The Van Gogh Cafe by Cynthia Rylant

 
This little book is talked about in many teaching books as a great mentor text so I had to read it for myself.  The Van Gogh Cafe in Flowers, Texas is run by Clara and her father,  It looks like an ordinary cafe but there is magic.  Maybe it's because it was an old theater that had magic shows.  The story has a possum, a lightning strike that leads to mysterious prophecies, magic muffins, an old movie star, a seagull, and a writer.  This book had both funny parts and sad parts.  The chapters flowed from one to another.