- A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic: Or, Like Lightning in an Umbrella Storm
- by Philip C. Stead; narrated by Daniel Henning
- Listening Library
- Release date: April 7, 2026
- ISBN: 9798899737749
Bernadette’s job is not easy. In a kingdom governed by an erratic, impulsive king, the castle literally rests on top of 24 goats’ backs. As you might imagine, it’s not a great system, and the goats’ care falls to Bernadette. When one of the goats runs away, the young goat keeper sets out on a quest to find him with the help of a very forgetful wizard and a boat that Does Not Grant Wishes. Author Philip C. Stead writes himself into the story, periodically interrupting the narrative as he struggles to satisfyingly resolve Bernadette’s tale. The chapters unfold out of chronological order, in humorous, tongue-in-cheek prose.
Narrator Daniel Henning is the ideal match for this deliberately chaotic, whimsical tale. He gives every character—human, wizard, and goat alike—a distinct, memorable voice, leaning fully into the book’s absurdist comedy while maintaining control and consistency. Hearing the chapters read aloud in Henning’s steady, confident narration, actually helps listeners track the story’s many threads more easily than a silent read might. His comedic timing and gift for character work (and goat noises) keep the tone light and the plot moving. Henning turns the complex tale into an accessible, laugh-out-loud listen.
Though A Potion, A Powder, A Little Bit of Magic is published as middle grade, its wordplay, metafictional structure, and subversion of typical storytelling conventions give it real crossover appeal for older teens, particularly fans of absurdist and subversive humor. It’s giving Monty Python meets The Princess Bride.
This is a great listen-alike for fans of The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, and The Series of Unfortunate Events series by Lemony Snicket.
-Jessica Schwartz
Other Nominated Titles
- The Ok’s are Not Okay by Grace Shim
- Beth is Dead by Katie Bernet
- The Better to Eat You With by Tehlor Mejia
The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.
Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.