Nearly every member of the Brittle family has an extraordinary talent—except Shiloh.
Her aunt makes pickles that tell your fortune. Her great-aunt brews tea that gives you good dreams. Her sister can grow pumpkins the size of a small house. And her older brother—who died before Shiloh was born—had a gift no one will talk about. Her mom says Shiloh doesn’t need a talent to be special. But Shiloh knows she’s destined for greatness. And with the Brittle family reunion coming up, she’s determined to prove it to all her relatives.
When Auntie Dee’s fortune-telling pickles reveal that Shiloh does have a talent—and that it’s somehow connected to her late brother—Shiloh feels more confused than vindicated. Why would her mom have kept this from her?
The pickles’ prophesy offers cryptic clues for finding her talent—something involving an oven? and a new friend?—and Shiloh throws herself into the search. But discovering the truth about herself means digging up secrets her mom would rather keep buried.
This year’s family reunion may well be the most dramatic one yet…
Coming 10/20/2026 from Knopf Books for Young Readers
Reviews
★ “Shiloh proves a winning protagonist whose bravery, impulsivity, and persistence inject good humor and sparkling wit into an intimate telling.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ “Shiloh’s honesty and quirkiness will engage readers in this poignant family-secrets novel with magical elements.” —School Library Journal, starred review
“A tale of stubborn secrets, homespun magic, and the courage it takes to face difficult truths. Shiloh’s story lingers with the same warmth and comfort of something delicious just pulled from the oven, long after reading the last page.” —Ingrid Law, Newbery Honor Winner for Savvy
“With warmth, whimsy, and emotional insight, Kate O’Shaughnessy offers a moving adventure about finding and forgiving—and about how love binds us and frees us in equal measure.” —Karla Valenti, Pura Belpré Award winner for Lola
“Big-hearted, fresh, and beautiful, Brittle Magic is a story of grief, love, family, and the magic we make from forgiveness.” —Rebecca Mix, New York Times bestselling author of the The Mossheart’s Promise
“I don’t need pickles to tell me that many, many readers will adore this whimsical story and recognize themselves in the charming, clumsy, determined, and lovable Shiloh. Kate O’Shaughnessy may not be Brittle by name, but she is certainly full of magic.” —Lindsay Lackey, author of All the Impossible Things
“Brittle Magic is exactly the kind of story I like best—one that expertly, imaginatively, and beautifully gets at both the hopes and the hurts of childhood. Marvelous.” —Corey Ann Haydu, author of The Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden Greene.
“A tender and moving tale of loss and hope.” —Kirkus Reviews