Wizardmatch

Gr 3–6—Lennie Mercado and her brother Michael have weak magical powers inherited from their mother. They love practicing and competing to see who can stay invisible the longest. They know they come from a wizarding family, but have recently discovered that their Poppop, Prime Wizard of Pomporromp, is ready to choose a successor using a magical competition called Wizardmatch. The winner will become the next Prime Wizard and the keeper of the most powerful of the family's magic. Lennie knows she'll be competing for the title against Michael and many of her cousins, but she's certain she's a shoo-in for the job. Upon arrival at the Castle, the Mercados and their cousins find out that their arrogant, childish grandfather is changing the rules of Wizardmatch, and no one is happy. When Lennie realizes her chances at being Prime Wizard have just shrunk to almost zero, she decides to find another way to get Poppop's attention. Lots of campy humor, puns, and wordplay should make this a fun read for the upper elementary set. The plot is paced well and younger kids will delight in all of Pomporromp Castle's creatively imagined magical oddities, like the Jelly Floor, the Garden of Goulash, and a pool made of chocolate pudding. There is a strong emphasis on gender equity which gets a bit didactic and heavy-handed, and while Lennie is described as half-Filipino, that is never really explored beyond several offhand mentions.