Polly Diamond and the Magic Book

Gr 1–3—Polly Diamond has a great sense of adventure and an imaginative spirit: think Gooney Bird and Judy Moody rolled into one. Polly is about to get a new sibling. On the day her mother goes into labor, Polly receives a blank journal with amazing powers. Not only can the book write back to Polly, but it has the power to make her written hopes come true. The magical book turns her bedroom walls into an aquarium, makes her invisible, and transforms her little sister into a banana. All is not fun and magical games, however. Polly needs to resolve the problems that arise from too much magic. When the magical journal takes a very literal turn, Polly finds herself in a predicament that requires a good deal of careful writing to resolve. The energy of the writing keeps the pages turning, though the sophistication of some elements of the story may keep the audience rather limited or require an adult to read aloud and explain. Polly, as depicted on the cover and in interior illustrations, is brown-skinned, though her race and ethnicity are not mentioned in the text. Illustrations on nearly every page add visual appeal and will motivate new readers.