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Upside-Down Magic by Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle, Emily Jenkins
At a school for magic misfits, talents don’t fit neatly into boxes—and that might be the greatest power of all. With fizzing spells, friendship hiccups, and laugh-out-loud surprises, Upside-Down Magic celebrates being different in the most delightful way.
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In Upside-Down Magic, did you enjoy ...
... a misfit with unusual magic finding her place in a high-stakes training program full of trials and teamwork?
Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston
If you loved how Nory fought for her spot in Ms. Starr’s UDM class at Dunwiddle—dritten mishaps and all—you’ll vibe with Amari Peters. In Amari and the Night Brothers, Amari enters the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs’ summer tryouts, where her forbidden kind of magic draws suspicion much like Nory’s “upside-down” talents. Between competitive evaluations, a roommate who’s a weredragon (Elsie!), and real mysteries tied to her missing brother, Amari finds her people and proves her power—just as Nory does with Pepper, Andres, Bax, and the rest of the UDM crew.
... hilarious spell mishaps at a magic school where things go comically wrong?
The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy
Enjoyed Nory’s chaotic shapeshifts into a dragon-kitten and the UDM class’s quirky catastrophes? The Worst Witch follows Mildred Hubble at Miss Cackle’s Academy, where broomstick drills crash, potions backfire, and a certain rival (Ethel) ends up on the wrong end of a spell. The bungled magic and laugh-out-loud classroom moments echo the upside-down disasters Nory and friends weather—only to come out braver and kinder on the other side.
... odd companions becoming a true family while learning to control dangerous magic?
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
If the heart of Upside-Down Magic for you was Nory finding a home with Pepper, Andres, and Bax—plus a patient guide like Ms. Starr—meet Luna, raised by the witch Xan with a swamp monster (Glerk) and a tiny dragon (Fyrian). In The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Luna’s unpredictable magic threatens to spiral, but love and loyalty anchor her, much like the UDM crew’s steadfast support when Nory’s transformations go sideways.
... embracing an unconventional kind of magic as a real strength?
Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi
Nory learns to value her upside-down gifts; similarly, Alice Alexis Queensmeadow journeys through the rule-bending realm of Furthermore—where logic twists and magic doesn’t behave—to uncover what her own "different" can do. If Nory’s journey from out-of-place shapeshifter to self-accepting friend resonated, Furthermore delivers that same joy of claiming your oddness as power.
... a quippy, joke-filled voice while juggling chaotic new powers and school-like training?
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
If you grinned at the witty, breezy tone in Upside-Down Magic—from Nory’s deadpan about being a drei–kitten to the UDM class’s banter—you’ll love Percy Jackson’s snark as he fumbles through exploding-bathroom mishaps, sword lessons at Camp Half-Blood, and a quest that keeps the laughs coming. Like Nory’s classroom chaos, Percy’s powers misfire before they click, and the humor makes the growth even sweeter.
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