12 year-old Emily Fletcher is pretty bummed as CIRCLES IN THE STREAM begins. Not only does she have to deal with her parents getting divorced, but she and her Mom move from the mountains of Colorado --- the only home Emily has ever known. Now she has to get used to being in a small town in rural Pennsylvania, with a whole new set of kids and a new school.

The one thing that makes Emily happy is working with her Mom. Dr. Carolyn Fletcher is a vet and Emily helps her by cleaning, feeding and playing with the animals that are recuperating at the Stonehill Animal Hospital and the Pet Palace. Emily also occasionally helps her mother in the operating room. In fact, she is doing just that when a horribly wounded catlike animal with strange, deep burns is brought in. Emily tries to aid her Mom, but she is afraid --- afraid because she has never seen a wild cat that looks like this one, afraid because the animal's wounds are so horrible, afraid because she could swear she heard the animal SPEAK. Emily is sure the cat-thing looked at her and said "Home." Is she going crazy? What is this strange animal and how did it get hurt?

In order to solve these mysteries, Emily heads for Ravenswood Wildlife Preserve, where the animal was found. There she finds a magical glen, with instantaneously sprouting, glowing flowers, a pool of multicolored liquid and beautiful, but definitely not normal animals. It is here that Emily encounters Adriane. The two girls are the same age and share a love of animals. Both are outsiders, too: while Emily feels alone because she is new in town, Adriane is shunned because she lives in the nature preserve with her grandmother. All the kids in town think it's a haunted place and think Adriane must be weird and crazy. The two girls decide to work together to help the magical creatures who all seem to be in distress. Where have these fantastical animals come from and why? And what is the evil force that has followed them and now threatens Emily and Adriane's world?   

Emily and Adriane discover a lot during their search for answers, not the least of which is a talking ferret named Ozzie. They also learn that the animals have a prophecy about three girls who save both the magical world and this world --- but if they are only two who is the other they need? And what does any of this have to do with Kara, the stuck-up, popular daughter of the town's mayor?

This is the first book in a series so don't fret! There will be many more adventures for Emily, Adriane and Kara. Animal lovers, nature lovers, and magic lovers alike will all be Avalon: Web of Magic lovers!   

   --- Reviewed by Addelaide Hayes