A Sliver of Stardust

Wren and her fellow home-school student Simon are at a science competition when a woman with a large bird comes into the room, leaves a packet of papers, and disappears in a puff of shimmering smoke. No one else sees what they did, of course, and it’s just the beginning of a new world for the two young people, who have the ability to manipulate stardust as “Fiddlers,” or, simply put, science-loving magicians. They become apprentices to learn more about their abilities and futures, but they also arrive at just the most dangerous time, when a strong and power-hungry magician whom many had thought dead for a century and a half is trying to make a comeback.

A Sliver of Stardust is a fun magical adventure for young readers that incorporates Mother Goose rhymes; they are supposedly slightly changed versions of the Fiddlers’ “spells.” The idea is clever but it isn’t quite “convincing” enough; it feels like a bit of a stretch. The back cover also says the book is “perfect” for fans of A Wrinkle in Time, which is a high bar to set for readers’ expectations. It does not clear it, either, by a long shot. Though entertaining, this book is not one that will enchant readers of all ages and become a longtime favorite.