Shadows

From the Newbery-winning author of The Hero and the Crown comes a “complex and intriguing” (The Horn Book) novel set in a dangerously unstable world where neither science nor magic has the necessary answers, but a truce between the two seems impossible.

“Exciting action, lovable characters, and witty dialogue.”—School Library Journal

Maggie knows there’s something off about Val, her mom’s new husband. It’s not only that he’s from Oldworld, where they still use magic, and won’t have any tech in his office-shed behind the house. But what are the huge, horrible, jagged, jumpy shadows that follow him around? And why is her dog not bothered by them?

Newworld is all about science—you’re expected to give up fairy tales as soon as you’re old enough to read them for yourself—and magic is illegal. In Newworld the magic-carrying gene was disabled two generations ago—mostly. Maggie’s best friend Jill has some foresight, and Maggie’s great-grandmother was a notable magician. But that was a long time ago.

Then Maggie meets Casimir, the most beautiful boy she’s ever seen. He’s from Oldworld too—and he’s heard of Maggie’s stepfather, and has a guess about Val’s shadows. Maggie doesn’t want to know . . . until events force her to depend on Val and his shadows. And perhaps on her own heritage.