The Daring of Della Dupree by Natasha Lowe -- ADVISABLE

The Daring of Della Dupree by Natasha Lowe, 260 pages. Paula Wiseman (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers), 2020. $18. 

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS -- ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Most girls at Ruthersfield Academy would love to share a name with their famous founder, but Della Dupree's moniker only serves to show how dissimilar she is to the original Della: she's not brave or creative, she hates to stand out, and she's an average witch at best. But when she uses an off-limits amulet to travel back to the past, she realizes that she and the first Della Dupree have more in common than she ever could have imagined.

The Daring of Della Dupree is technically the fourth in a series, but it stands alone well, with only a few obvious references to earlier books.  Della is a fun character, and her growth feels natural. Although I guessed the main twist early on, it was still enjoyable to see how the story led up to it, and a number of younger readers may still be surprised. The present-day sections at the witch academy felt similar enough to the Harry Potter series to read a bit like fan fiction; those looking for something new may skim a bit, but devotees to Potter's story will find it welcoming. The parts in the past are what really shine, though, and once I reached the time travel section it was hard to put the book down. Lowe brings the past to life, the details are creative and new, and the essential characters are interesting and well-formed. A section at the end provides recipes for everything from lasagna to sweet-smelling pomander balls.

Sydney G., Library Media Specialist