A Dream of Magic

By Claire Zhong

"With rich detail and compelling character development, Claire Zhong has created a world in which the reader feels like she is part of the magic. The author has crafted a beautiful novel, sure to become a quick favorite of many." - S. Lazar, 5th-grade teacher Winner of first prize for young author fiction in 2023 Story Monsters Ink (a partner of the Scholastic Book Clubs and the National Education Association) Book Awards In the magical land of Caldaro, anything is possible, especially for children. The elemental powers of Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and even the legendary Omni-Element - a combination of them all - weave through the land, flowing through the veins of every child born there. When a mage turns 13 years old, their own unique element is revealed, and they learn to master it and use their power to reweave the threads of nature. Majestic dragons soar above prosperous towns and formidable kingdoms, lending their help to the people below in exchange for knowledge and peace. Life on Caldaro is almost like a dream - or it was until the Beast arrived and transformed it into a dark, terrible nightmare. Decades ago, a horrific monster created from a mysterious magic that never should have existed rose from the shadows to trample Caldaro's forests and force dragons and humans alike into hiding. They tried to fight back, but how could they defeat the monster that threatened to destroy their very soul? Still today, smoldering ruins lay amidst the crystalline streams and flowery meadows, a testament to the continuous destruction caused by the dark dragonlike creature, or "the Beast". It continues to terrorize villages with its bloodstained claws, ripping apart bodies and crushing souls. To try to get revenge on the vicious monster, young mages who are about to discover their element are faced with a choice: have their power stripped away from them to keep them safe, or learn to master their magic and set off on a death mission to defeat the Beast? Either way, there's no turning back. They either give up their powers for the rest of their lives or take the risk and possibly lose it all. If a child chooses to take the dangerous path, he or she must first graduate from Dracondale Academy, the ultimate training school for mages. Once trained, they set out to use their elemental powers to rid Caldaro of the monster once and for all. If they succeed, riches, fame, and glory will be bestowed upon them. The quest may sound simple, but no one who has set off on the journey so far has ever succeeded... Will a mage finally discover the secret to defeating the cruel Beast? Or will the monster rip them all apart and continue to terrorize the land? It all depends on one girl: Ruby Ariana Fawn. Read on to uncover her story.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B09SP1PGHQ
• ISBN13: 9798406214800
• Release Date: February 2022
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 225 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.6" x 6.0"