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A Girl's Guide to Love & Magic Hardcover – August 2, 2022

by Debbie Rigaud (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 16 ratings
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Perfect for fans of The Sun Is Also a Star and Blackout, this YA novel from Debbie Rigaud is a celebration of Haitian and Caribbean culture, and a story of first love, vodou, and finding yourself, all set against the backdrop of the West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn.

Cicely Destin lives for the West Indian Day Parade, the joyous celebration of Caribbean culture that takes over the streets of her neighborhood. She loves waving the Haitian flag, sampling delicious foods, and cheering for the floats. And this year? She’ll get to hang with her stylish aunt, an influencer known for dabbling in Haitian Vodou.

And maybe spot her dreamy crush, Kwame, in the crowd.

But fate has other ideas. Before the parade, a rogue, mischievous spirit seems to take possession of Cicely's aunt during a spiritual reading. Cicely hardly knows anything about Vodou, or how to get someone un-possessed. But it’s up to her to set things right--and the clock is ticking. She'll have to enlist the help of her quick-thinking best friend, Renee, and, as luck would have it...Kwame.

Cicely, her friends, and the reckless spirit who is now their charge set off on a thrilling scavenger hunt to gather the ceremonial items they need. And along the way, will Cicely discover surprising powers of her on?

Bestselling author Debbie Rigaud infuses this novel with sparkling wit, romance, and nuance that will keep readers riveted and enchanted.

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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    12 years and up
  2. Print length
    288 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    7 - 9
  5. Lexile measure
    780L
  6. Dimensions
    8.66 x 5.91 x 0.98 inches
  7. Publisher
    Scholastic Press
  8. Publication date
    August 2, 2022
  9. ISBN-10
    1338681745
  10. ISBN-13
    978-1338681741
  11. See all details
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From the Publisher

An enchanting story of first love, magic, and finding yourself
Heartwarming and hilarious rom-coms from Debbie Rigaud

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for A Girl’s Guide to Love & Magic:

*"Rigaud explores many elements of Haitian and Afro-Caribbean culture thoughtfully and with an admirable vulnerability as Cicely adventures down Eastern Parkway navigating stigma and magic, devils and allies, family legacies and shame en route to a rich, magical sort of self-discovery. Steeped in the magic of first kisses, family bonds, and joyful community." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"A Girl's Guide to Love & Magic is brimming with Haitian pride and features Cicely, full of heart and courage, as she navigates a budding romance, the vibrant streets of Brooklyn during Carnival, and a mystery that unveils the power of Vodou. Fresh, soulful, and a book I needed as a teen!" --Ibi Zoboi, New York Times Bestselling Author of Pride

"Debbie Rigaud writes stories that remind Black girls just how beautiful and magical they truly are. Every book is a joy from cover to cover." --Leah Johnson, bestselling author of You Should See Me in a Crown

"A Girl’s Guide to Love & Magic invites readers on a wild ride full of love for friends, family, and Caribbean culture. Cicely's adventurous spin about her beloved Brooklyn celebrates the risks and thrills of following your heart and the power that comes with carrying our ancestors with us." --Nina Moreno, author of Don’t Date Rosa Santos

"A rare combination of an authentic voice and a compelling story that will appeal to both young readers and adults." -- Shondaland.com

Praise for Simone Breaks All the Rules:

"Simone is a wonderfully crafted character, and Rigaud uses the awkwardness of the late bloomers' attempts to be cool with perfect comedic timing. This is a great depiction of Haitian American culture that both affirms and informs. Offering a steady mix of romance and humor, this is a home run." -- Kirkus Reviews

"We need more rom-coms like this! Hilarious and relatable, with a romance that will make you swoon, and a twist that I did not see coming." -- Tami Charles, New York Times bestselling author of All Because You Matter and Muted

"Simone is the friend we wished we had growing up -- to laugh with, cry with, sneak out the house with, and see ourselves in. Simone Breaks All the Rules strolls boldly into your heart and stays there long after the final page." -- Maika and Maritza Moulite, authors of Dear Haiti, Love Alaine and One of the Good Ones

"As specifically Haitian and universally relatable as it gets. Simone is an instant star. Her heartbreaks are as heartwarming and cheer-worthy as her victories." -- Ben Philippe, award-winning author of Charming as a Verb

"Crackles with realism, humor, and affection... Fans of Jenny Han and Brandy Colbert will find much to cheer about in this entertaining and charming novel." -- School Library Journal

"Rigaud infuses a delightfully funny narrative with a diaspora-specific lesson -- Simone learning to value the sacrifices of her immigrant parents -- within a universally relatable tale of seeking oneself and independence amid warm relationships with family, friends, and community." -- Publishers Weekly

"Crackles with realism, humor, and affection... Fans of Jenny Han and Brandy Colbert will find much to cheer about in this entertaining and charming novel." -- School Library Journal

"Rigaud infuses a delightfully funny narrative with a diaspora-specific lesson -- Simone learning to value the sacrifices of her immigrant parents -- within a universally relatable tale of seeking oneself and independence amid warm relationships with family, friends, and community." -- Publishers Weekly

Praise for Truly Madly Royally:

A Junior Library Guild Selection

"The Princess Diaries meets Meghan and Harry in this swoony rom-com!" -- In Touch Magazine

"Readers will root for smart, talented Zora as she navigates the world of the rich; her voice is humorous, and her imperfect family is believable. A light and entertaining tale that also addresses serious real-world topics." -- Kirkus Reviews

"If you want a royal romance you can tackle in an afternoon at the pool while rooting for a heroine who may be way out of even a prince's league, pick this one up." -- Booklist

About the Author

DEBBIE RIGAUD is the coauthor of Alyssa Milano’s New York Times bestselling Hope series and the author of Simone Breaks All the Rules and Truly Madly Royally. She grew up in East Orange, New Jersey, and started her career writing for entertainment and teen magazines. She now lives with her husband and children in Columbus, Ohio. Find out more at debbierigaud.com.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Scholastic Press (August 2, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1338681745
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1338681741
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 12 years and up
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 780L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 7 - 9
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.52 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.66 x 5.91 x 0.98 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 16 ratings

About the author

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Debbie Rigaud

Debbie Rigaud

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Debbie Rigaud is the author of A GIRL’S GUIDE TO LOVE & MAGIC, SIMONE BREAKS ALL THE RULES, TRULY MADLY ROYALLY, and the co-author of Alyssa Milano’s New York Times bestselling HOPE series and of Sarah Mlynowski’s BEST WISHES: THE SISTER SWITCH. Debbie started her career writing for entertainment and teen magazines. She now lives with her husband and children in Columbus, Ohio. Find out more at debbierigaud.com.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
16 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Anonymous
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun!
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2023
Verified Purchase
Really fun, never boring, a lot going on and a very sweet romance!
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Karen Yingling
5.0 out of 5 stars Adventure in New York City!
Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2022
Cecily Destin is so excited to be turning 15 during the Labor Day weekend that also includes the West Indian Day Parade that she can't really concentrate on school at Christian Prep. Her parents have a restaurant, Port au Princesse, and will have a booth at the parade. Most exciting of all, her social influencer aunt Mimose will be interviewing the music star Papash and has invited Cecily and her best friend Renee to come along! Her mother isn't too thrilled with Mimose's embracing of their Haitian Vodou culture, and since the death of their mother, Grandma Rose, Cecily hasn't spent as much time with her aunt. She's glad to go to a tarot card reading with her aunt before the interview on the day of the parade, but things go badly wrong. The client, Juste, wants Mimose to perform a ritual, but she declines. He insists, spitting rum on her and causing her to be possessed by the spirit called Erzu. Erzu is concerned with how she looks and is rather laid back, which is good, because Cecily and Renee have to find a way to have the spirit removed. Luckily, she happens upon classmate Kwame, and takes refuge with her aunt in his apartment. His younger brother, Kofi, has been interested in a variety of Black cultural magic since reading Ronald L. Smith's Hoodoo, and is able to give them a rough idea of what needs to be done to bring the aunt back. This sends the four off into the celebration to find items needed for the ritual, including a priestess! They run into all sorts of snags, meet a variety of people in the community, and manage to have a good time despite worrying about Mimose. The interview is thankfully put off, since Papash is busy with other things, which buys them some time. Cecily has always thought that Kwame was kind of cute, and he is sweet, helpful, and seems to have a bit of a crush on her. Will Cecily and her friends be able to navigate the celebration and manage to bring Mimose back to herself?

If you haven't looked at this book because you think it is Young Adult, stop right there and go find a copy! Even though Cecily is in high school, this is 100% a fabulous city adventure book similar to Tarpley's The Harlem Charade or Farrar's Song for Bijou. Cecily is in high school, but dealing with many of the same things middle schoolers do; struggles with parents' expectations, missing a grandparent who has recently passed away, and having a very sweet crush on a classmate. Of course, since she's older, she is free to wander around New York City with her aunt even when she is possessed by a spirit. I loved learning about the West Indian Day Parade and all of the different cultural practices, food, and celebrations. She gets a lot of support from community members, Renee, and even her mother, in a surprising twist. Now I almost want to go to New York to experience this for myself!

It took me several chapters to get my mind around the fact that this wasn't going to be typical Young Adult fare, which usually is more introspective and not as packed with action. Not that Rigaud, who also did the fabulous Simone Breaks All the Rules would do that to me, but the Young Adult tone is just not my favorite a lot of the time, and this was billed as Young Adult. This was so much fun, and it's going to be perfect for my middle school readers who want to read about slightly older characters.

This is perfect for readers who want upper middle grade stories like Watson's Love is a Revolution, Richardson's The Meet-Cute Project, Bajpai's A Match Made in Mehendi or Kasie West's oevre. It was a fantastic summer read. My only regret is that I wasn't able to pick up any Haitian food to eat while reading it!
2 people found this helpful
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Amirah Garces
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolute favorite
Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2022
A possession? A Carnival? Vodou? Of course I needed to read this!!!

~I’ve always wanted to attend a Caribbean Carnival. Turns out, I could have just gone to Brooklyn during Labor Day weekend. This was such a fun book and though I’ve never gone to a parade, I was able to imagine it through Debbie Rigauds writing. She describes how the characters feel in the exact moment. How they’re feeling while dancing and how they feel surrounded by their people. How they feel when they see others waving around their countries flag. I’m not Haitian (Cicely) or Trinidadian (Renee), or Caribbean at all, but I know how it feels to be out of touch with your culture. And how it feels to what to learn more but being discouraged.

Cicely wants to learn more about Vodou from her aunt Tati, but her mother discourages her and prevents her from seeing Tati. Her birthday is the day of the West Indian Day Parade and her favorite musician Papash will be performing there. Papash is also being interviewed on a podcast and the interviewer is Tati, Cicely’s aunt. However, Tati gets possessed and Cicely, her best friend Renee and her crush Kwame go on an adventure throughout the Carnival trying to gather the materials to perform the exorcism. And I truly felt how chaotic is was.

I’ve been in the mood for books with witches and magic. Though being a witch and practicing Vodou are very different, they have similarities. Vodou is spiritual and a religion. It gave me the magical feeling that I wanted while being cultural and having the sense of adventure. 10/10!!
2 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Caribbean Christmas is a good time
Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2022
Loved this book! Such a great story and the vivid details of Carnival made me feel like I was there.
2 people found this helpful
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Kita Stanns
2.0 out of 5 stars Story was not progressing well
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2023
I love that the author is proud of their heritage and takes the opportunity to showcase it in the book. I love learning about different cultures within the black community. I feel though, that too much time was given to explaining the Caribbean culture, in this book. There were times when the story should have been progressing but we kept getting stopped by long explanations of the cultures.

At times I was begging for the author to get on with the story already.

For example, we just finish reading an in-depth description about the beautiful Caribbean cultures in Flatbush and then just few pages later we’re reading another in-depth description of the carnival culture and then just a few pages later again, another in-depth explanation about the culture again.

The author sets us up to read about a fun shopping scene where the main character and bff go to look for an outfit to wear to meet their favorite rapper for the main characters bff/carnival parade but instead of getting to read about the fun shopping scene, we instead first have to read an encounter w/ a random old man who rants on about the carnival and culture. This encounter was about 4 1/2 pages long, while the shopping scene was reduced to 2/3 of a page. It’s not a long book.

This doesn’t work well in a short story book.
One person found this helpful
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Cark
5.0 out of 5 stars 5 Gleaming Stars
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2023
Fun, rich, family-style, PG-rated fiction for teens. Just really good. 5 stars!
One person found this helpful
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