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! :thumb

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???

:bump:

wanted to bump for you...interesting story, I'd want to read it!

:bump:

wanted to bump for you...interesting story, I'd want to read it!

thanks! :) 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?

Three minutes on Google turns up (is this it?)

Zenna Henderson "The Believing Child." In _Holding Wonder_.

http://www.amazon.com/Holding-Wonder-Zenna-Henderson/dp/0380012510

The magic word is PYRZQXGL, is that right?

If I found it, keep your PP--that's the kind of mystery I like to solve, and anyway I found it in just a couple of minutes.

and the magic google search terms were .... ????

Ummm... I googled the following: [ "magic word" rocks teacher story bully ]. The title came up in literally the fifth hit down the first page.

Anna sends her deepest, most enthusiastic THANKS to you all!! :banana

She cannot post herself right now, but asked that I send her appreciation on her behalf.

She's about over the moon over this and says "I cannot believe I didn't try Google!!!" . ;) :D

Man, I would love it if someone could find my book. I read a book growing up and clearly lost the book because I no longer have it or remember the title. It was about a girl who had been severely abused or neglected. There was something about her living with her grandfather, then she was taken in by a couple. While she lived with them, she was pressured into killing a bird by some other children. Does anyone know this story? It reminded me of One Child by Torey Hayden, but was a fiction story.

Man, I would love it if someone could find my book. I read a book growing up and clearly lost the book because I no longer have it or remember the title. It was about a girl who had been severely abused or neglected. There was something about her living with her grandfather, then she was taken in by a couple. While she lived with them, she was pressured into killing a bird by some other children. Does anyone know this story? It reminded me of One Child by Torey Hayden, but was a fiction story.
I have no idea, but that sounds like a rather depressing book.

Man, I would love it if someone could find my book. I read a book growing up and clearly lost the book because I no longer have it or remember the title. It was about a girl who had been severely abused or neglected. There was something about her living with her grandfather, then she was taken in by a couple. While she lived with them, she was pressured into killing a bird by some other children. Does anyone know this story? It reminded me of One Child by Torey Hayden, but was a fiction story.

sounds crazy, but could it be heidi or some new twist on it?

I have no idea, but that sounds like a rather depressing book.

It actually ended kind of uplifting, but that is the only scene I can clearly remember because the foster mom was so devastated at what she had done. Don't ask me why, but I love those "save the abused chld" books.

sounds crazy, but could it be heidi or some new twist on it?

No, it wasn't heidiesque at all. It was in the late 70's I read it. I wish there was some way to find a book without having the author or title. I have been searching for it for years wanting to reread it.