The Magic Snow Globe

By Veronica Taylor

Blaire Parker and her younger brother, Jake, have just moved to Los Angeles with their parents. Although they are less than thrilled to be in their new home, Blaire and Jake try to make the best of it. A few days later while on a trip to the local mall, Jake spots a snow globe—even though it is the middle of summer. Even more unusual, the snow globe has no snow—only miniature candy charms, lollipops, and Twizzlers.
After they purchase the globe, it mysteriously begins to glow and eventually sends Blaire and Jake on an unexpected, wild adventure in a land of delicious treats. When a new friend tells them they are in Ice Pop City, Blaire and Jake realize it is up to them to find their way back home. As brother and sister travel through candy corn mountains, islands, and cities, will they ever achieve their mission or will the candy be bigger than they can chew?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Apr 17, 2023
• ISBN: 9781665729628

Veronica Taylor

Veronica Taylor was born in New York. She enjoys reading, writing, and, traveling. The Magic Snow Globe is her first novel.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Moving

It was a normal day …

Sorry, I should introduce myself. My name’s Blaire Parker. I have a younger brother named Jake and a mom and dad.

Where was I …? It was just a normal day.

When I say normal, I mean my family and I had just moved to Rockville—a small, boring town famous for its rocks. I was ten years old. We were in a taxi. My eight-year-old little brother was dropping crumbs from his pop tart.

He stuck his tongue out at me and chewed even louder.

We’re almost there, the driver announced.

I smiled.

I never understood why people called airplane mush food. It was vile. Never again. When the flight attendants passed with their tray of evil food, I wanted to gag. Thankfully, I was OK this time.

The taxi driver made a turn, went straight, and stopped.

We’ve arrived, he said, looking at his rusty gray watch.

I looked at our new home. The lawn had shamrock-colored fake grass. The house was light brown, with a creaky porch and a chimney.

CHAPTER 2

Home Sweet … Oh, No!

Can you hold my bag? my mom asked me while digging around in it.

What did my mom have in there? Bricks? It felt as if I were holding a bowling ball. The bag pulled tightly on my arm. Mom held out the gigantic copper key we’d got in a white envelope a few days before. She inserted it into the lock, and the door slowly opened.

I didn’t know what was worse: a gigantic roach or that house. All I could see was dust galore. As we slipped inside the entrance, I walked into a hanging spiderweb string. Blah!

Mom gave Dad an intent look, her head tilting to the side.

Let’s order pizza! my dad said joyfully.

At that moment, I knew moving here was not the best choice. The obvious tone in his voice and Mom’s look confirmed my theory. Why leave family, friends, and neighbors behind for this cold, empty house?

Why don’t you two pick your rooms? Mom called out. We were already halfway up the narrow, sweeping staircase.

We managed to pull open every door in the dark hallway, and the sun’s rays beamed on the dull wooden floor.

This one, Jake said, pointing at a room. This one is gonna be my room; I’ll put my future rabbits’ bed right… there!

"That’s the main bedroom," I said, slumping my shoulders. Plus, I wanted a dog.

I bet this was a living room in the olden days!

As we went back downstairs to heave our luggages up, I passed Dad bringing up the pump for the air mattresses.

While I was still unpacking, the pizza arrived. No one had to call me down. I smelled the hot, fresh, heavenly smell from upstairs. We ate on the wooden floor in the so-called living room.

By day two, I could’ve made a list of all the bad things that had happened. And it wasn’t even the afternoon.

First, I was the one to discover we packed all our personal belongings, books, toys, my tablet, etc., in the gazillion boxes we had. It would probably take an entire year to find anything. Second, I overheard Mom mention that the moving truck would take a week to arrive. An entire week! No reading, no toys, and no tablet for a week! What were we going to do?

Third … well, there was nothing else to report. Yet.

CHAPTER 3

Rain, Rain, Go Away

My feet feel like they’re going to fall off my legs—I told you I didn’t bring my sneakers, Jake complained. We were at the Rockville market. It was huge, being that Rockville was so tiny. There were a bunch of craft stores for decorating well- rocks.

At the entrance, a woman was giving leaflets for a contest about who could decorate the best rock. It looked pretty cool. I bet I could win, but I would never admit it to anyone. I took a leaflet and tried to be incognito, but my parents caught me and started talking to the woman.

Are you going to enter the contest? Mom asked as we walked away.

Uh, no, I took one because no one else was taking one. I lie, staring at the ground. Mom seemed to buy it, though.

All right, I’m going to get lightbulbs, perhaps a toaster…, Mom said,