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A Brush with Magic

Author Flora Ahn
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Hardcover
$16.99 US
| $22.99 CAN
Quirk Books
On sale Oct 22, 2024 | 288 Pages | 9781683693208
Age 8-12 years | Grades 3-7
Reading Level: Lexile 730L
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A heartfelt, magical middle grade adventure—inspired by Korean folklore and set in modern-day Seoul—about sisterhood and belonging, perfect for fans of Kelly Yang and Janae Marks.

What if an ancient ink brush, oceans away in Korea, could unlock long-buried family secrets? 

It’s finally summer break, and twelve-year-old Yumi is headed to Korea with her older sister, Minji, for the very first time. She can’t wait to explore the city of Seoul together—but Minji has other plans. The moment they land, Minji ditches Yumi to hang out with their cousins, who are more fashionable, better at soccer, and all-around cooler than Yumi. Lost and alone, Yumi is stuck at home painting with her grandfather. 

Everything changes when she finds an intriguing ink brush in a neighborhood art shop—and accidentally summons a creature straight out of her grandfather’s retellings of Korean fairy tales. With a new friend by her side and an ink brush that has the power to bring anything she paints to life, Yumi feels unstoppable. From bustling street markets and ancient palaces to riding the subway, Yumi and her friend explore everything Seoul has to offer. 

But when the magic takes a dark turn, Yumi must dig deep to hear her own voice and protect the family she loves—even if they don’t always understand each other.
Yumi dropped the brush—but instead of landing on the table, it floated in the air. She pushed her chair back and stood up to get away from it. What was happening?
     A big ink droplet dangled from the tip of the brush. Yumi watched as the droplet grew bigger and bigger until it was almost the same size as her. Then, with a loud pop, the droplet burst, and there in front of her stood a terrifying creature.
     Its skin was blue and armored like a rhinoceros and it was tall enough to tower over her and some of the smaller trees in the courtyard. Its face was gruesome but familiar—like one of the ghoulish figures on the brush handle. And to top it all off, it had small horns and sharp teeth that it flashed with a sneer.
     Yumi took a step back and screamed.
     The creature raised up its hands and screamed back.
Copyright © 2024 by Flora Ahn. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
A 2024 Freeman Book Awards for Children’s and Young Adult Literature on East and Southeast Asia “Of Note” Title

“Fantastical elements are seamlessly woven into this engaging, entertaining story. . . . A universal coming-of-age tale becomes extraordinary through an encounter with Korean folk magic.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Painted in vivid brushstrokes of whimsy, magic, and exhilarating adventures, A Brush with Magic will absolutely enchant readers.”—Julie Abe, author of the Eva Evergreen and Tessa Miyata series

“Vividly painted, emotionally resonant, and lots of fun, A Brush with Magic offers a captivating tour of fantasy and folklore alongside real growing pains.”—Anna Meriano, author of Love Sugar Magic

Praise for Flora Ahn and A Spoonful of Time
A 2024 CBC Children’s Favorites Winner, Sixth to Eighth Grade
A 2024 CBC Teacher Favorites Winner, Sixth to Eighth Grade
One of School Library Journal’s Best Middle Grade Books of 2023
A 2024–25 Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Nominee

“Affectionately wrought....evocative descriptions of food and its link to memory carry this light speculative read, which offers up a sweet intergenerational relationship that connects past and present.”—Publishers Weekly

“Beautifully written...the descriptions of the dishes are salivating enough that readers might appreciate the ability to recreate them at home. A warm and satisfying intergenerational story.”—Booklist

“Full of twists, this middle-grade story is a heartwarming mix of food and family.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A charming story filled with recipes.”—School Library Journal

“Readers will love the Korean culture and food references….This is a great time-travel adventure read.”—Book Riot

“This wonderful book combines food and family into a perfectly seasoned story.”—Lelia Nebeker for Northern Virginia Magazine

“Seasoned with humor and a rich setting, A Spoonful of Time is an enchanting novel about family secrets, friendships, loss, and food that transports us to the past. Warning: don't read while hungry!”—Lynne Kelly, author of Song For a Whale

“A vividly written tale that is easy to love, Flora Ahn's novel is intricate, enchanting, and absolutely brimming with life. This is a surprising and timeless story, with the perfect mix of sweetness, wonder, and depth.”—Corey Ann Haydu, author of Eventown and One Jar of Magic
Flora Ahn is an attorney by day and an author and illustrator by night. Her work includes A Spoonful of Time (Quirk 2023), a children's chapter book series entitled Pug Pals, and an Audible Original, The Golden Orchard. Raised in California by her Korean immigrant parents, Ahn lives in Virginia with her two pugs.
Flora Ahn View titles by Flora Ahn

Educator Guide for A Brush with Magic

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

Read More

About

A heartfelt, magical middle grade adventure—inspired by Korean folklore and set in modern-day Seoul—about sisterhood and belonging, perfect for fans of Kelly Yang and Janae Marks.

What if an ancient ink brush, oceans away in Korea, could unlock long-buried family secrets? 

It’s finally summer break, and twelve-year-old Yumi is headed to Korea with her older sister, Minji, for the very first time. She can’t wait to explore the city of Seoul together—but Minji has other plans. The moment they land, Minji ditches Yumi to hang out with their cousins, who are more fashionable, better at soccer, and all-around cooler than Yumi. Lost and alone, Yumi is stuck at home painting with her grandfather. 

Everything changes when she finds an intriguing ink brush in a neighborhood art shop—and accidentally summons a creature straight out of her grandfather’s retellings of Korean fairy tales. With a new friend by her side and an ink brush that has the power to bring anything she paints to life, Yumi feels unstoppable. From bustling street markets and ancient palaces to riding the subway, Yumi and her friend explore everything Seoul has to offer. 

But when the magic takes a dark turn, Yumi must dig deep to hear her own voice and protect the family she loves—even if they don’t always understand each other.

Excerpt

Yumi dropped the brush—but instead of landing on the table, it floated in the air. She pushed her chair back and stood up to get away from it. What was happening?
     A big ink droplet dangled from the tip of the brush. Yumi watched as the droplet grew bigger and bigger until it was almost the same size as her. Then, with a loud pop, the droplet burst, and there in front of her stood a terrifying creature.
     Its skin was blue and armored like a rhinoceros and it was tall enough to tower over her and some of the smaller trees in the courtyard. Its face was gruesome but familiar—like one of the ghoulish figures on the brush handle. And to top it all off, it had small horns and sharp teeth that it flashed with a sneer.
     Yumi took a step back and screamed.
     The creature raised up its hands and screamed back.
Copyright © 2024 by Flora Ahn. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Reviews

A 2024 Freeman Book Awards for Children’s and Young Adult Literature on East and Southeast Asia “Of Note” Title

“Fantastical elements are seamlessly woven into this engaging, entertaining story. . . . A universal coming-of-age tale becomes extraordinary through an encounter with Korean folk magic.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Painted in vivid brushstrokes of whimsy, magic, and exhilarating adventures, A Brush with Magic will absolutely enchant readers.”—Julie Abe, author of the Eva Evergreen and Tessa Miyata series

“Vividly painted, emotionally resonant, and lots of fun, A Brush with Magic offers a captivating tour of fantasy and folklore alongside real growing pains.”—Anna Meriano, author of Love Sugar Magic

Praise for Flora Ahn and A Spoonful of Time
A 2024 CBC Children’s Favorites Winner, Sixth to Eighth Grade
A 2024 CBC Teacher Favorites Winner, Sixth to Eighth Grade
One of School Library Journal’s Best Middle Grade Books of 2023
A 2024–25 Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Nominee

“Affectionately wrought....evocative descriptions of food and its link to memory carry this light speculative read, which offers up a sweet intergenerational relationship that connects past and present.”—Publishers Weekly

“Beautifully written...the descriptions of the dishes are salivating enough that readers might appreciate the ability to recreate them at home. A warm and satisfying intergenerational story.”—Booklist

“Full of twists, this middle-grade story is a heartwarming mix of food and family.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A charming story filled with recipes.”—School Library Journal

“Readers will love the Korean culture and food references….This is a great time-travel adventure read.”—Book Riot

“This wonderful book combines food and family into a perfectly seasoned story.”—Lelia Nebeker for Northern Virginia Magazine

“Seasoned with humor and a rich setting, A Spoonful of Time is an enchanting novel about family secrets, friendships, loss, and food that transports us to the past. Warning: don't read while hungry!”—Lynne Kelly, author of Song For a Whale

“A vividly written tale that is easy to love, Flora Ahn's novel is intricate, enchanting, and absolutely brimming with life. This is a surprising and timeless story, with the perfect mix of sweetness, wonder, and depth.”—Corey Ann Haydu, author of Eventown and One Jar of Magic

Author

Flora Ahn is an attorney by day and an author and illustrator by night. Her work includes A Spoonful of Time (Quirk 2023), a children's chapter book series entitled Pug Pals, and an Audible Original, The Golden Orchard. Raised in California by her Korean immigrant parents, Ahn lives in Virginia with her two pugs.
Flora Ahn View titles by Flora Ahn

Guides

Educator Guide for A Brush with Magic

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

Read More

Additional formats

Other Books by this Author

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