Do You Believe in Magic?

"Do You Believe in Magic?" introduces readers to Missy Finn, a 12-year-old girl in 1952 with an unexplained medical condition. On her 13th birthday, a special gift brings magic into her life, transporting her and her parents to the ethereal realm of Vlissingen. There, they are tasked by elves to help rid the land of the tyrannical magician Gvooorat. In present-day Los Angeles, 15-year-old orphan Zach is unexpectedly pulled into Vlissingen after a bullying incident. Missy, Zach, and their growing group must learn to work together, facing danger and discovering that love holds the key to solving their problems. This 308-page adventure is suitable for middle-grade readers (ages 10-14) who enjoy rich fantasy worlds, quests, and themes of courage, friendship, and family. Parents should be aware of themes of bullying and a child's illness, though the latter is resolved magically.

Missy Finn truly is a girl in a million. For the first twelve years of her life she has been trapped in a body that refuses to work properly and the medical world of 1952 can offer her parents no explanation for her strange condition, that is, until the morning of her 13th birthday. A special early gift from her father brings more than just happiness into Missy's life - it brings magic! Missy and her parents are transported by two elves into their world - a place called Vlissingen, within the ethereal realm. The elves, Eldri and Nod, urge the Finn family to help them rid Vlissingen of an evil magician named Gvooorat, who controls everything, so that their land can be as it once was, free and peaceful. Fast forward to present day Los Angeles where we meet Zach, a fifteen year old orphan boy on a visit to La Brea Tar Pits. When his favourite googly-eye sunglasses are thrown into the tar pit by a bully, Zach attempts to reach them with a stick but ends up being pulled through a vortex that also leads to Vlissingen. Zach eventually meets up with Missy and her parents and as the group becomes larger, their goal becomes clear - love is the key to unlocking all of their problems.