This is what happens when someone finally realizes unicorns don't have to be boring. A.F. Steadman's second installment amps up the stakes with weapon training, jousting injuries, and a villain building a unicorn army—all while Skandar tries to keep his secrets from unraveling.
The magic school formula works because it's executed well: strong friendships, genuine moral dilemmas about loyalty versus honesty, and world-building that doesn't feel like a Wikipedia dump. The combat is more intense than Book 1, which some parents will appreciate (finally, consequences!) and others might find a bit much for younger readers.
It's getting compared to Percy Jackson and Eragon for good reason—it's got that same page-turning adventure energy with enough depth to make kids think. The 4.7 Amazon rating and New York Times bestseller status aren't flukes. This is legitimately engaging middle grade fantasy that doesn't talk down to its audience.
Just make sure your kid starts with Book 1, or they'll spend half the book confused about who's bonded to which unicorn and why everyone's so worried about the spirit element.