Savvy is a nice debut novel that I'd recommend to readers of Deborah Wiles and similar. Mibs is turning thirteen and about to learn what her particular talent in life is -- her savvy. Everyone on her mom's side of the family has a savvy that ranges from the ability to trap radio waves in jars to whipping up storms (the latter being the reason the family lives so far from any water, somewhere between Kansas and Nebraska). But when Mibs' dad is in a car wreck north of Salina on his way to work, the much-anticipated thirteenth birthday goes awry.

Law describes this book as a modern tall tale, and I'd agree. It's nominated for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature against stiff competition (http://tinyurl.com/p4af5p) so obviously folks are seeing a lot of promise here. Her followup novel is due out next year and will be a "companion" novel to this story. Personally, I like the distinctive Midwestern settings and the gentle mix of just enough magic and madness that will have you listening very closely... just in case... the next time you spot someone with a tattoo.