I’d not previously heard of The Five Sisters by Margaret Mahy, and I discovered it by accident. M and I were walking through the juvenile fiction stacks looking for the Magic Tree House books when this book caught my eye. It was on the end of a row and the cover art attracted my attention. I pulled it out and read the back to M, and she wanted to check it out. What a lucky find!
We started reading it during our afternoon reading time. It was hard for both of us to put it down, but M needed some quiet time and I needed to prep dinner and do some other chores. We picked it up later in the afternoon, and we finished it for bedtime reading. My voice was worn out, but we were so glad we got to the end. The next day, M wanted me to read it again. It’s short for a chapter book, 80 pages with most chapters only 3 pages long, so it’s perfect to read aloud to those who can’t just have to get to the end or those who need their chapter books in smaller doses.
The book describes the adventures of five paper doll sisters from their creation on a hot summer day through many travels. During their adventures, each of them get colored or painted and develop their own unique personality. Mahy’s use of language is extraordinary. The descriptions are unique and thrilling, and the way Mahy ties the sisters’ adventures together by linking the lives of various characters makes for a wonderful ending. The story is fantastical and it makes you want to jump right in. We’ve checked out another Mahy book, Tingleberries, Tuckertubs, and Telephones, and I can’t wait to get started with it.
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