Magical Mayhem
The CBC looks for a theme to spotlight in each month’s Hot Off the Press list so that we can alert parents, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and all children’s book enthusiasts to cool new offerings from our member publishers.
Who hasn’t imagined the ability to manipulate magic, cast spells, and maybe even wield a magic wand? There’s just something about the idea of being part of a magical community that is infinitely appealing, especially to kids who don’t generally have a lot of control over their lives. There’s often danger, always adventure, and perhaps a dash of humor in magical tales. From high-fantasy worlds to contemporary and familiar settings, these books from our July Hot Off the Press list will pique the interest of all kinds of would-be wizards and witches.
Aurora: Volume 1, written & illustrated by Red (Andrews McMeel) — Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Friendships, Coming of Age, Teen.
Fans of the hit webcomic Aurora will delight in the first series installment in print, which follows a found family of heroes on a journey to save a god from an immortal witch.
The shining city of Vash in the world of Aurora is protected by a great and powerful god of the same name, but even Vash’s incarnation cannot withstand the Collector, an immortal sorceress bent on unmaking the world. Vash’s city is destroyed and his soul abducted, leaving only ruins and the wounded, empty body of his incarnation. When newborn soul Kendal awakens in the body, he is driven to rescue the imprisoned Vash. Now Kendal must grapple with living as a mortal and defeating a force powerful enough to sunder the gods.
Kendal is aided by the friends he makes along the way: Alinua, a volatile elven hermit terrified of her uncontrollable life magic; Erin, the prideful Elemental Magus, master of all six elements, who is burdened with a world-shattering curse; and Falst, a surly beastman trying to find his way in a world that hates him. Together, they will journey through magic and mystery, explore perilous environments, and confront ancient forces. Stars dance beyond the shimmering curtains of Aurora; it is time to draw those curtains back . . .
With exclusive author commentary and bonus story content, Aurora (Volume 1) has plenty for both fans and new readers to enjoy.
Bones at the Crossroads, by LaDarrion Williams (Random House Children’s Books / Labyrinth Road) — Fantasy, BIPOC Characters and Creators, Family / Community, Series, Teen.
In the sequel to the “unforgettable” (People), New York Times bestselling fantasy debut Blood at the Root, a Black teenager with magical powers returns to Caiman University only to find new dangers and new secrets.
It’s Homecoming season at Caiman University, and all 17-year-old Malik Baron wants to do is be a regular college student…or as regular as he can get at a magical HBCU for young, Black Conjurers. He’s ready to go to parties, hang out with his new friends, choose a major, and talk to girls. Instead, he’s reeling from a summer of revelations, heartbreak and betrayal, and still uncovering the truth about his powers and his legacy.
The family he only just discovered is already fractured beyond repair, and a new relative who shows up on his doorstep brings even more questions. Then there’s the mother he risked everything to find, who might be the biggest threat to the life he’s trying to build. To protect his new community, Malik joins an elite secret society with roots in ancient magic.
His journey takes him even deeper into his own heritage and the history of the magical world, while bringing him closer to a classmate whose friendship might mean something more, if Malik is ready to let her in. But how can he use powers he can’t even control to defend a world he’s not sure will ever fully accept him? And as the pressure and danger builds, will he be able to confront the deepening cracks within the magical society, and those building within himself?
An Encantadora’s Guide to Monstros and Magic, by Sarah J. Mendonca (HarperCollins / Quill Tree Books) — Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Folklore / Fairytales / Myths, Friendships, ages 7-12.
Encanto meets Oceans 8 in this middle-grade fantasy-adventure, set in a Portuguese-inspired world, following a tween girl who joins a notorious band of thieves to steal a priceless jewel and discovers corruption that must be stopped.
Rosa Coelho has spent her whole life hunting monstros, wandering the city streets with her best friend Tiago, and dreaming of a better life for herself and her grandmother. And in a society that favors the rich and educated, every piece of knowledge comes with a hefty price, even the most basic books Rosa’s family needs to trap monstrous.
So when the powerful Ministério dos Monstros threatens her family’s struggling Encantadora shop, Rosa only has two weeks to scrape together the money for their debts. It seems like an impossible task…until Rosa tricks her way onto an infamous thief crew as their magical safecracker.
Thrust into the world of high class luxury and betrayal, Rosa is pulled into a scheme with the highest possible stakes: stealing from the Ministry itself. She must learn to trust her magical abilities and her crew—for if the heist goes wrong, everything she loves is forfeit.
Love Spells Trouble, by Nia Davenport (Bloomsbury Publishing / Bloomsbury YA) — Romance, BIPOC Characters and Creators, Family / Community, Fantasy, ages Teen.
You Should See Me in a Crown meets Black girl magic—literally—in this enchanting rom-com about a reluctant witch caught up in a faking dating scheme.
Witches and humans have always had issues.
Cayden is well aware of that: her witch mom was shunned by her high-society parents when she fell in love with Cayden’s human dad. Now, the family business is in trouble due to wealthy witches gentrifying her historic Texas neighborhood. So Cayden is appalled when she realizes she unknowingly went on a date with Coven it-boy Khy Carter. But when her father’s bakery has an influx of new customers, she realizes Khy might just be a solution to her family’s problems: Cayden absolutely cannot be with a Coven boy, but that doesn’t mean she can’t pretend to be.
Suddenly, Cayden is thrown into the Coven system she grew up despising, but it turns out embracing the witchy side of herself is actually…fun. As she spends more time with Khy, their fake dating starts to feel like real feelings. And even though she’s doing this for her family, Cayden knows she’s also betraying them. Her parents may have put love before everything else, but is Cayden willing to do the same?
Maggie Sparks and the Swimming Pool Sharks, by Steve Smallman; illustrated by Esther Hernando (North Star Editions / Jolly Fish Press) — Fantasy, Social Emotional Learning, Humor, Friendships, ages 7-12.
Maggie Sparks does NOT like swimming!
It’s cold and wet and, worst of all, she’s not very good at it.
So when Mom decides to sign her up for swimming lessons, Maggie is not happy. Thankfully, Maggie is a super powerful, super smart, super talented witch. She is determined to use her powers to get into the elite Sharks swimming group and help her best friend, Arthur, along the way.
All she needs is a little magic . . .
Roll for Danger: The Cursed Catacombs, by Mick Eliopulos; illustrated by Ethan M. Aldridge (Disney Publishing / Disney Hyperion) — Fantasy, Action / Adventure, How-to / Activity, ages 7-12.
Adventure awaits in this middle-grade fantasy series that invites young readers to step into the shoes of the story’s hero! Combining elements of table-top roleplaying and pick-your-poison storytelling, a roll of the dice determines whether you’ll score a legendary win…or an epic fail.
Set in a classic high-fantasy setting, Seth is last-surviving apprentice of the great wizard Bristleboor. One day, Bristleboor sends Seth on a mission to find an elusive flower that grows in the tunnels under the castle they live in. Aided by an imprisoned imp named Calivore, Seth traverses the tunnels and comes upon monsters to fight and puzzles to solve while learning secrets about himself…and his master. By the end, he and the reader will need to make choices about where and with whom their loyalties lie and what kind of hero they want to become.
In this new adventure series from Nick Eliopulos and featuring art by Ethan M. Aldridge, the reader becomes the character, getting to make their own choices about how the story will unfold. Or do they? Some chapters will present options to choose from while others will ask the reader to roll a six-sided die and let fate decide their path. It’s an interactive reading experience like no other that will allow young readers to tap into a Dungeon & Dragons style of storytelling while giving them an early introduction to pick-your-poison gamebooks and table-top roleplaying.
For more great book suggestions, be sure to check out the full July Hot Off the Press list!
List compiled by CBC’s resident children’s book aficionado, Brooke Pisarsky. Check out other Hot Off the Press Spotlight book lists on our blog.
