JADEN POWERS AND THE INHERITANCE MAGIC

A bashful boy searches for his vanished best friend in a magical world.

Jaden Powers, a timid Black 12-year-old, doesn’t want to face seventh grade without his all-star, private school–going best friend, Elijah Williams, by his side. When Elijah disappears, Jaden demonstrates an unexpected gift of magic and vows to unravel the truth behind what happened to him. Soon Jaden is invited to join the Five Emergences School of Magic, where he’ll learn how to become a Sorcerer—just like Elijah, it turns out. Shepherded by the enigmatic headmaster, Simeon Carmine, Jaden steps into the magical world of Wonder. There, rumors abound of Elijah’s siphoning magic from others, behavior that’s connected with the sudden appearance of the Ruin, a dark, potentially world-ending force. Aided by classmate Mikael Levine and water nymph Scion Midra from the kingdom of Atlantis, Jaden seeks to clear Elijah’s name. Though familiar in its evocation of narrative and character tropes, Perry spins fine intrigue through compelling worldbuilding that’s anchored by an amiable hero who unearths his inner strength thanks to compassion and determination. Eccentric bits of humor add flair to Wonder and its diverse, predominantly Black, cast. Meanwhile, the core relationship between Jaden and Elijah—which is full of love and loyalty—endures.

Utterly hypnotic.