Concerning a Lonely Princess, a Foundling Girl, a Scheming King and a Pickpocket Squirrel
Written by Susan Hill Long
I grabbed this book because of the clever title. A possible whimsical adventure? I’m in. Margaret is a cripple girl who was taken in by a spinster lady who pines away for a lost sweetheart. Margaret’s life is tedious until she trades her crutch for a magic mirror. Who is the wild-eyed man she sees in the glass? When she learns that she is to marry the odoriferous hunchback, Margaret decides to head off on her own to solve the mirror’s puzzles. As the story progresses, more is revealed about the mystery and the characters involved in endearing, funny, and clever ways. Though the story loses some of its momentum half-way through, I was pleasantly surprised by the conclusion and loved how the lives of the people were intertwined over and over again.
Review by Teresa Edmunds, Westbrook Elementary Media Center
Rating: ★★★★✩ (4 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 5-7
Author Website: http://susanhilllong.com/
The Magic Mirror: Concerning a Lonely Princess, a Foundling Girl, a Scheming King and a Pickpocket Squirrel
Written by Susan Hill Long
Alfred A. Knopf
320 pages
Release Date: May 10, 2016
An ARC review copy was provided by the publisher.
