It does not go well. A series of mishaps and bad luck derails her audition and it is pretty obvious that she won't be accepted and her hopes of becoming a musicrafter are ended. But to her surprise, she is accepted! It is not until she arrives that the mystery is solved: a bureaucratic mishap has delivered her a place that was supposed to go to another girl. However, fixing the mistake is complicated and the faculty make a deal: if she can prove herself in the next two months, she can stay.
That is a tall order. She plays well enough, but no way to the professional level of the other students. And to make things even more challenging, she has lots of enemies: classmates who want to see her fail, teachers who distrust her, and -- something far more dangerous -- a vengeful ghost. But with some sleuthing, a new friend, and perseverance, she will not only succeed but become a heroine of her class.
A Harry Potter-like fantasy about a seventh grade flautist who has to find herself to save her school. The story lacks originality and has a pretty transparent target audience, but I enjoyed the combination of music and magic. It danced a fine line between fantasy and metaphor -- making music into something that not only touches the heart but can manifest physical and material changes in the world. Seventh graders who play flute (or any musical instrument) will appreciate the musical references and the story of a brave and hard-working girl who saves the day has broad appeal for anyone who wishes they could change the world with a song
