Chloe Vega and the Agents of Magic

Twelve-year-old Chloe Vega lives in a constant state of worry. Her parents are undocumented, and she fears they could be deported at any moment. Things become even more complicated when she crosses paths with her mysterious upstairs neighbor, Ms. O, known around the apartment complex as la bruja, or "the witch." She gives Chloe a strange glowing glass rod that seems to hold magical powers. Soon, ominous figures begin following Chloe's family. She assumes they're immigration officers, but when her parents are taken, she learns the truth: These men are actually the henchmen of the powerful sorcerer Osthall. Chloe is rescued by Nicholas Morris and Danielle Acevedo, a boy and girl who reveal that her parents' reasons for leaving Mexico were more complex than she ever knew--and that they've long been in conflict with Osthall. With her family in danger, Chloe must tap into her own emerging magic. She enrolls at the Academy for Earth's Agents of Magic, where she begins training and forms alliances with other magically gifted students. Along the way, she discovers a hidden magical world and her own place within it. Adame's debut is a compelling addition to the genre, blending high-stakes adventure with thoughtfully developed themes of borders, identity, and family separation. The worldbuilding is rich and imaginative, and the cast of characters--many of whom, like Chloe, are Latine--is refreshingly diverse. A socially conscious fantasy full of danger, discovery, and heart. (author's note)(Fantasy. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.