The Lightness of Hands

Highs and lows come in big waves for 16-year-old Ellie Dante, the bipolar daughter of a down-and-out magician with a heart condition, whose career plummeted after his infamous Truck Drop trick went wrong 10 years ago. The Dantes are at rock bottom in Indiana, living in a rundown RV with no gigs and no money for much-needed medication, when an offer comes that could put Ellie’s father’s career back on track. All he has to do is successfully perform the trick that ruined him on national television. Ellie accepts the offer, but it will take more than magic for her to overcome the obstacles—she’ll have to get her father to agree, assemble the equipment they’ll need to perform in L.A. in 10 days, and control her spiraling moods without meds. Ellie’s outlandish schemes are a little hard to swallow, but the heart of the story, a girl desperately trying to monitor her disorder and save her family, remains credible. Garvin (Symptoms of Being Human) uses his knowledge of magic and personal experience with bipolarism to add insight to this dramatic story as he skillfully evokes the traveling performers’ gritty lifestyle and the enticement of illusion. Ages 14–up. [em](Apr.) [/em]