Title: Ruby McCracken Tragic without Magic

Written by: Elizabeth Ezra

Published by: Kelpies, Floris Books

In a reverse plot to Harry Potter, twelve-year-old Ruby McCracken believes her life is over. She has been forced to leave her home in Hexdonia and live in the ordinary world, without magic, after her parents both mysteriously lose their jobs at the same time. She is totally magicless – she can’t even conjure up a quick snack spell to ward off the hunger pangs. She misses leaping off the flyway on her broomstick to go to school, she misses her old school and she misses her witchy best friends, Abigail and Margaret. Even her familiar, Vronsky, has turned weird. So when the girls at her new school are mean to her, she tries to phone home, with dire consequences.

This fast-paced, mystery-adventure story set in Edinburgh, will appeal to eight to twelve-year-olds. Ruby McCracken Tragic without Magic is packed with humour, magic, disgusting food concoctions and hilarious anecdotes that will be perfect for fans of the Worst Witch and You Can’t Make Me Go to Witch School.

Ruby McCracken Tragic without Magic could be used in the classroom as a good starting point to discuss talking to strangers and how to make someone new to their school feel welcome.