A Wilder Magic

In this gentle rural fantasy set in WWII-era Tennessee, Sybaline Shaw attempts to save her family home from destruction by wielding the natural magic that flows throughout the valley. The Tennessee Valley Authority is evicting everyone so they can construct another dam to assist the war effort, drowning the only place Sybaline has ever called home. Determined to stay, Sybaline evades her implied-white family during the move, and, joined by her cousin Nettle, uses magic to keep the rising waters at bay. After a short period of relief, however, the water keeps coming, eventually covering their refuge and trapping them in a bubble under the growing lake. Now they must escape, but magic has a price: using it unwisely will transform them into trees. Sybaline’s yearning for stability and familiarity is relatable, even if her methods prove predictably shortsighted. The relationship between magic, nature, and intent adds a thoughtful level of complexity and cost to this sophomore novel by Brandt (The Wolf of Cape Fen), adding to the poignant blend of loss and optimism as readers empathize with Sybaline’s rebellion against inevitable change. Ages 8-12. 

Copyright 2021 Publisher’s Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 4-6-Sybaline Shaw and her family live in the most beautiful valley in all of Appalachia. In addition to the natural beauty, their home in the gorgeous Smokey Mountains is endowed with magic. When the Tennessee Valley Authority builds a dam (built between 1933 and 1944) that would support the war in which Sybaline's father is fighting, Sybaline and her cousin Nettle decide not to leave their home. With a bit of planning and a few lies, the girls use magic to stay. The warm, tingly magic that Sybaline feels comes with its own rules, however. If used in ways that are contrary to nature, the magic turns people into trees-several family members have experienced that firsthand. As the girls seek to protect their way of life they are joined by Nettle's little sisters, and a curious boy whose father has helped build the dam. But the water bubble in which they find themselves is not at all what they thought it would be and they must use magic to get out. The children's escape is fast-paced and compelling as Sybaline and Nettle find themselves changing into a laurel tree and ginseng root until they reach the surface. Eventually, the girls learn that home is more than a place and that sometimes change isn't all bad. Lush descriptions of the valley and its slow underwater deterioration create a strong sense of place and build tension. Characters are likable and the action is quick. Sybaline and her family are cued as white. VERDICT A highly readable look at family, home, and the importance of being true to oneself. For general purchase in school and public libraries.

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.