The Incredible Magic of Being

by Kathryn Erskine

Overview

National Book Award winner Kathryn Erskine delivers a contemporary story about a boy with a mystical worldview and a love of science and comets as he faces questions about what makes him special.

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?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338148510
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	10/10/2017
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.60(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Kathryn Erskine is the acclaimed author of many distinguished novels for young readers, including Mockingbird, winner of the National Book Award; Seeing Red, a Jane Addams Honor Book; The Badger Knight, lauded by Publishers Weekly as a book to "captivate readers"; The Absolute Value of Mike, an Amazon Best Book and ALA Notable Book; and Quaking, an ALA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. Kathryn lives and writes in central Virginia, and travels the world to talk about writing and seek out more stories.

Editorial Reviews

09/04/2017
Inquisitive and kept sheltered, nine-year-old Julian is drawn to his elderly new neighbor, Mr. X., after he moves to Maine with his mother, stepmother, and older sister to open a bed-and-breakfast. As Julian chips away at Mr. X’s curmudgeonly exterior, the two strike a bargain: if Julian faces his fear of swimming, Mr. X will adopt a dog. Julian’s self-proclaimed “uni-sense,” an extrasensory connection to the universe and those around him, and belief that he’ll become part of the star Sirius after his death highlight his singular way of looking at the world. Julian is wise, thoughtful, and confident in his knowledge of human nature and science (especially astronomy), which he shares with readers in “FART!” sidebars (standing for “facts and random thoughts”). Julian is aware that his enthusiasms are not always well received (“People think I’m weird, which I’m not, I just think about stuff a lot”), but readers will fall for his candidness. His relationships with Mr. X and his tempestuous older sister, Pookie, are sensitively depicted, showcasing the growing understanding among these memorable characters. Ages 8–12. Agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

08/01/2017
Gr 5–8—Nine-year-old Julian is an unusual kid. He's seriously obsessed with space, he has friends in alternate universes, he wears a life preserver at all times to feel safe around water…and he sometimes has the magical ability to know what others are thinking. In an energetic inner monologue interspersed with physics facts, he tells the story of his family's move to rural Maine and their growing connection with an elderly man. The protagonist, his 14-year-old sister Pookie, their mom, and their stepmother Joan have left Washington, DC, behind for the slower pace of owning a lakeside bed-and-breakfast. Their loving family is going through a rough time: Pookie snarls with chronic teenage resentment, Julian's behavior is so extreme that his uber-anxious mom wants to homeschool him to avoid further bullying; his parents also worry about his mysterious health issues. When their retired neighbor sends a lawyer over because their new bed-and-breakfast addition illegally blocks his water view, Pookie decides the best way to lower the collective stress level is for Julian to befriend "Mr. X" next door and convince him to drop his lawsuit. The resulting interactions lead to a happy ending that changes everyone's lives. Julian's distinctive narration, awash in supernatural perceptions as well as a nine-year-old's natural misconceptions, is a tour de force on par with that of Ted Spark in Siobhan Dowd's The London Eye Mystery and Salamanca Tree Hiddle's journey in Sharon Creech's Walk Two Moons. VERDICT Touching contemporary magical realism, with a final twist that truly surprises.—Beth Wright Redford, Richmond Elementary School Library, VT

School Library Journal

2017-07-02
Nine-year-old Julian is gifted both emotionally and intellectually, but these assets come at a sometimes-distressing cost.He, his 14-year-old sister, Pookie, and his two moms, Mom and Joan, all apparently white, have just moved to rural Maine to open a bed and breakfast—and also to get Julian, who has a heart condition, out of a difficult school environment. He's tormented by anxieties, nightmares, Mom's severe overprotectiveness (somewhat offset by Joan's more relaxed parenting style), and especially by their deteriorating relationship with Pookie, who seems always to be angry these days. He manages to cope by immersing himself in his passion, astronomy. After a neighbor threatens to sue the family over an addition to their new house, Julian befriends the elderly, grieving white man, bereft after his wife's death. In return, "Mr. X" decides to help Julian overcome his paralyzing fear of swimming. Julian gently narrates this immersive tale, Erskine employing Julian's "uni-sensor" abilities (a quasi-magical, extrasensory connection with others) to reveal richly nuanced characters. It's only near the conclusion that he discloses just how extraordinary his bond with others can be. Julian's Facts and Random Thoughts ("FARTS," natch), represented as sidebars in his handwriting, add insight into the boy's psyche but also provide fascinating tidbits of trivia. A timeless and affecting, slightly paranormal exploration of familial attachments. (Fiction. 11-14)

Kirkus 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

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