I'm not sure why it took me so long to read this book. Stephanie Burgis consistently writes outstanding middle grade fantasy books with characters who make their way in the world, navigating their own and others' use of magic.

This book features Cordelia, who's been living in the forest with her mother, older brother, and her two triplets. Cordelia's magic allows her to shapeshift into any animal, and she hates staying inside. Her family gets impatient with her always turning into a bird or a mouse or something to get out of being where she's supposed to be. Her triplets, Rosalind and Giles, certainly have magic of some kind, but haven't been interested in developing it just yet. Rosalind focuses on learning swordplay, and Giles loves to sing, preferably for an audience.

One fateful day after Cordelia took off in bird form, she sees people in their woods -- people who turn out to be soldiers. Someone has gotten through their mother's protection spells and says that the king has died and her child is now the rightful king. Their mother doesn't clue the visitor in that there are three of them. She won't answer any of Cordelia's questions about who was born first -- or anything else, for that matter. And she is not happy to be told her child will be the ruler -- she went into the forest to avoid that very thing. Ever since the Raven Crown broke, folks had been squabbling over the crown. Nobody can keep it for long, and to take the crown means death will come soon. In fact, two different branches of the family are each trying to put a different child on the throne, hoping to control them as regent.

Their mother tells the triplets to flee -- Cordelia as a bird and the other two through a back tunnel. When they meet up, someone claiming to be their grandmother finds them, but can they even trust her? So begins an adventure that turns into a quest, with three children, all with magical powers but dubious control, trying to escape the soldiers looking for them, rescue their mother and older brother, and learn some family secrets along the way.

This is a fun fantasy-adventure tale and is firmly middle grade, with no romance, but plenty of adventure, magic, and kid power.

I have one little quibble. At one point in the story (and only one point in the story), Cordelia is given to understand that great magic requires a sacrifice of something she loves. I've seen this in several other books, and it's an idea I hate. Why do kids have to read books that say it's noble to give up something you love? I personally would like to see a book about the magical power inherent in following what you love and becoming great at it. However, in this book, this only came up in one big example, not in every single use of magic, so it didn't bother me as much as a book I read where every little bit of magic required sacrifice. Why do we easily accept that sacrifice, simply for the sake of sacrifice, is noble? It reminds me of folks who think prayer requires bargaining with God. I honestly think kids are a little more prone to this, so seeing it in a kids' fantasy book is actually a pet peeve of mine. It's a very minor point in this book -- but hit my pet peeve.

There, so all but the pet peeve, this was a wonderful book by an author I love, and give it to any kids you know who love reading about kids with magical powers.