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sara_hudson's review against another edition
5.0
After loving Hummingbird, I went back into Natalie Lloyd's backlist for this gem. Like Hummingbird, she weaves magic into a realistic story with quirky characters in a setting that feels like another character in the story. I love how Felicity collects these interesting characters as she proceeds through the story, carrying her own heartache along. Her best friend, Jonah, is in a wheelchair, giving the story wonderful representation. And, he is from a military family, a situation I feel is underrepresented in children's literature. She does it all effortlessly.
spokbok's review against another edition
5.0
Love, love , love it! My son, sister, mom and dad all read it. A perfect story to ignite the whimsy in readers of every age.
The honest, simple, wondrous imagery will pick you up and immerse you in this magical town where words are alive! This author inspires me beyond merely wishing to live in Midnight Gulch, but to open my eyes a little wider and see the snickers of magic that surround us right here and now.
Readers who critique the plot aren't far off, but does life have neatly drawn plots? This fantastical world might be a bit closer to reality in more ways than one!
The honest, simple, wondrous imagery will pick you up and immerse you in this magical town where words are alive! This author inspires me beyond merely wishing to live in Midnight Gulch, but to open my eyes a little wider and see the snickers of magic that surround us right here and now.
Readers who critique the plot aren't far off, but does life have neatly drawn plots? This fantastical world might be a bit closer to reality in more ways than one!
theredheadprotagonist's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alaskanmichelle's review against another edition
5.0
Although I LOVE Natalie Lloyd’s use of language in A Snicker of Magic; I think what I loved most about this book is its ability to appeal to so many different readers. I call this genre "magical realism" in my classroom. My lovers of realistic fiction devoured this book because it feels like realistic fiction with some magic sprinkled in. My fantasy lovers felt right at home in this book because of the magic that runs throughout the entire book.
I used this book in my fourth grade classroom for a parent/child book club.
Everyone - boys, girls and parents loved it.
Disclosure: I received this book free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much for the opportunity. Reviews are published on Goodreads and Amazon.
I used this book in my fourth grade classroom for a parent/child book club.
Everyone - boys, girls and parents loved it.
Disclosure: I received this book free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much for the opportunity. Reviews are published on Goodreads and Amazon.
kelleemoye's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of those quiet, special books that just goes straight to your heart when you read it. I loved so many of Natalie Lloyd's words I actually pulled out tabs to mark pages for reminders and sharing. Beautiful writing.
brandypainter's review against another edition
3.0
I may have found this book more charming and less annoying if it had not immediately followed my reading [b:The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing|18079557|The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing|Sheila Turnage|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1372046054s/18079557.jpg|25386848]. Sometimes reading order makes a difference, but I don't think it would have changed my mind too much. I have very little tolerance for the small southern town full of quirky novel, and this small fictional southern town happens to be near the southern city I live in. The plot is slow and not very much happens. It involves a lot of individual old stories coming together as one and this is not executed as well as it could have been. The book is saved from being completely disastrous by Felicity's character who is sympathetic and works hard to become who she wants to be. I will have no problem recommending this book to my students, but I didn't enjoy it much and I could think of a whole list of books I would rather give them first. It will appeal to kids who like words and language and don't mind slower plots.
hulahoopes's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty good!! The characters were well drawn and the words were spindiddly.
yabetsy's review against another edition
5.0
This debut novel follows Felicity Pickle, a wordsmith unlike most others you will have come across in your travels, as she is a girl who sees words emanating from people, words tell her about those people, and let her make poetry. Traveling is something with which all the Pickles are familiar, as it turns out they have been cursed with a wandering heart, until they enter Midnight Gulch, their new town, once known as a place where the people "had magic in their veins." As Felicity and her friend Jonah uncover all of the secrets in the town, meeting an astonishing number of unique denizens and allowing Felicity to blossom, the story behind the town's magical curse to be told and, unsurprisingly, a very satisfactory ending.
The joy in this tale is in the wonderful language, that would make this a great read aloud or book to share. Any young logophile would enjoy Felicity's satisfaction in the many stories being told, far beyond the enjoyable details such as the varieties of the local specialty ice cream (Bobby's Buttered Avocado, Virgil's Getta-Outa-My-Face Fudge Ripple), or the idea of the combination Curl and Lube, that make Midnight Gulch such a unique setting. Felicity's descriptions of the words that she sees, such as "enchanting" that "perched...like a tiny songbird" while she is also experienced enough to know that her mother uses "was" and "them" as "distancing" words. Felicity's journey, in the end, is one that is well worth joining.
The joy in this tale is in the wonderful language, that would make this a great read aloud or book to share. Any young logophile would enjoy Felicity's satisfaction in the many stories being told, far beyond the enjoyable details such as the varieties of the local specialty ice cream (Bobby's Buttered Avocado, Virgil's Getta-Outa-My-Face Fudge Ripple), or the idea of the combination Curl and Lube, that make Midnight Gulch such a unique setting. Felicity's descriptions of the words that she sees, such as "enchanting" that "perched...like a tiny songbird" while she is also experienced enough to know that her mother uses "was" and "them" as "distancing" words. Felicity's journey, in the end, is one that is well worth joining.