A Snicker of Magic
by Natalie Lloyd
A word-collecting girl searches for home in a town where magic once lived
The story
Twelve-year-old Felicity Pickle sees words everywhere, shimmering and floating around people and places. When her restless mother moves the family to Midnight Gulch, Tennessee, a town that once brimmed with magic, Felicity discovers that the place feels different from anywhere they have lived before. With the help of a new friend and an old family connection, Felicity must find the courage to share her gift with the world and discover whether some kinds of magic can still be real.
Age verdict
Best for ages 9-11. The emotional depth rewards slightly more mature readers, but the accessible voice and magical premise work for strong readers as young as 8.
Our take
A lyrical, emotionally rich novel that earns its highest marks from teachers and parents for exceptional craft and conversation potential, while delivering strong but quieter kid appeal through heart over humor.
What stands out
Each audience's top 3 dimensions. Out of 30 scored per book.
Kids love
- Character voice Strong
Felicity's poetic anxiety, Jonah's generous optimism, Cleo's dry warmth, Mama's restless lyricism, Boone's guitar-language. Sits at tier 8: clear differentiation across ensemble cast.
- Heart-punch Strong
the climactic Duel performance with Boone's banjo and Felicity's spoken poem creates genuine catharsis. Family reunion and curse-breaking deliver lump-in-throat moments through careful setup.
Parents love
- Writing quality Exceptional
Benchmark entry — Sentence-level musicality, precise emotional rendering, show-don't-tell mastery. Award recognition (ALA Notable, Mythopoeic Award, NCTE Charlotte Huck) confirms exceptional craft. Stands as published benchmark example. Score confirmed at 9.
- Emotional sophistication Strong
love and fear coexist, running from pain vs moving toward possibility, invisible wounds beneath restlessness. Anxiety as character architecture rather than problem to solve. Readers encounter complex emotional reality.
Teachers love
- Writing prompt potential Exceptional
Benchmark entry — Word-collecting activity alone generates dozen prompts. Additional: performance poetry, personal narrative about home/belonging, sensory description, family history storytelling. Students immediately replicate models. Stays at 9.
- Read-aloud power Strong
Benchmark entry (T1=10, Interrupting Chicken) vs Gathering Blue — Lloyd's prose built for oral performance: deliberate rhythm, onomatopoeia, natural breath points. Ensemble voices clear for teacher performance. Emotional pacing sustains group attention. Sits at 8.
✓ Perfect for
- • readers who love lyrical, emotionally rich stories
- • kids who feel different and are searching for where they belong
- • families looking for books that spark conversations about home, courage, and forgiveness
- • fans of Because of Winn-Dixie and Savvy
Not ideal for
Readers seeking fast-paced action, heavy humor, or plot-driven adventure will find the contemplative pacing and emotional focus frustrating rather than rewarding.
At a glance
- Pages
- 311
- Chapters
- 20
- Words
- 80k
- Lexile
- 680L
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- POV
- First Person
- Illustration
- None
- Published
- 2014
- Publisher
- Scholastic Inc.
- ISBN
- 9780545552721
Mood & style
You'll know it worked when…
Most readers finish in 3-5 sittings. The steady emotional build and chapter-ending hooks sustain reading momentum without requiring marathon sessions.
More like this
Same genre, similar age range. Ranked by kid score.
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by J.K. Rowling
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The Neverending Story
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