THE CIRCUS AT THE END OF THE SEA

Gorgeous literary middle grade fiction debut, with vivid descriptions and a magical world that immerses the reader.

Maddy Adriana knows magic is real. A bracelet she's had since she was a baby, that grows with her and never comes off, helps her see it everywhere she looks. Magic has made it a little easier to be a foster kid bounced between homes.
Then, one day, Maddy feels a... tug. It leads her to Il Circo delle Strade, the magical street circus lurking within Venice, California. Amidst murals that come to life and trampolines made of starlight, Maddy knows that she's finally found the source of the magic - and once she meets the circus's performers... well, maybe she's even found a place where, for the first time ever, she can truly belong. So when she learns that Il Circo is in trouble, she offers to help.
The journey will take her to the end of the sea and back. Along the way, Maddy must find a way to face the frightening side of magic, as well as her own deepest fears, if she is to save the place she hopes to finally call home.

In an alternate universe, Lori R. Snyder is a circus performerprobably an aerialist wearing a lot of glitter. In this universe, she's had many different careers (none of which, sadly, are circus-related): marine biologist, fourth grade teacher, dancer, yoga teacher and studio owner, book editor, and writer. Venice Beach is one of the great loves of her life, as are kindness, delight, and the sea, and this book is her love letter to all of those. Lori is also the founder of the Writers Happiness Movement, which offers free happiness tools to writers.