A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic: Or, Like Lightning in an Umbrella Storm by Philip C. Stead

A Potion, A Powder, a Little Bit of Magic:  Or, Like Lightning in an Umbrella Storm by Philip C. Stead
Publisher:  Neal Porter Books (Holiday House, Peachtree)
Format Read:  E-book
Number of pages:   328 pages
Publishing:  April 7th, 2026
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss +  

Opening Lines: "Hello! Welcome to the story! "

Long ago, in a far-off kingdom, a king lived in a castle held up on the backs of twenty-four goats.  Bernadette faithfully cared for the goats, until the day that one of them escaped, and her dearest friend Perseverance (the turtle) disappeared.  With only a forgetful wizard and a former Wishing Tree, who now inconveniently has been transformed into a Boat That Does Not Grant Wishes to guide her, Bernadette sets out on a quest to bring them both safely home to the castle.

 At first, Bernadette's quest appears simple enough, but the author changes all expectations by changing up the story structure and telling the entire story out of order.  We begin at the end and then tumble through a humorous series of twists and turns as we piece the narrative back together again.  Adding to the fun, the author even writes himself into the book, explaining his writing choices, and even apologizing for the various predicaments he inflicts on poor Bernadette. Which really reminded me of Lemony Snicket's style.  There are even twenty-four morals to ponder, and the delightful silliness of a castle supported entirely on the backs of goats.  Lots of whimsy that will certainly bring a smile to the reader.

The finished book is supposed to include gilded edges, a velvet-touch jacket with foil accents and embossing, a foil-stamped cloth case and printed endpapers, which sounds gorgeous.  The black and white illustrations are charming and gives this a lovely classic feel.  Illustrations of all the main characters are included and they are gorgeous. Truely an entertaining and gorgeous story that I need for my collection.