" The Marvellers deserves the highest compliment I can give a book: I want to live in this world." ―Rick Riordan, #1 New York Times bestselling–author An instant New York Times and #1 Indie Bestseller! "A marvelous gift of a novel! Clayton has created a world that readers won't want to leave.” ―Angie Thomas, #1 New York Times -bestselling author of The Hate U Give Dhonielle Clayton makes her middle-grade debut with a fantasy adventure set in a global magic school in the sky. Eleven-year-old Ella Durand is the first Conjuror to attend the Arcanum Training Institute, a magic school in the clouds where Marvellers from around the world practice their cultural arts, like brewing Indian spice elixirs and bartering with pesky Irish pixies. Despite her excitement, Ella discovers that being the first isn’t easy―some Marvellers mistrust her magic, which they deem “bad and unnatural.” But eventually, she finds friends in elixirs teacher, Masterji Thakur, and fellow misfits Brigit, a girl who hates magic, and Jason, a boy with a fondness for magical creatures. When a dangerous criminal known as the Ace of Anarchy escapes prison, supposedly with a Conjuror’s aid, tensions grow in the Marvellian world and Ella becomes the target of suspicion. Worse, Masterji Thakur mysteriously disappears while away on a research trip. With the help of her friends and her own growing powers, Ella must find a way to clear her family’s name and track down her mentor before it’s too late. Gr 3-7-Eleven-year-old Ella Durand is excited to be the first Conjuror to attend the Arcanum Training Institute for Marvelous and Uncanny Endeavors. At the institute in the sky, aspiring Marvellers from all over the world study and hone their skills with the hope of being sorted into one of five paragons: touch, vision, spirit, sound, and taste. Unfortunately, Ella has to contend with her classmates' preconceived notions of Conjurors being unnatural, bad, and untrustworthy. Despite a few missteps, Ella makes new friends, excels in her class, and learns from her favorite teacher and mentor. Things take a turn for the worse when the Ace of Anarchy, an infamous criminal, escapes from prison. People assume the escape was with a Conjuror's help, making them even more suspicious of Ella and her fellow Conjurors. As if things weren't bad enough, Ella's beloved mentor also disappears. It's up to Ella and her friends to get to the bottom of things and prove once and for all that she belongs. Ella is an inspirational heroine who has the formidable task of being the first Conjuror at the institute. Though her classmates' snide comments upset her, she doesn't back down from them, stares right back when they glare at her, and speaks up for herself and her friends. Thanks to the unique magic system and the descriptive worldbuilding, readers will find themselves transported. As with many description-heavy fantasy texts, readers should expect a steady yet entertaining read. This novel is an exemplary example of diversity with a Black girl protagonist, and characters representing a variety of cultures, skin tones, gender identities, sexual orientations, and religious affiliations. VERDICT This fun, immersive tale is a must-purchase for all collections.-Myiesha Speightα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. A New York Times Bestseller A Kirkus Best Book of the Year A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A Texas Bluebonnet Award Winner A Charlotte Huck Honor Book An Indiana Young Hoosier Award Nominee An Amazon Best Book of the Year An Evanston Public Library's Great Book for Kids A Project LIT Community Book Club Pick " The Marvellers deserves the highest compliment I can give a book: I want to live in this world. You can stop looking at admissions brochures for all those other schools of magic. The Arcanum Training Institute for Marvelous and Uncanny Endeavors is definitely where you want to apply." ―#1 New York Times bestselling–author Rick Riordan "An enthralling fantasy adventure full of bravery, love, and humor." ― Kirkus Reviews , starred review "[A] myriad [of] global cultural traditions with an intersectionally inclusive, fantastical adventure." ― Publisher's Weekly , starred review "An exemplary example of diversity with a Black girl protagonist, and characters representing a variety of cultures, skin tones, gender identities, sexual orientations, and religious affiliations. This fun, immersive tale is a must-purchase." ― School Library Journal , starred review "This middle-grade debut will have readers buzzing as much for its best-selling author as for the desperately needed fresh take on magic schools." ― Booklist " The Marvellers is only the start of Ella’s journey, but Clayton has carefully given Ella everything she needs to one day join the likes of Percy Jackson, Morrigan Crow and Aru Shah in the middle grade fantasy hall of fa