The Magic Half
By Annie Barrows, published 2008
“Magic is just a way of setting things right…”
Magic, time travel, a granny who’s part fairy, and two girls who find each other in different times – this is a magical children’s book. I loved it from start to finish, with it’s simplicity, and terrific dose of magic. The plot involves some clever figuring out, because of the time travel angle. That only adds to the delight as we watch Molly and Miri create a sure-fire method of saving Molly from a dreadful home situation.
I had no idea what would happen at any moment in this children’s book. It reads as if each page is being invented as we turn it. There are a few tense moments but nothing really disturbs the reader, even though it is eventful. There is some element of history in the book, as we travel back to another time. However, the historical fiction element is not the real point of the story. The real point is making connections between people, and finding yourself reflected in another.
Most of all, I loved the ending. Not at all what I would have expected. The ending is – pure magic. Setting things right.
