Book Review: Magic Diary by Pat LaMarche

Thank you Sunbury Press, Inc. for giving me an advanced copy of this book to review.

Genevieve is a teenage girl who has a relapse in her battle with cancer when her teacher gives her a magic diary. The magic diary is supposed to help Genevieve keep track of her thoughts and feelings and speed up the passage of time during her treatment. However, the unexpected happens; entries start appearing from historical figures as messages to Genevieve to help her understand all of the challenges she is facing.

There were a lot of things that I loved about this book. First, I love that it is about keeping a journal or diary as a coping mechanism during difficult times. This is something I found very useful when I was Genevieve's age, though for different life events. I also loved how the book introduced readers to different historical figures.

There were also some things I both liked, and felt conflicted over. I enjoyed that some entries tied into modern events, but some transitioned more smoothly than others in my opinion. I also felt that although the style seemed to be for young readers, some of the topics felt a bit more mature. Finally, I particularly liked how the ending tied everything together.

Overall, I did enjoy the book, and would recommend it to parents to read with their children. That way, the parents can expand on some of the more mature topics and include lessons that can be learned from the book.