THE 12TH CANDLE

Middle school meets magic in THE 12TH CANDLE, a hilarious and heartfelt novel about a girl whose life flips when she wishes on an enchanted candle - perfect for fans of Sarah Mlynowski and Wendy Mass.

Sage Sassfrass is tired of the Contrarian Curse that's doomed her and her nemesis, Priscilla Petty to a life of opposites. If Priscilla lands her dunk shot in basketball, Sage trips on her shoelaces. If Sage wins the Noodler logo contest, Pricilla won't even place. And if Priscilla's father gets promoted at the local bank, Sage's Daddy gets accused of robbing it. So when she's given a magical candle on her twelfth birthday, Sage seizes the chance to turn her luck around. And her third wish (after working electricity and a piping hot pepperoni pizza) is to reverse the curse. But are wishes always wise?

As Sage's life gets better in some ways - the new boy asks her to the dance, her Momma's financial woes disappear, and her Daddy may be coming home - it gets exponentially worse in othersher art skills tank, her Momma's sunny disposition sours, and her BFF Bailee asks for a friendship break. With the candle's magic wax running out, Sage needs to win over her friends and frenemies so they can figure out how to break the curse - and its reverse - together. Or she'll be doomed to a life of opposites forever.

Kim Tomsic is a Co-Regional Advisor for the Rocky Mountain Colorado branch of SCBWI, a yoga instructor, and the author of two picture books with Chronicle (April 2019 and Winter 2020). This is her second middle-grade novel. She lives in Boulder, Colorado with her husband, two children, and two dogs.