The Magic of Someday Soon

For fans of Barbara O'Connor, The Magic of Someday Soon is a hopeful middle grade novel overflowing with light, love, and adventure as two girls find the extraordinary joys of every day.

Zoe longs to one day put down roots. Since her dad's death, twelve-year-old Zoe September has drifted from place to place with her artist mother, the Up-cycle Magician. Then a new art project for her mom brings them to Maravel, Florida--her dad's hometown. In Maravel, she discovers a delicious, enchanting secret among the sweet brews of her grandmother's tea shop. But how will Zoe ever leave when her mom wants to get back on the road?

Teddy dreams of the day she can save her past. Twelve-year-old Teddy Martin has a mission: restore her great-grandparents' legacy, Fossil Gardens, a theme park of artistic recreations of prehistoric animals. Desperate to rescue the last remaining sculptures, Teddy enlists the Up-cycle Magician's help before they disappear forever. But with sinkholes threatening to swallow the decaying fossils, is Teddy in over her head?

Never underestimate the magic of someday soon. Things bubble and steam between Zoe and Teddy when they team up. But in working together to save Fossil Gardens, the girls discover something even more special--the possibility of your deepest wishes coming true in unexpected ways and a friendship that feels like home.

Author: Michelle Lee
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Byr)
Published: 03/03/2026
Pages: 288
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.40w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9780374390938
Audience: Ages 9-12


Review Citation(s):
Horn Book Magazine 05/01/2026 pg. 86
Publishers Weekly 01/12/2026
Booklist 01/01/2026
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 03/01/2026
School Library Journal 02/13/2026 pg. 1
Kirkus Reviews 01/01/2026

About the Author
Michelle Lee is the author of Between the Lighthouse and You. After earning her Master's in Creative Writing and her PhD in Literature from the University of Texas at Austin, she taught college English for thirteen years at Daytona State College. She lives with her husband and daughter in Florida where they find magic in every ordinary day.