Don't Expect Magic Book Review

Title: Don't Expect Magic
Author: Kathy McCullough
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: November 8, 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0385740128

256 pp.

Reading copy via author

Kathy McCullough, author of Don't Expect Magic, donated the paperback copy of this book to the public library where I work. My supervisor gave it to me to read to evaluate whether or not we should include it in our YA collection, since we already have the hardcover edition our JTeen collection. The difference between our YA and JTeen collections is, generally speaking, the difference between high school and middle school. Although there is some overlap, anything with "racier" content is in YA. John Green is in YA. Ellen Hopkins is in YA. You get the picture.

Don't Expect Magic is a "clean" read, no bad words, no sex. But I think it has YA appeal, so I'm going to recommend that it be included in the YA collection. Delany Collins is the protagonist of Don't Expect Magic, a high school student who's suddenly transported from New Jersey to too-sunny, too-perfect southern California after her mother dies. Her dad is Dr. Hank, a self-help guru who she's never really spent much time with, and neither one has any idea how to act around the other.

Then Delaney finds out that Dr. Hank is more than just a self-help guru. He is wand-carrying, wish-granting fairy godfather. And Delaney. Can't. Even.

Dr. Hank is convinced that Delaney couldn't possibly have inherited the f.g. gene, but Delaney does. Now all she has to do is grant her first big wish and earn her wand.

Delaney's a fun character, with lots of attitude and snarky humor. There's even a budding romance. Don't Expect Magic a quick read and I would recommend it to readers who enjoyed Cinder by Marissa Meyer or Anya's Ghost by Vera Bosgol.

Don't Expect Magic Book Trailer:

[DISCLAIMER: Kathy McCullough is a friend of a friend of mine. I've never met her, but I hope to someday because she seems pretty cool.]