Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy
by Angie Thomas
Intermediate    Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins    368 pp.
4/23    9780063225138    $19.99
e-book ed.  9780063225152    $12.99

Acclaimed for her young adult realistic fiction, Thomas (The Hate U Give, rev. 3/17) has taken on a new venture with this middle-grade fantasy. It’s Nichole “Nic” Blake’s twelfth birthday, and her father is going to “teach me how to use the Gift so I can finally be a real Manifestor.” Belonging to a group of people known as the Remarkables, Nic and her father carry a power much stronger than magic—and once a Remarkable is taught to use their gifts, they can do all manner of wondrous things. Nic is also looking forward to hanging out with her nerdy (and Unremarkable) best friend, JP, to get a book signed by their favorite fantasy author (think the Tristan Strong books). This encounter sets off a fast-paced, intense, mystical adventure for the duo. Sure, there are hellhounds, vampires, merfolk, and an encounter with the devil, but even more shocking for Nic are the revelations about her family, her powers, her past—and the predictions for her future. Thomas skillfully incorporates folktales from the African diaspora and infuses her story with the energy and emotional nuance of a pre-teen in this tale of intrigue, loyalty, identity, and courage—the first book in a projected trilogy.

Pubissue-From the May/June 2023 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.