OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

An 11-year-old girl forms a friendship with a magical wish-granter.

Passionate about her school’s music program, Persian American Lila Moradi attempts to secure a bank loan to save it from being cut. She’s turned down—but while at the bank she finds an unusual box containing an old bronze key. Later, a golden door appears in her room, and a girl in a sparkly dress emerges. Felise, the personification of Lady Luck, will spend the next seven days glued to Lila’s side—but there is the risk of a curse if the possessor of the key becomes greedy or the key is stolen. Felise quickly realizes that Lila is not the typical power-hungry key finder, however: She is kind and generous, and she appreciates Felise more for her friendship than her powers. However, Lila tends to focus more on what is lacking in her life rather than appreciating what she does have. The underlying messages of gratitude and creating our own luck by embracing opportunities are delivered with some heavy-handed preachiness by Felise. Meanwhile, wealthy megalomaniac industrialist Mr. Mammonton, who lost the key in the first place, is trying to get it back so he can use Felise to expand his business empire. The premise is simple, with mild humor, peril, and middle school hijinks. With or without magic, this is a story of a friend who helps a girl see the best in herself.

A wish-granting genie story that leans into emotional themes.