The Magician Next Door

This enchanting chapter book follows ten-year-old Callie, who is struggling with profound homesickness after moving from London to Northern Ireland, compounded by the grief of losing her mother three years prior. Her world is turned upside down, quite literally, when a magical flying house and its magician, Winnifred, land in her backyard. Callie, initially reluctant, teams up with her friendly neighbor Sam to help Winnifred find the missing 'Wanderdust' that powers her house, facing malicious fairies and dangerous giants along the way. The story beautifully weaves together a magical adventure with a poignant exploration of grief, friendship, and the journey of finding a new sense of belonging and home.

An enchanting adventure about a flying house and the power of friendship. Ten-year-old Callie is desperately homesick. She misses everything about living in London--the apartment building where everyone has known her since she was a baby, her best friend, all the places that remind her of her mother, who died three years ago. She doesn't care to get to know Northern Ireland, no matter how friendly her next-door neighbor Sam is. Then a magical house crash-lands upside down in Callie's backyard, and its magician, Winnifred, turns to Callie for help. The Wanderdust that powers the house and keeps it (and Winnifred) healthy has flown away, leaving Winnifred at the mercy of malicious fairies and dangerous giants. She can't leave her house, so it's up to an eager Sam and a reluctant Callie to find the missing Wanderdust and bring it home again. And maybe, along the way, figure out what home means to Callie.