Author/Uploaded by Dhonielle Clayton
“The Marvellers deserves the highest compliment I can give a book: I want to live in this world. You can stop looking at admissions brochures for all those other schools of magic. The Arcanum Training Institute for Marvelous and Uncanny Endeavors is definitely where you want to apply.” —RICK RIORDAN, #1 New York Times–bestselling author “With fantastical twists at every turn,...
“The Marvellers deserves the highest compliment I can give a book: I want to live in this world. You can stop looking at admissions brochures for all those other schools of magic. The Arcanum Training Institute for Marvelous and Uncanny Endeavors is definitely where you want to apply.” —RICK RIORDAN, #1 New York Times–bestselling author “With fantastical twists at every turn, Clayton has created a world that readers won’t want to leave. The Marvellers is magical!” —ANGIE THOMAS, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Hate U Give and Concrete Rose “A ‘Marvellerous’ middle grade debut! Delightful, charming, exceptionally clever, and filled with suspense and humor.” —LISA MCMANN, New York Times–bestselling author of The Forgotten Five series “Never in all my years of reading have I encountered a book that so seamlessly weaves together mind-bending marvels, cultural relevance, and powerful historical themes . . . all in a richly imagined world I would give anything to live in.” —NIC STONE, #1 New York Times– bestselling author of Dear Martin “An expertly crafted amalgamation of rich, cultural representation wrapped up in a magic school adventure . . . sure to be a well-loved favorite.” —J. ELLE, New York Times–bestselling author of Wings of Ebony “Dhonielle Clayton’s beautiful prose showcases how honoring differences and sharing gifts can build the strongest friendships. The Marvellers illuminates stellar storytelling through the lens of a Black girl learning to embrace the full potential of her magic.” —KAREN STRONG, author of Just South of Home and Eden’s Everdark “A new classic. Clayton creates a luminous world where everyone can find themselves within the halls of the Arcanum Training Institute. I’m ready to be transported into the sequel!” —ZORAIDA CÓRDOVA, award-winning author of Labyrinth Lost and The Way to Rio Luna “The fantasy adventure the world needs. The Marvellers is a cultural reset, the kind of thorny, exciting, and magical story that I’ve needed my whole life. Where’s book two? I already need it!” —MARK OSHIRO, author of The Insiders For the kids missing from magic stories who started to believe that there was nothing marvelous about them & for Jason Reynolds, who hates dragons! Beloved readers, be sure to ask him why. CONTENTS The Paragons Part I: A Brand-New World Chapter One: The Luck Root Chapter Two: The Stardust Pier Chapter Three: The Bottle Tree Chapter Four: Midnight Lanterns Chapter Five: New Beginnings . . . and the Marvellian Way! Chapter Six: Jumping Jollof Chapter Seven: Spices & Deathbulls Part II: Conjure Light Chapter Eight: Light and World-Eggs Chapter Nine: The Cardinals and Starposts Chapter Ten: Conjure Marks and Haints Chapter Eleven: Detention Chapter Twelve: Smile for the News-Boxes! Chapter Thirteen: Blueprints Chapter Fourteen: Knitting Visions Chapter Fifteen: The Red Book Part III: Arcanum Secrets Chapter Sixteen: Extended Vacations Chapter Seventeen: The Gatherfeast & Returned Starposts Chapter Eighteen: The Rotties & Hot Maps Chapter Nineteen: Masterji Thakur’S Lair Chapter Twenty: Dean Nabokova Chapter Twenty-One: Secrets & Gags Chapter Twenty-Two: Yarn Prophecies! Chapter Twenty-Three: Alibis! Part IV: The Ace of Anarchy Chapter Twenty-Four: The Pocket-Box Chapter Twenty-Five: The Commedia Close Chapter Twenty-Six: The Canal of Mirrors Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Grandest Illusion Chapter Twenty-Eight: Marvel Light Chapter Twenty-Nine: To be a Marveller . . . Or Not To Be? Chapter Thirty: The Discipline Board Chapter Thirty-One: The Marvel Examination Acknowledgments Copyright THE PARAGONS PARAGON OF TOUCH “The hand has no fear!” The brave PARAGON OF SPIRIT “The heart beats true!” The intuitive PARAGON OF VISION “The eyes are wise!” The sage PARAGON OF SOUND “The ears listen well!” The patient PARAGON OF TASTE “The tongue tells truth!” The honest THE ARCANUM TRAINING INSTITUTE FOR MARVELOUS AND UNCANNY ENDEAVORS LOWER SCHOOL Salutations and Greetings of the Most Magnificent Kind, We are thrilled to inform you that you’ve been accepted into the Arcanum Training Institute for Marvelous and Uncanny Endeavors. Only the marvelous can attend. It is an honor to be chosen by the Heads of the Arcanum, and this invitation means that you demonstrate what it takes to join us. But remember, only your work will guarantee that you can earn the proper degrees to stay with us. Once your starpost arrives in the Stariary, you will receive a message noting the coordinates of the Level Ones’ Stardust Pier and the Institute’s location this year. All the light to you and yours! Good marvelling! Laura RubyExecutive Assistant to Headmarveller MacDonald andHeadmarveller Rivera of the Lower School P.S.: No Fewels allowed! If you share this letter with a non-Marveller, it shall disintegrate into dust. Don’t test it. You will regret it. PART I A BRAND-NEW WORLD CHAPTER ONE THE LUCK ROOT Marvelous. The lucky kids got called that. Praise like honey drizzled on hot biscuits. But Ella’s family didn’t believe in gassing you up. Clothes ironed? Make your bed? Clean your plate? And most importantly, did you mind your business so nobody was minding you? Even now, during the greatest . . . the awesome-est . . . the most spectacular thing that had ever happened in all eleven years of Ella Durand’s life, her parents were squabbling and telling her what to do. “Did you use the hangers? Gran pressed those mantles herself after the old iron did a poor job,” her mama said. “I don’t want to see them wrinkled.” Three juju-trunks floated in the middle of the Durands’ living room with all of Ella’s things neatly arranged and ready for inspection. Their silk linings glowed as a good-fortune spell infused itself into her belongings. “Yes, Mama,” Ella replied, annoyed. “The conjure-cameo?” her papa asked. “Yes, Papa.” She patted her chest, the carved medallion of her parents’ faces tucked just beneath her shirt. “And the braid-hands?” Ella pointed at the vanity case, where a wax copy of her mother’s hands sat. “Of course.” Mama tugged one of Ella’s long twists. “I won’t have my baby so far away with her head looking a