Ellie Makes Her Move (The Spyglass Sisterhood #1)
by Marilyn Kaye (Author)
A magical spyglass reveals secrets that will bring four girls together in this new series.
Twelve-year-old Ellie is ordinary. Absolutely, positively ordinary. Then her dad's latest community project makes their whole ritzy town, including all of Ellie's friends, turn against them. Tired of being ostracized, Ellie's family moves to the other side of the state to live in a rickety 100-year-old house complete with a turret--and Ellie swears off friendship forever. That is until Ellie explores the turret and discovers an old-fashioned telescope--a spyglass. When she looks through it, the world she sees isn't the same that's out the window. There's a community center that isn't built yet and her new classmate Alyssa flying around on a broomstick! To figure out what the magical images mean, Ellie recruits other self-described loners, Alyssa and Rachel. When they see a vision of fellow student Kiara playing tag with a tiger and a donkey--they have their first real spyglass secret to solve. Each girl will take a turn at the spyglass, confronting fears and sticking up for her peers.
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School Library Journal
Gr 4-8--After 12-year-old Ellie's father's humanitarian project leads to resentment in her hometown, she and her family relocate to Lakeside. Wanting to avoid being hurt like she was by her old friends, Ellie becomes a loner at her new school. But her new house has a fascinating secret: In the attic, an old spyglass shows not just what is, but all kinds of strange things that can't be possible. To figure out what's going on, Ellie recruits some other "loners" at her school, determined to connect with them even when they resist. The writing trots along, making this an immersive, light read. Ellie exhibits admirable traits, but her narration isn't convincing: From the beginning, she emphasizes wanting to be a loner, but almost right away she tries to befriend people. The spyglass presents an intriguing mystery at first but falls to the wayside and functions only as a convenient plot device as the book goes on. At times, the narrative has a clear plot arc; at others, it seems to be aspiring toward a slice-of-life story, and the result is an unresolved ending. VERDICT While the writing style makes this a fun read, kids will feel unsatisfied by inconsistent characters and a failure to develop promising story lines.--Kristin Brynsvold, Tuckahoe Elem. Sch., Arlington, VA
Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV014000 - Juvenile Fiction | Girls & Women
Magic
Moving, Household
Telescopes
