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The Missing Magic of Sparrow Xia
  • Published: 7 May 2026
  • ISBN: 9780241724231
  • Imprint: Penguin eBooks
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 320

The Missing Magic of Sparrow Xia

Formats & editions
Paperback
18 Aug 2026
EBook
7 May 2026
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A highly illustrated MG fantasy debut in which kids age out of magical abilities as they become adults, and one underestimated young girl must learn to embrace the power she has.

Welcome to a world that depends on magic - but where magical powers fade away by adulthood.

The pressure is on for Sparrow Xia to develop her pitifully limited fire mage abilities at Zenith Academy. It doesn’t help that expectations are extra high for her because her older brother Ainsley’s magic is exceptionally powerful – the burn scar on Sparrow’s cheek is proof of that. Sparrow can only hope that her studies will help her discover her fire and finally make her family proud.

At Zenith, Sparrow does indeed gain magical strength – and new friends – but her life at school raises more questions than answers. Should she risk her own future in order to help others? And is Sparrow’s magic the most important thing about her?

Then a mysterious illness breaks out at school, draining students of their powers. Sparrow and her friends are drawn into the search for the cause, but they need to be careful: in a world where magic means everything, some people will go to terrible lengths to try to keep it…
  • Published: 7 May 2026
  • ISBN: 9780241724231
  • Imprint: Penguin eBooks
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 320
Categories:

Praise for The Missing Magic of Sparrow Xia

This book is stunning. It's truly the stuff of magic.

Jamie Littler, bestselling author of the Frostheart series

Like the best escapes, The Missing Magic of Sparrow Xia is both warmly familiar and utterly inventive. Sparkling with alluring magical details, engaging artwork, and a brightly drawn community of characters – it’s the kind of book that makes you want to climb into it and never come out.

Jodi Lynn Anderson, New York Times bestselling author of the Thirteen Witches trilogy

Magic is easy. Becoming yourself — that’s the hard part. With luminous prose and cinematic illustration, The Missing Magic of Sparrow Xia is a stunning debut — a wondrous adventure of resilience and healing, where the greatest power isn’t found in a spell, but in self-acceptance and friendship.

Marjorie Liu, New York Times bestselling author and comic book writer

Centring friendship and decency, rather than power, this debut novel feels both fresh and familiar. Readers will enjoy the magical school, and the diverse cast of characters - including a talking raven - and some may recognise the sibling dynamic of one feeling in the shadow of another. There is much to enjoy in this pacy story, not least the stylish and dynamic illustrations by the author herself.

BookTrust