We could be magic by Marissa Meyer

Illustrated by Joelle Murray

Tabitha has dreamed about work for the magical theme park of Sommerland since she was a little girl, and the summer internship is where she is finally going to make it all reality. At first, Tabi is excited to be assigned at any role in the park just as long as she can contribute to the magic of a family’s stay, but going behind-the-scenes at her favorite place isn’t as wonderful as she had hoped. Her co-workers complain about guests and working conditions; her assignment isn’t exactly what she had hoped for, and the actors playing royalty, the role Tabi aspires to, aren’t as nice out of character. Tabi does manage to find one person, James, who hasn’t let others tarnish his excitement for working at the park, and the two do their best to enjoy the summer.

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For readers with a familiarity with Disneyland, Sommerland will likely seem very similar. Plenty of kids grow up idolizing Disney parks, and many kids growing up in the Southern California area (like myself) dreamed of obtaining jobs within the parks, only to find the magic is very different than what they imagined. Meyers has managed to capture a very niche experience. Even still, Tabi and James’ experience can be equated to many workplaces where new employees come in with high hopes and dreams only to be crushed by jaded, “seasoned” older coworkers. Meyer also deftly manages to integrate a sub plot of body image and bullying, which also includes women in pop culture and idolization of thinness. 

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: Jun 3, 2025
ISBN: 9781250379399 (Paperback)

​Tags: Rating: 8/10, Suitability: Middle School, Suitability: High School, Graphic Fiction, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Mental Health, Feiwel & Friends