Status
Available
Call number
Call number
FIC DEL
Collection
Description
"Clara can't believe her no-nonsense grandmother has just up and moved to Florida, leaving Clara and her mother on their own for the first time. This means her mother can finally "follow her bliss," which involves moving to a tiny apartment in Kensington Market, working at a herbal remedy shop and trying to develop her so-called mystical powers. Clara tries to make the best of a bad situation by joining the newspaper staff at her new middle school, where she can sharpen her investigative journalistic skills and tell the kind of hard-news stories her grandmother appreciated. But the editor relegates her to boring news stories and worse ... the horoscopes. Worse yet, her horoscopes come true, and soon everyone at school is talking about Clara Voyant, the talented fortune-teller. Clara is horrified--horoscopes and clairvoyance aren't real, she insists, just like her grandmother always told her. But when a mystery unfolds at school, she finds herself in a strange situation: having an opportunity to prove herself as an investigative journalist ... with the help of her own mystical powers."--Inside jacket flap.… (more)
Genres
Publication
Puffin Canada (2018), 224 pages
Original language
English
Language
User reviews
LibraryThing member JalenV
Poor Clara Costa. She takes after her down-to-earth maternal grandmother, Elaine, and her absentee father, Bruce the lawyer. Elaine has retired and moved to West Palm Beach. That leaves the sixth grader living with her New Age mother, Gaby, in a run-down apartment over the herbal store where Gaby
It drives Clara nuts. How she wishes she lived in a normal house with normal parents, as does her lucky best friend, Maeve Healy-Lin. (Of course Maeve thinks Gaby and what she believes in are just wonderful.)
If Clara is doomed to disappointment when it comes to living a normal life, her desire to be an investigative journalist for the Kensington Middle School 'Gazette' seems just as doomed. Editor-in-Chief Wesley Ferris, herself a very driven student, isn't giving Cora a chance to prove her chops (worth). When Buzzter, the school's papier-mâché bee mascot is stolen, Wesley assigns the story to the paper photographer! What does Clara get? She's assigned to write the horoscopes.
Of course Clara has access to information on astrology through her mother. I enjoyed the chapter where Clara makes up her first column. To compound her shame, Wesley has given her the byline 'Clara Voyant'. (Oh, gag!)
To Clara's shock, several of her horoscopes come true. It's coincidence -- it must be! Psychic abilities don't exist -- or do they?
We get to follow along as Gaby doesn't wait until her daughter is a teen before exercising her parental right to embarrass her daughter with her herbal remedies, weird taste in decor, and even weirder friends. Of course Gaby, Lily, and Terence think it's marvelous that Clara
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works. Gaby believes in so many things which Clara considers have no scientific basis, such as magic, witchcraft, ghosts, and psychic powers.It drives Clara nuts. How she wishes she lived in a normal house with normal parents, as does her lucky best friend, Maeve Healy-Lin. (Of course Maeve thinks Gaby and what she believes in are just wonderful.)
If Clara is doomed to disappointment when it comes to living a normal life, her desire to be an investigative journalist for the Kensington Middle School 'Gazette' seems just as doomed. Editor-in-Chief Wesley Ferris, herself a very driven student, isn't giving Cora a chance to prove her chops (worth). When Buzzter, the school's papier-mâché bee mascot is stolen, Wesley assigns the story to the paper photographer! What does Clara get? She's assigned to write the horoscopes.
Of course Clara has access to information on astrology through her mother. I enjoyed the chapter where Clara makes up her first column. To compound her shame, Wesley has given her the byline 'Clara Voyant'. (Oh, gag!)
To Clara's shock, several of her horoscopes come true. It's coincidence -- it must be! Psychic abilities don't exist -- or do they?
We get to follow along as Gaby doesn't wait until her daughter is a teen before exercising her parental right to embarrass her daughter with her herbal remedies, weird taste in decor, and even weirder friends. Of course Gaby, Lily, and Terence think it's marvelous that Clara
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LibraryThing member DonnerLibrary
I enjoyed this quick read about a middle-schooler feeling out of place in her new neighborhood. Clara likes things to be "normal" however this is not her mother's style. Clara doesn't enjoy her mother's job, new friends, or where they live after her practical grandmother moves to Florida leaving
This is a great story about finding yourself, friendship, and family. My nine-year-old gives it three stars because she expected it to be more magical based on the cover description.
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them on their own for the first time. What Clara does enjoy is being part of the school newsletter. At least until she is assigned to write the horoscopes.This is a great story about finding yourself, friendship, and family. My nine-year-old gives it three stars because she expected it to be more magical based on the cover description.
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LibraryThing member matthewmontreuil
A wonderfully weird book with quirky characters and a protagonist that I really enjoyed reading about (although I can imagine some people disliking her based on her dry personality).
I liked the conflict, the mother-daughter dynamic and the fact that it's set in the vibrant Kensington Market. It
I liked the conflict, the mother-daughter dynamic and the fact that it's set in the vibrant Kensington Market. It
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flows really well and I wouldn't hesitate giving this book another read in a few years. Show Less
LibraryThing member ReadandFindOut
I've been trying to think about what to say in this review for over a month now, and I'm still not sure. This was a cute middle grade contemporary with a bit of mystery and mysticism. Clara is at a new school and has moved into a new neighborhood. I enjoyed the little plot throughout, but other
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than that I found it to be simplistic. I would say that this is a middle grade that doesn't hold up for older audiences. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jennifer_Long
Clara Voyant lives up to the quirky title and book cover. The protagonist is entering middle school and the author conveys the anxiety that comes with starting a new school. She also shows a main character who is different from her family and how she handles those sometimes trying differences. The
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book contains memorable characters and settings. The most intriguing part is the mystery and surprising, yet satisfying ending. This book will appeal to new-to-middle-school students who are looking for a mystery. Show Less
LibraryThing member Familyhistorian
Clara wants to be a writer so she joins the newspaper in her middle school. The editor, a senior girl, is in charge of the assignments and instead of giving Clara a good story to run with, she assigns her the horoscopes to be written under the name "Clara Voyant".
Totally not what Clara had in
This was a fun YA novel with an interesting message.
Totally not what Clara had in
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mind. Besides, she isn't into that woo woo stuff. Isn't it bad enough that she has to live with her mother who believes in all that stuff. No Clara, wants a normal life and serious articles to write. But could it be that the cosmos has something else in mind. Why else would her horoscopes start coming true?This was a fun YA novel with an interesting message.
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LibraryThing member SandraBrower
Clara wants to be a great investigative journalist for her school newspaper. She doesn't know if she ever will be good enough to send her grandmother who has just moved to Florida a copy of the paper. Clara is going through growing pains dealing with moving into a new place with her mother a
This middle-grade book would have been a great read for my grown daughter who loved mysteries. Any little girl who is trying to figure out where their place likes to solve problems will want to read this book.
Clara is endearing, slightly reluctant to be in the eye of the school just like any girl her age, she learns to adjust to those things she never thought she could do. I really enjoyed reading Ms. Delaney's novel. I hope to read more from her soon. This is a book I will definitely read to my niece.
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slightly exuberant hippy. When Clara starts writing horoscopes for the paper mysteries continue to pop up to be solved. This middle-grade book would have been a great read for my grown daughter who loved mysteries. Any little girl who is trying to figure out where their place likes to solve problems will want to read this book.
Clara is endearing, slightly reluctant to be in the eye of the school just like any girl her age, she learns to adjust to those things she never thought she could do. I really enjoyed reading Ms. Delaney's novel. I hope to read more from her soon. This is a book I will definitely read to my niece.
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LibraryThing member abergsman
Clara is a practical girl that has to come to terms with her more bohemian mother/new lifestyle after they move to the colorful Kensington Market. She meets Maeve, who turns out to be a wonderful and supportive best friend and one of the best friend characters I’ve read in awhile. Clara and Maeve
This book has so many things I appreciate in a middle-grade book - a bright protagonist, positive friendship, and a quirky cast of characters.
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solve a mystery and discover some talents and themselves along the way.This book has so many things I appreciate in a middle-grade book - a bright protagonist, positive friendship, and a quirky cast of characters.
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ISBN
014319853X / 9780143198536