Magicalia: Race of Wonders

By Author / Illustrator

Jennifer Bell

Genre

Fantasy

Age range(s)

Publisher

Walker Books

ISBN

9781529506143

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

02-05-2024

Synopsis

From the internationally bestselling author of Wonderscape and The Uncommoners, comes a spectacular new fantasy series for 9+ set in a world of magical creatures, ancient meteorites and secret organizations, irresistible to fans of Pokemon, Skandar and the Unicorn Thief and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

FEEL THE MAGIC. CONJURE THE IMPOSSIBLE. When her dad is kidnapped by a woman with a giant hamstoceros, Bitsy and best friend Kosh are swept into a secret world of ancient meteorites and strange beasts called magicores, each conjured using a different emotion. Using a powerful bestiary called Magicalia, the friends must quickly become conjurors themselves, before following a trail of clues that will take them from London to India to Paris, in a race to rescue Bitsy's dad from a mysterious villain...

Find out more in this short video by Jennifer Bell, and read our Author Q&A

PRAISE FOR MAGICALIA: "Up there with Skandar and Impossible Creatures. An absolute triumph!" Mel Taylor-Bessent. "Fun, fast and ferociously readable. "Spectacular! A world-beating feat of imagination, as enthralling as it is exciting. Climb on board your ozoz, and hold on tight!" Sinead O'Hart. "Magicalia had me gripped from chapter one, with thrilling twists and magical creatures at every turn. A spellbinding read." Rachel Chivers Khoo. "With twists and turns on almost every page, this hugely inventive adventure is deliciously addictive." The Bookseller

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Reviews

"Until a monster swallowed her PE kit, Bitsy's evening had been going to plan." A fantastical, imaginative adventure awaits when the reader is swept into a world of magicore beasts, created by emotions held within our memories. A long-ago meteorite named farthingstone left its magical imprint on the shipwrecked crew who discovered it. A league of magicore conjurors was created; a legacy of different Guilds and their people who can conjure, from their minds, an amazing, unique beast in order to benefit humanity. However, something or someone wants this magic for villainous purposes.

When young Bitsy's dad is suddenly kidnapped by a giant purple hamstoceros , Bitsy discovers that her dad and her deceased mother had many magical and mysterious secrets that they had kept from her. A leather-bound book called the Magicalia unveils the magicore world to Bitsy and best friend Kosh, and when it seems that they both also hold conjuror powers, a race against time begins; they must face magicore monsters and find and free Bitsy's captured father.

Fast-paced and packed full of creativity with vividly created other worlds, this is an exciting, lively story full of courage, loyalty and determination. A whole cast of weird and wonderful creatures are conjured; some heart- warmingly cute and others downright terrifying. The characters and reader are kept on high alert as they hunt, across continents, for Bitsy's dad and the truth behind villainous intentions for the magicore world. Engaging, exciting and spellbinding storytelling.

352 pages / Reviewed by Jenny Caddick, teacher