What if your ordinary school day ended with a kidnapping... and a magical awakening?
Cortney Gayle thought her biggest challenge this year would be the fourth-grade spelling bee-until two mysterious men in black suits show up at her classroom and change her life forever. Taken from her familiar world and thrust into the enchanted halls of Sugar Grove Academy, a secret school hidden from humans, Cortney discovers she's not who she thought she was. She's a halfling-half human, half magical-and the daughter of a powerful lightning dragon she's never met.
Suddenly, she's surrounded by talking books, flying teapots, magical creatures, and classmates with wings, horns, or glowing hands. While navigating this strange new world, Cortney finds friendship in a bold crow-shifter named Sky and a sarcastic elf-mage named Conner. But danger is never far behind. Mysterious forces seem determined to control her power, and dark secrets from her mother's past begin to unravel.
As Cortney struggles to understand her identity and harness her emerging lightning magic, she's faced with the hardest questions of all: Who can she trust? Why did her mother leave? And what does it mean to be both human and Fae in a world where you're told to choose?
Packed with humor, heart, and thrilling twists, Sugar Grove Academy is a middle-grade fantasy adventure perfect for fans of Nevermoor, Keeper of the Lost Cities, and Harry Potter. With rich world-building and emotionally resonant themes of belonging, bravery, and self-acceptance, Whitney Knowles delivers a magical coming-of-age story that will captivate readers ages 8-12 and beyond.
Whether you're a young dreamer looking for a world to escape into, or a parent or educator searching for a book that celebrates inclusion, identity, and resilience, Sugar Grove Academy is a sparkling debut that reminds us:
You don't need to fit into one world-sometimes, you're meant to build your own.
