Twelve-year-old Kyana has just found out the family secret--she's the first witch in her family for generations! Which means mandatory lessons every Saturday at Park Row Magic Academy--a learning center hidden in the back of the local beauty shop that serves her inner-city community. Kyana can't wait to learn some spells to help out at home, since her single mother is spread thin working two jobs. The only downside is having to keep her magic a secret from her connected-at-the-hip BFF Nae.
But then the magic school loses their funding, forcing the students to pay a hefty tuition at the school across town or have their magic stripped. Determined not to let that happen, Kyana enters a baking competition with a huge cash prize. After all, she's learned how to make the best desserts from her Memaw (even if Memaw's memory has been shaky lately). But will Kyana be able to keep up her grades in both magic school and real school while preparing for the competition and without revealing her magic? And what happens when a little taste of magic works its way into her cupcakes in the first round of competition?
Exciting up-and-coming author J. Elle combines the perfect balance of real-world issues, magical mishaps, and a memorable voice to create real Black Girl Magic.
