The Witch, the Sword and the Cursed Knights

Camelot has fallen and the world is divided into the Twenty-Five and a Half Realms, magical and nonmagical, in Rogers’s quirky fantasy debut. In one realm, olive-skinned Ellie Bettlebump, 12, who maintains an extensive toad collection, yearns to be accepted into the Fairy Godmother Academy and attend society events such as her stepsister’s wedding —both unlikely given that she has witch’s “contaminated, malevolent magic” in addition to fairy magic. In another realm—Boulder Falls, Wis.—pale-skinned Caedmon Tuggle grieves over the inexplicable death of his best friend, Jimmy. Everything changes for the two youths, and the book gains considerable narrative steam, when they’re each drafted as Knights of the Round Table, leaving home far behind. In third-person chapters that alternate between the protagonists’ perspectives, it’s revealed that a curse is draining the Knights of their power—and will continue if Ellie and Caedmon can’t solve the mystery of its origins. The two leads aren’t consistently engaging (Caedmon sometimes comes off as maudlin, while Ellie’s emotional age ranges from child to adult), but they’re surrounded with a solid core of supporting characters: a close-knit friend group (characters read as white), a kindly mentor, and a Maleficent-worthy antagonist. Rogers deftly weaves Arthurian legend around universal concerns of the target audience, and the ending is both satisfying and sequel-ready. Ages 8–12. Agent: Katelyn Uplinger, D4EO Literary. (Feb.)