The Magician Next Door by Alice McKinley, Rachel Chivers Khoo
Published by Candlewick Press ISBN: 1536241970
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Fiction
Goodreads

Callie is still in mourning for her mother and the life her family lived in London. Her father has taken a new job in a remote area of Northern Ireland and she can’t even muster the energy to unpack. Even worse, her neighbor Sam wants to be her friend. One night a house, yes a house, lands in her back yard. Upside down. Callie spies a strange woman and then the woman and the house disappear. It turns out that the house is inhabited by a magician named Winnifred who is attached to her house. When she wants to go somewhere new, the entire house relocates. Something went awry on this latest trip and not only did the house land upside down, but Winnifred’s supply of wanderdust has been depleted. It turns out that Callie’s sadness may have zapped the house of the wanderdust and Callie feels she needs to make things right. With the help of Sam and his knowledge of the geography and creatures of their region, they set off to make things right. This is a book about magic and the healing power of place and friends. Kids who love fantasy with silly witches, mostly clueless adults, and children who save the day will enjoy this book. More of an elementary than a middle grade read and a little formulaic.

Reviewed by Karen Sandlin Silverman, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham