Anastasia Morningstar

Our heroine is an elfin sorceress, disguised as a shop assistant, whose secret is discovered by two junior high school kids when they see her turning the local yob into a frog. Sarah and Ben investigate and Anastasia draws them into a drama of enchanting epiphanies. The climax is the liberation of a crystal butterfly, symbolic of the magic repressed in everyday life. Don't dismiss this one as New Age hokum. I found it an intriguing and deftly written book, whose feyness is tempered by some well-observed realism. Highly recommended for independent readers, and for reading aloud to others.