Book Series · 8 Books

Upside-Down Magic Books

In order from Upside-Down Magic to Night Owl.

At Dunwiddle Magic School, Nory and her classmates have powers that work differently from everyone else's. Their funny magical mishaps become stories about friendship, confidence, and making room for children who do not fit the expected mold.

Reviewed by the Bookroo Editors Updated August 11, 2026

Reading order

How to Read the Upside-Down Magic Books

Read the eight numbered books in order. The adventures are accessible, but friendships, school changes, and the children's control over their unusual powers develop across the full sequence.

Sources: Scholastic's official Upside-Down Magic page.

For parents

What Parents Should Know

The children are placed in a separate class because their magic is considered defective. The books address bullying, shame, exclusion, pressure to appear normal, and adults who underestimate children, while strongly affirming different ways of learning and growing.

Magical accidents create comic danger, property damage, frightening transformations, and occasional suspense, but the tone remains reassuring. The difference-and-belonging themes may resonate with neurodivergent children without mapping to one specific diagnosis.

Where to start

Where Should My Child Start?

Book #1 explains the school, the unusual powers, and why the class needs one another.

Start with Upside-Down Magic

Continue in numbered order as the class builds trust and control.

Where the story begins

First Book in the Series

Sale price

$574

Book #1 · Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2015

Upside-Down Magic

By Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle, Emily Jenkins

Magic misfires lead to chaos at Dunwiddle School's Upside-Down Magic class.

208 pages· 26,725 words· Est. 3.5 hour read

$5.99Save 4%

Paperback

Summary: Nory and her friends at Dunwiddle Magic School face a unique challenge: their magic is unpredictable. Nory turns into a 'dritten,' a mix of dragon and kitten, while Elliott's fire magic freezes. Andres floats uncontrollably, and Bax has his own secret mishaps. In the Upside-Down Magic class, lessons are anything but ordinary, and the students must navigate the chaos their wonky powers create. Can they learn to embrace their unusual abilities, or will their magic continue to spiral out of control? Discover the unexpected adventures that await in this topsy-turvy world of magical misfits.

In reading order