Margaret and the Moth Tree by Brit Trogen and Kari Trogen

I must confess I love books with just a touch of magic mixed cleverly with heart, a positive message and adventure. To use a food analogy I like my stories sweet, but not too sweet. I want pumpkin pie. Margaret and the Moth Tree is just right, for the holidays or anytime.

Margaret Grey is an orphan who gets passed around with relatives who believe in the phrase “children are to be seen but not heard.” You’d think this would be a bad thing but it isn’t. She learns how to listen. Soon she can hear things others cannot like the sound leaves make when they fall. Unfortunately she gets passed on to Great Aunt Linda who likes the sound of her own voice. In the midst of all that noise, Margaret forgets how to listen. She ends up in an orphanage where she will need to learn how to “listen again” so she can lead a rebellion against the evil Miss Switch. She’ll need courage and a little help from some new friends to succeed. Her new friends are some moths she is able to understand. They are playful creatures much like fairies that will teach her the importance of confidence and living in the moment. With a positive story line that may remind you a bit of Charlotte’s Web and Matilda, Margaret and the Moth Tree is a perfect book for younger readers just moving up from chapter books to full length novels.  Enjoy.