The Root of Magic

Gr 5–7—Twelve-year-old Willow, her sick brother Wisp, and their mother are driving home from a hockey game in a blizzard when they are left stranded in the snow and mysteriously rescued by two townspeople from Kismet, ME. With no cell phones and no way out, Willow's mother begins to panic about Wisp, whose undiagnosed illness means frequent visits to the hospital and constant risk of death. While her mother frets, Willow notices strange things about the town. The innkeeper knows to set out an extra cot in Willow's room for Wisp before she has even met them, and the cook at the diner seems to have their food ready for them before they even order. It is not until Willow's worried mother becomes overly confident that Wisp will be okay that Willow seeks the truth about Kismet. This book attempts to answer questions about free will but often falls short. Though readers will sympathize with the choices Willow and her mother must make, other characters lack depth—particularly Wisp, who feels more like a plot device than a fully developed character. While it takes Willow time to guess Kismet's secret, readers will be quick to figure out the twist.