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Summary
Summary
Natalie Lloyd's SPINDIDDLY debut novel, now in paperback!A Snicker of Magic joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!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.
Author Notes
Natalie Lloyd's first novel is A Snicker of Magic.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-7-Twelve-year-old Felicity is tired of driving all over the country with her mother and younger sister, Frannie Jo. So when Mama drives into her hometown of Midnight Gulch, TN, Felicity hopes to be able to put down some roots of her own. Midnight Gulch has a magical history, and Felicity loves hearing stories about its former residents, including two musician brothers whose jealous duel resulted in a curse that split their family apart. A modern-day talent show duel at her school gives Felicity the chance to showcase a magical talent of her own: word collecting. But first, she must figure out how to get over her stage fright and make her words come out sounding right. Narrator Cassandra Morris's words flow beautifully and she does a phenomenal job of bringing this enchanting story to life. Listeners will love getting to know the town's colorful residents and following Felicity's adventures as she tries to break the age-old curse and find a home she can call her own.-Anne Bozievich, Friendship Elementary School, Glen Rock, PA (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
New York Review of Books Review
AS ANY YOUNG bookworm knows, the library shelves are crammed with beloved characters whose lives have been vastly improved - if not saved - by words. Consider Harriet the Spy, who made sense of the world in her green composition notebook long before journals earned their own verb; or Matilda Wormwood, who sailed away from the sinking ship of her family on a life raft made of stories. Even Wilbur found salvation through two words - Some Pig - woven into the web of a wise spider. Natalie Lloyd's whimsical and bewitching debut novel, "A Snicker of Magic," introduces a new logophile to the mix - and one with a twist. Felicity Juniper Pickle doesn't just read or write words: She sees them hovering in the air like heat over asphalt. Sometimes these mirages contain humdrum dictionary regulars - for instance, over her sister's head, Biscuit, Dump truck, Apple fritter; others, like "factofabulous," are onomatopoeic mash-ups born of Felicity's imagination. On the first day of sixth grade at Stoneberry Elementary in Midnight Gulch, Tenn., words shoot from bookshelves in the back of Felicity's classroom: Dork, Lonely, Loser, Clutzerdoodle. She has lived in six states, and she's sick of starting fresh every year; after all, "making new friends, in a new place, when you're the new girl, is harder than fractions." Unfortunately, Felicity's mom, Holly, has a serious case of wanderlust, and Felicity worries that their time in Midnight Gulch will end with yet another hasty getaway in the family van (known as the Pickled Jalapeño). Holly Pickle's hometown turns out to be a kid wonderland, famous for two things: Dr. Zook's Ice Cream Factory (45 delicious flavors; limited refrigeration required); and the Brothers Threadbare, who robbed the place of its trademark magic and then skipped town, leaving the younger generation to make sense of their legacy, which includes a witch, a curse, a disappearing tattoo, a hot-air balloon and a locket that won't open. Midnight Gulch also has, as a bonus, the Beedle, a local hero who performs small, anonymous acts of kindness. He's been at it for 50 years, but nobody knows who he is. (The Beedle's secret password: pumpernickel. Don't tell a soul.) Thanks to her new friend, Jonah Pickett, who uses a wheelchair, Felicity immediately gets up to speed on the history of the place. But, spindiddly ("better than awesome") as it is having mysteries to solve and a gem of a sidekick to solve them with, she has more than her share of worry and heartbreak. Even in a story steeped in magic, Felicity's dad's disappearing act is notable, and keenly felt; and her mom's flakiness can be painful for the protective reader to witness. (Cheetos and Pop-Tarts for breakfast? Get it together, woman!) BUT, LIKE MANY of her word-loving predecessors, Felicity is a survivor, and she hatches a plan to prevent Holly from leaving Midnight Gulch on a whim. With Jonah's encouragement, she agrees to recite poetry in the Stoneberry Duel - a talent show that is the stuff of nightmares for a child as tongue-tied as Felicity. Her fluency with language is limited to scribbling words in her blue book or on her sneakers; public speaking is as far outside her comfort zone as being a nomad like her mom. At Felicity's last school, she mustered the courage to deliver a report on "Great Farm Artists of Kentucky," only to introduce it as "Great Arm Fartists of Kentucky." You can imagine how that slip of the tongue played out in the lunch line. As Felicity herself says, "I'm fairly certain lonely's most natural habitat is a school cafeteria." Thankfully, this is not one of those books where all roads lead to one triumphant and redemptive moment. Lloyd's story takes many unexpected twists and turns, including a detour to a salon where you can get your hair colored and your carburetor repaired at the same time. (Genius!) "A Snicker of Magic" covers wholesome, warm-fuzzy territory in a quirky, cheerful way. It should be read aloud for maximum enjoyment, with a pen handy to jot down new words, preferably not on your sneakers. Young spelling enthusiasts, Scrabble lovers, Boggle big leaguers and word people of the world - hang on for the ride! Felicity Pickle will take you places, and that, fellow logophiles, is spindiddly, indeed. ELISABETH EGAN is the books editor at Glamour magazine.
Excerpts
Excerpts
From A Snicker of Magic Mama slowed the van and leaned her arm across me. "Take a look, June Bug. We're here." She pointed to a sign that somebody'd painted up and shoved sideways into the hillside. A flickering spotlight shone up at the words: Midnight Gulch, Tennessee A Proper Place to Call Home "Used to read different, before they painted over it," Mama said. "It used to say--" "A magical place to call home." I whispered. I didn't need her to tell me. I could already see the word, MAGICAL, shining as bright as sunshine-letters, even through all those layers of paint. I could see other words too. The stars above us spelled out: summer wonder homespun I heard a poem tangled up inside a rush of the midnight songs the crickets were whistling: Finally, At last, Forever, and now, Here you are. I didn't say another word to Mama that night, but I could feel something good even then: the YES in my heart, the swirling-around in my belly, the prickly, tingling all the way from the freckle on my finger to the tip of my pinky-toe. That much wonderful could only mean one thing: There was still magic in Midnight Gulch. This is how I turned it loose . . . Excerpted from A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
