Publisher: Titan Books
Genre: Cozy Fantasy / Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Humor
Publication Date: May 2025
Overview
From the author of Dreadful, The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association serves up Big Little Lies meets magic school in an uproariously funny, sharply observed cozy fantasy. Exploring the absolute nightmare of school politics through the eyes of non-magical parents raising a werewolf, Caitlin Rozakis delivers a delightfully chaotic story filled with suburban paranoia, cryptid encounters, and apocalyptic PTA bake sales.
Synopsis
“Two parents and their recently-bitten-werewolf daughter try to fit into a privileged New England society of magic aristocracy…”
When their young daughter Aria is bitten by a werewolf, Vivian Tanaka and her husband Daniel pack up their lives and move to a hidden magical town in Connecticut. Their goal? Enroll Aria in Grimoire Grammar School for preternatural beings so she can learn to navigate her canine-connected allergies and full-moon transformations alongside proper mages, fae, and cryptids.
Unfortunately, non-magical parents don’t exactly fit into high-society magical circles, and failing magical kindergarten is surprisingly easy to do. Between navigating cutthroat PTA cliques, surviving remorseless magical trials, and dodging snobbish parents, Vivian finds herself facing something even worse: an ancient prophecy of doom that sounds suspiciously like it’s pointing at her daughter. Vivian might be facing the end of days—just as soon as she can get Aria dressed and out the door.
Why It Made The Shortlist
- Genius Modern Premise: Rozakis turns the classic “Chosen One” trope on its head by telling the story strictly from the perspective of an anxious, non-magical mother dealing with the mundane horror of a magical school system.
- Sharp, Empathic Humor: Balances laugh-out-loud satire of elite private schools and suburban social climbing with a profoundly relatable, heart-wrenching depiction of parental anxiety.
- Charming & Whimsical Worldbuilding: Blends everyday domestic life with clever magical details—from unicorn logistics to snarky spellcraft and high-stakes suburban drama.
Praise & Reviews
“Clever, charming, and irresistible, this is magic school as you’ve never seen it before—through the eyes of a nonmagical parent who is trying her best. It is at once painfully real and also brimming with magic and fun!”
— Sarah Beth Durst, author of The Spellshop
“Deeply relatable and uproariously funny… an intelligent, sharp story that millennial parents are going to inhale. I felt seen! Rozakis is on her way to becoming this generation’s Pratchett.”
— Kritika H. Rao, author of The Surviving Sky
“This book knows that our kids deserve better, even if our kids are werewolves. An adorable and hilarious journey through the anxieties of parenting a magical kid enrolled in a questionable schooling system.”
— John Wiswell, author of Someone You Can Build A Nest In
About the Author
Caitlin Rozakis is the author of the critically acclaimed fantasy novel Dreadful. Her short fiction has appeared in numerous speculative publications, winning LUMINA’s Speculative Fiction contest and earning a Pushcart Prize nomination. She lives in New York with her family.
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