My Magic Wand

Review
By School Library Journal

The titular poem of this charming collection introduces a five-year-old girl who’s found magic in a pencil and is eager to share it. From there, 13 first-person poems take readers through a year of experiences with family and friends, including sledding, gardening, and swimming, baking, birthdays, and caring for pets. The poems vary in length, from a few lines to several stanzas, and are accessible yet evocative. the author uses some figurative language— notably onomatopoeia and sensory detail. In one poem, the girl and her family travel to Mexico, and Spanish words are sprinkled throughout. The girl is depicted with white skin, blond hair, and blue eyes. Other family members and characters appear to have white or light brown skin and dark hair. Alvarez’s mixed-media illustrations are bold, bright, and colorful. While some spreads are relatively simple, others offer sweet details for observant readers to notice. An author’s note reminds readers that not all poems rhyme and encourages them to try crafting their own poetry. VERDICT Warm and joyful, this is suitable for most collections.