Spelling B and the Missing Magic

Spelling B and the Missing Magic (Spelling B #1)

Lexi Connor

Scholastic, 2009

Republished as B Magical: Missing Magic in 2011

$5.99, Paperback

978-0545117364

May 1^st, 2012

Genre: Fantasy

Age: 8+

Description: Eleven-year-old Beatrix (known a B to everyone) is supposed to have her magical powers. Her family is a bunch a really talented witches. When one turns eleven in the magical community one’s powers should awaken. Witches cast spells by saying rhyming couplets. However, every time B tries nothing ever happens. Her family remains hopeful but she’s worried she’s a failure and an embarrassment to her family. When her new teacher, Mr. Bishop, announces the class will participate in a spelling bee she’s excited but nervous at the same time—she’s great at spelling but not in front of everyone. When given the word “chaos” she correctly spells it and the fire alarms all of a sudden go off disrupting class. When the class returns and discovers the prize for the spelling bee—tickets to a hot band concert—are missing everyone is mad. Soon B begins to put two and two together—she spelled “chaos” and the fire alarms went off, right before that she spelled “disguise” as she was thinking about the tickets. Could B actually have spelling magic that literally works only when she spells words?

Opinion: Oh my—this is a cute series! B is a very likable character. The twist of her powers being so rare (spelling words for a spell instead of rhyming) I actually either wasn’t paying much attention or it was a clever twist because I didn’t catch on to the title “Spelling B” until her powers were revealed. I think changing the series title to “B Magical” looses a bit of that cute play on words in the title. The rest of the characters are also well thought out. Her older sister, Dawn, isn’t annoying like most siblings. In fact she actually sticks up for B and helps her with her magical training. Mr. Bishop, the new teacher, turns out to be a mentor from the Magical Society set up to watch B for her magical awakening and then tutor her in her magical studies. He’s a pretty funny character. B also has a best friend, George, and suffers from the “I have a huge secret I can’t tell my best friend” syndrome. A highly recommendable series.