THE EQUINOX TEST

Three magic school students must let down their guards in order to truly understand their powers.

Rose Vera is a fifth-year student at Brooklyn School of Magic. She wishes she were better at school, like her best friend, Amethyst Vern. Unfortunately, Rose is easily distracted, and her spell-casting abilities are limited. The school principal meets with Rose and her parents to discuss her academic performance and the possibility of transferring to the nonmagical Rogers Middle School. Rose is embarrassed at the prospect of not moving up to Middle Magic with everyone else, and she’s certain that passing the Equinox Test would allow her to remain. But instead of planning to study, Rose announces to a shocked Amethyst, “I want to cheat.” She decides she’ll ask Dawn, Amethyst’s valedictorian cousin, who will know what questions are on the test, to help her. Lavender Barros, a classmate who’s originally from an island off the coast of France, is also looking for a way to pass—and their paths collide. Rose’s need to do well on the Equinox Test at all costs damages her friendship with Amethyst, and Lav is forced into an alliance with Rose that he didn’t bargain for. The story’s light magical elements are fun, but magic is primarily a vehicle for exploring complex relationships among the central trio that will resonate with readers. Rose and Amethyst are cued as girls of color. Final art not seen.

An honest and relatable look at the importance of tween friendships.