Opportunity Knocks

by Sara Farizan

Overview

For fans of Barakah Beats and Wendy Mass comes a funny friendship story from Lambda Literary Award winner Sara Farizan that's sure to be a lucky charm.

Lila is trying to find her way in the world—to figure out her thing. Her talented sister, Parisa, and athletic best friend, Melanie, both seem to have found theirs… and Lila can’t help feeling left behind.

But just when she thinks she might have it in her school’s new band program, the floor falls out from beneath Lila. The program may have its funding cut!

Lila visits her local bank in an attempt to secure a loan for the band program. While she’s there, she’s shoved by a passing stranger. Before she can even complain, however, the man leaves the bank and disappears. At her feet, Lila sees a strange box. Inside rests an old key, with a message carved into the box: A simple clue for you who holds the key. Remember to unlock the door for Opportunity.

It turns out the key is magical! Upon falling asleep with it in her room, Lila is awoken by the appearance of a strange glowing door, which knocks three times from the other side. Upon opening it, Lila is met with the strangest sight. A girl her age waltzes into her room and claims to be Lila’s lucky day. The girl says she’s been called by many names: Providence, Fortuna, Lady Luck, Opportunity… but Lila can call her Felise. Felise will stay with Lila for seven serendipitous days, during which Lila will be the luckiest person in the world!

But the man who lost the key has not forgotten about it—or Lila. Having spent a fortune procuring the Key to Opportunity, he’ll do everything in his power to get it back.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338827095
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	02/07/2023
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	6 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Sara Farizan is the author of the middle-grade graphic novel My Buddy, Killer Croc, illustrated by Nicoletta Baldari. She is also the author of several YA novels, including the award-winning If You Could Be Mine and Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel. She lives in Massachusetts. You can learn more about her and her books at sarafarizan.com.

Editorial Reviews

01/09/2023

Since everyone else seems to have already found “their thing,” Persian American Lila Moradi works to figure out what she’s “meant to be great at” in this light wish-fulfillment fable from Farizan (Dead Flip). The 11-year-old begins playing triangle in the small school band, but when budget cuts threaten the program just as she feels that “my dings are really making an impact,” she determines to raise money. Her efforts to get a loan fail to pique the bank’s interest, but on her way out, she finds a small wooden box on the floor, and an old bronze key inside. At home, the box’s inscription begins to glow, and a golden door appears. When she turns the key, Lila finds that she has summoned Felise, who grants wishes and says she will stay for seven days. Though Lila is skeptical, Felise proves true to her word, facilitating many wonderful occurrences, including Lila’s winning contests to help secure funds for the school music program. But the wealthy industrialist who lost the box is after it, and his recovering the object would turn good luck to bad for Felise as well as Lila and her loved ones. Friendship proves the most magical element in this briskly told, gently humorous exploration of interpersonal bonds, helping the protagonist to both discover her interest and develop her confidence. Ages 8–12. Agent: Susan Ginsburg, Writers House. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

03/03/2023

Gr 3–7—Middle schooler Lila Moradi, 11, with pronouns she/her, has just found her niche in the school band, but now the music program's funding has run out. When she discovers a small wooden box with a poem and a mysterious key, her first thought is that it might be a cherished relic and there will be a reward—she could use the money to save the band. But the magic key reveals a gold door and after she reads the poem, magical Felise appears, declaring herself Opportunity, or Lady Luck. Felise assures Lila she will bestow luck upon her and Lila quickly does find good fortune—until she encounters Mr. Mammonton of Mammonton Industries, a maker of dangerous technology like sentient drones. He's angry and he wants his key back. When Lila loses the key, calamity begins. Will Lila restore calm and get her true wish, to not only to save the band but also to find a place where she belongs with friends who understand her? This is a fun, lighthearted story that explores tween angst and the desire to fit in. Readers will be rooting for Lila, while yearning for their own wish-granting genies. VERDICT A solid addition for fantasy-inspired middle grade collections.—Lisa Gieskes

School Library Journal

2022-12-14
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. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews