The Incredible Magic of Being

by Kathryn Erskine

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?

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Magical Realism, Contemporary, Audiobook

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 10, 2017

About the author

Kathryn Erskine spent many years as a lawyer before realizing that she'd rather write things that people might actually enjoy reading.
She grew up mostly overseas and attended eight different schools, her favorite being the Hogwarts-type castle in Scotland.
The faculty, of course, did not consist of wizards, although... how did the headmistress know that it was the wee redhead who led the campaign to free the mice from the biology lab?
Erskine draws on her childhood and her second childhood through her children for her stories. She still loves to travel but nowadays most trips tend to be local, such as basketball and tennis courts, occasional emergency room visits, and the natural food store for very healthy organic chocolate with life saving flavonoids.

Reviews

[Jolene Gutiérrez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julian has become one of my all-time favorite main characters. His sense of curiosity and his observations about his family and his world made me want to keep reading—I needed to know how this amazing kid dealt with some of the craziness in his life. As Julian struggles to find his place in the universe, he’s constantly observing the magic of the world around him. His honest, open-eyed wonder, his trivia-filled brain, and his preoccupation with death make him special and made me want to better understand him. He’s a multi-layered, rich character, and the way the story unfurls allows the reader to learn more, understand more, and appreciate more about Julian and his family.

[Cameron Chaney · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Incredible Magic of Being is a contemporary middle-grade story about a boy named Julian who moves with his moms and sister to a new home that will be their bed and breakfast. It mostly revolves around Julian trying to bring his family back together again as well as make the grumpy next-door neighbor a little less grumpy. Julian is a very optimistic, upbeat character who has some health problems but tries to make the most of every minute.

I had to read this for my library book review group. I wasn't sure if it would be my thing, and I'm still not sure it was. It's a cute story and has some good messages, but I mostly found it to be pretty slow and a tad annoying at times. Julian's family argues constantly throughout the whole book, which got tiresome very quickly. The arguments mostly revolve around Julian's sister Pookie who is bitter about never getting to know her dad. I don't know if this is the best way to represent LGBT parents. Some smaller minded readers might walk away with "See? This is proof that a father needs to be present!" I feel this author is definitely for LGBT people and didn't intend for her book to be taken this way since everything is resolved at the end, but it was a bit questionable.

This wasn't a life-changing book by any means but aggravations aside, it was fine. Overall, 2.5 stars.

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this on recommendation from one of my librarian friends. Overall I thought this was an ok middle grade story. The ending almost pushed this to a 4 star read, but I can't overlook the rest of the story. I thought there were some good messages, but so many parts were overly dramatic. I was so tired of Julian's family members yelling at each other. I just wanted to see a greater attempt at real communication. I did think Julian and Pookie's sibling relationship was pretty authentic. As much as they fought with each other there was still love that you could see too. I did love all the science that was a part of the story, but the magic (uni-sensory) stuff was not my taste at all. I wouldn't recommend this for everyone, but if you like magical realism, family drama and middle grade maybe give it a try.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um, too much like "The Absolute Value of Mike" to appreciate since I read that so recently? Especially during the first third or so I was thinking that Erskine has a template/ Mad Libs thing going on.... Cute enough, heartwarming, and, yes, magical. I just can't get behind the magic aspect of it though so I can't give it four stars, nor can I recommend it. Some other aspects are just wrong, too, like all the lacks of communication... really, moms, you wouldn't make sure your kids would know that kind of stuff?

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating actually is more of a 3.5, but I am rounding up.

Julian lives with his two moms and his older sister Pookie. They move to Maine to start a B&B, but immediately run into an obstacle. The addition for the B&B blocks the view for their neighbor who is given the nickname Mr. X by Julian. Julian uses his uni-sense to connect with Mr. X and forge a relationship hoping to salvage the family mission while searching for a comet. Meanwhile there is a treehouse, swimming lessons, FARTs (fun and random thoughts), Messier objects and constellations sprinkles throughout.

I enjoyed reading this story from Julian's point of view and the plot twist was quite unexpected even though I knew something was coming from reading other reviews. There were bits of this book that reminded me of "Wonder", but in comparison it came up lacking.

[Ella Moen · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 STARS!!! i picked this book up randomly at the thrift store because the cover was intriguing and one of the main characters was named pookie and i thought that was funny. turns out this is a book for approximately middle school aged children but i absolutely adore it. it made me laugh and cry and reminisce on being a child and how everything seems magical. i also related heavily to julian and his constant worrying (especially related to family drama). i have so many great things to say about this silly little book. cant wait to reread it asap!!

[Missy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes when reading middle grade fiction you come across characters that you truly love. They are quirky and/or challenging. They face obstacles and meet them in creative and unusual and occasionally unsuccessful ways. They are a type of character that I haven't met in books for grown-ups. Joey Pigza. India Opal Buloni. And all of the Robinson children from Dog Friday.

Julian is such a character. He is wise beyond his 9 years. He has a world view that makes sense to him, and, eventually, to those around him. He believes in science and magic, and sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between the two. And maybe there isn't a difference.

The Incredible Magic of Being is delightful and surprising.

[Leah G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julian's character strength is perspective, because he is always thinking of others. For example, even when his sister is rude and teases him, he still sees the part of her that hurts and feels left out. He also sees his family's look on things, and never just thinks about himself.

[Janae Easton · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Written by my 11 year old son) The Incredible Magic of Being by Kathryn Erskine created colorful characters that had funny and quirky personalities. The plot was charming and the twist at the end was amazing.

While the book was good, it did have some flaws. There were multiple instances of cheesy dialogue. The main character seemed to have an over exaggerated fear of water. I may be biased because of my love of swimming.

The ending of the book was memorable and increased my overall enjoyment.

[Ellen Dreyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful MG novel by a writer who I believemay really have magic powers! I adored Mockingbird, and this novel did not disappoint. There were some patches where the pacing lagged, and moments when I thought Julian's world view veered a little toward the treacly, but overall, I found him a sympathetic and fascinating main character. Excellent supporting characters as well. The science is terrific.

[coal · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a really good book and I learned alot and felt alot however, there were a few things I didn't like. For one, the whole scene with Pookie running away was dumb and rushed. The scene caused after it was needed, but they could have had something else happen to trigger Juilan's, or rather Mr. X's, heart attack. The way they wrapped up the ending was nice though. The other thing I didn't like was the F.A.R.T's at the end because instead of being wholesome like they were through out the book, it seemed like the author was trying to hard to teach a "life-lesson" or some "super-cool" science facts. Other than that, the book was pretty good, just maybe a bit childish. Still, older people can learn from a "childish" book and I did have a fun time reading it.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Incredible Magic of Being by Kathryn Erksine is a mildly slow story, it shows the world through an extremely curious 9-year-old's eyes. Julian is a very curious figure and that's what lead me to rate this 4 stars. Julian believes in parallel universes which is crazy and funny at the same time. Julian is a very interesting character, the family has an interesting dynamic as well. Overall this book gets 4 stars from me because although there are some interesting characters, the book was slow and wasn't have much action.

[Markie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I experienced this book as an audiobook through Libro.Fm

The story was absolutely amazing. I loved the reader's tone, and believe he really brought Julian, the main character, to life. Julian himself is a unique individual and I loved listening to him mentally breaking down situations are trying to fix them. Getting to listen to his "farts" between chapters was great too.

A great book for middle graders and up, with adventure, some family drama, and a lot of science.

[Matthew Archibald · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book, with a wonderfully sympathetic main character, with a beautiful view of the world. I know I'm a sap, but I cried while I read it. (It may be because I have a child with an unusual health condition, or just because I have children, or just that I'm an emotional person.)
Anyway, I highly recommend this book.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a STRONG 3-stars...but couldn't quite get up to 4-stars.

I listened to the audiobook which was a gem, and I loved Julian as the narrator. The science/astronomy talk was AMAZING. I ate it up. But that's always been a topic that I am such a sucker for. Also the Merchant Marine's tidbit was H I L A R I O U S. I died. The ending also really surprised me, which was really nice.

Overall, this was a solid book, although I think I would prefer "Mockingbird" from Kathryn...which by the way is a MUST READ for all.

[Padma Venkatraman]

Funny and serious this middle grade novel explores the magic of everyday life and the bonds that unite family and friends

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I saw the universe through the eyes of Julian.

[Abi E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think if you want to have a happy ending, and a parallel one. It will be a good one for you!!!!

[Kristin Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julian is a uni-sensor, which means he can sense other things going on in the universe. Not that he doesn't have enough to sense in his family: with a grumpy, teenage older sister, and a move to Maine where his moms will run a brand new B & B, he has plenty on his plate. Throughout the many changes, he remains a sweet and kind boy who just wants everyone around him to see the magic in the world. I enjoyed viewing the world from his point of view and was sad to see the story end, it was one of those books you want to savor!

[Sarah Ressler Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous book- I loved that it is told from the perspective of a boy who is on the autism spectrum, and the fact that his parents are two mothers is not not the central plotline. Erskine's writing is superb and the characters are real and fully developed. I love the twists in the book, and I found it lovely for all students from late elementary through high school. I like to read the title as "The Incredible Magic of Being Kathryn Erskine" because she is such a magical storywriter.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The year for stargazers. moving story about magic, family and the cosmos.

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very quiet middle grade novel with a likable and optimistic protagonist. This was a slow read for me, but I appreciated the science, and there is a surprising twist at the end.

[Brenda Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read. The pace is on the slow side but the voice is engaging. Julian is quirky and while he's annoying, charming and funny enough to stay to find out what's what in Maine. I loved the F.A.R.T. sections. It would be a fun read aloud and I'd be interested in rereading with my ears if the right narrator were found.

[Laurène Poret · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much feels. Julian is the sweetest kid, my heart swelled a few times

[Caroline Fosse · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Incredible Magic of Being follows Julian, a nine year old boy obsessed with astronomy, living with his two moms and grumpy older sister. He has uni-sensory perception, which means that he often has a sense that something is going to happen before it does. As their family arrives in Maine, his moms’ plan of opening a bed and breakfast starts becoming a problem because of their neighbor «Mr. X». Julian then becomes convinced that he can solve their problems, and help everyone.

Is it just me, or is anybody else noticing that there’s been a lot of books with a «different» character who is obsessed with space and/or aliens lately? They act and talk all grown up, know a lot of random facts about astronomy, talk about their brain, inner organs, stars and space throughout the entire book, and the storyline basically is to discover something or do something related to space.

Now, I know that middle grade books probably isn’t the thing I’ll enjoy the most, but I thought the premise and storyline seemed good enough to give it a try. Even though I didn’t completely hate it, I still found Julian to be very «unrealistic». I don’t like reading about children with a vocabulary and knowledge of an adult, and that’s just the way it is. I personally think it’s unrealistic to a point where I find it to be tiresome and annoying. I’m not saying that children can’t be smart, or that boys like Julian doesn’t exist, I just personally think it’s tiresome to read about a child explaining what’s happening in space, dark holes and dark matter. Also, at some point I had it with the «fart» parts of the book, and I just started skipping over them in order to finish the book faster. Again, I’m probably just too old for middle-grade books, so don’t take my review way too seriously. If you want to read this book, go for it!

Pookie was such a horrible character to me, I really disliked her. I know she wasn’t written to be a likable character, but still. Their family was dysfunctional, her mother referred to her her «The Princess of Darkness» and Pookie ended up blaming everything on Julian. I understand why she acted the way she did and said the things she said, but that doesn’t make her more likable. She felt ignored and left out, and her mothers choices kept hurting her. Most of all, she’s a teenager with a lot of emotions.

Towards the end you find out that Julian is actually sick, and could die young if they’re not careful. I’ve read so many books where the main character turns out to be sick, and nobody told them and things like that, so I kind of expected it. The way his parents whispered and acted weird around him, crying and being nervous as soon as he left the house to visit his neighbor. I know it should get to me, and is written with the intention of being sad and shocking, but I hadn’t connected with the characters that much, and I already suspected it.

This is one of the stories where nothing really happens, other that one plot-twist close to the end, and the main character talking to different people and doing regular things. It’s not a book I would buy myself, so I’m glad I found it at the library, however I am glad I read it to get my own opinion.

I wished we would get some information or closure when it comes to Pookie's father. She talked and thought about him throughout the book, so it would be nice to know at least why he was gone, or why her mother didn't talk about him that much. Of course, we don't know if her mother talked about him or not, but still.

[Carol Royce Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't delay, pre-order this book today. I had the privilege of reading an uncorrected proof. I guess it doesn't come out until October 10th, but you'll want this book, and teachers, you'll want this as a read aloud for your class.

The story centers around a rather dysfunctional functional family. Functional in that there are two parents who love and strive to give their children what is best, but dysfunctional because one of those is a teenage girl, Pookie, often referred to as the Princess of Darkness by her mom, Joan, and who has an empty picture frame that says Dad, because she's never met her dad but believes life would be better with him, and then there is Julian.

Julian is a nine year old boy with the vocabulary and knowledge of an adult, is obsessed with astronomy (especially Sirius, the dog star, where he thinks he will go when he dies) and finding a comet to get named after himself so he can live forever. But, Julian is also afraid of a lot, especially water, not good since his family is moving to a house in Maine that is on a lake. And one other thing you should know about Julian - he has uni-sensory perception. This means that he often has a sense that something is going to happen before it does. He attributes this to the fact that he almost died the day he was born, the same day that his grandfather did die. He believes he met his grandfather that day and his grandfather told him that he loved him, to watch over his mother and sister, and that the world was full of magic (he may have also said to never burn your marshmallows, but Julian wasn't certain about that). All of his life he's always seemed to know when his sister needed something or could understand how his mom was feeling, which was not necessarily good, because one thing for sure - Julian's mom was almost always worried..especially about Julian.

As soon as the family arrives in Maine trouble brews, or as Julian puts it, universes collide, and his moms' plan of opening a bed and breakfast may become impossible if their neighbor, Mr. X (Julian's name for him) has his way. In the meantime, Julian becomes convinced that if he can just get everyone to see the magic of the universe, everything will resolve and then, especially, everyone will know where to find him when he's gone.

OK, I must admit that this review may be biased, because if Vermont had a Kathryn Erskine fan club, I would be president. I just love her writing, and her ability to create characters with such rich layers and interest. I felt as though to develop each of these characters, from the moms to Pookie, to Mr. X to Julian, she got right inside of their heads and became them and drew out all of the feelings and concerns and cares that each had, and the feelings and concerns and cares that each had for each other. In the end there was not a single character that I didn't love, and I'm sure other readers will feel the same. So, remember - October 10th is the release date - but if you know me, you may ask to borrow one of my copies - just please return it. I already have students in mind to share this book with.

[Emily Dorffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real Rating: 4.5/5

This book was an absolute joy to read. The main character, Julian, is incredibly endearing and sweet. He reminds me a lot of the show Young Sheldon, although Julian generally understands people much better than Sheldon ever does. My favorite part of the book was Julian's bond with his sister, Pookie. Even though they get on each other's nerves every now and again, they clearly care for each other. I especially like Julian's memories of the fun he used to have with his sister before becoming a teenager made her have a much harder time getting along with her family. In fact, I really like Pookie's character in general, especially the (incredibly hilarious) "orangutan noises" she makes when she gets frustrated and the way she subtly shows how much she cares about her little brother despite her moodiness and his quirkiness. Unlike other so called bratty teenage characters, Pookie feels well fleshed out and is clearly facing her own fair share of struggles that make it hard for her to consider what everyone else is going through. Of course, Julian is an amazingly memorable character too. He's a quirky little sweetheart who just wants to make everyone in his family happy. His obsession with stars is positively infectious, and his fascination with death, caused by his helicopter mom who worries about him a lot because he has a heart condition , leads to some very thought provoking moments.

Despite all these wonderful things about the book, I do have one gripe with it, and it's a fairly big one. Most of this book's elements of magical realism are handled really well, but one of them cheapens a large chunk of the book for me. This particular instance where the magical realism goes too far happens near the end of the book. I was okay with Julian intuitively knowing some things about what characters were experiencing/feeling earlier in the book such as the memory where he set up a bunch of things to comfort Pookie when he sensed that she had a bad day at school (so sweet!), but I feel that this particular instance pushed the magical realism too far. The fact that he never actually met Mr. X AND was able to sense him having a heart attack all the way in Florida was just too much. It seriously hurt my perception of Julian's friendship with Mr. X because this element of the story felt way too big and important for it to be handled that way. I wish Mr. X had actually been in Maine and that his heart attack happened while he was there instead of Florida because this particular aspect of the story stretched the magical realism too far, at least for my taste. I still loved the book despite this fairly major gripe.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. It handles some very serious topics incredibly maturely and insightfully, all while still being a fun read.

[American Mensa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Incredible Magic of Being is a fiction story about a 9-year-old boy, Julian, who is a science enthusiast, emotionally gifted with a uni-sensing ability of feeling the universe in a magical way and an imaginative mind with no bounds. His family suddenly moves from Washington DC to Maine over the summer. There they learn that their plan to earn an income by opening a bed-and-breakfast in the house is stalled by a violation lawsuit from their neighbor, the old man Mr. X. One of Julian’s greatest fear is staring right back at him in the backyard of his new house. Julian’s aggravating older sister Pookie, is rebellious about the move and is non-cooperative in her actions which makes her relationship strained with everyone in the family, which only makes things worse. In all this chaos, Julian with his positive attitude, tries to find comfort peering at the sky through his telescope. He senses the magic of the universe connecting everyone together and begins to develop an unusual unique friendship with the sad, old neighbor Mr. X. He feels the old man is hurt deep inside after losing his wife and is feeling lonely. What effect will this friendship have on him, his family and Mr. X? Will Julian face his ultimate fear to bring his family together? Will he ever know the true reason about why his family moved to Maine?
This is an enthralling book to all elementary kids and middle schoolers, especially captivates astronomy lovers. I liked the way the author relates various perplexing phenomenon that happens in space to everyday events in life to explain it in an understandable way. This helped me understand the latest discoveries in space. A fascinating twist at the end of the novel left me surprised and amazed. I give this book 5 stars because it aptly portrays the challenges, feelings, and unique abilities of a gifted child, the tension between a brother and a sister, and a family falling apart due to lack of communication. This book renders the readers with a gifted child’s perspective on hardships in life and family matters. The Incredible Magic of Being opens the reader’s mind to see the universe with a new perspective at the end, making it a new beginning and an awesome read!
Reviewed by Sonika M, 12
Metropolitan Washington Mensa

[BiblioBickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julian (9.62), an empath described as a "uni-sensor," who also has a congenital structural heart defect, wants to fix everything and make sure his family can find him in the Dog Star (Sirius) when he dies; however, no one wants to take the time to look in his telescope and learn how to find the Dog Star in one season, let alone all of them. Julian's biological mother is severely over-protective, and his other mother has a different approach but can only do so much. The family is under a lot of stress, having just moved from DC to Maine after the biological mom quit being an ob/gyn due in part to a patient's losing her baby. Julian's sister, Pookie, (14.2), is deep in the throes of teenage hell (for her and her family), and Julian misses their close connection. He fills the gap by befriending the man who owns the house next door, who also happens to be suing the family for ruining his lake view with their B&B addition. I loved the perspective of Julian, wise, learned, prescient, and also still child-like in many ways.

"The good thing about science is it's true whether you believe it or not."
Coincidences: "you shouldn't ignore stuff like that. It's your brain trying to show you the magic. If you keep ignoring it, it'll get tired of showing you the magic and you'll end up not seeing it anymore..."
(Imaginary?) friends in parallel universes, perceptive dreams, heightened anxiety especially about being in or on (or near) water, realistic kid worries (often based on snippets of overheard adult conversation and realistically errant conclusions based on limited data), importance of being honest with children.
"They even say that if scientists can't explain things, then they're not real. But just because we can't explain something doesn't mean it's not real. Maybe we just don't understand it yet..."

Best for ages 10+ [complex philosophical and metaphysical themes including beliefs about death; scene of older sister's being ogled by an older boy and possible related peril; discussion of several deaths (mom's patient's baby, mom's childhood dog run over by her drunk dad, Pookie's camper, neighbor's wife), in-depth discussions about various aspects of space and matter]

[Klaudia Janek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julian and his family have just moved to Main to run a B & B. Julian has two moms and a sister is always grouchy. Julian is nine years old and wise beyond his years. He has quite the vocabulary and consistently posts his FARTs (Facts and random thoughts) throughout the book. Julian loves astronomy and part of the reason he was ok with the move is that Maine has a lot more space where he can look at the sky. His mother is very over protective, so it’s hard for Julian to do what he wants. His sister is Pookie, and she is beginning to run with a crowd that adults do not approve of. Pookie does not get as much attention as Julian does, so she has had to be more self-sufficient. Pookie is on a mission to try to figure out who her dad is and thinks life would be better with him. Part of the reason Julian moved is because he was being bullied at his previous school. His mom wants to home school him, but Joan thinks he is better off going to school. Julian believes he is a uni-sensor, which means he can sense things going on in the universe.

Julian believes there is magic in the universe that connects us. He is also very against burning marshmallows. When they arrive in Maine to pursue a new life, their new neighbor, Mr. X, is very crabby and slaps them with a lawsuit. He says that their house blocks his view of the lake. Julian is determined to get him to change his mind. The story unfolds with an unlikely friendship. I think this book hold a lot of appeal to middle grade readers. It will make readers think about their place in the universe and what family means. This book may be controversial to some because Julian and Pookie have two moms, but it is a story that needs to be told. It would be an important book for students who have 2 moms and need a feel good story with lots of hope in it. It’s realistic fiction with just a bit of magic in it. It’s about family and friendship and I think that will bring lot of readers in. It’s a must have for a school library. I think it would be a great choice for classroom libraries, independent reading, book clubs and just for fun. There is good dialogue and different points of view to explore as a reader. Enjoyable for all ages.