Weekly Magic
By: Annie Tyrrell
Graceful
Written by: Wendy Mass
Published by: Scholastic Press
Published in: 2015
Number of Pages: 246
Mini - Articles
Character Description
Graceful is the final book in the five story Willow Falls series. The characters' lives have become linked throughout this series. The main character and protagonist of this book is Grace Kelly, and she is 10 years old. She has some magical powers, but she is in search of making the magic stronger and being able to control it. Connor Kelly is Grace's older brother who wants to be an inventor when he grows up. In the previous book, Connor helped Grace when she was in a coma. (Grace was in a coma because she was exhausted from using all of her magical powers.) David Goldberg is Connor's best friend, and he is 13 years old. The magic cured his dad of a terrible disease, and that disease will not be passed on to him. Tara Brennen is also 13, and she is David's girlfriend. Magic affected her when she had to find out why she was in the wacky town of Willow Falls. Rory Swenson is dating the most famous movie actor ever! She experienced the magic when everything in her life went wrong, just to teach her a lesson. Leo Fitzpatrick and Amanda Ellerby are crushing on each other. They've known each other since they were born. The magic affected them when they got stuck in the same day for over a week! These characters form 'Team Grace'. They help Grace try to gain strength and control of her magical powers. They also help her try to defeat the vortex. All of these characters have had experiences with the oldest, most magical woman in town - Angelina D' Angelo. Angelina D' Angelo has used her magic to help everyone on 'Team Grace' through serious life problems. Even though Angelina has left town, she is still trying to help.
Plot Summary
The story begins with Wendy Mass, the author, reminding the readers that Angelina D' Angelo has left Willow Falls to travel and see the world. She left Grace in charge of protecting the people of Willow Falls with her magic. While away, Angelina sends postcards that give hints to Grace about how to strengthen and control her magical powers. Then, Angelina informs Team Grace about something big coming to town - the vortex. The vortex is a mass of whirling air, like a whirlwind that creates a doorway to another level of existence. Inside the vortex is a labyrinth. A labyrinth is a complicated, irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one's way; a maze. If Grace doesn't defeat the vortex, all of the magic that has been done in Willow Falls will unravel. People's lives would be ruined because magic had saved them in the past. Angelina's clues lead Team Grace to the vortex. Grace realizes she isn't powerful enough to defeat this vortex alone. That's where Team Grace comes in handy. When the vortex arrives, Grace, Rory, Tara, and Amanda go into the labyrinth to conquer it. Meanwhile, Leo stays out in case they need help. The girls walk into each of their labyrinths. Then they close their eyes and their futures appear in their minds. Since they can see their futures, they realize the vortex was conquered! Grace had to give up her magical powers in order to defeat the vortex. At the end of the book, the readers learn about where the characters thirty years later.
Conflict
The conflict of this book is that there is a huge vortex coming to Willow Falls. The protagonist in the book is Grace, and the antagonist in the book is the vortex. Angelina D' Angelo has left and she is the only one who was powerful enough to defeat the vortex. Now, Team Grace has to conquer it in order to save their beloved town. If the vortex isn't conquered, many people's lives will be ruined.
Quotation Explanation
The quote I think has a significant meaning in the book is, "Do not forget, life is a dance between making things happen and letting things happen." This means that there is a fine line between things that you can control and things that just have to happen. It's hard when you want to make changes when you have no control over them. This ties into the book because sometimes Grace could control her magic, and sometimes she couldn't.
Book Review
If I were a book critic I'd give this book 5 stars! Graceful is the final book in the Willow Falls series about kids who encounter magical powers. This book was very entertaining, as it told a story about friends working together to save their town. Wendy Mass told the story through Grace, but included the other characters' perspectives in their own chapters. I liked this because the chapters helped the readers understand what was happening behind the scenes. The only thing I would think about adding to this book would be a little more detail about the girls' futures. I am glad that I read the other four books in this series because I don't think I would have understood this one as much. Overall, this was one of my favorite books because I got to see into the characters' futures at the end.