Franny Flanders cant seem to catch a break. Her two best friends are not speaking to each other, her nutty grandmother just moved in, and her parents are recently divorced. Franny is convinced that the only karma she has, is just bad. When she learns of a secret-magic recipe box, she is convinced that it will fix all of her problems. Franny soon finds out, when you mess with the world, it will come back and get you. With a little help from some friends, Franny learns what she needs to do to get her life back to normal.

Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas write a delightfully funny story. I actually found myself laughing out loud at some of Frannys thoughts. This had to be one of my favorite lines from the book:

And then Alden Timkins joined us. He danced right next to me. Maybe even with me. I couldn't be sure because everyone was dancing with everyone. At one point, Alden's elbow poked my ear for a full two seconds. I was pretty sure it was his way of expressing the deep and abiding love he felt for me but couldn't act upon due to circumstances. It's okay boyfriend, I hear you.

I laughed again, just typing it out!

The humor helps guide this story to an important finish. Franny learns a lot as a result of these magic recipes. She learns that she cannot do everything on her own and sometimes you just need help. She also becomes a stronger individual, which makes her a better daughter, grand-daughter, and friend. If you read this book and dont in someway think of your middle school, I will be surprised.


Bottom Line: Franny is funny! It made me laugh and remember how crazy the delicate balance of life in middle school is. The magic recipes are hilarious, dont skip over those.