High Wizardry by Diane Duane

Nita Callahan's sister Dairene is younger than her, smarter than her, and ferociously jealous of the abilities her sister has as a wizatd. When she gets a chance to read her sister's Wizard's manual, she wastes no time at all in taking the oath that every wizard takes, and then she goes to sleep, expecting great things to happen.

The next morning, her new computer, a Macintosh, arrives. Not exactly what she was hoping for, but it's a second best that she will live with for now. Nita and her partner in magic, Christopher or "Kit" Rodriguez, make plans to visit New York City and the Planetarium, but Dairene is pushed on them as Nita and Dairene's parents try to set up the computer.

Dairene has already copied the computer using its own copying facility, and takes it to the Planetarium with her. There, she gives into her greatest fantasies and programs the computer to take her to Mars. But she isn't going to stop there... she's going on a whirlwind tour of the universe, and there is nothing anyone can do to stop her!

Well, except her own inexperience, and lack of knowledge. When the Lone Power, the force behind entropy and death, who tricks new species into accepting entropy and decay for themselves, gets wind of Dairene's ascencion to wizardhood, it sends its forces out to stop her, because the youngest wizards are the most powerful, due to them not knowing what *isn't* possible.

Dairene, in running away, ends up at a small planet composed completely of silicon, where she inadvertantly gives birth to a whole new race, all computer-like in intelligence, and all wizards as well. But as a new race, the Lone Power is once again attracted to where Dairene is. Can she prevent them from falling into the same trap that other races have? And can Nita and Kit save her from her own failings, or will the Lone Power win again?

This book sets Dairene up as a wizard. Just as Nita and Kit have their own specialties in Wizardry (Nita can fix just about anything mechanical, and Kit's specialty is with animals and living things, Dairene's specialty is inorganic, nonhuman intelligences, as is shown when she helps a sentient planet construct many different "children" for itself, each different. Of course, Dairene may be extremely intelligent, but she does run into and make problems for herself, such as on the gate-world of Rhirhath B. She does manage to escape, but she finds out that travelling the universe isn't all like the Star Wars movies that she so loves.

Kids who read this book will identify with Dairene, who is smart, strong and funny. A little arrogant, perhaps, but she does learn humility during the course of the book. Kids also might feel a little sorry for Nita. After having a kid sister who outdid her in every area but magic, now Dairene is a stronger wizard, too. Nita may not like it, but she does accept it, and finding and cleaning up after Dairene isn't without its problems, either.

The ending of the book is fabulous, bringing home the lesson that everyone can change, and the joy of a job well done. I heartily recommend this series for everyone looking for the next great thing after Harry Potter. It may not be the same kind of wizardry, but the stories are top-notch and will carry you along on a thrill ride you won't forget!