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Unabridged Audiobook
Runtime: 3 hours, 31 minutes
Read by Rebecca Soler
In the Upside-Down Magic series by authors Emily Jenkins, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Myracle, a group of kids with magical abilities that don’t conform to the usual magical standards learns to embrace (and even celebrate) their differences. In the audio edition of the sixth book in the series, The Big Shrink, they finally find themselves gaining acceptance by their “normal” peers.
The story returns to the Upside-Down Magic class at Dunwittle Middle School, where the students are bonding over lifelike dragon toys called Dreggs. Finally, the UDM kids have something in common with the “regular” kids. They’re making new friends and getting invited to parties—until the principal decides to ban them from school. Inspired by her new magic tutor, Marigold Ramos decides to team up with Nory Horace to protest. But when Marigold uses her shrinking magic as a part of the protest, things begin to go horribly wrong.
Admittedly, a lot of things for the UDM kids tend to go horribly wrong; that’s why they’re in a special class with a special teacher. That’s also why the series tends to be a little more melancholy than most kids’ series. Each installment follows one student’s journey through frustration, embarrassment, and, eventually, acceptance of their differences. These kids are picked on and bullied—and, in some cases, their own families want nothing to do with them.
In The Big Shrink, however, things change for these lovably unique characters. When they discover Dreggs and begin to share them with the rest of the school, they’re finally included in recess activities. Other kids welcome them into their circles instead of fearing their unusual abilities. And that gives this installment a lighter, more upbeat tone.
Of course, that’s not to say that the story doesn’t have any conflict. Things definitely go wrong here. But even when the principal bans the Dreggs and the kids decide to protest, they work together—both as a class and with kids outside their class—to fight for what they feel is their right. And when things don’t work out as expected—when they disagree or they run into issues with other students—they find a way to fix it. As a result, the story is more playful and fun, and it’s one of the most uplifting books in the series.
For fans who have been following Nory and other Upside-Down Magic kids since their first adventure, The Big Shrink will be a welcome one. While other installments have found kids learning to accept themselves and each other, this one finally starts to expand outside the walls of the UDM class to give them more acceptance from kids who aren’t like them.
Listen to the review on Shelf Discovery:
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