by Abby Johnson SLJ November 2020
For binge-watching students, these novels serve up related content - and a break from screens.
Upside Down Magic, Disney+, TV-PG, Streaming now.
Based on Sarah Mlynowski's middle grade book series, this movie, set in the Sage Academy for Magical Studies, puts a funny spin on magic school. Thirteen-year-old protagonist Nory and other students who have "upside-down magic" and don't conform are relegated to classes in the basement.
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Bayou Magic by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Grades 3-6 When 10-year-old Maddy visits her grandmother in the Louisiana bayou, she discovers that she has family magic deep inside her that could help to protect her beloved bayou from disaster.
The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris
Grades 3-5 Although the magicians in this series deal in stage magic rather than witchcraft, this fun adventure tale brings together a group of oddball kids to catch a town criminal. Readers who love the camaraderie of the upside-down students will enjoy meeting these magical misfits, too.
The Witches, HBO Max, PG, Streaming now.
Roald Dahl's middle grade 1983 fantasy novel about a boy and his grandmother facing off with the Grand High Witch gets an updated cinematic take in this movie starring Octavia Spencer and Anne Hathaway. This adaptation is set in Alabama in 1967.
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The Witches: The Graphic Novel by Roald Dahl
Grades 3-6 In present-day London, an 8 year old orphan learns all about witches from his funky grandmother: they wear regular clothes, live among ordinary people, an hate kids. While staying at a seaside hotel, the boy and his grandmother encounter a witch convention - and try to thwart their plot to turn all the children in the world into mice.
The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
Grades 3-6 After the death of their parents, the Baudelaire orphans must stick together through a series of unfortunate events, while their appointed guardian seems to be willing to do anything to get his hands on their fortune.
Castle Hangnail by Ursula Vernon
Grades 4-6 In this whimsical tale, 12-year-old witch Molly assumes the role of wicked witch at Castle Hangnail, undertaking a variety of evil tasks in order to preserve the magic in the castle.
Flunked by Jen Calonita
Grades 4-7 Twelve-year-old Gilly steals to help her family get by, but when she's caught, she's sentenced to three months at Fairy Tale Reform School, where all her teachers are former villains, including the Big Bad Wolf and Cinderella's wicked stepmother.
The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste
Grades 4-7 Corinne doesn't necessarily believe in the jumbies, creatures said to haunt the mahogany forest near her village. But when she wanders into the forest in search of her stolen necklace, it turns out the jumbies might be more real than she thought.
A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
Grades 4-8 Readers who enjoy darkly humorous, scary fantasy will like this gruesome retelling of Hansel and Gretel. This one's not for the faint of heart but will enthrall readers who crave a shiver down their spine.
Enola Holmes, Netflix, PG-13, Streaming now.
This Netflix film adaptation of the middle grade series by Nancy Springer stars Sherlock Holmes' little sister, who is determined to solve the mystery of her missing mother.
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Murder is Bad Manners by Robin Steven
Grades 4-7 Hazel Wong and her classmate Daisy Wells start a two-girl detective agency. It's all fun and games, until Hazel discovers the body of their science teacher in the gym. With its 1930s setting and strong girl leads, this will appeal to fans of period pieces and female sleuths.
Unstoppable Octobia May by Sharon Flake
Grades 4-7 Octobia May is convinced that the new tenant in her aunt's boardinghouse is a vampire in this page-turning mystery set in the 1950s.
The Ruby in the Smoke by Phillip Pulman
Grades 7 and up Sixteen-year-old orphan Sally Lockhart gets entangled in a mystery when she learns about a hidden fortune her late father left for her. Readers who appreciate feisty heroines, adventures and 19th century London settings should give this mystery and other books in the trilogy a try.
Shirley & Jamila Save Their Summer by Gillian Goerz.
Grades 3-6 Shirley and Jamila meet at a neighborhood garage sale and start solving crimes in the fast-paced graphic novel. Set in contemporary Canada, this comic balances a friendship story with enough mystery to please fans of girl detectives.
Black Beauty, Disney+, NR, Streaming now.
This contemporary spin on the classic 1877 novel by Anna Sewell stars Kate Winslet as the narrator, a wild mustang who forms a bond with a 17-year-old girl.
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Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
Grades 4-8 Fans of Black Beauty looking for another classic horse story may enjoy this Newbery- Honor winning 1947 novel about siblings hoping to own a wild pony and her colt descended from ponies who survived a Spanish shipwreck on Chincoteague Island generations ago.
Paint the Wind by Pam Munoz Ryan
Grades 4-8 Eleven-year-old Maya moves to her mother's family ranch in Wyoming and bonds with a wild horse after the sudden death of her grandmother.
War Horse by Michael Morpugo
Grades 4-6 This historical novel, set in England during WWII, is narrated by Joey, a horse who recounts his experiences growing up on a farm and serving the cavalry during the Great War. It was made into a movie in 2011.
The Whole Sky by Heather Henson
Grade 4-8 In Kentucky, 12-year-old horse whisperer Sky mourns the recent loss of her mother as he tries to figure out why the mares on her family's farm are falling ill and giving birth to stillborn foals.
The Prom- Netflix, PG-13
This movie musical, adapted from the 2016 Broadway hit, features a star-studded cast in a story about two teenage girls who are forbidden from attending prom together in small-town Indiana, and the troupe of Broadway actors who show up to support them.
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Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story by David Levithan
Grades 8-12 This hilarious musical in novel form about flamboyant Tiny Cooper will appeal to Broadway fans looking for a read that centers queer characters.
It's Our Prom ( So Deal With It) by Julie Anne Peters
Grades 8-12 Queer teens Azure and Luke are given free rein to plan the inclusive prom of their dreams, but their work is complicated by the fact that they both have a crush on the same girl in this lighthearted teen romance.
The Prom by Saundra Mitchell
Grades 8-12 This LGBTQ #OwnVoices novelization based on the musical is a great starting point for fans of the movie. Emma, who is gay and out, is often bullied in her small Indiana high school. Nevertheless, she wants to take her girlfriend, Alyssa, to prom. When the school finds out and objects, Emma posts about it on YouTube, and a couple of Broadway actors appear in the town to show their support.
You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
Grades 8-12 Liz Lightly has always avoided the spotlight. When a scholarship she was counting on fall through, she enters her school's competition for prom queen, hoping to win the prize money for college. Set around a small-town Indiana prom season and starring a queer girl who's thinking about asking another girl to prom, this #OwnVoices novel will appeal to fans of the musical.
Check these interesting titles out and enjoy!
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