by Elaine Vickers
A wise librarian nurtures friendship between three ten-year-old girls experiencing significant changes in their young lives. Grace’s best friend has moved away and now she cannot find the ability to speak. Jada has just moved to Salt Lake City with her father because of his new teaching job. Malia’s mother is in the hospital expecting a baby, and Malia worries about her place in the family and her mom’s health. When Grace visits the library to find paper stars she folded with her best friend Katie, Hazel the librarian leads her to the lost and found drawer. Hazel presents Grace with a locked book titled “AMICITIA”, Latin for friendship. Grace promises to keep the book safe and return it to Hazel after she discovers a way to open it. This locked book turns out to be a treasure box with a short verse explaining to share a personal treasure that someone else who borrows the box will find. Grace decides to share a poem which is “found” by Jada. The poem gives Jada an idea for a painting since she is an artist and she leaves a postcard painting behind for the next girl, Malia. Malia leaves behind a CD with the song “Ave Maria” as she was reminded of her family by Jada’s postcard. Each girl’s special contribution to the treasure box is just the beginning to them finding one another through chance or “magical” meetings as they navigate changes that are taking place in their individual lives.