Molly and Miri have to use their wits, and figure things out.She also slips in some little details, like the fact that a Civil War-Era bedroom would be likely to smell less than pleasant due to the presence of chamber pots. There is real danger for those traveling back into a war zone, but Barrows keeps things from being too terrifying or stomach-churning. The integration of history about the Civil War into the story is not didactic, and might even inspire kids to want to learn more about that.Molly and Miri's relationship with their two older brothers feels particularly realistic - a mix of wrestling and insults, with flashes of protectiveness on all parts.They are left alone in the house together for an afternoon, but only after a long list of instructions. Molly and Miri have a reasonable degree of independence, and yet have a careful and observant mother.Magic in the Mix dwells extensively on Civil War (with an author's note at the end to give interested readers a bit more context into the real historical underpinnings to the story). But they get more than they bargained for when the chance to set something right in the past threatens to separate them forever. Miri and Molly hope that the magic that seems to dwell about their house will send them into the past again. As long as I don't think about the details too much, I find this premise charming. They remember an alternative timeline in which Molly lived in the 1930s and Miri was lonely as the only non-twin in the family, but the magic has slid Molly seamlessly into the family, and no one else has any idea that she wasn't always there. It is impossible to write about this second book without giving away the ending of the first, so if you are new to this series stop here.Īs Magic in the Mix begins, Miri and Molly are settling in to their new life as twins, sandwiched between older identical twin brothers and younger identical twin sisters. Barrows uses the idea that magic is causing the time travel as a way of 'setting things right.' This allows her to gloss over any pesky details about paradoxes and the like, and just focus on the characters and the story. They are time travel books, with plenty of ordinary family drama. Whether there will be other books in this series is unclear, but I do hope so, because these books are delightful. Magic in the Mix is the sequel to The Magic Half by Annie Barrows.

The magic half by annie barrows