Reviews
'Fun, fast and ferociously readable, I loved every minute of Bitsy’s and Kosh's adventures with the magicores. Pokémon meets Diana Wynne Jones in this outstanding start to a fantastic series. Already one of my favourite books of 2024!' Elle McNicoll
'Jennifer Bell makes the impossible seem possible in this fantastical, pacy and hugely impressive story that’s filled with around-the-world adventure, intricate world building and magical creatures that are conjured from different emotions. It’s an absolute triumph!' Mel Taylor-Bessent
'Spectacular! A world-beating feat of imagination, as enthralling as it is exciting. Climb on board your ozoz, and hold on tight!' Sinéad O'Hart
'Magicalia had me gripped from chapter one, with thrilling twists and magical creatures at every turn. A spellbinding read.' Rachel Chivers Khoo
'Magicalia is a thrilling story with brilliant, loveable characters. Bell’s storytelling is wonderful and the world she creates bursts with technicolour – I absolutely raced through it.' Jasbinder Bilan
'From the very first line I was hooked, it’s brimming with fun, magic and is a proper rip-roaring adventure! Loved it.' Dominique Valente
'A bold and exciting new world of magic.' Amy Sparkes
'Magicalia is a monstrously fun adventure – so full of joy and thrill and magic that I devoured it in a single day!' Andy Sagar
'We were hooked from the very first page! Magicalia is packed full of adventure, magic and incredible creatures that had Family Haddow begging for "just one more chapter" before bed. This one is a 2024 must read.' Swapna Haddow
'Jennifer Bell’s Magicalia: Race of Wonders is an absolute tour-de-force. It is witty, sharp, atmospheric and bold with an energy that never lets up. The richness of invention in this book is dazzling to behold and matched by the strong hand of a master storyteller. Prepare to embark on a thrilling quest, which weaves its way between our recognisable, contemporary world and an equally believable, beautifully realised, fantasy realm. Bitsy and Kosh are immediately likeable heroes, with a warm, authentic friendship. Riddlejax is a genuinely scary adversary, ready to seize his spot amongst the iconic villains of children’s literature. Central to Jennifer Bell’s stunning new series are the wondrous beasts known as Magicores, each one conjured from a different emotion. And, like a Springle, Magicalia is conjured from pure joy.' Justin Somper
'Jennifer Bell does it again, conjuring a delightful, sometimes-cute, often-dangerous pantheon of magical creatures in this super-exciting and unputdownable story. Readers of all ages will want a "magicore" of their own!' Thomas Taylor
'Magic schools and hidden worlds and creatures conjured at whim. A gloriously imaginative and thrilling adventure that guarantees to delight all young readers who ever wished for magic. I long to live in the world of Magicalia!' Lizzie Huxley-Jones
'Magicalia is a globe-trotting triumph! With a deftly-crafted new world at her fingertips, Jennifer Bell’s imagination knows no bounds. Rich in magic and filled with warmth, Bell’s storytelling prowess holds the power of an omega-level magicore!' Richard Pickard
'Set in a world of magical beasts all conjured using a different emotion, this sumptuous new fantasy adventure finds friends Bitsy and Kosh on a race against time to rescue Bitsy's father from a mystifying villain.' Waterstones.com
'An electrifying read... With adventure and magic accompanied by gaming and STEM this is a uniquely fascinating, intriguing and exciting new series.' Armadillo Magazine
'Brilliantly imagined and written, this is a top pick for me this year already. Within a page, I was hooked and had to devour it in one sitting!' My Shelves Are Full
'With twists and turns on almost every page, this hugely inventive adventure is deliciously addictive.' The Bookseller
'A thrilling story with plenty of twists, this will have wide-ranging appeal for young (and not so young) readers. Highly recommended.' NetGalley Reviewer
'A stellar 10/10 middle grade fantasy from the extraordinaire that is Jennifer Bell. Magicalia is an explosive start to what I’m sure will be truly magical series. The imagination that is laced through every page, in every magicore description is unmatched in the kids world. There are twists and turns, relatable creatures and loveable characters. It is Pokémon meets Inside Out!' NetGalley Reviewer
'A great fun read' NetGalley Reviewer
'Magicalia was everything I was expecting and more, it was filled with magic, adventure, friendship and of course magical creatures… I truly enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to read the next one.' NetGalley Reviewer
'Prepare to be swept across the world and into ones you never knew existed… For fans of books such as Skandar and Impossible Creatures and for readers who are curious about the world of science, this is bound to be a success in upper KS2.' Read For Good
'This book took me into an amazing world of wonders and adventures. It will make you want to read it again and again.' Books up North
'This is just the kind of book that I love and I couldn't put it down since I got it… I loved the idea of all the different magical animals, they were so creative, and I want to know more about this world. I would love for there to be another in this series, it was brilliant!' Toppsta Reviewer age 10
'A magical enchanting adventure. I loved everything about this book.' Toppsta Reviewer age 7
'This book is sooo exciting! I was hooked within 5 minutes. As well as the excitement as they try to carry out daring rescues, I love the different animals in the book. I also love the illustrations at the beginning of each chapter than show what the animals look like. I have already recommended to our school librarian that they should get it for the school library too.' Toppsta Reviewer age 8
'If fantasy, magic and adventure are right up your street, then Magicalia: Race of Wonder is the book for you. The book is full of fabulous characters and creatures and I absolutely love the illustrations to show you what each Magicores looks like.' Toppsta Reviewer
'A whimsical adventure that transports readers into a world where magic is both extraordinary and dangerous… From London to India to Paris, the quest to rescue Bitsy's father unfolds with thrilling twists and turns. "Magicalia" is a spellbinding tale that will leave readers eagerly conjuring their own adventures long after the final page.' Toppsta Reviewer
'I absolutely loved this!! A fast-paced fantastical story filled with a whole host of imaginative magical creatures.' NetGalley Reviewer
'I loved the breadth of imagination on show in this book through the myriad of magical creatures introduced.' NetGalley Reviewer
'Magicalia grabs you from the moment a purple hamster with a horn appears unexpectedly to the thrilling creature battle with the villain at the end. Bitsy and Kosh are a likeable duo; thrown into an adventure filled with magic… I am already wondering which guild I would join and I cannot wait to see more of the wonderful world of Magicalia!' NetGalley Reviewer
'This is just the kind of book that I love and I couldn't put it down since I got it… I loved the idea of all the different magical animals, they were so creative, and I want to know more about this world. I would love for there to be another in this series, it was brilliant!' Toppsta Reviewer age 10
'A magical enchanting adventure. I loved everything about this book.' Toppsta Reviewer age 7
'This book is sooo exciting! I was hooked within 5 minutes. As well as the excitement as they try to carry out daring rescues, I love the different animals in the book. I also love the illustrations at the beginning of each chapter than show what the animals look like. I have already recommended to our school librarian that they should get it for the school library too.' Toppsta Reviewer age 8
'If fantasy, magic and adventure are right up your street, then Magicalia: Race of Wonder is the book for you. The book is full of fabulous characters and creatures and I absolutely love the illustrations to show you what each Magicores looks like.' Toppsta Reviewer
'A whimsical adventure that transports readers into a world where magic is both extraordinary and dangerous… From London to India to Paris, the quest to rescue Bitsy's father unfolds with thrilling twists and turns. "Magicalia" is a spellbinding tale that will leave readers eagerly conjuring their own adventures long after the final page.' Toppsta Reviewer
'I raced through this page-turner of a magical fantasy middle grade read. I loved the imaginative world-building by the author, the brilliant illustrations of the magicores by David Wyatt, the twisty-turny, action-packed plot and the storyline bursting with magic and adventure. I hope for many more books to come! Five stars from us.' Mini Travellers' Blog
'A fictional feast of magic portals, shapeshifting villains, and “magicores” – strange beasts conjured using different emotions… Thrilling!' Dundee Courier
'This spectacularly conjured story throngs with fantastical creatures, mystery, magic and around-the-world adventure… The first feverishly-paced story in a new fantasy series, Jennifer Bell’s Magicalia: Race of Wonders is a riot of Pokémon-esque pandemonium and globe-trotting mystery.' LoveReading4Kids
'Building a world of magicore beasts created by emotions is an awesome achievement on Jennifer Bell’s part: her spellbinding tale wherein the importance of creativity and courage and the power of friendship are key, will grab you from the outset and hold you captive until the end.' Red Reading Hub
'Right from the beginning I didn't want to put Magicalia down. What an incredible, fantastic book full of adventures.' Toppsta Reviewer age 12
'Jennifer's writing style is fast paced and easy to read, keeping you hooked with every page. I loved this story and am already looking forward to a sequel! Fantastic!' Toppsta Reviewer
'It has magic, fantasy, creatures, travel, emotions, lost loved ones, a beautiful friendship, self-discovery and oodles of adventure. The world-building is downright epic.' Toppsta Reviewer
'This was fabulous. Magic, adventure, friendships, and family all happen in this book. It had an Indiana Jones feel as they were looking for an ancient artefact, and on their journey, they came across traps aimed to test them' Toppsta Reviewer
'I thought that it was an great book and I would rate it 5 stars. I think that this book is a good read for 11+ year olds who like adventure stories.' Toppsta Reviewer age 13