The School for Good and Evil Series by Soman Chainani

Soman Chainani’s ‘The School for Good and Evil’ series is a fantasy-adventure children’s book series, aimed specifically at readers of 8 and above. The series, now close to its sixth book, is an exploration of the ideas and growing pains of the middle-grade reader. It has gained immense popularity and critical acclaim by readers and critics alike since its first book in 2013.

First published in 2013, ‘The School for Good and Evil’ follows two best friends, Agatha and Sophie. Agatha is a timid bookworm who longs for a life of adventure, while Sophie is a glam-loving girl who dreams of being a princess. The two girls are taken to the School for Good and Evil, where stories of fairytales, good and evil, and heroes and heroines come to life. They soon discover they’re on opposite sides of the School’s great divide: the girls are separated into two neatly divided classes: the School for Good and the School for Evil.

At the start of the series, the girls must either become a princess or a villain. Agatha and Sophie quickly discover that their respective schools are nothing like what they expected, and both must agree to play out a much greater role in the School for Good and Evil.

The School for Good and Evil is filled with many beloved characters, from the cunning princesses of the School for Good, including Poppy and Isadora, to the darkly ambitious villainesses of the School for Evil, including Tatiana and Ravenna. The series follows Agatha and Sophie’s journey as they face obstacles and challenges, ultimately learning that good and evil cannot be defined in black-and-white terms.

At the core of ‘The School for Good and Evil’ is a thought-provoking exploration of the powers of good and evil as it applies to young readers. In each book, Agatha and Sophie must find a way to balance the powers of both schools, while still navigating their own layered, personal relationships. The series is both charming and exciting, full of twist and turns that readers won’t soon forget.

The series also offers plenty of fantasy and adventure, featuring magical creatures, legendary villains and enchanting settings. Through clever writing and a clever combination of light and dark themes, Chainani dispenses wit and wisdom for readers as they journey with Agatha and Sophie to decide the ultimate question: Is there a little good and evil in us all?

The ‘School for Good and Evil’ series is an inspiring, riveting novel series for readers of 8 and above. The series offers an exploration of good and evil, a mystical world, and a thought-provoking journey for young readers. With its captivating characters and thrilling plot, ‘The School for Good and Evil’ is sure to captivate any reader.