About This Book
Reach for this book when your teenager is feeling the weight of performance anxiety or struggling to fit into a mold that does not quite fit. It is an ideal choice for the child who feels like an underdog, or for those navigating the complexities of their identity and first love in a high stakes environment. While it utilizes a magical setting, the core is deeply human, focusing on the vulnerability of being a 'Chosen One' who feels like a failure. The story follows Simon Snow, a disaster of a wizard, as he navigates his final year at a magical boarding school. Alongside his rival-turned-love-interest Baz, Simon must face a world-ending threat while deconstructing the expectations placed upon him by authority figures. It is a sophisticated coming-of-age story that handles themes of trauma, belonging, and LGBTQ+ identity with humor and heart. Parents will appreciate the way it encourages teenagers to define themselves on their own terms rather than through the labels assigned to them by others.
