#CybilsAwards Backlist Book List: So You Want To Learn Magic

Charlotte Taylor, Chair for our Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction category, has conjured this week’s Backlist Book List. And dare we say it? It’s magical. There. We said it.

If you know a young reader who dreams of spells and wishes for magic skills, this is the book list for you. Meet Eva Evergreen!  We’ll let Kristin Harvey, who blogs at The Book Monsters, introduce you to Eva and her story. From the finalist blurb:

Eva Evergreen has set off on her own to take on her first station as a witch in the town of Auteri to prove herself on her Novice quest. While she does her best, she only seems to have a small pinch of magic and often overdoes it without achieving the result she hoped for. When a magical storm heads towards the town, Eva must use ingenuity and find a way to protect her town and the friends she has made in it. A charming and serendipitous tale, Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch will capture your heart, make you laugh, and have you cheering for her to accomplish her goal of becoming a Novice Witch. She proves that just a pinch of magic mixed with hard work and a little creativity can go a long way.

Thanks to Charlotte’s knowledge of spells, potions, quests, and other fantastical things found in books, she has eight recommendations that will sweep you away when you finish reading about Eva Evergreen!

The Apprentice Witch James Nicol 2017 Nominee Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction
Cinders and Sparrows by Stefan Bachmann 2020 Nominee Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction
The Dark Lord Clementine Sarah Jean Horwitz 2019 Finalist Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction
Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch Eva Evergreen, Book 1 by Julie Abe 2020 Finalist Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction
The House With Chicken Legs Sophie Anderson 2018 Nominee Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction
Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor 2020 Nominee Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction
Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono, EmilyBalistrieri (Translator) 2020 Nominee Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction
The Lost Books: The Scroll of Kings Sarah Prineas 2018 Nominee Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction
Love Sugar Magic: A Sprinkle of Spirits by Anna Meriano, illustrated by Mirell Ortega 2019 Finalist Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction