Hi, everyone! Today I'm pleased to have a guest post from Deva Fagan, the author of multiple MG novels, including the recently released Rival Magic, and the upcoming 2021 release, Nightingale.
Here we go! :)
Witchcraft and Wizardry
There’s something endlessly fascinating about the idea of learning magic. Of being summoned by owl post to enroll in a secret magical school. Or studying grimoires instead of geography and practicing flying charms for homework.
If you love stories about witchcraft and wizardry, you’re probably pretty familiar with the most famous of all: Harry Potter. But there are many more wonderful, magical books about other young witches and wizards out there. Here are some of my favorites!
Witch Week by Diana Wynne Jones
This might well be the very first “boarding school with witches” book I ever read. As a warning, the school here is definitely NOT Hogwarts! Every time I read it I shudder at the descriptions of the horrible meals the characters have to eat! But even so, this is a tremendously fun and funny story, with a cast of characters who feel utterly real and spectacularly flawed. Set at a boarding school in an alternate world in which the law proclaims all witches must be burned, the story opens with an anonymous note that warns someone in the class is a witch! As it turns out, there may in fact be more than one…
Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
This contemporary fantasy tells the story of Sunny, a twelve-year-old albino girl who returned to Nigeria, the land of her birth, a few years earlier, after living most of her life in the US. Bullied and teased for he, she makes friends with other outcasts, and discovers that like them, she possesses magical abilities. Training in secret, Sunny must unite with her new friends to thwart a villain who preys on the children of her town. I loved the vivid, dynamic setting of this story, and the way that “Leopard People” like Sunny valued knowledge itself so highly that it becomes a literal form of currency.
Love Sugar Magic: A Dash of Trouble by Anna Meriano
In this adorable contemporary fantasy, eleven-year-old Leo discovers her mother and older sisters have been hiding the fact that they are bruja--latinx witches--who use their culinary magic to enchant the various delectable treats produced by the family bakery. And once she finds that out, Leo certainly isn’t going to wait any longer to claim her own magical heritage, even if it means going behind her family’s back to do it. Full of sweets, spells gone astray, friendship, family and sisterhood!
Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch by Julia Abe
This book won’t be out until August 4th, 2020, but it is one of my most-anticipated books of the summer and sounds perfect for readers looking for a magical, witchy read. Eva is a witch with only “a pinch” of magic, who must nevertheless save a village from a perilous storm in order to prove herself worthy and avoid losing her powers forever. Also, isn’t that just the most beautiful cover?
And finally, here’s my own contribution!
Rival Magic by Deva Fagan
Antonia may not be the most powerful wizard the world has ever seen, but she's worked hard to win her place as apprentice to renowned sorcerer Master Betrys. Unfortunately, even her best dancing turnip charm might not be enough when Moppe the scullery maid turns out to be a magical prodigy. Now that Betrys has taken Moppe on as a second apprentice, Antonia’s path to wizarding just got a bit more complicated. But when Betrys is accused of treason, Antonia and Moppe are forced to go on the run. To prove their master's innocence--and their own--the rivals must become allies. As their island province teeters on the brink of rebellion, they’ll face ancient spells, vengeful mermaids, enchanted turnips, voice-stealing forests, and one insatiable sea monster.
So there you have it, five middle grade novels featuring young witches or wizards! I know there are so many more out there, so if you have a favorite I didn’t mention, please share it in the comments!
Thanks to this post, I just added a few books to my TBR list! :)
Thank you to Deva Fagan for participating in this event! :)
Author Bio: Deva Fagan is the author of Rival Magic, Circus Galacticus and other books for young readers. She lives in Maine with her husband and her dog. When she’s not writing she spends her time reading, playing video games, doing geometry, and drinking copious amounts of tea. You can find her at www.devafagan.com, on Instagram and on Twitter.
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