The Incredible Magic of Being

About this book

Kathryn Erskine’s contemporary story about a boy who loves science and comets!

Some might say Julian is sheltered. But he lives large, and his eternal optimism allows him to see infinite possibilities wherever he looks.

Despite his optimism, he is anxious about his stressed family falling apart. Even his ability to "uni-sense" what's happening with his sister is gone. If he can make his family focus on the magic in the universe, surely they'll appreciate life again. Now that they are moving from Washington, DC, to rural Maine, Julian can use his beloved telescope without any light pollution. He can discover a comet, name it for himself, and show his family how they're all truly connected.

As Julian searches the night sky, he encounters a force that may drive his plan apart. His neighbor, Mr. X, could bring an end to his parents' dream of opening their B&B. Could one negative force unravel everything? An avid student of science, Julian understands that there is much about the universe that we don't yet know. Who is to say what's possible and what's not?

Reviews

Praise for Mockingbird:

Winner of the National Book Award

"Allusions to Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, the portrayal of a whole community's healing process, and the sharp insights into Caitlyn's behavior enhance this fine addition to the recent group of books with narrators with autism and Asperger's." --Booklist

"A valuable book." --School Library Journal

"A strong and complex character study." --The Horn Book

Praise for Seeing Red:

*"A powerful indictment of injustice of all forms and an equally powerful and dramatic demonstration that young people, by taking individual action, can actually change history. This is an important book that deserves the widest possible readership." --Booklist, starred review

"This thought-provoking book will be a valuable addition for any library." --Library Media Connection

Praise for The Badger Knight:

*"The integration of historical facts into the text is seamless; readers will leave knowing a sturdy amount about England and Scotland in 1346 but won't even notice how much they are learning, as it is all so cleanly embedded into Adrian's gripping, often harrowing, adventures." --BCCB, starred review

"Her skillful rendering of medieval life-its smells and limitations and ignorance-is reminiscent of the best from Kathryn Cushman or Avi's Crispin novels." --Booklist

"The medieval-era mud and dung, as well as a scene of graphic battle violence, should captivate readers seeking total immersion in a distant, yet vibrantly imagined era." --Publishers Weekly