So, bringing back the love of reading for that older reader who can be jaded, I wanted to remind them of the young reader they were. Because that was the pinnacle of reading for me as a young reader, when I couldn’t stop thinking about the world of a novel, that I had to be inside of it. I wanted to create that kind of universe where you could just fall into, and not get out. I really set out to write a book that reminds you of being a young reader, those first books that you fell in love with, the ones where you were waking up in the middle of the night still thinking about it.

The lessons for the younger audience might seem obvious, but what lesson(s) do you hope any older readers draw from this book/series? Great middle grade not only speaks to its intended audience, but hopefully instills a broader message which should be accessible to a reader of any age. With the help of her friends and her own growing powers, Ella must find a way to clear her family’s name and track down her mentor before it’s too late. Worse, Masterji Thakur mysteriously disappears while away on a research trip. When a dangerous criminal known as the Ace of Anarchy escapes prison, supposedly with a Conjuror’s aid, tensions grow in the Marvellian world and Ella becomes the target of suspicion.

Today we’re pleased to welcome Dhonielle Clayton to the WNDB blog for the second part of our interview on The Marvellers, illustrated by Khadijah Khatib, out May 3, 2022! Read part one of the interview here.Įleven-year-old Ella Durand is the first Conjuror to attend the Arcanum Training Institute, a magic school in the clouds where Marvellers from around the world practice their cultural arts, like brewing Indian spice elixirs and bartering with pesky Irish pixies.ĭespite her excitement, Ella discovers that being the first isn’t easy-some Marvellers mistrust her magic, which they deem “bad and unnatural.” But eventually, she finds friends in elixirs teacher, Masterji Thakur, and fellow misfits Brigit, a girl who hates magic, and Jason, a boy with a fondness for magical creatures.

The marvellers 2