Skander and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman

Forking thunderstorms! A smooth and enjoyable middlegrade adventure in a land of carnivorous unicorns and elemental magic.

When Skander discovers he excels in a strain of magic that’s been outlawed, he has to hide his gift or face death. Trouble is, his unicorn longs to use this core power and refuses to obey his rider. While Skander struggles to control his unicorn and thwart local bullies, an enemy strikes the Island: rustling unicorns and snatching people.

Not only must Skander fight for his life, but for his identity, friends, and way of life too.

As the first in a middlegrade fantasty series, Skander the the Unicorn Thief has a lot of open doors for subsequent books. I look forward to seeing what A.F. Steadman has in store for Skander’s sister and the blacksmith.