Today’s post is a book review, however it is not a book that I read to my son. It’s one that I came across in a huge bag of old middle grade books. One that I would have loved to have read as a little girl. And what better time for a book about figuring skating than in the month that the world is competing at the Winter Olympics in Beijing, China!
Ice Magic
(Silver Blades, 16)
By: Melissa Lowell
Published: April 1996
Published by: Skylark
Format Read: Paperback
Genre: Middle Grade, Series
Rating: 3/5
Synopsis
Dreaming of becoming a famous skater, Martina Nemo is delighted when she lands a skating role in a television movie but is devastated when she discovers that someone is out to sabotage her performance.
Source: Goodreads
My Thoughts
Ice Magic is the 16th installment of the Silver Blades series, about a group of young figure skaters. In this book readers follow Martina, who is cast as the skating double for a made-for-tv movie about a famous ice skater.
I came across this book when I purchased a big bag of middle grade books. It was the first time I had heard of this series, which is a shame because I know I would have loved it, if I read it as a pre-teen.
Thankfully reading it now as an adult was still enjoyable. Melissa Lowell presents an accurate depiction of the dedication and talent required for a young skater to become successful athletes in this sport. Ice Magic was also a fun behind the scene look at the entertainment business.
Released in 1996, this book does make reference to some points that would be considered outdated by todays standards i.e; fashions and technology. However it is diverse in that it features a Latina main character, with a sister who has Down Syndrome. Readers today will be able to relate to the themes of friendships, jealousy and big dreams.
Ice Magic is still relevant for current day readers and I would recommend it to fans of middle grade fiction centered around competitive sports. Hopefully I will come across more books in the Silver Blades series, as I would be interested in reading on.
ML's Red House Reviews 