List Price: $18.99 Details

Save: $7.12 (37%)

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime & FREE Returns

FREE delivery: Thursday, July 8 on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon. Details

In Stock.
As an alternative, the Kindle eBook is available now and can be read on any device with the free Kindle app. Want to listen? Try Audible.

$$11.87 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Secure transaction

Ships from	Amazon.com
Sold by	Amazon.com

Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Return policy: This item is returnable

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

FREE delivery: Friday, July 9 on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon. Details

Used: Acceptable | Details

Sold by Jenson Books Inc

Fulfilled by Amazon

Share

Other Sellers on Amazon

$6.45
+ $3.98 shipping

Sold by: Wildcat Media

$6.45
+ $3.99 shipping

Sold by: Justsomedeals

$5.89
+ $4.63 shipping

Sold by: Enjoy Being a Girl

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 3 images

Follow the Author

Chris Colfer

A Tale of Magic... (A Tale of Magic..., 1) Hardcover – Illustrated, October 1, 2019

by Chris Colfer (Author)

2,359 ratings

Book 1 of 3: A Tale of Magic.

See all formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Kindle

"Please retry"

$7.99

—

Audible Audiobook, Unabridged

"Please retry"

$0.00

Free with your Audible trial

Hardcover

"Please retry"

$18.55

$7.21

Hardcover, Illustrated, October 1, 2019

$11.87

$5.45

$1.55

Paperback

"Please retry"

$8.48

$6.26

$3.00

Audio CD, Audiobook, CD, Unabridged

"Please retry"

$20.58

$20.68

This #1 New York Times bestseller is the first book in a new series set in Chris Colfer's Land of Stories universe, perfect for both new and longtime fans!

When Brystal Evergreen stumbles across a secret section of the library, she discovers a book that introduces her to a world beyond her imagination and learns the impossible: She is a fairy capable of magic! But in the oppressive Southern Kingdom, women are forbidden from reading and magic is outlawed, so Brystal is swiftly convicted of her crimes and sent to the miserable Bootstrap Correctional Facility.

But with the help of the mysterious Madame Weatherberry, Brystal is whisked away and enrolled in an academy of magic! Adventure comes with a price, however, and when Madame Weatherberry is called away to attend to an important problem she doesn't return.

Do Brystal and her classmates have what it takes to stop a sinister plot that risks the fate of the world, and magic, forever?

Fall in love with an all-new series from Chris Colfer, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Land of Stories, filled with adventure, imagination, and wonderfully memorable characters both familiar and new.

A #1 New York Times bestseller

An IndieBound bestseller
A USA Today bestseller
A Wall Street Journal bestseller

Reading age

8 - 12 years
Print length

496 pages
Language

English
Grade level

3 - 7
Lexile measure

890L
Dimensions

5.5 x 1.5 x 8 inches
Publisher

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date

October 1, 2019
ISBN-10

031652347X
ISBN-13

978-0316523479
See all details

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

Chris Colfer
2,339
Hardcover
$13.11
Chris Colfer
2,592
Paperback
in Children's Multicultural Literature
$32.93
Chris Colfer
563
Paperback
$9.68
Chris Colfer
548
Hardcover
$14.18
Chris Colfer
339
Hardcover
$8.39
Chris Colfer
468
Hardcover
$15.40

Get everything you need

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

Neil Patrick Harris
1,153
Hardcover
$13.18
Chris Colfer
2,339
Hardcover
$13.11
Anna James
635
Paperback
$8.99
Chris Colfer
198
Hardcover
$15.56
Jon Stone
21,178
Hardcover
$4.27
Chris Colfer
339
Hardcover
$8.39

From the Publisher


	A Tale of Witchcraft…	A Tale of Sorcery…	The Land of Stories Complete Paperback Gift Set	Goldilocks: Wanted Dead or Alive	The Ultimate Book Hugger's Guide	A Treasury of Classic Fairy Tales
Read more from #1 New York Times bestselling author Chris Colfer	A Tale of Magic… Book 2: A mysterious newcomer starts to recruit fairies into her rival school of witchcraft.	A Tale of Magic… Book 3: Brystal Evergreen is running out of time and a new evil has arisen from deep within the Earth.	The complete #1 bestselling series The Land of Stories in a beautiful paperback gift set.	A Land of Stories full-color graphic novel adventure featuring Goldilocks as you've never seen her before!	A comprehensive, full-color, behind-the-scenes guidebook for the biggest fans of The Land of Stories.	The Land of Stories: Fairy Tale Treasury: A gorgeous, full-color gift book containing thirty-five beloved stories and rhymes.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for A Tale of Magic...

"A dynamic, engrossing fantasy that will have readers staying up late and dreaming big."―School Library Journal

"...a thoroughly satisfying adventure..."―Publishers Weekly

"...will please fans of the series while offering an entry for new readers as well."―Booklist

Praise for the Land of Stories series:

A #1 New York Times Bestseller

A Barnes & Noble Best Kids' Book of the Year

"A magical debut."―Family Circle

"Captivating"―Teen Vogue

"In The Land of Stories, Colfer showcases his talent for crafting fancifully imaginative plots and multidimensional characters."―Los Angeles Times

"There's more in Colfer's magic kingdoms than Disney has dreamt of."―USA Today

"It will hit big with its combination of earnestness and playful poise."―The New York Times Book Review

"It's hard not to love a book dedicated to the Glee star's grandmother...Colfer gets off many good lines [and] the nifty ending ties the plot's multiple strands up while leaving room for further fairy tale adventures."―Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Chris Colfer is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and Golden Globe-winning actor. He was honored as a member of the TIME 100, Time magazine's annual list of the one hundred most influential people in the world, and his books include Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal, Stranger Than Fanfiction, and the books in The Land of Stories series: The Wishing Spell, The Enchantress Returns, A Grimm Warning, Beyond the Kingdoms, An Author's Odyssey, and Worlds Collide, and the companion books A Treasury of Classic Fairy Tales, The Mother Goose Diaries, Queen Red Riding Hood's Guide to Royalty, The Curvy Tree, and Trollbella Throws a Party.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Illustrated edition (October 1, 2019)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 496 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 031652347X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316523479
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 - 12 years
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 890L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 - 7
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.5 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #84,833 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #180 in Children’s Books about Libraries & Reading
- #837 in Children's Girls & Women Books (Books)
- #3,222 in Children's Fantasy & Magic Books

Customer Reviews:
2,359 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		88%
4 star		9%
3 star		2%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

How are ratings calculated?

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Kindle Customer

Not for younger readers (IMHO)

Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2019

Verified Purchase

loved reading the Land of Stories series aloud to our three older boys (ages 9,7 &6 at the time) so was excited to start this one as our pre-bedtime read. It was surprisingly heavy in subject matter and introduced a Judeo-Christian-ish religion into the Kingdoms that hadn't been present in LoS. While Colfer’s writing style is again superb, I surprised by the blatant introduction of a religious system (for which he has clear disdain) and the overall heavier/angrier tone of the book, given that it was billed as a prequel to LoS, which are based on fairytales and other fictional stories. Hadn’t bargained on reading about people punishing/executing children “in the name of the Lord to purge them of their sins,” so while older kiddos might identify with the strong theme of embracing your unique identity, we found it to be less entertaining/engaging for the younger boys.

166 people found this helpful

Helpful

Renee

very disappointed

Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2020

Verified Purchase

Very disappointed that this book is 400 pages of tribulations and politics of being gay and 81 pages of fantasy adventure. My daughter and I loved the land of stories and waited eagerly for this next set of books to come out thinking that they would be a family/kid friendly as the last. Unfortunately that is not the case. If you are looking for the light hearted kid adventures in the first series this is NOT it.

34 people found this helpful

Helpful

Gian Orsini

Couldn’t put the book down!

Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2019

Verified Purchase

My 10 yr old was captivated by the Land of Stories Series when he was 7. He still re-reads the books & listens to them on audible - he didn’t want the series to end! I was thrilled to see Chris had another book published. It arrived yesterday & my son has read 100 pages. He wouldn’t do his homework bc he wanted to read the book and wanted me to read it to him starting over from the beginning. These stories are so well written and imaginative! Cannot wait to dig into the next one! Thank you!

37 people found this helpful

Helpful

northsouthwest

Love this author and these series!

Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2019

Verified Purchase

If your kids are looking for a new series featuring mystical and fairy tale creatures, you can't go wrong with any of Chris Colfer's books. My now 12 yo started with the first book when it first came out and now couldn't wait to devour this latest installment. (Fair warning - it's a prequel to the Land of Stories series and is a stand-alone). These books are an easy read for young readers who want more than Magic Tree house but less than "Teen fiction". They are engaging, and adventure filled. Cannot speak highly enough about it.

23 people found this helpful

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Best book of all of the land of stories books

Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2019

Verified Purchase

A book on the og fairy godmother and the fairy council as young kids and how they got to where they were when the wishing spell begins. I couldn't put the book down I am a fan of all the land of the land of stories books but this one is my favorite. There was a twist at every corner. I like how it includes a little history from our world too (witch hunts) I am ever in support to this author.

18 people found this helpful

Helpful

Jean Hall

Tedious and pedantic

Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2019

Verified Purchase

Seemed like it had possibilities at first, but deteriorated as it went along. Don't waste your time when there are so better choices.

17 people found this helpful

Helpful

Miller Family

A great read!

Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2019

Verified Purchase

This review is written by a nine-year-old girl.

This book is amazing If you like My Jasper June and The Land of Stories you will LOVE a Tale of magic Chris Colfer really nailed it.

13 people found this helpful

Helpful

BrandonTop Contributor: Star Wars

The fast finish helps to overpower the boring lead up

Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2020

Verified Purchase

The latest land of stories book is a prequel to the main set of novels. It essentially is the origin of the use of magic within the land of stores. The book is carefully constructed gathering the players and moving them along to an epic finish that is loaded with surprises.

The good:
The ending was fantastic. It was surprising and it left a lot of room for the next book.
The book carefully placed clues and fitted the stories about the characters into the larger established land of stories universe.

The not so good:
The book is dark. Executing children, slavery, violent parenting. It's tough to justify letting just any old kid read this. You need to be selective based on how sensitive the reader is with this one.
The author ties modern social issues, such as gender inequality, into the story. However, he ties way too many into this book. Oppressive governments, manipulating adult figures, it goes on and on.
The book lacks all of the charm from the original series. The sarcasm, wit and special qualities of the characters from the first books (like Red, Bree, Conner, etc) is absent from this book. The characters all felt dull.
The book is so slow. It takes 300 pages to get the plot moving.
The casting out of those with magic feels so unimaginative. Every X-Men in the Marvel Universe had these same origins 50 years ago. Kid discovers powers, cast out by their family, banned by the government, finds people like them that accept them. They learn their powers. The book didn't need 300 pages to tell the same story.

I love, LOVE the series. This may be the weakest book in the series. However, the payoff at the end washed away a lot of my unease with the book. I didn't find it to be as anti-religion as others. It was anti a lot of things. But I did find it to be kind of boring and I couldn't list out three characteristics for any of the characters except the main one. I'm hoping the follow up book brings back some of the humor, charm and creativity I've come to love with this series.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Katie

If you’re missing Harry Potter give this a go...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 11, 2019

Verified Purchase

A beautifully written book that I couldn’t put down. A wonderful way to approach and open a discussion with children about prejudice in many forms. Very cleverly written, wonderful characters, excellent world building. I’m a huge Harry Potter fan and this is the first book that has come close to filling the void since HP ended. I haven’t read The Land of Stories (have ordered and they’re on their way) but didn’t feel lost at any point, this series is a stand-alone. My friend recommended this book and I loved the cover (I know never judge a book by its cover but it is beautiful!) so thought I’d give it a go, am so glad I did!

8 people found this helpful

Thomas H.

Needing another magical fix after Harry Potter. This will do the job 👍

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 19, 2021

Verified Purchase

Highly recommended for teens. That said I took a chance and got this for my 7 year old daughter. I feared the wording and the terminology might be too complicated for her to appreciate. Needless to say, she was hooked after chapter one and so was I as we read it together. Brystal Evergreen is a great heroine who shows true grit throughout. It's fair to state that the story is hardly original and comparisons with Harry Potter and the like are inevitable. But 'A Tale of Magic' is unique in it's own right as it feels like a brilliant hybrid of the Harry Potter verse and the Jane Austen world (in particular Pride and Prejudice). The chapters may be slightly too long, but this is a minor quibble. The story keeps you so engrossed you fly through the pages. All of which lead you to a brilliant conclusion and totally leave you wanting more. Long may this franchise continue 👌

Amazon Customer

5 stars!!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 28, 2020

Verified Purchase

This was such a captivting book! I loved being able.to find some parallels with the land of stories and the plot was so interesting! All the storylines and mysteries are tied up nicely at the end and is all explained which is my fav part!! Real page turner and loved all the characterisation- cannot wait for next book!

2 people found this helpful

Flor

A Tale of Magic : Best Book Ever

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 24, 2021

Verified Purchase

This book is perfect for every reader who like a good book. I would recomend it for 7-12. I think this is one of the best book I have ever read and that is hard to beat since I read a lot. If you have no book to read and are bored this is the perfect book for you. It is action packed and is very hard to take your hands off. (I never stoped reading until I finished the book.) This is also the perfect gift to a kid or family member. You can also give them the second book which is also one of the best books I read. It is called A Tale of Witchcraft by Chris Colfer
Hope you like the book!

Amazon Customer

WOW!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 23, 2020

Verified Purchase

I have read all the chris colfer books from the land of stories and loved them! This story is sort of a eipoulige from the wishing star , colfers book 1, and explains how the fairy council forms. There is a new sequel coming out in october 2020 tale of witchcraft. I will make sure to look out for it!
Five stars!

Other Sellers on Amazon

Follow the Author

Similar authors to follow

A Tale of Magic... (A Tale of Magic..., 1) Hardcover – Illustrated, October 1, 2019

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Get everything you need

Special offers and product promotions

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

About the Author

Product details

Customer reviews

Reviews with images

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries

Customers who bought this item also bought

Buy new: $11.87 FREE delivery: Thursday, July 8 on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon. Ships from: Amazon.com Sold by: Amazon.com

Buy used: $8.49

Other Sellers on Amazon

Follow the Author

Similar authors to follow

A Tale of Magic... (A Tale of Magic..., 1) Hardcover – Illustrated, October 1, 2019

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Get everything you need

Special offers and product promotions

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

About the Author

Product details

Customer reviews

Reviews with images

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries

Customers who bought this item also bought

Buy new:

$11.87

FREE delivery: Thursday, July 8 on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon.

Ships from: Amazon.com

Sold by: Amazon.com

Buy used:

$8.49