okay, i've been searching for this book for years. i've asked on different forums too. so this is my last resort. i'm going to paypal my hard earned $6USD to whoever solves it first! 
the facts:
-a novel or a short story
-a translation of a chapter (or whole, if it is a short story) was published in a soviet union magazine for children (Pioneer) in about 1990
-set in the US or maybe England, but i think the US
-style of writing: magic realism
what i remember:
a girl (6-9 years old) from a disadvantaged background goes to school, possibly in a bad neighbourhood. she is ridiculed and bullied in school because of her appearance and her numerous superstitions -- for example she firmly believes that she will break her mother's back if she steps on a crack in the pavement.
she is sitted at the back of the class and a kind teacher is helping her out to catch up.
one day the teacher reads a story to the class, it is about magic. anyone who can say the magic word out loud can turn anyone into anything. the magic word is something like this: KFGJRTKLDMNQQQZZXC -- basically a very long string of consonants.
after the recess two of her bullies are missing. they search everywhere, but they are not found. eventually the girl brings to rocks from the yard and puts them on the teacher's desk. she says that they were bothering her again, and she turned them into rocks, by using the magic word, as she could pronounce it.
the teacher asks her to try to turn them back.
i think the girl tries, but she is not successful (not sure about this last bit).
anyone???
the facts:
-a novel or a short story
-a translation of a chapter (or whole, if it is a short story) was published in a soviet union magazine for children (Pioneer) in about 1990
-set in the US or maybe England, but i think the US
-style of writing: magic realism
what i remember:
a girl (6-9 years old) from a disadvantaged background goes to school, possibly in a bad neighbourhood. she is ridiculed and bullied in school because of her appearance and her numerous superstitions -- for example she firmly believes that she will break her mother's back if she steps on a crack in the pavement.
she is sitted at the back of the class and a kind teacher is helping her out to catch up.
one day the teacher reads a story to the class, it is about magic. anyone who can say the magic word out loud can turn anyone into anything. the magic word is something like this: KFGJRTKLDMNQQQZZXC -- basically a very long string of consonants.
after the recess two of her bullies are missing. they search everywhere, but they are not found. eventually the girl brings to rocks from the yard and puts them on the teacher's desk. she says that they were bothering her again, and she turned them into rocks, by using the magic word, as she could pronounce it.
the teacher asks her to try to turn them back.
i think the girl tries, but she is not successful (not sure about this last bit).
anyone???
bumping myself now. i've asked librarians. i've asked pretty much everybody, on all kind of boards. i wonder if anyone read something similar and think the author could be the same? any guesses?
