What a fantastic read for UKS2! It was so full of action and tension that I read this from cover to cover in one sitting. Bitsy and Kosh are the main characters embarking on a journey of discovery which twists and turns right up until the very end. The story is filled with fabulous and fantastical creatures with wonderful names which match up to different emotions. Rich descriptive language is used to build such a clear picture in the reader's head which is enhanced through the amazing black and white illustrations.
Fantastic for anyone who loves creatures, quests and the meer possibility of magic.

I think I'm in the minority because I found this book really trope-y. It hit every bit of the hero's journey in an almost robotic way. That slightly detracted from the story for me.

I read Jennifer Bell's The Uncommoner's series in 2018 and, for me, it was the best fantasy series I'd read since Harry Potter. I was wowed by its endless imagination, the immersive world-building and the way it made me feel. So, when I was given the opportunity to read Magicalia, courtesy of NetGalley, I jumped at the chance. Although very different in style to The Uncommoners, Jennifer Bell's imagination and world-building once again leaps from the cover...

Bitsy leads a normal life...or so she thinks until, one day, she finds a scary magical creature in her house. Then her dad is kidnapped and Bitsy and her friend Kosh are plunged into a magical world where beasts called magicores can be conjured by different emotions. Now Bitsy must come to terms with her new powers as a conjurer and travel the globe on a terrifying search for the truth. Where is her dad and why has he been taken.

This is a magical world which exists alongside our own and one which is exciting, vibrant and dangerous! We're plunged into the story at a breath-taking pace, meeting all sorts of characters and creatures whilst slipping through secret doors that lead to different places around the world. If that isn't enough to make your head spin, then there's a dark and dangerous villain, riddles and puzzles to solve and betrayal around every corner. Who can Bitsy and Kosh trust?

Magical fantasy for middle-grade readers never ceases to take my breath away. The standard is so exceptionally high and this novel reaches for the stars. It takes something really different to stand out and this does - it's pure imagination come alive. Rather than offering a take on a dragon or a unicorn story, Jennifer Bell literally makes up her own creatures, inspiring readers to hopefully let go of their inhibitions and do the same when it comes to creativity. I don't think there's going to be many boundaries as to where the next book takes us - but if you want to buckle up for a wild ride, then you're going to be guaranteed magic and adventure in bucketloads.

Pacy and playful, this is a book that will have children creating their own creatures and imagining magical adventures. A brilliant world of magic and fun.

What a story! It was a magical Indiana Jones type story. They were on a hunt for an ancient artefact, but had magical help along the way. Trust was a big theme in this book and the children had to learn who to trust and also how to trust themselves.

A fun adventure story for older children, with lots of cuddly (and not so cuddly!) magical creatures, and a whole new magical world to explore! The author takes us around the world on a race against time to find the gyrowheel, a magical instrument that mustn't fall into the wrong hands. On the way, there are plenty of twists and some fun creatures that help Bitsy and Kosh, the two protagonists.

Kids will be enthralled with this action-packed story, and the characters feel like old friends right from the start. A great story that I hope will become a series. Highly recommend!

Not since Morrigan Crow have I been so enamoured with an introduction to a magical world. 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; navigating an extraordinary world where emotions are used to conjure magical creatures. Evoking Pokémon, Inside Out and His Dark Materials the creatures are complex, unique and incredibly charming. I could not wait to see which creature would be introduced next and how this connected to the emotion. The plot was quick paced and suspenseful, with a couple of twists and turns which didn’t seem forced and lent well to the story. I thoroughly enjoyed the travel to locations around the world and the exploration of the conservatoire and its history. The world is fully realised and rich in possibilities for future books. I was left how I want a book to make me feel; a bit fuller but also completely bereft that the journey was over…for now. I am already wondering which guild I would join and I cannot wait to see more of the wonderful world of Magicalia!

RACE OF WONDERS is the start of a MG series about magical creatures conjured from emotions.

I loved the breadth of imagination on show in this book through the myriad of magical creatures introduced. Conjured from emotions, they can be helpful or scary - depending on who uses them. They bring s a bright dash of magic to the world (book set in ours) with lots to explore - and plenty of scope for later books to introduce new ones.

Each chapter begins with an illustration of a magicore, one who will probably play a role in that chapter. The illustrations were done by David Wyatt and were such a useful little touch. These creatures are ones imagined by Jennifer Bell and I found a visual interpretation more useful for imagining them than a drawn one, so I'm glad the option was there.

The book is a quest, which I love. Bitsy and Kosh dash around the world following clues to find out where exactly the mythical gyrowheel is in order to stop the villain getting it - and to heal those hurt by the villain. The clues take them to cultural landmarks like the Taj Mahal and the Palace of Versailles. I enjoyed the tourism aspect of it.

The book also explores judging people without knowing them through the hunter's guild, who have all been banished for 300 years. New members don't get a chance to show they're not all the same as the villain. There are a few fun twists about who is a goodie and who is a baddie woven into it.

The book ends with the gyrowheel found, but in doing so, the world of magicores could be about to change - for the better, if everyone can let go of their prejudices.

OOh I absolutely loved this!! A fast-paced fantastical story filled with a whole host of imaginative magical creatures - the hamstoceros is the first one we meet and is genius ... it was lovely to see each chapter headed with an illustration of a magicore too. Bitsy and Kosh are thrown into the mystery of solving her dad's disappearance and she uncovers more than she bargains for! Lots of scope for the next book(s) in the series and I predict this will be very popular! Certainly will be buying a copy for myself and sharing with my children. Fantastic!

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, for a full review see my Amazon and Goodreads pages.

Really enjoyed it, fun quick read my daughter loved it too and is wanting more books by this author

Magicalia was everything I was expecting and more, it was filled with magic, adventure, friendship and of course magical creatures.

Bitsy’s father is kidnapped by an evil lady who’s convince he has a book that can lead to an ancient artifact known as Arkwright Gyrowheel a long lost object that can help summon powerful magicores.

Magicores are creatures that are conjured from different emotions but Bitsy had no idea of their existence until her father was taken, now she and her best friend Kosh are throw into this brand new world and they need to figure it all out if they want to save Bitsy father.

I loved how Jennifer made Bitsy and Kosh search for the Gyrowheel take place in all different countries, it was amazing seeing the Taj Mahal and the Versailles Palace.

And of course the star of the book was the magicores, the illustrations were so well done and really helped me picture the creatures, my favorite by far was the Hix, so cute!

I truly enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to read the next one.

Thanks Netgalley and Walker Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review

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!

This is a fast-paced story about two children's attempts to rescue the kidnapped father of one of them. It is well-written with bits that could be a bit challenging for younger children. Sometimes I think it can be a bit too fast-paced and hard to follow. But on the whole, it is a great fun-read.

This is a whirlwind-paced and wonderfully creative adventure involving exotic imaginary creatures, meteorites and more magical madness than you can shake a stick at.

As Bitsy and Kosh ride to the rescue of her kidnapped father, they are in a race against time and travel across the globe from Europe to India.

In the process, not only are they introduced to beasts like the hamstoceros and ozoz, they encounter an entire menagerie of magical creatures at the Magicalia bestiary.

A thrilling story with plenty of twists, this will have wide-ranging appeal for young (and not so young) readers. Highly recommended.