerond, maar ik kan niet wachten om van deel twee te gaan genieten.
August 24, 2024
Late last year, I read Big Magic aloud to my daughter every night and one chapter was never enough. We just wanted more, and each night, we started reading earlier, so we could fit in more chapters.
We enjoyed the engaging characters, the gripping storyline and the magical system that was interwoven with the love of nature. We even liked the spells written in Welsh, although they were a bit tricky to pronounce!
The whole story was a delicious mix of realism and fantasy that we could not put down.
In Big Magic, eleven-year-old Tulsi lives and works in a travelling circus with her mum and dad. (The circus travels along the East cost of Australia, and we loved recognising the places.)
Tulsi comes from a long line of female magicians and her mum does Big Magic (real magic, not circus tricks), but she thinks Tulsi is too young to learn.
Then, one night, a trick goes wrong and her mum disappears. Tulsi is the only person who can rescue her, but to do so, she must learn Big Magic within a month, before her mum is lost forever.
The story starts in the middle of the action: 'The day my mother disappears, the sky is the most dazzling blue I've ever seen it.'
And the excitement doesn't stop. We find out the circus is in trouble, and we want to know if they can save it. Then, Tulsi's mum disappears, and we learn Tulsi must learn Big Magic to rescue her...
Big Magic is perfect for readers who love fantasy that's beautifully layered into a realistic world. As soon as we finished it, we rushed to get the sequel, Magic Awry, which we devoured just as quickly.
Review originally posted on my Instagram @jamiewillisbooks
https://www.instagram.com/p/C3oRG-zSxUK
We enjoyed the engaging characters, the gripping storyline and the magical system that was interwoven with the love of nature. We even liked the spells written in Welsh, although they were a bit tricky to pronounce!
The whole story was a delicious mix of realism and fantasy that we could not put down.
In Big Magic, eleven-year-old Tulsi lives and works in a travelling circus with her mum and dad. (The circus travels along the East cost of Australia, and we loved recognising the places.)
Tulsi comes from a long line of female magicians and her mum does Big Magic (real magic, not circus tricks), but she thinks Tulsi is too young to learn.
Then, one night, a trick goes wrong and her mum disappears. Tulsi is the only person who can rescue her, but to do so, she must learn Big Magic within a month, before her mum is lost forever.
The story starts in the middle of the action: 'The day my mother disappears, the sky is the most dazzling blue I've ever seen it.'
And the excitement doesn't stop. We find out the circus is in trouble, and we want to know if they can save it. Then, Tulsi's mum disappears, and we learn Tulsi must learn Big Magic to rescue her...
Big Magic is perfect for readers who love fantasy that's beautifully layered into a realistic world. As soon as we finished it, we rushed to get the sequel, Magic Awry, which we devoured just as quickly.
Review originally posted on my Instagram @jamiewillisbooks
https://www.instagram.com/p/C3oRG-zSxUK
March 22, 2023
What a cute fun book!
This novel took me on a wonderful adventure through parallel universes, which was quite amazing.
I didn't love this story, because I got too many Harry Potter vibes, meaning "The Chosen One" title just falling into the main characters arms, without them really having to work for it.
Overall a great middle grade read.
This novel took me on a wonderful adventure through parallel universes, which was quite amazing.
I didn't love this story, because I got too many Harry Potter vibes, meaning "The Chosen One" title just falling into the main characters arms, without them really having to work for it.
Overall a great middle grade read.
August 23, 2023
7/10, this was an interesting novel that I read, but nonetheless, I enjoyed it all the way through the book, it didn't even once let me down. The worldbuilding was very unique, because it involved travelling to parallel universes, not much changed in those universes, except how some characters developed differently, but that aspect of the book was still entertaining. All the characters were quite interesting, especially Tulsi, I liked her development as a character, she developed all these magical abilities, that journey sounded familiar, but the author was smart enough to create her own magic system, which involved energy, and speaking Welsh, which added a bit of uniqueness to the main character's development, as well as the book as a whole.
The writing style was quite minimal, and did a lot of telling, rather than showing, but the action packed and fast paced plot more than compensated for that, and the ending of the book was thrilling, yet emotional, because there was a massive battle between characters from two different universes, but after that, a character called Sylvie sacrificed all her magic energy to revive Tulsi's mother, which was quite an experience to read. If you like a middle grade fantasy book, this is the book for you.
The writing style was quite minimal, and did a lot of telling, rather than showing, but the action packed and fast paced plot more than compensated for that, and the ending of the book was thrilling, yet emotional, because there was a massive battle between characters from two different universes, but after that, a character called Sylvie sacrificed all her magic energy to revive Tulsi's mother, which was quite an experience to read. If you like a middle grade fantasy book, this is the book for you.
December 7, 2023
✨ Big Magic is a book that takes steps outside the tropes of children's magic stories to weave in content that can challenge or grow with a young reader.
🎩 At the age of 11, Tulsi's world is her travelling circus home. Her mother Merry's ability to do real "big magic" is a fact of life; as is her mother's frustrating refusal to teach Tulsi, despite her nascent abilities. But when Merry disappears while practising a new trick, Tulsi is the only one who can find her.
🪄 At first things felt a tad predictable: young girl with talent, adults who won't let her grow, a dad who's a bit useless, and a mentor whose motives are suspicious.
💕 But then! Without spoilers, I was impressed with how the story grew. It would be a great conversation starter around the impact of decisions and the parent-child relationship, especially realising parents (and all adults) are people too!
😍 And how gorgeous is that cover. I just want to step inside it.
💛 Note that I'm posting this review after having read the sequel, Magic Awry, in 2023 and I'll be posting a review for that also.
Disclaimer: this book was won in a giveaway with no expectation of review.
🎩 At the age of 11, Tulsi's world is her travelling circus home. Her mother Merry's ability to do real "big magic" is a fact of life; as is her mother's frustrating refusal to teach Tulsi, despite her nascent abilities. But when Merry disappears while practising a new trick, Tulsi is the only one who can find her.
🪄 At first things felt a tad predictable: young girl with talent, adults who won't let her grow, a dad who's a bit useless, and a mentor whose motives are suspicious.
💕 But then! Without spoilers, I was impressed with how the story grew. It would be a great conversation starter around the impact of decisions and the parent-child relationship, especially realising parents (and all adults) are people too!
😍 And how gorgeous is that cover. I just want to step inside it.
💛 Note that I'm posting this review after having read the sequel, Magic Awry, in 2023 and I'll be posting a review for that also.
Disclaimer: this book was won in a giveaway with no expectation of review.
May 29, 2025
Dit was mijn eerste boek met de gedachte dat ik een lezer ga worden. En zie me hier zitten. Ik geniet van elk boek dat ik lees. Ik geniet van elk hoofdstuk. En ik geniet om een lezer te zijn. Het heeft een geweldige magie er in. Plus een goed verhaal. Ook een leuk plot-twist. Het is een geweldige eerste boek voor mijn carrière van een lezer 💖💖💖💗💗💗💗📖📖☺️☺️✨✨✨🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🌸🌸🎀🎀☁️☁️☁️❤️🩹❤️🩹🪄🪄
November 2, 2023
Met veel plezier gelezen, want ik ben altijd wel te porren voor boeken over parallelle universums, maar wel iets te veel op Harry Potter geïnspireerd.
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