September Staff Pick: Unseen Magic

Unseen Magic by Emily Lloyd-Jones (Greenwillow Books), picked by social media manager Robin

Written for a middle-grade audience, Unseen Magic will also appeal to adults looking for a charming mystery with Scooby-Doo vibes.

Aldermere is the first place that’s ever felt like home to 11-year-old Finley, but it has a few quirks: you have to remember to pay the ravens, and you should be wary of unmarked doors, they could lead anywhere.

Fin doesn’t mind a few random rules. She has a list of her own – things to avoid – certainly, adults who look angry, but also ringing phones and knocks at the door. Fin manages her fears with the help of a special tea from the roving, magic tea shop. Then one day, the tea shop owner gets hurt, and Fin’s attempts to make the tea herself result in a monster made of tea.

In order to find out who the monster really is, Fin will have to face her fears, rely on her friends, and discover she is braver than she knows.

Unseen Magic is a middle-grade monster romp that will appeal to fans of Rick Riordan and Kelly Barnhill. It’s insightful, fast-paced, twisty, and fun.