Wicked Marigold

April 15, 2024
Mechanically minded 11-year-old Marigold, the princess of Imbervale, lives in the shadow of her “perfect” older sister Rosalind, despite Rosalind having been kidnapped by the evil Wizard Torville before Marigold was born. So, when Rosalind escapes captivity and returns to the kingdom, Marigold chafes at being ignored and overlooked. Dubbed a “wicked child” after a party mishap, Marigold takes it to heart and runs away to Wizard Torville’s keep, determined to become his apprentice. But her attempts to prove her wickedness backfire, transforming Torville into a sentient—and cranky—pile of glop. With the imminent arrival of assorted evildoers anticipating their regularly scheduled feasting and mayhem, Marigold must find a way to undo her magical handiwork while maintaining the pretense that the wicked wizard is fine, simply indisposed. Carlson (The Door at the End of the World) tempers astute depictions of Marigold’s experience in trying to live up to unrealistic expectations with capricious magic, strange monsters, and complex characters. Humorous subversions of traditional fantasy tropes make this an insightful tale of nature versus nurture and good versus evil. Marigold is depicted on the cover with brown skin. Ages 8–12. Agent: Allison Hellegers, Stimola Literary Studio.

May 1, 2024
A displaced princess runs away from home in order to be wicked, only to struggle with undoing a complicated curse. Marigold is nothing like her older sister, Rosalind, who was the perfect princess before she was tragically abducted by the evil Wizard Torville. Intrigued by tales of nefarious characters, such as the Twice-Times Witch, Marigold has always been better at building contraptions than soothing angry dragons with lovely singing. Her life is upended, however, when Rosalind miraculously returns, causing Marigold to feel like she no longer belongs. In a refreshing reversal of classic fairy-tale tropes, Marigold decides that instead of committing to the impossible task of being good, she should dedicate herself to being villainous--and who better to teach her than the wizard who originally kidnapped her sister? But being wicked is harder than it seems, since Marigold doesn't have a natural talent for magic. To make things worse, a miscast curse now threatens her newfound way of life: If Marigold doesn't work with best friend Collin, a kitchen boy, to set things right, her life (and career as a villain!) may be cut short. Full of snappy humor, delightful wordplay, and quirky characters--a tentacled, people-eating creature called the Thing, a spiffy imp, and a reticent blob--this book is a whimsical exploration of belonging and sibling relationships. Characters read white. A witty and engaging anti-fairy-tale adventure. (Fantasy. 8-13)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2024
Eleven-year-old Princess Marigold has grown up in the shadow of her perfect older sister, Rosalind, who was abducted by a wizard long before Marigold was born. When Rosalind miraculously finds her way home, Marigold is ambivalent and rashly decides that she's wicked and doesn't belong in the kingdom. She runs away to a place where she can embrace her so-called wickedness: the fortress of the wizard who held Rosalind captive for fifteen years. She can stay with Wizard Torville and his imp, Pettifog, if she passes a test to prove that she's evil: "I'll give you seven days to do something so vile that even an imp can't deny your wicked nature." Hijinks ensue (including Marigold mistakenly turning Torville into a sentient blob). When a pair of wizards plots to destroy a peace treaty among the kingdoms, Marigold must reckon with what it really means to be wicked. What began as sisterly revenge becomes part of a complicated web of spells that could undo the Cacophonous Kingdoms altogether. Carlson's deftly told story tackles questions of good versus evil and sibling bonds with a cast of oddball creatures and lots of humor. Clever, quirky, and cozy. Grace McKinney Beermann

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2024
Grades 4-7 Princess Marigold grew up overshadowed by the memory of her older sister, Rosalind, who was ""perfectly good"" and universally adored--until she was kidnapped by the wicked wizard Torville. By comparison, Marigold is decidedly not perfect, and after Rosalind miraculously escapes captivity and returns home, the younger princess is all but forgotten amid the celebration. Lashing out, Marigold goes a bit too far, humiliating Rosalind and being dubbed a ""wicked child."" In the frantic aftermath, she takes the moniker to heart and runs away, seeking refuge in the evil wizard's fortress. What ensues is a legitimately funny series of conflicts, conundrums, and conniptions as Marigold works to ingratiate herself with Torville and prove her wickedness. Carlson seems perfectly at home with this comical fairy tale fantasy, setting a lovely balance between humor and heart, her language as playful as the world she's built. Putting aside the magical mayhem, colorful characters, and surprisingly high stakes, the book ultimately works because at its core is a genuinely moving story of a girl learning about self-worth.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2024
Eleven-year-old Princess Marigold has grown up in the shadow of her perfect older sister, Rosalind, who was abducted by a wizard long before Marigold was born. When Rosalind miraculously finds her way home, Marigold is ambivalent and rashly decides that she's wicked and doesn't belong in the kingdom. She runs away to a place where she can embrace her so-called wickedness: the fortress of the wizard who held Rosalind captive for fifteen years. She can stay with Wizard Torville and his imp, Pettifog, if she passes a test to prove that she's evil: "I'll give you seven days to do something so vile that even an imp can't deny your wicked nature." Hijinks ensue (including Marigold mistakenly turning Torville into a sentient blob). When a pair of wizards plots to destroy a peace treaty among the kingdoms, Marigold must reckon with what it really means to be wicked. What began as sisterly revenge becomes part of a complicated web of spells that could undo the Cacophonous Kingdoms altogether. Carlson's deftly told story tackles questions of good versus evil and sibling bonds with a cast of oddball creatures and lots of humor. Clever, quirky, and cozy.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)