A Snicker of Magic

by Natalie Lloyd (Author)

A Snicker of Magic
Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

Midnight Gulch used to be a magical place, a town where people could sing up thunderstorms and dance up sunflowers. But that was long ago, before a curse drove the magic away.

Twelve-year-old Felicity knows all about things like that; her nomadic mother is cursed with a wandering heart. But when she arrives in Midnight Gulch, Felicity thinks her luck's about to change. A word collector, Felicity sees words everywhere---shining above strangers, tucked into church eves, and tangled up her dog's floppy ears---but Midnight Gulch is the first place she's ever seen the word home. And then there's Jonah, a mysterious, spiky-haired do-gooder who shimmers with words Felicity's never seen before, words that make Felicity's heart beat a little faster.

Felicity wants to stay in Midnight Gulch more than anything, but first, she'll need to figure out how to bring back the magic, breaking the spell that's been cast over the town . . . and her mother's broken heart.

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School Library Journal

Starred Review
Gr 4-7—A delightful and inspiring debut. Mama has a wandering heart, which means that 12-year-old Felicity Pickle and her little sister, Frannie Jo, have wandered along with her in their battered van. But Midnight Gulch feels like home, and not just because it's where Mama grew up. It's one of those quirky little towns where there just might be magic. It's the characters that make this story shine: gruff Aunt Cleo and her tongue-tied swain; Oliver and Ponder, purveyors of unusual ice cream and baked goods, respectively; Jewell Pickett, hair-stylist and auto-mechanic extraordinaire; and her son Jonah, who has the amazing ability to make things better for anybody, despite his own difficulties. And Felicity, who sees words everywhere and uses them in remarkable ways. She's a girl who loves deeply and openly, and who creates her own kind of magic. Added to these elements are a series of folkloric backstories about feuding brothers, doomed romances, mysterious do-gooders, lost children, and a curse. Mibs Beaumont and her magically gifted clan from Ingrid Law's Savvy (Dial, 2008) would feel right at home here. As Felicity loves to say, "Yes...yes...yes!"—Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

Praise for A Snicker of Magic

* "This tale offers all [the] earmarks of fine storytelling, including colorful, eccentric characters, an original, highly likable narrator and a mighty "spindiddly"plot." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "From every angle, Lloyd's first novel sparkles and radiates warmth . . . Working in the folksy vein of Ingrid Law's Savvy, Lloyd offers a reassuring, homespun story about self-expression and the magic that resides in one's mind and heart." — Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "A delightful and inspiring debut . . . Mibs Beaumont and her magically gifted clan from Ingrid Law's Savvy would feel right at home here. As Felicity loves to say, "Yes...yes...yes!" — School Library Journal, starred review
Natalie Lloyd
Natalie Lloyd lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She collects old books, listens to bluegrass music, and loves exploring quirky mountain towns with her dog, Biscuit. She is the author of A Snicker of Magic and The Key to Extraordinary.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780545552738
Lexile Measure
680
Guided Reading Level
22
Publisher
Scholastic Press
Publication date
April 20, 2015
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV013000 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | General
JUV012030 - Juvenile Fiction | Fairy Tales & Folklore | General
Library of Congress categories
-
South Carolina Childrens, Junior and Young Adult Book Award
Nominee
Virginia Readers Choice Award
Nominee
Sunshine State Young Reader's Award
Nominee
Colorado Children's Book Award
Nominee
Golden Sower Award
Nominee
Nene Award
Nominee
Keystone to Reading Book Award
Nominee
Kentucky Bluegrass Award
Nominee
Pat Conroy Southern Book Prize
Finalist
E.B. White Read Aloud Award
Honor Book
Georgia Children's Book Award
Finalist
Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children
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