The Incredible Magic of Being by Kathryn Erskine (review)

The idea that magic is all around us isn't some corny inspirational statement to gifted nine-year-old Julian but a strongly held belief; to him, science is just magic by another name. The cosmos also offer up some useful metaphors for his current family situation after his mothers move the family to the backwoods of Maine to start a B&B. A grumpy neighbor who's fussing about property lines threatens the new business, but Julian is convinced the universe has brought him and crotchety old Mr. X together for some bigger purpose. Julian's narrative voice seems to place him on the spectrum (it's also implied several times by his mothers), and his insistence that he's a uni-sensor—someone who can sense events through parallel universes—initially frames him as a quirky kid. Then the evidence starts mounting up as his premonitions and visions correlate to this reality, and the final twist makes it clear Julian is something special, giving readers the challenge of believing in magic, science, or both. Julian really is a thoughtful, engaging narrator and kids will enjoy hanging out with him in this or any other universe.