Wandmaker

In this imaginative fantasy%E2%80%94which is drawn from the world of Masessa's bestselling 2006 novelty title, The Wandmaker's Guidebook%E2%80%9411-year-old Henry Leach the Eighth learns that he is a wandmaker, capable of creating and using magical wands that confer various amazing abilities. After Henry (who has his own copy of The Wandmaker's Guidebook, naturally) accidentally transforms his younger sister into a hedgehog, he turns to the legendary sorcerer Coralis for help. The two siblings are promptly dragged into an epic confrontation between good and evil: an ancient villain named Dai She plans to destroy the world, and Henry and his allies embark on a perilous cross-country trip to find a way to thwart the apocalyptic plan. Masessa delivers a fast-paced, entertaining tale filled with humor and magical action, playfully referencing (and toying with) tropes popularized by Harry Potter (Voldemort never suffered half of the indignities that are perpetrated on Dai She, and Dumbledore never flew coach across the Atlantic). This is a clever, twisty story with plenty of potential for future installments. Ages 8%E2%80%9312. Agent: Marcia Wernick, Wernick & Pratt. (May)