Betty has always dreamed of leaving Crowstone, her island home, but she never dreamed that her bold attempt at independence would reveal a shocking family secret. After failing to sneak out, Betty and her little sisters learn of an ancient family curse--rooted in a nearby prison and the unraveling story of an ancestor--that keeps their family trapped on the island. As the girls struggle with their father being locked away and a young prisoner's wrongful detainment, Betty longs for her own freedom. At the heart of the story is the relationship between Betty and her two sisters, Fliss and Charlie, each of whom is a well-rounded character with a strong voice and personality. While Betty longs for adventure, Fliss is more cautious, and Charlie is the headstrong one and a lover of all stray animals. In a coming-of-age journey that is emotional, dramatic, and magical, A Pinch of Magic packs more than a pinch of heart, exploring the love of three sisters, as well as curses, imprisonment, and adventure.

When an ancient curse threatens her life and the lives of her sisters, Betty Widdershins seeks a way to break it. Adventurous, 13-year-old Betty and her two sisters--Fliss, elder, and Charlie, younger--all live on the island of Crowstone in a decrepit village inn operated by their grandmother Bunny, who has always been strangely reluctant to let her granddaughters go anywhere. After Betty's abortive attempt to surreptitiously leave Crowstone, Bunny reveals the family secret: All Widdershins girls have been under a curse for over 150 years. If one ever leaves Crowstone, she will die by the next sunset. Bunny gives Fliss a mirror, Betty nesting dolls, and Charlie a traveling bag, each containing a different magical power, to use if they need to hide or escape quickly. Intent on altering their fate, the sisters accidentally trigger the curse by leaving Crowstone while helping a young stranger escape from prison. For heroine Betty, who has "spent her life wishing for bigger things," the imminent threat of losing her sisters proves life-changing. Facing death by the end of the day, Betty must rely on the magical objects, her sisters, and clever thinking to uncover the origins of the Widdershins curse while simultaneously confronting a rapid-fire series of perilous plot twists, betrayals, and shocking revelations in an effort to remake her family history. Betty and her family appear to be white. A gripping, atmospheric tale of sorcery, secrets, and sisterhood, infused with the titular pinch of magic. (map) (Fantasy. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Gr 5--8--"Adventure awaits the audacious!" 13-year-old Betty tells herself, longing to shake free of Crowstone and her duties at her aunt's inn, Poacher's Pocket. Betty's plans to sneak off to the Halloween Fayre take a turn for the worse, and when her aunt swoops to the rescue, Betty and her sisters find out just how close to home they must stay. Each girl has been gifted with an enchanted item, but the pinch of magic comes with a curse: Leaving Crowstone for more than a day means death. Middle child Betty rallies her siblings, and armed with their magical gifts and their wits, the Widdershin sisters set out (some more enthusiastically than others) to lift the curse and solve the mystery behind it. Harrison weaves an atmospheric story, with a maiden (or is she a sorceress?) locked in a tower, escaped prisoners, a missing parent, and a surly tavern guest who might know more than he's letting on. Kim's illustrations at each chapter heading add to the appeal. VERDICT A good choice for middle grade fairy-tale fans craving something with an occasionally dark twist, and some sisterly double crossing.--Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley Sch., Fort Worth, TX