JULY 2022 - AudioFile
Narrator Patryce Williams creates a passionate voice for 11-year-old Ella, who will be the first Conjurer to attend the Arcanum Training Institute now that the ban against them has been deemed unlawful. She’s determined to fit in, make new friends, find mentors, and join the Marvellian community, despite the doubters. When her teacher goes missing, Ella and two friends, Brigit and Jason, must find the truth behind his disappearance and the evil that lurks at the school. Williams navigates Ella’s emotions with ease, especially her determination. Listeners will enjoy this fresh take on a new fantastical world in which kids play an active role in determining the future of society. M.D. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
★ 04/04/2022
In Clayton’s (The Rumor Game) atmospherically told middle grade debut, Ella Durand, a Black 11-year-old from New Orleans, is the first Conjuror to enroll at the elite Arcanum Training Institute for Marvelous and Uncanny Endeavors. Marvellers, who live in the sky and are “born with marvels, light inside them that allowed them to perform magical feats,” have long considered their powers superior to those of Conjurors, keepers of the Underworld “born with a deep twilight inside them.” Though Ella faces many hurdles as the Academy’s first Conjuror trainee, she is determined to succeed and make her family—her politician father and Conjurer mother and grandmother—proud. After she boards a sky-ferry and dons her white Marvellian mantle, though, an already difficult cultural adjustment becomes even more troublesome when a notorious Marvellian criminal breaks free from an Underworld prison. As bullying and microaggressions from students and faculty worsen, and a beloved teacher goes missing, Ella and friends Brigit and Jason seek to clear Ella’s reputation—and the reputations of Conjure folk everywhere. Clayton imaginatively combines myriad global cultural traditions with an intersectionally inclusive, fantastical adventure that examines themes of acceptance, prejudice, and familial responsibility. Ages 8–12. Agent: Victoria Marini, Irene Goodman Literary, in association with Molly Ker Hawn, Bent Agency. (May)
From the Publisher
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 fame." —BookPage
"[An] inclusive fantasy worlds filled with magic, lore, and beauty. A marvelous middle-grade adventure, indeed." —Horn Book
"Immersive, inclusive, and downright fantastical, this magical boarding school tale is going to shake up the fantasy landscape. Get ready!" —Nerdist
“A gorgeous world filled with enchanting characters, The Marvellers will dazzle readers from beginning to end!” —Kwame Mbalia, New York Times-bestselling author of Tristan Strong series
"A marvelous gift of a novel! With fantastical twists at every turn, Clayton has created a world that readers won't want to leave. The Marvellers is magical!” —Angie Thomas, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Hate U Give and Concrete Rose
“The Marvellers is a rich, enchanted melting pot of magic, thrills, and color . . . filled with heart, wit, and humor. Reinventing the magic school trope is a tall order, but author Dhonielle Clayton is well up to the task . . . A tantalizing introduction to an exhilarating fantasy universe.” —Soman Chainani, New York Times-bestselling author of The School for Good and Evil series
"Never in all my years of reading have I encountered a book that so seamlessly weaves together mind-bending marvels, cultural relevance and powerful historical themes . . . all in richly imagined world I would give anything to live in. The Marvellers fully reignited my belief in magic." —Nic Stone, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Dear Martin
"A 'Marvellerous' middle-grade debut! Delightful, charming, exceptionally clever, and filled with suspense and humor. Fantasy fans will be entranced by Ella’s magical journey." —Lisa McMann, New York Times–bestselling author of the Forgotten Five Series
"A fresh, intricately imagined world paired with a clever, endearing cast of characters. I can't wait for every reader to find themselves in this story and dream of becoming a Marveller." —Shannon Messenger, New York Times-bestselling author of Keeper of the Lost Cities
"An exquisite and star-filled world of wonder. Dhonielle Clayton’s beautiful prose showcases how honoring differences and sharing gifts can build the strongest friendships. Most of all, The Marvellers illuminates stellar storytelling through the lens of a Black girl learning to embrace the full potential of her magic." —Karen Strong, author of Just South of Home and Eden’s Everdark
"This is the fantasy adventure the world needs. The Marvellers is a cultural reset, the kind of thorny, exciting, and magical story that I’ve needed my whole life. Clayton’s detailed and heartfelt world—all seen through the eyes of the brilliant Ella Durand—is going to capture the imagination of readers in an instant. Where’s book two? I already need it!" —Mark Oshiro, author of The Insiders
School Library Journal
★ 06/01/2022
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 Speight
JULY 2022 - AudioFile
Narrator Patryce Williams creates a passionate voice for 11-year-old Ella, who will be the first Conjurer to attend the Arcanum Training Institute now that the ban against them has been deemed unlawful. She’s determined to fit in, make new friends, find mentors, and join the Marvellian community, despite the doubters. When her teacher goes missing, Ella and two friends, Brigit and Jason, must find the truth behind his disappearance and the evil that lurks at the school. Williams navigates Ella’s emotions with ease, especially her determination. Listeners will enjoy this fresh take on a new fantastical world in which kids play an active role in determining the future of society. M.D. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2022-03-02
A Black girl embarks on an unprecedented journey to tap deeper into her magic.
Ella Durand is an 11-year-old from New Orleans, where she lives with her conjure-politician father, notorious Conjuror mother, grandmother, and little sister, Winnie. Ella makes history as the first Conjuror to be accepted into the Arcanum Training Institute, where she can learn to become a Marveller. Ella is eager to discover her marvel and to find out more about a type of magic so different from what she has grown up with, but integrating into this new school turns out to be harder than she hoped. Fortunately, she makes new friends, Jason and Brigit, who help her better navigate life at the school. After Ella’s family becomes embroiled in controversy due to allegations of their connection to an infamous escaped criminal and her teacher and mentor, Masterji Thakur, goes missing, she needs her friends’ help to help set things right. Clayton does a wonderful job with skillful worldbuilding that is bolstered by vivid, detailed descriptions and smart, witty prose, and readers will be swept up in the magic. The novel celebrates the diverse peoples and customs that make up Ella’s world. Parallels between the world of the Marvellers and real-world history around discrimination, privilege, marginalization, and stereotyping are clear without being heavy-handed. A charming cast and captivating storylines make this a breath of fresh air.
An enthralling fantasy adventure full of bravery, love, and humor. (map) (Fantasy. 8-12)
