Serendipity Market

by Penny Blubaugh

Overview

When Toby breathes on Mama Inez's bird-shaped invitations, giving them the power to fly, plans for the Serendipity Market begin. Soon, eleven honored guests travel from afar and make their way to the storytellers' tent to share their stories. Each tale proves what Mama Inez knows—that magic is everywhere. Sometimes it shows itself subtly—a ray of sun glinting on a gold coin, or a girl picking a rose without getting pricked by the thorn—and sometimes it makes itself known with trumpets and fireworks. But when real magic is combined with the magic of storytelling, it can change the world.

This is a breathtaking debut novel written with elegance and grace.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061971778
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	02/27/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	293
File size:	550 KB
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Penny Blubaugh is a writer, librarian, and former flight instructor. She received her MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She currently lives in Chicago with her husband and dreams of living at the End of the World in a house with a witch's-hat roof. Serendipity Market is her first novel and was named a Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book.

What People are Saying About This

Chris Lynch

“SERENDIPITY MARKET reveals itself to be what we all strive to do: universal tale spinning, gorgeous writing.”

Editorial Reviews

In this debut storytelling tour de force, Blubaugh repackages familiar folk- and fairy-tale themes with contemporary verve and wit. When the omniscient Mama Inez discovers "the spin of the world is off," she invites special guests to the Serendipity Market to help her balance it with their fantastical stories. Speaking in the first-person, each guest tells a tale in which astute readers will recognize traditional characters and motifs, albeit with a modern twist or fresh perspective. Disenchanted coachman Lizard recounts the Cinderella story from his reptilian viewpoint. Traveler elves Naddie and Earl relate how they developed a symbiotic relationship with the village cobbler. Gay Prince Zola remembers finding his true love after a sleepless night on a pile of mattresses. Rosey tells how she barely escaped from a sexual predator en route to Gran's house. These and other stories blend the magical and the mundane as well as the familiar and the foreign. Together they offer memorable storytellers, magical tales and marvelous language that should indeed help balance the world. (Fantasy. 12 & up)

Kirkus Reviews

A debut storytelling tour de force.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“This beautiful novel will be a delight to those who enjoy spin-offs of fairy tales and folktales.” — ALA Booklist

“Entertaning, freshly told, and ripe for readalouds.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“SERENDIPITY MARKET reveals itself to be what we all strive to do: universal tale spinning, gorgeous writing.” — —Chris Lynch, author of the National Book Award finalist Inexcusable

From the Publisher

This beautiful novel will be a delight to those who enjoy spin-offs of fairy tales and folktales.

ALA Booklist

Entertaning, freshly told, and ripe for readalouds.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

SERENDIPITY MARKET reveals itself to be what we all strive to do: universal tale spinning, gorgeous writing.

Chris Lynch

Entertaning, freshly told, and ripe for readalouds.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Entertaning, freshly told, and ripe for readalouds.

The Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books