Just a Pinch of Magic (HC) (2023)

Just a Pinch of Magic, Alechia Dow's middle-grade debut, is as warm and sweet as a cinnamon bun, bursting with magic and sure to please the pickiest readers.

Wini's family of enchanters runs a little bakery, but with the prices of magical ingredients skyrocketing, they're going under. Desperate to save her family's business, Wini takes a risk by casting a (sort of illegal) spell that would allow them to gather their own supply of their most needed magical ingredient: Love. But the spell doesn't work. And Wini soon discovers that it didn't just not work, it backfired. Badly. Now the whole town is in danger, and the Enchantment Agency is sniffing around for whoever cast the wayward spell.

It's just been Kal and her dad for as long as she can remember. They've weathered everything together, including Kal's mental health struggles. But just as they're about to move to a new town for a fresh start, Kal's grandfather--who mysteriously vanished years ago--has suddenly reentered their lives with a desire to make amends. He joins them in opening their bookstore in the new town, but Kal can't help but wonder if he has anything to do with the whispers around her new home about wicked magic. And it's not just the whispers of the magical books in their shop.

When Wini and Kal cross paths--both hoping for the chance to finally make a friend without worrying about their family histories following them--the girls bond over being fellow outcasts. Together they search for the solution to fixing the magic gone awry in their beloved town--and just maybe get their dads to go out on a date.

Includes five recipes!

Praise for Just a Pinch of Magic:

"Just a Pinch of Magic provides more than a pinch of fun. This delightful middle-grade debut is full of friendship, adventure, magic--and recipes!" --Janae Marks, New York Times-bestselling author of On Air with Zoe Washington