Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd

Snicker of Magic, A by Natalie Lloyd

Scholastic Press, 2014

From Goodreads:
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.

A Snicker of Magic is well-loved by the Nerdy Bookclub and has been all over twitter.  I hear Lloyd read from the book at ALA Midwinter in Philadelphia and if that excerpt carries throughout the book - Lloyd would do well in style and delineation of characters.  But how will this early release debut fair with some of the seasoned authors releasing books this year including 2013 Honor Book winner Sheila Turnage? We shall see.

From Norvelt to Nowhere by Jack Gantos - 2014

From Norvelt to Nowhere by Jack Gantos
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
278p.

Summary:

After an explosion, a new crime by an old murderer, and the sad passing of the founder of Norvelt, Pennsylvania, twelve-year-old Jack accompanies his slightly mental elderly mentor, Miss Volker, on a cross-country run as she pursues the oddest of outlaws.

Doll Bones by Holly Black - 2014

Doll Bones by Holly Black
Margaret K. McElderry
244p.


Summary: Zach, Alice, and Poppy, friends from a Pennsylvania middle school who have long enjoyed acting out imaginary adventures with dolls and action figures, embark on a real-life quest to Ohio to bury a doll made from the ashes of a dead girl.

Center of Everything, The by Linda Urban - 2014

The Center of Everything by Linda Urban

Harcourt
197p.

 Summary:  For Ruby Pepperdine, the center of everything is on the rooftop of Pepperdine Motors, stargazing from the circle of her grandmother Gigi's hug. That's how everything is supposed to be--until it goes spinning out of control. Now Ruby's best friend, Lucy, is mad at her. Her new friendship with Nero is pretty bumpy too. Worst of all, Ruby regrets what happened with Gigi. How Ruby didn't listen. And now it's too late to make things right. But Ruby has one last hope. It all depends on what happens on Bunning Day, when the entire town will hear her read her winning essay. And it all depends on her twelfth birthday wish-- unless she messes that up too.

Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

Lions of Little Rock
Kristin Levine
GP Putnam and Sons
298 pgs.

In 1958 Little Rock, Arkansas, painfully shy twelve-year-old Marlee sees her city and family divided over school integration, but her friendship with Liz, a new student, helps her find her voice and fight against racism. 

Crow by Barbara Wright

Crow
Barbara Wright
Random House
297 pg.


In 1898, Moses Thomas's summer vacation does not go exactly as planned as he contends with family problems and the ever-changing alliances among his friends at the same time as he is exposed to the escalating tension between the African-American and white communities of Wilmington, North Carolina.

Grand Plan to Fix Everything by Uma Krishnaswami

The Grand Plan to Fix Everything by Uma Krishnaswami
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
2011
266p.

Eleven-year-old Dini loves movies, and so when she learns that her family is moving to India for two years, her devastation over leaving her best friend in Maryland is tempered by the possibility of meeting her favorite actress, Dolly Singh.

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
Walden Pond Press
2011
320p.

A stunning modern-day fairy tale from acclaimed author Anne Ursu Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. But that was before he stopped talking to her and disappeared into a forest with a mysterious woman made of ice. Now it's up to Hazel to go in after him. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," "Breadcrumbs" is a story of the struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind.

Toys Come Home by Emily Jenkins

Toys Come Home: Being the Early Experiences of an Intelligent Stingray, a Brave Buffalo, and a Brand-New Someone Called Plastic by Emily Jenkins
Random House Children's Books
2011
132p.

When a little girl gets a plush stingray for her birthday, it makes friends with some of her other toys as they all try to navigate in the world of real people.

Hound Dog True by Linda Urban

Hound Dog True by Linda Urban
Harcourt
2011
152p.

Mattie, a shy fifth-grader, wants to hide out at her new school by acting as apprentice to her Uncle Potluck, the custodian, but her plan falls apart when she summons the courage to speak about what matters most and finds a true friend.

Planet Middle School by Nikki Grimes

Planet Middle School by Nikki Grimes
Bloomsbury
2011
154p.

A series of poems describes all the baffling changes at home and at school in twelve-year-old Joylin's transition from tomboy basketball player to not-quite-girly girl.

Luck of the Buttons by Anne Ylvisaker

Luck of the Buttons by Anne Ylvisaker
Candlewick Press
2011
224 p.


In Iowa circa 1929, spunky twelve-year-old Tugs vows to turn her family's luck around with the help of a Brownie camera and a small-town mystery that only she can solve.

Water Balloons by Audrey Vernick

Water Balloon by Audrey Vernick
Clarion Books
2011
320p.

With her best friends pulling away from her, her newly-separated parents deciding she should spend the summer at her father's new home, and a babysitting job she does not want, Marley's life is already as precarious as an overfull water balloon when a cute boy enters the picture.

Mostly True Story of Jack by Kelly Barnhill

Mostly True Story of Jack by Kelly Barnhill
Little, Brown
2011
323p.



Jack is practically invisible at home, but when his parents send him to Hazelwood, Iowa, to spend a summer with his odd aunt and uncle, he suddenly makes friends, is beaten up by the town bully, and is plotted against by the richest man in town.

Grand Plan to Fix Everything by Uma Krishnaswami

Grand Plan to Fix Everything by Uma Krishnaswami
Atheneum Books For Young Readers
2011
266p.

Eleven-year-old Dini loves movies, and so when she learns that her family is moving to India for two years, her devastation over leaving her best friend in Maryland is tempered by the possibility of meeting her favorite actress, Dolly Singh.

The Wikkeling by Steven Arntson

The Wikkeling by Steven Arntson
RP Kids
2011
234p.

Henrietta and her pals Gary and Rose all have headaches with an unknown cause and experience other strange incidents--including the appearance of a threatening creature called the Wikkeling--and are hopeful that an ancient bestiary can help solve these mysteries.

Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur

Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur
Wendy Lamb Books
2011
216p.

When twelve-year-old Elise, orphaned since age three, becomes disheartened by middle school, with its bullies, changing relationships, and higher expectations, keys to long-locked rooms and messages from her late father help her cope.

The Summer Before Boys by Nora Baskin

The Summer Before Boys by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
2011
196p.

Twelve-year-old best friends and relatives, Julia and Eliza are happy to spend the summer together while Julia's mother is serving in the National Guard in Iraq but when they meet a neighborhood boy, their close relationship begins to change.

One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street by Joanne Rocklin

One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street by Joanne Rocklin
Amulet Books
2011
207p.

The last remaining orange tree on a Southern California street brings together neighbors of all ages as they face their problems and anxieties, including the possibility that a mysterious stranger is a threat to their tree.

Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt

Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt
Clarion
2011
360p


As a fourteen-year-old who just moved to a new town, with no friends, an abusive father, and a louse for an older brother, Doug Swieteck has all the stats stacked against him until he finds an ally in Lil Spicer--a fiery young lady. Together, they find a safe haven in the local library, inspiration in learning about the plates of John James Audubon's birds, and a hilarious adventure on a Broadway stage.