A TASTE OF MAGIC

Narrator Imani Parks is delightful in a story that emphasizes magic and baking--with recipes. At the age of 12, Kyana Turner learns she's a witch. Black Kyana lives with her hardworking mother and Creole grandmother, Memaw, who suffers from Alzheimer's. Enticing descriptions of the luscious food that the Memaw and Kyana prepare are mouthwatering. Parks's Kyana is endearing and determined, while Memaw's beautifully rendered kindness and wisdom make her the standout. Magic lessons are thrilling--even enlightening--but Kyana's relationships with her friends are strained because she must hide being a witch. The action mounts when the magic school loses its funding and Kyana uses both magic and baking skills to save it. In the exhilarating conclusion all the local kids pitch in to help. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2022]