Hand Me Down Magic 1: Stoop Sale Treasure
Illustrated by Luis Uribe
June 16, 2020
Meet the best friends at 86 ½ Twenty-Third Avenue.
DEL loves LOTS of things! The Curious Cousins Secondhand Shoppe. Ginormous family dinners. And of course, her best-friend-cousin, Alma.
ALMA loves her abuelita’s tasty empanadas. Her old home by the lake. And soon, she’ll love living in the same place as her best-friend-cousin, Del.
Yet despite having Del by her side, Alma isn’t quite sure she fits in with their family at 86 ½ Twenty-Third Avenue. It’s a new life and it’s all so different. When Del finds a special item at a neighbor’s stoop sale, she gets so excited by the magic luck it brings—but doesn’t see that it’s driving the two best friends apart. Will family, friendship, and maybe a little everyday magic be enough to make things right again?
Brimming with adorable illustrations and short, easy-to-read chapters, this is sure to be an instant favorite for fans of Ivy and Bean and Dory Fantasmagory
PRAISE
“…the emotional beats are clearly delineated, and alternating focalization will allow readers to empathize with both Alma and Del. Reading is swift and accessible, broken up by copious cheerful illustrations, and youngsters will long to share in the cousins’ idyllic family life while understanding the pitfalls of propinquity.”
– BCCB
“The result is a nuanced look at the girls’ friendship, emotions, and motivations. A transitional chapter book with unusual depth, good pacing, and a loving, supportive Latinx family. Libraries should find space on their shelves for this new series.”
– Booklist
“This series debut is a sweet tale about friendship, family, and being the new kid on the block…The line-drawing illustrations throughout give a glimpse of the street where the girls live, the magic earrings, and some of the foods, like empanadas and gofio… A good fit for larger collections. Put this book in the hands of kids who enjoy series like Annie Barrows’s “Ivy and Bean” or Megan McDonald’s “Judy Moody.” ”
– School Library Journal