The Memory Spinner

Gr 3-7–Debut author Cornwell weaves a tale of 13-year-old Lavender, who wants to become a full-fledged apprentice in her papa’s apothecary shop. In this world, magical elements exist within the human realm, which some people, like Lavender’s papa, have strong feelings about. Lavender relies heavily on magical clothing sewn with enchantments by Frey, a magical spinner, to fill in the severe memory gaps she experiences since her mother’s death. Lavender misses her mother and has lofty goals that are somewhat self-absorbed, which leaves little room for her best friend Guste or for her papa’s feelings. After a series of lies and omissions involving papa and Guste, the girl soon becomes embroiled in a curse and realizes she must make amends to defeat the enchanted enemy in her town. Fantasy, more than any other genre, embeds subtle life lessons. This book brings to light the perils of children who starve for attention from their parents and the harm it causes when compassion fails. The protagonist, like many teens, requires warmth from shared memories of her mom, but her papa’s grief and failure to communicate hamper their relationship. The story is ultimately about processing loss and self-confidence, with an underlying debate between science and religion. Educators and social workers will appreciate the ingenious inclusion of social-emotional learning components like anger management techniques, acknowledging that words have power, and the importance of vocalizing thoughts and feelings.