Abbie Adams has a lot to worry about. Her little brother isn’t always good at controlling his magic, so she often has to use her own magic to reverse his spells and make his first-grade teacher and his classmates forget weird things they’ve seen. But sometimes she forgets to cover her own tracks well enough, so she gets in trouble with her strict, fifth-grade teacher. And she doesn’t study enough at school or on her magical talents. When she discovers that her new kitten is actually a boy under an enchanting spell, she finds motivation to learn more about history and magic to help him out.

The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams by Rhonda Hayter is a fun look at how witches would have to adjust if they went about their daily lives among non-magical people. Some things are off limits, like casting forgetting spells just so you won’t get in trouble even if you deserve it. And some witches are evil, like the powerful witch who turned the boy into a kitten and plans to alter the history of technology.

Abbie has a fresh, winning voice that makes her seem like any other fifth grader. Whether she’s trying to save her little brother, help her parents, act in the school play, or save her kitten, Abbie’s charm is her sincerity and her desire to do the right thing. Moms and daughters will both fall in love with Abbie and her family as they explore science, history and a little bit of magic. I recommend The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams for mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 9 to 12.