Corey Ann Haydu's Newest Series - Early Chapter Books!

MUST BUY: Early Chapter Book Series! 

Meet the best friends at 86 ½ Twenty-Third Avenue.

DEL loves LOTS of things! The Curious Cousins Secondhand Shoppe. Ginormous family dinners. And of course, her best-friend-cousin, Alma.

ALMA loves her abuelita’s tasty empanadas. Her old home by the lake. And soon, she’ll love living in the same place as her best-friend-cousin, Del.   

Yet despite having Del by her side, Alma isn’t quite sure she fits in with their family at 86 ½ Twenty-Third Avenue. It’s a new life and it’s all so different. When Del finds a special item at a neighbor’s stoop sale, she gets so excited by the magic luck it brings—but doesn’t see that it’s driving the two best friends apart. Will family, friendship, and maybe a little everyday magic be enough to make things right again? 

Brimming with adorable illustrations and short, easy-to-read chapters, this is sure to be an instant favorite for fans of Ivy and Bean and Dory Fantasmagory!

Beginning chapter book about family and friendship with a relatable emotional arc. - the alternating perspectives were easy to follow, and each character is so real. I loved that the girls were encouraged to solve their problem themselves, with some direction from adults. Readers can relate to the story, the setting, and the everyday lives. 

The best-friend-cousins at 86½ Twenty-Third Avenue are back for a party! With adorable illustrations and short, easy-to-read chapters, this second installment in the Hand-Me-Down Magic series is perfect for fans of Ivy and Bean and Dory Fantasmagory.

Alma’s birthday gift for Del was supposed to be delightful and daring—just like Del. Her present was a magical crystal ball, and it worked, too! All of Del’s predictions for her party guests were coming true. But when Alma looks into the ball to read Del’s future, she sees something frightening.

Del is certain Alma has given her a bad luck fortune and that it will spell DISASTER for her. Suddenly, Del doesn’t feel like the brave cousin anymore. Which means it’s up to Alma to help Del face her fear—and her crystal ball fortune—with her best-friend-cousin right by her side.

Terrific story for mid-elementary readers. Haydu continues to develop these characters so readers feel they are part of this family too. She addresses fears and superstitions and lets readers draw their own conclusions. Del loves the crystal ball she got for her birthday but then bad event predictions seem to come true. The cousins figure it out and conquer fears.

Perfect Patchwork Purse, Book #3 in the Hand-Me-Down Magic series (5/4/21, Katherine Tegan Books) by Corey Ann Haydu

 

From the critically acclaimed MG/YA author of EVENTOWN, RULES FOR STEALING CARS, EVER CURSED AND OCD LOVE STORY, the third installation to the Hand-Me-Down Magic series is perfect next read for fans of Ivy & Bean and Dory Fantasmagory. 

Children ages 4-8 (Grades PreK-3) will love following best-friend-cousins Del and Alma on their newest adventure! When Alma see’s the most perfect patchwork purse while window shopping, she can think of nothing else– it was absolutely magical. But when her friend Cassie buys the purse, Alma swallowed her disappointment and assured her it looked just right on her. Del on the other hand, took matters into her own hands to lift up her cousin– all she needs is a little bit of glue, glitter, and maybe a little magic. 

 

AUTHOR: 

Corey Ann Haydu is the author of Eventown, The Someday Suitcase, and Rules for Stealing Stars and four acclaimed books for teens. She grew up in the Boston area, earned her MFA at the New School, and now lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her dog Oscar. Find out more at www.coreyannhaydu.com.

ILLUSTRATOR: 

Luisa Uribe likes drawing, reading, and chasing the cat around the house. She lives in Bogotá, Colombia, where students (like the Earth Heroes in her book Dear Earth...From Your Friends in Room 5) are helping protect the environment and our natural resources. Of her many illustration projects, her true love is picture books. Luisa was honored with the Dilys Evans Founder's Award at the Society of Illustrators Original Art Exhibit in 2018. You can find more of her wonderful art at www.luisauribe.com.