Savvy by Ingrid Law

I must give credit to my daughter, Emma, who once again brought home a fabulous and enjoyable book. Savvy by Ingrid Law is a story appropriate for intermediate through junior high age students (or for adults like me!), that tells about the coming of age and personal growth of a young girl named Mississippi Beaumont. The Beaumont family is a little different than other families. Each family member develops a special talent when they turn 13; they can control electricity, move earth, read minds, etc. Mibs ends up on a Bible salesman's bus riding across the state with her brothers and two friends, and of course adventures and excitement ensue.

I really like that by the end of this book, the colorful main character has spent a great deal of time considering her own strengths, and has decided to listen to for her own voice as she makes her choices in life. This message is of particular relevance to the preteen and teenage readers, who are so worried about what other people are thinking. Mibs also realizes that even people who don't get magical powers have something special inside that makes them unique from the rest of the world; it's all about learning to control that "specialness".

Savvy is a great story, and one that I would recommend for any elementary or middle school library.

Law, I. (2008). Savvy. New York: Penguin Group.

Newbery Honor Award Winner