Review by New York Times 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.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [April 6, 2014]
Review by Booklist Review
Felicity arrives in Midnight Gulch and learns from her mama that there used to be magic there. Magic is a bonus for Felicity, who longs to stay in one place so she can make a friend. She finds one in wheelchair-bound Jonah, and he fills in Felicity on the town's magical history and its people. And, as it turns out, Felicity is capable of magic herself word collecting. She sees words everywhere on people, in her glass of milk, and in the trees. The word treasures that she finds are the real winner for this novel. (The words are not part of the sentence structure, but they add to the story by revealing the moods of people she sees, or are used as onomatopoeia.) The unusual language, showing a tinge of Tennessee mountain dialect, spins a web around the story that touches on helping others, budding friendships, and strength of family. First-time novelist Lloyd has produced a spindiddly product that will hearten word and poetry lovers and encourage those who have almost lost hope for a happy ending.--Edmundson, Martha Copyright 2014 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
From every angle, Lloyd's first novel sparkles and radiates warmth. Felicity Juniper Pickle, 12, feels an immediate kinship with the town of Midnight Gulch, Tenn., the latest place her itinerant mother has brought Felicity, her almost-six-year-old sister, Frannie Jo, and their dog Biscuit. The remote mountain town has a history interwoven with secret magic, but most of it seems to have evaporated years ago following a dual between a pair of famous magician brothers, which divided a family and resulted in a curse. Felicity's immediate concerns lay with her mother's sadness and her insistence on constantly uprooting the family. With the help of Felicity's new friend Jonah, who has his own secret magic that he works on Midnight Gulch; the stories that Felicity collects from various townspeople; and Felicity's ability to see words that reflect people's hidden thoughts and desires) she tries to save both the town and her own family. 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. Ages 8-12. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary & Media. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal 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 (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
After years of wandering, Felicity Juniper Pickle's family arrives in her mother's hometown. Midnight Gulch, Tennessee, once a magical place, overflows with unique characters and its own mythology. Felicity taps into her formidable way with words to heal old wounds and spread a magic of her own. This sweet story about hope, belonging, and friendship is carried by whimsical language. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The protagonist of this debut joins a growing list of endearing young girls from the South, and it's an extra bonus that her new best friend and mentor is a boy whose method of transportation, without fanfare, just happens to be a wheelchair. Felicity Juniper Pickle, her little sister, Frannie Jo, and their dog, Biscuit, have once again been moved by their mother to a new town. This time they are moving in with Mama's sister in Mama's old hometown, Midnight Gulch, Tenn., which used to be renowned for its magic--the kind where people could "sing up thunderstorms anddance up sunflowers." Felicity, who has an uncanny ability for seeing and using written words but suffers from stage fright, wants to stay in Midnight Gulch. Her new friend, Jonah, with whom she performs anonymous acts of kindness, persuades Felicity to enter the Duel--a talent show in which her "weapon" will be her words. As the Duel approaches, Felicity and Jonah find themselves caught up in figuring out how to return the town's magic and to reverse a curse from Felicity's "balloon-riding, globe-trotting, curse-bearing great-great-grandfather" (surely homage to Holes). Although pacing is sometimes difficult, this tale offers all the other earmarks of fine storytelling, including colorful, eccentric characters, an original, highly likable narrator and a mighty "spindiddly" plot. (Fantasy. 8-13)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
