A Wilder Magic

Author(s): Juliana Brandt

Fantasy | Primary Fiction

From the author of The Wolf of Cape Fen comes a beautiful and lyrical story about one family with magic in their bones, and what happens when we have to give up what we love most.


For generations, Sybaline Shaw's family has lived in an enchanted valley in the Appalachian Mountains, using their magic to help grow the land. But now the government has built a dam that will force the Shaws to relocate, and they're running out of time before their home will be flooded.


Syabline and her cousin Nettle can't imagine life without the valley and its magic, so they decide to stay. Using magic, they build an invisible wall around their home. As the water rises, they learn a terrible truth: the water will continue to rise, leaving them to live beneath the lake itself.


There is also a consequence to using magic selfishly, one that might transform both her and Nettle forever. If she can't find a way to escape, Syballine and the ones she loves could be trapped in the valley forever.


A Wilder Magic is the perfect...



  • fantasy book for girls 9-12

  • middle school chapter book for fans of the supernatural

  • tween book for girls age 9-12

  • preteen gift for girls


Praise for The Wolf of Cape Fen:
A stunning seaside fairy tale that will absorb readers until the very end.--Booklist
A mesmerizing piece of magical realism packed with mystery, suspense, and, most important, love.--School Library Journal
Intriguing mystery... Laced with dreams, this perplexing fantasy rewards persistent readers.--Kirkus Reviews
Softly spangled black and white chapter title illustrations preface brief dream interludes belonging to other Fenians, emphasizing that the whole community is bound up in the baron's magic and helping to harmonize the novel's contrasting moods of coastal-town hominess and stark unease.--BCCB


Product Information

General Fields

  • : 9781728245737
  • : Sourcebooks, Incorporated
  • : Sourcebooks, Incorporated
  • : June 2021
  • : .68 Inches X 5.5 Inches X 8.25 Inches
  • : books

Special Fields

  • : Juliana Brandt
  • : Paperback
  • : 272