Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Wacky fractured tale of girl power, magic, Latin, goats.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
As its title suggests, unexpected things happen in A POTION, A POWDER, A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC. Plus, the chapters are out of order, thanks to an angsty, confused author who doesn't always know what he's doing. First of all, there's an evil king who builds his castle atop 24 goats, who must bear its weight forever. Orphan girl Bernadette (aka Bernadette the Brave), 12, has long cared for the goats, including Lancelot, who's cranky, and Steve, who has three legs and a few secrets. Disaster strikes when a) Lancelot escapes, followed by most of the others, and b) the king's minions seize Bernadette's beloved turtle Perseverance for the soup pot. Soon on a desperate quest to save poor Perseverance, Bernadette gets help and confusion from Adalbert, an addled magician, and a tree who formerly granted wishes, but gave it up. Meanwhile the evil king looks forward to his turtle soup.
Is It Any Good?
Perseverance (an important character and the reader's) is rewarded in this wacky, heart-filled tale. But first, readers must sort through scrambled chapters, endearing and infuriating characters, a fourth wall-breaking angsty author and pompous narrator, and frequent bursts of Latin. A Potion, A Powder, A Little Bit of Magic all come in handy as 12-year-old Bernadette, on a desperate quest to save her beloved turtle from the evil king's soup pot, faces many obstacles and much confusion—including the fact that we don't get Chapter One till the end—but also makes good, if improbable, friends. Not every young reader (especially those who prefer their stories with a beginning, middle, and end, in that order) will have patience for all the chaos, but for those who persist, it's a lot of fun, satisfyingly upbeat, and a cool demonstration of storyteller art for budding authors.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the theme of granting wishes, which is important in A Potion, A Powder, A Little Bit of Magic—and also in many tales over the centuries. Often people get their wish and it doesn't end well, but sometimes things workout. What are your favorite stories about wishes, those who make them, and those who grant them?
Do you like your stories to have a beginning, a middle, and an end, in that order, or do you think it's fun to mix it up like author Philip C. Stead does here?
Why do you think evil kings are such popular figures in so many tales? How does the one here compare to the ones in other stories you know?
How do Bernadette and her friends show empathy, courage, and perseverance in this tale? How do these character strengths help the characters on their rescue mission?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Philip C. Stead
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Adventures , Animals ( Farm Animals ) , Dystopia , Fantasy ( Magic )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Empathy , Humility , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Neal Porter Books
- Publication date : April 7, 2026
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 12
- Number of pages : 328
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : April 30, 2026
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