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A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic

Or, Like Lightning in an Umbrella Storm

Author Philip C. Stead

Illustrated by Philip C. Stead

Hardcover

$18.99 US

Candlewick | Neal Porter Books

6.29"W x 8.29"H x 1.15"D | 23 oz | 12 per carton

On sale Apr 07, 2026 | 328 Pages | 9780823458097

Age 10 and up | Grade 5 & Up

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Children's > Fiction
Children's > Middle Grade

An instant New York Times bestseller!

“This book is absolutely marvelous. It’s delightful, exciting, profound, and FUN all at once.” —Jarrett Lerner, New York Times bestselling author

A plucky young goatkeeper sets out on a misadventurous rescue mission in this uproarious debut novel with premium hardcover features, perfect for fans of Kate DiCamillo and Lemony Snicket.

In a kingdom ruled by a capricious king, the castle rests on the backs of twenty-four goats, and the welfare of those goats rests on the back of a girl called Bernadette. So when one goat escapes, it’s up to her—with the help of a very forgetful wizard and a Boat That Does Not Grant Wishes—to bring it back safely.

Her task may be straightforward, but this book is anything but. Like a swirling herd of restless goats, the chapters are all out of order. The ending may prove to have been the beginning all along. All the while, the author of Bernadette’s saga—a character himself—hurries to write her a resolution, with very mixed results. And if you’re feeling lost, don’t worry; the story has twenty-four morals, of varying advisability, to edify you along the way.

Award-winning picture book author and illustrator Philip Stead makes a confident debut as a novelist in this laugh-out-loud, one-of-a-kind illustrated tale, chock-full of running gags, broken fourth walls, and underdog triumph.

Gilded edges, a velvet-touch jacket with foil accents and embossing, a foil-stamped cloth case and printed endpapers make A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic as thrilling to hold as it is to open, a perfect gift for any young reader.

Gleefully ignores all the storytelling rules. . . . [R]eaders who only recently learned the rules [will] take pleasure in watching them get blown to pieces. . . . I have to applaud the quality of the production. . . . My respect goes to any publisher willing to invest in creating an object that is pleasing to the hands as well as to the eyes. Books can still be a rich tactile experience for young readers who tire of swiping and tapping on glass.
—The New York Times

A ragtag ensemble, a daunting task, an uncertain journey: Here are all the makings of a classic fantasy tale, with the bonus additions of Mr. Stead’s droll humor and eye for whimsical detail.
—The Wall Street Journal

[A] warmhearted middle grade debut, told via nonlinear chronology and tongue-in-cheek prose. . . . Stead employs delightfully absurd, intricately labyrinthine plotting to comedic and dramatic effect, wittily manipulating structure and narrative while using clever wordplay to weave an inspiring tale that intrigues from the jump. Finely lined grayscale artwork renders the ragtag cast with rich texture and fairy tale charm.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Exuberant wordplay and a wryly witty narrative distinguish this broadly humorous and endearing fantasy in which a young goatherd’s charges escape their servitude. . . . Stead’s narrative voice is warm, intimate, and slightly goofy, enveloping the reader in the storytelling process. Running jokes invite giggles, homey adages are sandwiched between tiny goat silhouettes, and Latin phrases (many hilariously misused) and their translations pepper the text. Atmospheric, whimsical drawings enhance this story, which will please fans of Norton Juster and Terry Pratchett. . . . A perfect amount of magic.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Playful is the first word that comes to mind when describing lauded picture-book creator Stead’s first novel. . . . Throughout this clever tale, Stead contributes finely lined and crosshatched illustrations that play to its humor and absurdities. These qualities will delight fans of Matt Phelan’s Knights Vs. books, while the underlying warmheartedness, sturdy as a goat, and Stead’s storytelling aplomb will resonate with Kate DiCamillo devotees.
—Booklist (starred review)

A charmingly labyrinthine fantasy with broad appeal for those who enjoy clever narration and lightly chaotic quests; a strong addition to collections.
—School Library Journal (starred review)

Brimming with clever wordplay, entertaining absurdity, and tremendous creativity.
—Shelf Awareness (starred review)

The gentleness and originality of this story recalls tales like The Princess Bride. Bernadette and her friends come to life through Stead’s prose and quirky drawings. This is a book about the journey rather than the destination. For sensitive story-loving kids, this will be a landmark fairytale. A Potion, a Powder, and Bit of Magic offers giggle-worthy entertainment, lovely illustrations and a wholly unpredictable plot.
—BookPage (starred review)

For fans of goats, wordplay, and the absurd.
—The Horn Book

Fans of choose-your-own adventure books will traipse along the various storylines as happily as Steve. . . .
—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

This book is absolutely marvelous. It’s delightful, exciting, profound, and FUN all at once. I deeply enjoyed and was wildly inspired by every single page. It’s timely, but reads like a classic, and it peppered with excellent, artfully placed illustrations. And that’s my only complaint about the whole entire book (it’s not really a complaint): that there weren’t MORE of Philip Stead’s crosshatched drawings. Kids will love exploring this book, and if read with an adult, it could leave to some awesome discussions.
—Jarrett Lerner, New York Times bestselling author

Phil Stead’s debut novel is a ‘Dada’ playbook of crafty nonsense that takes the genre of cut-ups, dice-rolls, and winks to the reader and tumbles them into a clever reading romp. The story refreshes itself as it deftly shifts about, turning the structure into a medley of charming mischief. Duchamp would approve! You don’t have to know why you are reading it—just read it at full speed and enjoy!
—Jack Gantos, Newbery Honor–winning author of Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key

A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic is exactly right. Wildly funny, completely discombobulated, and deeply heartfelt. A must-read for all humans, and goats.
——Jon Scieszka, National Ambassador for Young People's Literature and New York Times bestselling author of The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!

You know how when you tell a story you start in the middle, then you back up, add characters, jump forward, and then try to tie it all together but you can’t? Well, that’s what Philip Stead does in A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic. Only he can. You know, tie it all together. And he adds twenty-four morals. Here’s one more: 'Read this book and rejoice.'
—Chris Raschka, two-time Caldecott Medal winner and Hans Christian Andersen Medal nominee

Philip Stead is the author of the Caldecott Medal-winning book A Sick Day for Amos McGee, also named a New York Times Best Illustrated Book and a Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Book, illustrated by his wife and frequent collaborator, Erin Stead. He is the author and illustrator of The North Wind and the Sun, a Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year. He lives with Erin, their daughter, and their dog in a hundred-year-old barn in Ann Arbor, Michigan.