A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic: Or, Like Lightning in an Umbrella Storm

by Philip C. Stead

A New York Times bestseller!

A plucky young goatkeeper sets out on a misadventurous rescue mission in this uproarious debut novel, 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.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Humor, Animals, Adventure, Childrens, Fiction

328 pages, Hardcover

First published April 7, 2026

About the author

Philip C. 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 of 2010 and a Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Book of 2010, illustrated by his wife, Erin E. Stead. Together with Erin, he also created Bear Has a Story to Tell, an E.B. White Read-Aloud Award honor book. Philip, also an artist, has written and illustrated several of his own books including Hello, My Name is Ruby, Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat, A Home for Bird, and his debut Creamed Tuna Fish and Peas on Toast, which was applauded by School Library Journal for “its wry humor and illustrations worthy of a Roald Dahl creation.” Philip lives with Erin and their dog, Wednesday, in a 100-year-old barn in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Reviews

[G_occasionally_reads [semi-hiatus cuz work] · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an absolute treat. It might be because I just started approaching middle-grade books, but THE CREATIVITY, THE RANDOMNESS, THE CHAOS of this book were an absolute delight.
ADHD on dr*gs basically.

Now: Is this a children's book? Not sure. But I do not mind.

⚡️ There is Bernadette, our fearsome MC, who is the goat keeper of 24 goats (95 legs) that hold the king's castle.
🪄 There is a magician, a tree/boat/wheeled barrel/hut, a turtle (or was it a turkey? :P), and the NC!
🦄 And there are chapters in the wrong order. Oh, and an author who would have liked to be a bike mechanic
☔️ And an umbrella storm. OBVIOUSLY



I loved the chaotic energy of this one.

[Jessica (Odd and Bookish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher for promotional purposes.

This was such a cute and fun middle grade book!

The story was so creative. It was told out of order (it started at chapter thirteen) but was not confusing at all. The chapters were all clearly labeled so you knew where you were. The story reminded me of Alice in Wonderland because of how nonsensical and outrageous it was. For example, the castle was built on top of goats which obviously makes no logical sense, but that’s the genius of it. The book fully leaned into its absurdity and that made it work so well. The king in the story also reminded me of the Queen of Hearts because of his self centered attitude.

I loved the main character, Bernadette. I was happy to see things work out for her in the end.

The book also has illustrations throughout as well as full page character illustrations at the very beginning. All the pictures made the book feel so immersive. It made it so easy to visualize the story.

The endpapers of the book were the map that Bernadette receives from Clarence, the tollbooth owner. I thought that was a cute touch. I loved that the map was from his perspective because there was a lot to discover in the story and the map didn’t give anything away. The map also highlighted the ridiculousness of the story.

Overall, I had a blast reading this book. If you like silly and outlandish fantasy reads, I highly recommend this one!

[Em Hathaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the kind of story that feels slightly… misplaced—and yet, somehow, exactly where it belongs. It doesn’t quite behave the way you expect it to—and that’s where the magic lives.

I received an ARC of the audiobook via NetGalley, and from the very first moments, it felt like being invited into a story that already knew the shape it wanted to take.

A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic doesn’t follow a straight path. It turns, it loops, and unfolds in its own time—yet beneath that, there is a quiet assurance. A kingdom balanced on goats, a journey that resists urgency, and a narrative that moves out of sequence could easily feel disjointed, but instead, it settles into something cohesive and thoughtfully constructed.

What might have felt chaotic instead reveals itself as intentional. The nonlinear structure and looping progression don’t distance the listener—they ask for a different kind of attention. The story invites you to move with it rather than ahead of it, to trust its rhythm rather than question its direction. And in those moments where the narrator becomes part of the story itself, the boundary between storyteller and tale softens in a way that feels purposeful, drawing you further into the experience of being told a story.

At the centre of it all is Bernadette. There is a quiet steadiness to her, an emotional weight that anchors the narrative and gives shape to its more unusual edges. Through her, the story remains grounded, even as it bends and shifts around her.

The narration elevates this even further.

Daniel Henning brings an incredible sense of timing, personality, and theatrical charm to the story. Each character feels distinct without ever becoming overdone, and he leans into the humour and absurdity with such confidence that it enhances every moment. The pacing—especially with the unconventional structure—is handled beautifully. It never feels confusing, only immersive. It genuinely feels like being told a story by someone who understands exactly how it should be heard. It feels less like listening to an audiobook and more like being drawn into a story that’s being shared just for you.

The combination of Stead’s inventive storytelling and Henning’s performance creates something that feels both nostalgic and entirely unique—like a fairytale that wandered off-script and became better for it.

A story that takes risks, understands them, and carries them through with quiet confidence. ✨

[DaNae · Rating 2 out of 5]

I probably shouldn't rate this based on the audio book. I think it needs the illustrations to work. It is very clever - a little too clever, to the point of self-indulgence on the author's part. Some of the jokes will land flat with young readers. I suspect a Terry Pratchett influence at work, without his depth. I was mostly bored. My print copy has yet to arrive. I may revisit my rating once I've checked out that format.

[Leah Agirlandaboy]

MAGNIFICENT. A new classic. The illustrations alone are worth the price of admission. This is silly and clever and touching and surprising (and full of useful Latin phrases). It’s reminiscent of things I’ve seen before (a little “Despereaux,” a little Lemony Snicket), but it does its own thing with confident style. I loved it.

[Jillianne Fettes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up a signed copy in a cute little bookstore while vacationing in Savannah, Ga. This book is quirky and fun and full of delight. I loved that it was out of order and I can imagine a lot of kids will too. It makes you so curious as to what happened to put the character in her current predicament. I have three kids and often help with a fourth grade class and I can see them very much enjoying the humor and fun in this book. It has a very lovely ending.

[Kathleen Graves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kid's review: "The story was funny but having the chapters mixed up was too confusing."

Adult review: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ I found this whimsical and so fun to read out loud. The morals were meaningful and I really appreciated the advanced vocabulary we were able to explain and discuss.

[Marcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

P.25 the process of writing diwn elements in your memory”.

Use of language is amazing.

Makes me think of Norton Juster, John Agee, Kate DiCamillo, lemony snicket and so many others. Love the reverse chapers!

so much to care about in this. I yield to reviews that have and will. be written by so many.

This will be embraced by math, literature, philosophy teachers at almost all levels. Not sure how I feel about it for 5th graders. Kind of how I felt about Ella Enchanted so many years ago.

[Dest · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

I think this book could be a good family read-aloud. Many of the jokes and winking asides seemed aimed at adults. It could also be a good choice for younger kids who are advanced readers (for example, a highly capable 2nd grader who wants to read at a 4th/5th grade level).

It is certainly a challenging read on a few levels: it's not chronological, it has a lot of Latin, it's meta-textual (the author is a character in the story and can influence the story but is also somehow at the mercy of the story), and the narrative has a puzzle-like quality. I was sure all the pieces were going to fit together, but I couldn't figure out how until it was revealed. And even then I was still a little confused.

The story feels like a fairy tale, sort of like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Tale of Despereaux, and A Hat Full of Sky. Personally, it felt like a slog to finish it, but I can see how some readers might be charmed by it. It's certainly trying very hard to be charming. I was reminded of The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge, which I honestly didn't really enjoy reading even though I was impressed by it.

I really love a lot of Philip Stead's picture books, but I didn't love this. I almost abandoned it a few times, but I wanted to find out how it ended (or began, since chapter one is at the very end).

I once had this argument with my daughter when she was in 5th grade about what the word "theme" means when it comes to stories. She said that the theme is the lesson or the moral of the story. I said, no -- the themes are the big ideas that the story explores. She insisted that her teacher told her class very clearly that a story's theme is the lesson the story was trying to teach. I was actually a little upset by this. I told her that many great books do not have a clear lesson. We went back and forth for a while about this. I was reading War and Peace at the time and had said (glibly) that the theme of the book is that war is bad. She, of course, used this against me. I asked her what the theme of the Ramona series is and felt victorious when she couldn't distill her favorite books into one clear lesson.

All this is to say, there will be young readers who love that Philip Stead has put all of the lessons of this book between goat icons. He's done their homework for them! He even left a few pages at the end for young readers to add their own lessons. I'm not totally sure what he's playing at because I'm pretty sure Stead would be in the same philosophical camp as Mac Barnett who said in Make Believe that questions and ambiguities are more powerful than answers and certainties.

But I suspect this book is mainly meant to be amusing.

[Devin Redmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you think a book that has two possible titles is going to be unlike anything you’ve ever read before, you’re right. Philip Stead’s𝘈 𝘗𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢 𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘢 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘉𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘰𝘳 𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘜𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮 is very quirky, you’ll have to suspend all notions of how a story is supposed to be, and I loved it.

Bernadette is an orphan. She is also the goatkeeper for 24 goats whom she loves dearly. She also loves her turtle named Perseverance. The turtle, though, is captured to make turtle stew for the rude and narcissistic king of the castle and did I mention the castle is held up by all the goats? An all mixed-up adventure ensues as Bernadette tries to rescue her turtle while meeting a tree who is supposed to grant wishes but doesn’t, a magician who can’t remember anything, and a toll collector who no one ever pays. Watching the whole story is another character: the author who is constantly inserting their two cents about how it’s all progressing.

Besides a fun romp of a story, the physical book itself is its own gift. Stead’s illustrations are gorgeous. He worked with his 7-year old daughter and her handwriting to come up with the font for the cover. The gold foil pages accentuate the gold embossed title. And for me, someone who often sees kids tapping and swiping screens, I appreciated the added effort to make the book itself beautiful.

Friends, it’s been awhile, but I’m going to give this 4th grade + chapter book five stars.

: “He does have the aura of a malcontent, doesn’t he?” (47)
: Most of the time it was easier, she thought, to live lightly, to let each trouble be its own helium balloon. Like so many of the world’s mistreated, she performed this trick to keep from being crushed under a heavy load. (137)
: There was no beginning, middle, or end. It was just one long, dreadful, joyful improvisation—a lot like life itself. (315)

[McKenzie Richardson · Rating 2 out of 5]

For more bookish opinions, visit my blog: Craft-Cycle

Full disclosure, I listened to the audiobook of this and think that may have hindered my enjoyment of the book.

I fully expected to enjoy this one. It had a Terry Pratchett feel to it so I really thought I'd love it, but the whole book just fell through for me.

Follow Bernadette, an orphaned goat keeper, as she attempts to save her tortoise friend, Perseverance, from becoming dinner for the king by seeking out the Tree Who Grants Wishes, recovering the missing goat, Lancelot, along the way.

The story is told out of order, starting in the "middle". I liked the concept of this and really thought I would enjoy it but it just didn't work for me. Being thrown into the "middle" of the story meant I didn't really have time to get to know and connect with the characters before the action started. Because of that, I wasn't very invested in what happened to them. Bernadette could have been a really cool character but she is quite underdeveloped, which was disappointing.

The book really dragged for me. I almost DNF'ed because I just could not get into it. Honestly, the most interesting part for me was Chapter 1 so it's a shame it came at the end.

The jokes get quite repetitive and quickly stopped being entertaining and just became annoying. There are a lot of inclusions that just comes off as filler, like the Latin phrases. They didn't really add much to the story, made the book more repetitive, and slowed down the whole pace.

I may reread this in physical form. I listened to the audiobook so missed out on the illustrations and creative text formatting. It seems like some of the formatting was worked into the audio narration which added to the repetitiveness of the book. The audiobook really did not work for me.

Okay read overall. Maybe my expectations were too high for this one, but I did not enjoy listening to this book. May try again with the physical book at some point.

[Kathleen · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

From the very beginning, A Potion, a Powder... was delightful. The first pages didn’t just list the various characters, but illustrated each of them. They are a strange looking bunch – a bunch straight out of a bungled fairy tale. They include a goatkeeper, a magician, a king, many goats and a tree which might make a wish come true.

A Potion, a Powder... is not just one story, but a story inside a story, or maybe a story next to a story, as the two alternate. It begins with the author, who wants to write a story with a moral, but is not certain what the first chapter should be. He shares his story and stops it occasionally to explain his ideas and frustrations with the process.

The one he is writing is a nonsensical story about twenty-four goats who hold up a ramshackle castle and are lovingly cared for by a 12-year-old goatkeeper. It is filled with crazy events and many morals.

Eventually I tired of mess, but expect that the middle grade kids, who are the author’s target, will enjoy all of the silliness, and might even learn a few things about writing a story.

The black and white drawings, by the author, Philip C. Stead, add to the fun.

A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic: Or, Like Lightning in an Umbrella Storm was a monthly selection of the Goodreads’ 2027 Mock Newbery group.

[Marybeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bernadette the Brave, a twelve-year-old goatkeeper who lives in a hut next to a crumbling castle (incidentally being held up by the 24 goats in her care), is on a quest to rescue her best friend Perseverance. Perseverance is a turtle who happens to have been kidnapped by the cook in order to become the king’s next meal. But wait, there’s more! This story is told by a storyteller (named “The Author”) who really would much rather hide in his mountain cottage than bear the brunt of writing a story that has put such a sweet young girl in such a horrible predicament. Unfortunately for The Author (and fortunately for the rest of us), the story continues on its way regardless… Even if we are being told things out of order.

THOUGHTS:
Readers will love Bernadette, her goats, and every side character in between… well except the King. No one can love this king. A story told out of order because The Author misplaced the beginning seems like either a recipe for disaster or genius. I assure you A Potion, a Powder, and a Little Bit of Magic is the latter. All fantasy loving middle graders need to read this magically illustrated and charming book. Adult fans of The Princess Bride and Ella Enchanted will enjoy this one as well. Highly recommended!

[Ann Haefele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creativity and humor is at its best in this book with a mixed up beginning, middle and end. The language made me think of Kate DiCamillo’s books as well as The Phantom Tollbooth. It was silly, heartfelt and full of life lessons. I loved that the main characters were all illustrated at the beginning. It would have to be an advanced 5th grade reader who would appreciate this story, but definitely recommend it for middle schoolers.

[Shella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book I expected to not like. However, I found it very clever and surprisingly loved the nonlinear plot. I thought the storyline was easy to understand and not confusing- it just takes a patient reader to appreciate it. The quirky humor and strong themes make this distinguished and stands out in the many very average mundane books for 2026 for children. The packaging is beautiful. I would highly recommend reading a hard copy instead of listening to the audio.

[Megan (ReadingRover) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story. A bit confusing at times but it all comes together in the end. The characters are quirky and endearing. The audiobook was super fun to listen to. I’m excited to get my hands on the physical book and see the illustrations. 3.5 stars

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe it's because I read this on vacation, but I found it humorous and offbeat enough to feel delighted about it. It's the story of a young goatkeeper named Bernadette who goes on an unexpected quest to rescue her best friend. The story (which picks up in the middle, advanced by a beleaguered and confused author who has lost the first chapter) features many absurdities, goats, an insane king, and a forgetful magician. Somehow this hodgepodge gets woven into a coherent story that works.

I liked the humor, all the threads that got gathered up throughout the book, and the creativity. The comparison to Kate DiCamillo which is featured in the Goodreads description is accurate, but this is a bit zanier.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is an absurdity to this adventure story, but a sweetness as well, and it all wraps up nicely. It kind of reminded me of The Inquisitor's Tale by Adam Gidwitz.

[Jen Herting · Rating 5 out of 5]

a whimsical tale that feels like a shel silverstein poem was turned into chapter book - truly one of my favorite reads of the year

[Jeanne Zettel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very clever! Never have read a children's book where the chapters are completely out of order. Loved the characters, the language and the wackiness of the story. Hats off to Philip Stead.

[Tiffani Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book so much. Whimsical, silly, imaginative, beautifully written. Read it with my 8 year old son, and we both loved everything about it. :)

[Margret Melissa (ladybug) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Made no sense and while I did laugh a time or two could not get into it.

[Elizabeth Schwertfuehrer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just couldn’t find my groove.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wildly creative, albeit a little confusing. For kids who love constructing mixed up stories, author intrusions, and silliness. Very fun. For strong readers. Steve the grumpy three legged goat is the best. 🐐

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book caught my eye while at the library. Designed for younger readers, I thought the idea of a book out of order was so cute. And it had a good overall message

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable and jumbled, maybe I liked it because it reminded me of books I enjoyed as a kid, just enough tongue in cheek and not taking itself too seriously

[Maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Libro.fm for this audiobook as part of their educator ALC program!
This was a darling and silly listen with my ten year old. This is definitely one that appeals to a younger audience, rather than a parent, but there was still plenty of clever humor to keep me chuckling along. Honestly the Latin was a fun motif, and my English teacher self appreciated the early exposure! Haha and the last chapter (or first?? iykyk) really was so satisfying that it almost bumped my rating up.

[J.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great fun, a fairytale told out of order and filled with rich nonsense and wisdom. The author speaks directly to the reader, much like A. A. Milne's Winne-the-Pooh, adding to the whimsy. The absurd, magical chaos is reminiscent of Terry Pratchett. The whole thing is silly, charming, and deeply tender.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite book of the year. It will take a LOT to budge this from my #1 spot!

[Aliceson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story started out with the premise of the king building a castle on the back of goats. It goes downhill from there. It made completely no sense. It started in the middle and kept going back and forth to different chapters- none of them in order. It was impossible to track. I can imagine children not being able to make sense of this at all and abandoning it. Several times in the book they start to say a cuss word, but bleep it out. I don’t really think that’s appropriate. The author makes use of a lot of eloquent sentences, but I feel like it’s over the heads of the intended audience. The Latin phrases don’t add to the book. To me they just cause more confusion. It’s weird that the author is a character in the story and doesn’t know how to write it or where it’s going. Maybe I could get behind that idea if the story wasn’t so messy. Bernadette was a likable character and I found myself rooting for her and the goats.