Just Add Magic


Just Add Magic is a best-selling 2010 fictional juvenile novel by Cindy Callaghan. It tells the story of three young friends who find a mysterious and magical cookbook and create a secret cooking club. It was followed up by the 2018 book Potion Problems.

Plot

girls Kelly, Darbie and Hannah find an old World Book encyclopedia, Volume T in Kelly's attic. Inside, they find the articles have been covered up by recipes with strange names like "Shut 'Em Up Shortcake" and "Hazelnut Healing Tart". This is the excuse Kelly has been looking for to start a secret cooking club with her two best friends Darbie and Hannah. They must keep the club secret from the mean girl and Kelly's neighbor, Charlotte.
Kelly's little brother eats some of the shortcake and is unable to speak. Darbie eats some of the shortcake and can't stop talking right before basketball tryouts. Kelly and Darbie think there's something magical about these recipes, but Hannah remains skeptical.
The three worst enimies find themselves with some bad luck after using the recipes. They befriend Señora Perez, owner of La Cocina, the shop where they buy the exotic ingredients needed for the magical recipes. She teaches them about the Law of Returns and they decide to perform good deeds around their town to balance things out.

Adaptation

adapted the novel for the 2015 pilot season and later ordered a full season based on the response.