"Wilhelmina Quigley: Magic School Dropout" is a charming and endearing children's book. Middle schoolers will have a ball of a time reading this book. Wilhelmina (our main character) is what you might call a "walking disaster" whenever she uses her undeveloped magical skills. One unfortunate event leads to another, and she gets kicked out of magic school. She is then sent into the ordinary world to live with her mother. Before long, she discovers that someone dangerous is "lurking in the shadows". This unknown someone is stalking her parents. Our young heroine transforms into an amateur sleuth in an attempt to get to the bottom of this mystery. Despite her "messed up" magic, she will stop at nothing to solve this conundrum and protect the people she loves.
Wilhelmina is a very fascinating character. She's likable, quirky, adorable, and unconventional. She definitely brings a great deal of witticism into the storyline. Her many mishaps, while attempting to maneuver her way into the ordinary world, have me rolling in laughter. She has undertaken the huge responsibility of solving the mystery surrounding her parents. Despite her many setbacks, she persists through them all. This is what I love the most about this book.
The sole reason I gave this book 4 stars is because the plot begins to wane briefly, somewhere in between. But overall, I enjoyed the entire reading experience. I especially enjoyed the comical aspects of the book. "Wilhelmina Quigley: Magic School Dropout" is a book that teenagers will love. It is both age and language-appropriate. Liese Sherwood-Fabre does a fantastic job with the character development and world-building within the text. I would love to read more about Wilhelmina's new adventures in the future.