The magic of Magnolia Moon by Edwina Wyatt. Illus. by Katherine Quinn
The Magic of Magnolia Moon is Edwina Wyatt's latest lyrical treasure of a book. In this book we follow the dreamy and tender story of Magnolia Moon who is now a year older than in the previous book, The Secrets of Magnolia Moon, an honour book in the 2020 CBCA Awards. The Secrets of Magnolia Moon was about Magnolia's ninth year.
The Magic of Magnolia Moon sees Magnolia facing up to change in her life at age ten. She is entering year five and wanting to make a good impression. She still has her two good old friends (Imogen May and Casper) although things are changing. Imogen May has moved to a new school and makes a new friend. Magnolia still has quirky Casper as her friend and her world is still a magical construct. At home she feels a little invisible because of her busy parents and demanding baby brother and at school likewise she feels invisible. It is clear though that she is surrounded by love and gentle, unconventional characters - particularly her grandmother. In The Secrets of Magnolia Moon, Magnolia's imagination and fantasising is influenced by the book of Greek myths that her grandmother had given her. In The Magic of Magnolia Moon, her inspiration is drawn from a book of fairy tales. The magic that Magnolia finds is in inanimate objects that become animated in her mind like the grumpy grandfather clock. She finds magic everywhere in nature and of course she is still on regular speaking terms with the moon. When her love of magic is challenged by a disparaging girl at school, she comes to the conclusion that that girl's life was empty and poor without magic.
Magnolia is a joyful soul who puts a positive spin on everything. There is a gentle sensibility about Edwina Wyatt's writing. Multiple layers of wisdom shine from the pages of stories that seem at first glance light and trippy. Magnolia finds that..."It was a kind of magic how the things you really needed found you anyway, without you even knowing it. A quiet sort of magic that happened in between the wanting and getting."(p.111) Through Magnolia, the reader learns that time is important. She takes the time to notice and collect small things and frequently speaks of the relativity of time using analogies like a second being a lifetime if you are a bubble.
Magnolia and her friends play games, make wishes, ask lots of questions and play make believe. It is refreshing to know that books still exist that invite children into a safe and innocent world of wonder. It is increasingly important that children have this style of book read to them as an antidote to the confronting issues with which they are faced today. Edwina Wyatt's books send the message that it is ok as a ten year old to be sweet and playful. You don't have to grow up so fast. You can still hang upside down from a wishing tree with your friends. There are undercurrents in the book that children might want to talk about like the fact that Reuben's parents have split up but the magic spun in this book is positivity.
Wyatt has written another book this year called Tish. It is equally delightful and loved by the children. Those who love the books of Katherine Applegate, Kate Di Camillo and Sara Pennypacker will equally enjoy Katherine Wyatt as a writer.
Themes: Friendship, Secrets, Magic in everyday and everything.
Wendy Jeffrey
