Do you like to step outside your comfort zone? I mean, it's called a comfort zone for a reason, right? Because you've found something that works for you, so why change? Today, I decided to not only step outside my zone, but to blow my comfort zone up completely. Today, I am reviewing a middle grade book.
So what's the big deal, you might ask? Well, let's start with the fact that I don't have children (unless you count my two cats and we won't go into that.) There was an advanced reading copy of this book going around our group (thanks Annie!) and I decided, What the heck?
Hailey Twitch is a normal seven-year-old girl. Sort of. While she loves pink sparkly pencils and bending the rules, she also has a secret. She's friends with Maybelle, a sprite that's visible only to her. And Maybelle is on a special mission to help Hailey have fun. The problem is that Maybelle keeps getting Hailey into trouble.
Hailey likes having Maybelle around, but soon things are a big mess. She's about to lose her newest friend at school and she finds herself being blamed for everything Maybelle does. Can Hailey keep her secret, even if it means losing her friends?
I found this book quite charming. There is such an innocence in the characters and the story. This isn't Harry Potter. Maybelle, the sprite, just wants to get back to her job. And Hailey just wants everyone to be her friend. I can see young girls reading and identifying with Hailey (and of course, wanting a sprite of their very own.)
There was only one thing I found mildly annoying - and I will admit this is probably because I'm not seven myself - and that was the word repetition. Throughout the book, words were repeated in threes. I understand that for a seven-year-old, that feature wouldn't be as irritable, but for me it was overdone a bit.
The story ends in a cliffhanger, so there is sure to be another book featuring Hailey coming out soon. This was released in May, so you will find it in the stores.
Hailey Twitch is Not a Snitch by Lauren Barnholdt
I thought this little book was so cute!
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