The 66th Rebirth of Frankie Caridi (66th Rebirth of Frankie Caridi #1)
by Johnny Marciano (Author) Ashley MacKenzie (Illustrator)
Normally "back to school" means gathering supplies and buying new clothes, but Frankie Caridi has never known normal. So when her "back to school" consists of learning how to use crystals to power her mind and trapping marauding spirits, she adapts. But the secrets of magic are nothing compared to the secrets she learns about her own past.
Frankie is used to living in her younger brother's shadow. Lucie is outgoing, smart, kind, and has horns. Yes, horns. Frankie's life has always revolved around Lucie, so when she's told she must attend a new boarding school because Lucie has been given a full scholarship, she knows she has no other choice. But something about The Pythagorean Institute is off. The building looks like a prison, half of the students have horns like her brother, and the headmaster acts more like a cult leader than a principal. Even weirder, however, are the dreams Frankie has been having since she moved into her dorm. Dreams that sometimes seem more like... memories.
Trapped in this new school with no way home, Frankie must get to the bottom of why the place unsettles her so much. But in learning about the Institute, Frankie learns more about herself--and her past--than she could ever have expected. What she discovers brings her out of her brother's shadow and gives her powers beyond belief, but the spotlight comes with its own set of troubles.
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Publishers Weekly
Thirteen-year-old Frankie Caridi has always been stuck in the shadow of her 12-year-old brother Lucie. Due to "hyperosteogenesis, a genetic abnormality," Lucie was born with superhuman strength and striking horns, and he charms everyone he meets with his easygoing positivity and academic talent. When forced to attend the isolated Pythagorean Institute, a boarding school in Proserpina, Pa., home to a large number of students with similar genetic conditions, Frankie flounders as Lucie thrives. While struggling to acclimate, Frankie becomes suspicious of the supposed humanitarian mission of the institute and suspects that enigmatic principal Dr. Rodolpho Natas is building a cult. Though her initial inquiries bear little fruit, Frankie finds unexpected allies in quirky teacher sisters with a grudge against the principal. As Frankie delves deeper into the mysteries surrounding the institute, she's plagued by strange dreams that feel like memories, forcing her to confront the reality that she may be less "normal" than she thought. Marciano (How Did Humans Go Extinct?) invokes the well-worn trope of a disaffected, outcast teenage girl discovering hidden talents; plentiful references to Roman mythology and Latin throughout add grit, and Mackenzie's evocative b&w art opens each chapter. Frankie and Lucie cue as white. Ages 10-up. (July)
Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Kirkus
A twisty story with broad reader appeal.
Review quotes
"Real and otherworldly dramas collide. A twisty story with broad reader appeal...and the cliffhanger ending will leave readers hungry for more." —Kirkus Reviews
"[H]umor, suspense, and a brisk pace will make for an enjoyable introduction to a promising contribution to the magical school genre." —BCCB, starred review
JUV058000 - Juvenile Fiction | Paranormal, Occult & Supernatural
Fantasy fiction
Boarding schools
Paranormal fiction
Secrecy
Secrets
Siblings
Novels
