Jupiter Nettle and the Seven Schools of Magic: A Graphic Novel

by Sangu Mandanna, Pablo Ballesteros (illustrator)

When you've dreamed of getting into the Seven Schools of Magic your whole life, what do you do when it turns out to be the worst thing ever? This heartwarming graphic novel adventure is perfect for fans of Harry Potter, The Okay Witch, and City of Dragons!

For all of her twelve years, Jupiter Nettle has wanted to attend one of the Seven Schools of Magic. When she finally gets the call to take the entrance exam, she shocks everyone with her magic skills . . . but not in the way she'd hoped. Failing spectacularly in one test after another, Jupiter goes home dejected and confused. What will she do now?

That night, Jupiter gets an unexpected visitor and, amazingly, another chance at the Seven Schools! But learning magic isn't what she expected it to be . . . the School of Earth Magic is looked down upon by others, it doesn't involve cool spells, and her teacher, Professor Grim, certainly lives up to his name. Jupiter works hard, but the doubts in her mind shake her confidence until she's ready to give up. Then an age-old enemy returns to exact revenge on the Seven Schools, leaving Jupiter to finally find the courage and magic that's been within her all along.

This inclusive, beautifully illustrated graphic novel from the author of Kiki Kallira Breaks a Kingdom is packed with action, heart, and plenty of magic.

Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Childrens, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Comics

176 pages, Hardcover

First published June 11, 2024

About the author

Sangu Mandanna was four years old when an elephant chased her down a forest road and she decided to write her first story about it. Seventeen years and many, many manuscripts later, she signed her first book deal. Sangu now lives in Norwich, a city in the east of England, with her husband and kids.

Reviews

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want this to be a cozy game so badly!!!

[emma kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

black cat bestie ☑
magical boarding school ☑
grumpy old man who rediscovers the beauty of life after a little girl with wonder in her eyes falls under his wing ☑
wholesome themes touching on loneliness, belonging, and finding magic in the ordinary ☑
animal friends ☑
magical plant life ☑
funny lil voodoo doll villain guys ☑
unicorns!! ☑
baby dragons!!! ☑
the most precious, colorful, friendly art style ☑

all of my favorite things in life + in books have been rolled into this and it‘s everything to me 💖

also pls let this be a series, i want to live in this enchanting, cozy world for the rest of my days :’’’)

[Eliott · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jupiter Nettle and the Seven Schools of Magic
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ .5 (2.5/5) or 5.28/10 overall

Characters - 5

Atmosphere - 6

Writing - 5

Plot - 5

Intrigue - 6

Logic - 5

Enjoyment - 5

[timber rose, book witch (semi-hiatus)]

i am but a simple book goblin- sangu mandanna publishes a new book, i prepare to have my expectations exceeded. can't wait to scoop this from my library!

[Lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Picked this one up after enjoying The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by author Sangu Mandanna earlier this year. And this one fit nicely with my goals to read more graphics novels and more Middle Grade books this year.

I had a great time reading this one. It's such a fun read. I liked reading about Jupiter, seeing her get accepted in the seven Schools of Magic and then the reality being different than her dreams. It deals with her feeling like an outsider and eventually finding her place. I liked the characters and seeing Jupiter find her way and make friends Her cat Lilith is a fun addition to and is always close to her. No big surprises when it comes to the plot, but it was fun seeing it all play out.

I really liked the artwork of this one. The art just looked awesome. The characters expressions are all done really well and I like how much is conveyed through the art. It was a joy to look at the artwork and I felt it really was a part of the story.

To summarize: I had a great time reading this one. I liked reading about Jupiter, seeing her get accepted at the Seven Schools of Magic and find her place after some struggles. I appreciated how it deals with feeling like an outsider and finding her place at the school. There are some fun characters like Jupiter and her cat Lilith as well as some teachers and students. I really liked the art style, it looked great and the characters expression were really well done. The art really adds to the story and is a big part of the experience of reading this book.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

You need this delightfully charming graphic novel in your life. It's cozy, magical, and perfect for when you want to be swept away into a story. I read it in a single sitting and cherished every second I got to spend with Jupiter and the rest of the crew!

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute, I hope this becomes a series!

[Amber Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

A talking black cat, unicorns, and dragons written by Sanguine Mandanna…say no more.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute, feel-good middle grade graphic novel from the best-selling author of The very secret society of irregular witches that features Jupiter Nettle, a young want to be apprentice wizard who finds herself selected for the only one of the Seven schools of magic that isn't about magic at all but the caring of the earth and its creatures.

Jupiter and her cat familiar, Felix, endure bullying and a grumpy professor to learn an important lesson that everyone has gifts no matter their size or magical abilities and come to save the day in the end. The illustrations are bright and colorful and this book is perfect for fans of ones like The baker and the bard.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so friggin cute! Remember that there is magic in yourself and in nature, it just may not always show.

[Andrea Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story and lovely artwork. I would love to read more from this world and the seven schools of magic!

[Angela Messaglia · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was so cute!!!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jupiter wants to get into the Seven Schools of Magic. She has wanted that for as long as she can remember. But when she takes the entrance test they dismiss her before she has even completed all the experiments. The only school that offers her a seat is the School of Earth Magic, and no one has accepted a seat there in at least five years. But she takes it to just get in.

The other kids look down on her. But she does her best, which is all she can do after all. And she is good with animals and plants. She even helps to hatch a dragon egg.

And in doing so, she helps save the school when things go badly.

I loved this story. I’m always for the underdog, of course, and Jupiter is so sad about how she is treated that she gives up, at some point. I’m sure we have been there, when things feel hopeless. Jupiter is a sweet character though, and does know her stuff, in the end.

I think this is a good story for kids to read, where bullies don’t always win, and sometimes knowing mundane things, like growing plants and taking care of animals is enough.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absolutely freaking adorable illustrations but uninteresting for anyone who’s read a fantasy novel before.

Girl wants to go to wizard school, goes to wizard school. She has little innate magical ability so she ends up mucking out dung in the unicorn stables and she’s bullied, but then she saves the day.

Perfect for very young readers who want to read Harry Potter-like books.

[Julia Pika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cozy and sweet fantasy--highly recommend for middle grade and younger.

[Tess Evens · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO cute and fun!

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was just wonderful and I so so loved the art! About a magical school, one department being the laughingstock and our MC discovering all is not bad there and that it is actually a lot of fun. OK, the teacher there has a lot to learn about how to care/be there for his pupils, but after this event I think he gets it. I hope. XD I loved the magic and I would have loved to be part of the school! Things really got exciting as the story continued.

[Tobias · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine enough graphic novel with genuinely charming art, but executed in one of the blandest and most poorly edited final products I've encountered in a while. There were upwards of four major (like, "unformatted dialogue inside a character's hair instead of typeset in a speech/thought bubble above their head" major) errors or editing slip-ups on a cursory read-through, which I'd certainly expect better coming from a major publisher with many eyes on its drafts before they go to print.

And again, the fantasy plotline is blamelessly pleasant, but suffers from rocky pacing (Jupiter spends a long time settling in at school and barely any resolving the exciting confrontation of an evil wizard we barely hear about, much less see) and inconsistent characterization (the emotional devastation of Jupiter deciding to leave school, which already was flimsy based on the heckling of a single other student, gets rather undercut by a "three weeks later" cut that sees her immediately whisked back after realizing she does belong there, actually, for no particular reason we can see), especially in the latter half.

A few positives: I liked the art a lot, there's a great degree of diversity in the character designs, and I think there's a dearth of graphic novels like this for the younger middle grade crowd, so it certainly fills a niche there! I think with tighter copyediting and more compelling work with plot structure and character growth, this could have been a hit. As-is, I'd only recommend it to a kid who's running out of other magic school stories and/or fantasy graphic novels to read OR who's never read a single one before and can enjoy the fairly-typical plot arc with fresh eyes.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this colorful graphic novel, Jupiter desperately wants to attend the Seven Schools of Magic, preferably as a spellcasting student, but can't manage to get in. She despairs until an opportunity is presented to her to attend the school of Earth magic by Professor Grim. He hasn't had any students for years, because no one regards his area as "real magic". Jupiter packs up and heads to school with her talking cat Lilith, but soon experiences negativity about her field from other students. It doesn't help that Prof. Grim doesn't give her much direction, the work is hard and dirty, and she is derided by Davey and other students, who claim that she is only there supporting the magic that others do by picking up unicorn poop and growing plants for spells. She does make a friend in Pipette after helping her get items for her potions, and helps raise a small dragon, Sizzle. When the teasing escalates, Jupiter gives up and goes home, and neither Lilith not her parents are able to convince her to return. When she gets a communication that the White Wizard has returned and plans to take over the school and cause harm, she goes back to school on a dragon. The ghost population of the school tells her what is going on, and that her nemesis Davey was the one who removed the wards from the school, letting evil in. The students and professors have all been captured and are being held in the forest by the White Wizard's army of animated puppets. Luckily, Pipette missed breakfast, and is willing to help her friend. Will Jupiter's Earth magic be strong enough to save the day?
Strengths: The world needs people to pick up unicorn poop. This is my main take away, and may well become my mantra. Just because a job isn't glamorous doesn't mean it has no value. Jupiter is an engaging character who will appeal to children who feel that they are not a good fit for their own world. She is good at what she does; she works with an abused unicorn, Dagger, so that he becomes a productive and helpful member of the school, she raises Sizzle well, and she is a tireless worker who provides real value to her school. We have tantalizing glimpses of the other magic in the Seven Schools, and further adventures could cover those more fully. I imagine that everyone will want to work with Jupiter now! Lilith was a fun, snarky familiar; I would imagine most of my students would love to have their cats talk to them, as well as be able to raise their own dragon, like in Durst's Spark. This will be a very popular graphic novel with fantasy fans in elementary and middle schools.
Weaknesses: Young readers will not have read as many fantasy books as I have, so won't mind yet another story where a misfit student realizes the value of her own magic after being bullied by her peers and saves the world from devastation, but I'd like to see something different for a change. Ooh. The misfit student could turn evil and take over the school and bend everyone to her will. That would be new. (I'm a little vindictive, I guess!)
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like magical academy stories like Sanders' Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew, Elle's Park Row Magic Academy, or Okogwu's Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun. There are not as many graphic novels set in these schools so fans of Fernández's ¡¡Manu!! and Escabasse's Witches of Brooklyn will be especially pleased to see this one.

[Artemis Crescent · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Learning magic isn't always as bewitching as it sounds.'



'Jupiter Nettle and the Seven Schools of Magic' - there isn't much I can say about it. It's a simple children's magic boarding school graphic novel, about believing in yourself, appreciating what you have and what you can do, appreciating nature and the earth, patience, figuring out where you belong, and how everyone is special and important.

There is a lot of 'The Owl House' in it, as well as Archie's 'Sabrina', 'The Worst Witch', and, ahem, that other children's magic boarding school series that shall not be named. 'Jupiter Nettle' has been compared to 'The Okay Witch', too, which I see, and adore.

There's a sarcastic talking black cat (of course), unicorns, dragons, ghosts, a two-headed dog that's strangely never acknowledged by the characters, and a (useless) monarchy. Additionally, 'Jupiter Nettle' contains a pleasantly surprising number of feminist themes, angles and twists. The comic stars many great female characters, and it has two female witch/mage school professors who are married to each other! We need more LBGTQ+ inclusion and normalisation in middle grade books like this.

The art is cartoony, colourful, and terribly, terribly cute.

Overall, 'Jupiter Nettle and the Seven Schools of Magic' is cute, charming, funny, and is rife with super important messages. It could have had more depth and originality to it, with no need to be limited by its young target demographic; who are smart, and who understand, are thrilled by, and who feel inspired by, more than we give them credit for. Oh, and the magical stardust flower power plot point doesn't really go anywhere.

But oh well, it's nice as it is. This middle grade magic boarding school comic about magical farming contains an abundant growth of beautiful, enchanting, feminist elements and tastes that I love, so I'm keeping it.

I haven't liked anything else by rising-in-sudden-popularity author Sangu Mandanna in the past, but I do like her first children's graphic novel writing outing. I wonder if there will be a sequel...

Huh. It turns out I did have much more to say about 'Jupiter Nettle' than I'd thought. I always end up writing longer reviews than I thought I would. It all just comes out of my heart and mind, to my fingertips!

Well, never mind. I'll write one more thing for now:

What else is 'Jupiter Nettle' about? What are its other themes? - I know! Finding magic in the mundane, the unexpected, the "unmagical", in life. And friendship and community.

Everyone belongs somewhere. Everyone deserves magic in their lives if they want it badly enough. And kinships.

Final Score: 3.5/5

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Four stars.
Gosh this was such a fun story. I loved the whole magic aspect of it. The illustrations were so bright and captivating, my eyes loved looking at them. The story follows Jupiter Nettle who is determined to join the auspicious School of Magic. The school is broken up into seven departments, each with varying levels of coolness and prestige attached to them. The lesser (according to the general opinion) is the School of Earth Magic, and Jupiter has little to no interest to going there. She goes to get tested to find out which of the seven schools she has aptitude for and feels like she has completely failed out and won’t be able to attend the school at all. Right as she really starts believing this, she discovers she has a very high aptitude for the School of Earth Magic through Professor Grim, who comes personally to offer her a place.

Upon getting to the school, Jupiter realises that she is the only student in her particular department. She isn’t overly thrilled to be studying earth Magic, and all of the other students look down on her. They believe that earth magic isn’t real magic. Of course after being at the school for awhile, she returns from a task set to her by Professor Grim (and she fell asleep in the barn) and almost everyone at the school is missing. It is up to Jupiter and a few others to find out what has happened and save the day. Oh and there is the world’s cutest baby dragon!!! Gosh I loved this story. It was so sweet and the message that magic isn’t just what you think of when you hear the word. It’s so many other things too. I won’t go into too much more information so as not to spoil this lovely book, just in case someone actually reads this book. I have passed it on to my daughter to read now, I’m certain she will love it as much as me.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

In JUPITER NETTLE AND THE SEVEN SCHOOLS OF MAGIC, Jupiter has dreamed of being selected to attend the Seven Schools of Magic, but repeatedly fails the necessary exams for the different types of magic. When she’s offered admission to the School of Earth Magic, initially she declines the offer, believing that earth magic isn’t real magic like the magic taught in the other schools. Her desire to be at the school wins out and she reconsiders, becoming the first Earth mage at the school in many years. When she arrives, Jupiter gets to work with plants and animals under the supervision of the gruff Professor Grim. While she has success growing plants and even helps to hatch a dragon, bullying by another student convinces her that she doesn’t belong at the school. She returns home, but when the school is threatened by an evil mage, she may be the only one who can save it.

Jupiter is an engaging main character and readers will relate to her struggles with feeling like she fits in. Her relationship with her snarky cat companion, Lilith, is a highlight of the book. The traditional battle of good vs. evil found in most magical stories plays out here and the story wraps up super quickly, perhaps more so than I would have liked to have seen. The book did end in a way that makes me think there could be more adventures ahead at the Seven Schools of Magic—and I hope that’s the case. I think this will be a big hit with readers who enjoy fantasy stories and those who enjoy stories with a school setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing an eARC of the book with me.

[Alba Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jupiter Nettle and the Seven Schools of Magic is a true gem in the world of graphic novels, and much of its magic comes from the extraordinary artwork of Pablo Ballesteros. Each page bursts with color and detail, not merely complementing Sangu Mandanna’s storytelling, but elevating it—transforming the entire reading experience into something visually unforgettable.

Ballesteros displays remarkable mastery in conveying emotion through illustration. The facial expressions—from Jupiter’s determination to the mischievous charm of her cat, Lilith—are so skillfully drawn that they speak volumes without the need for words. This ability to capture emotional nuance allows readers to deeply connect with the characters and their journey.

What truly sets the artwork apart is the imaginative design of the magical world and its many fantastical elements. From the majestic halls of the seven schools to the hidden nooks of the magical realm, every background is rich with intricate details that immerse the reader completely. The color palette, warm and enchanting, perfectly matches the tone of a story that celebrates everyday magic and the search for belonging.

In short, Pablo Ballesteros’s art doesn’t just accompany the story—it enriches it, adding layers of depth and beauty that make Jupiter Nettle and the Seven Schools of Magic a must-read for fans of fantasy and graphic novels alike. His work transforms each page into a masterpiece, inviting readers to linger and lose themselves in its brilliance.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm writing out this review to include my 7 year old's rating after reading the book and my review as a parent.

My kid loves this book. She loves this book so much that it caused her to experience her first book related heartbreak of finding out this is the only book in the series. She loves the different classifications of magic. She loves Jupiter as a character and really resonated with her. She was more interested in staying in the world itself over the actual plot of the story but still enjoyed it. This is a book she's reread time and time again. It has definitely become a comfort read for her and she very confidently gives it 5/5 stars.

As a parent of a kid who is very empathetic, sensitive and often hard on herself, having her follow Jupiter's growth in her own studies and self confidence was wonderful. Is the main conflict kind of just stuck in there? Yeah but the world itself is adorable, well thought out and the character interactions are where the book truly shines. If I was reading this myself it would be solid 3.5 or 4 but watching the joy this book has brought my kid jumps it to a 4.5-5.

[Bexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jupiter Nettle has dreamed her whole life of using magic and joining the wizarding world. Unfortunately, it seems that she just doesn't have a connection to any of the Seven Schools of Magic. Until they learn of her amazing ability with plants and animals, and wouldn't you know, she's an Earth Mage. There hasn't been an Earth mage at the school for many years, and all the other schools think they're better than the earth school, and so Jupiter feels alone and isolated as no one interacts with her, except for her talking cat Lilith. There is a lot of build-up to the big battle, and I wish there was more to the story rather than rushing the ending. I'm not sure if Mandanna is planning on making this a series, but I hope they do. I can see the similarities between Harry Potter and this book, but I like Jupiter as a character more than I liked Harry. The art is fun and full of color, and pulls the reader along with the story. This is a fun little story and a good graphic novel for students looking for magical materials.

Copy provided by publisher and NetGalley.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jupiter Nettle and the Seven Schools of Magic presents readers with a magical school and a winning character and her direct-speaking, sarcastic cat. Being in the graphic novel format, the story begins quickly with Jupiter failing to qualify for the Seven Schools of Magic. Having spent her life dreaming of attending the school, she's majorly disappointed. When the headmaster of the School of Earth Magic offers her a spot, she takes it, only to find she's the only student and her teacher is grumpy and unwelcoming. After being bullied and ignored, she leaves. But is it possible that dreams can look different than expected? And that she belonged more than she thought?

I found Jupiter a winning character and her cat a delight. Her knack with plants and animals is what lands her in the School of Earth Magic, but it takes her some time to realize just how valuable her gifts will be to the school. The art is bright and cheerful and bound to appeal to many young readers. Themes related to persistence, friendship, and courage to follow your dreams shine through in fun ways. Recommended.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This middle grade graphic novel is adorable! I great alternative to HP.

Jupiter has always wanted to attend the Seven Schools of Magic. Unfortunately, when she tests to join the school, her magic ability is very low. However, she did pass the Earth Magic test, and the Earth Mage accepts her as his apprentice. His only apprentice. While the other schools have lots of students, she's the only Earth magic student. Other students look down on Earth magic because it doesn't require magical ability. What it does require is a lot of sweat to work with the magical creatures and garden. When a bully gets under Jupiter's skin, she leaves the school. However, it turns out the school needs her now more than ever.

I loved Jupiter as well as her cat companion. I'm looking forward to reading more from this series! (At least, I'm hoping it will be a series!)

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5* rounded up. This was a beautifully illustrated and written graphic novel. Jupiter's story is incredibly relatable, from wanting something and not getting it, to being bullied and excluded, to wanting to hide the pain from your parents, to eventually finding yourself and your place. Jupiter really does go through it and the emotions are evident in both the words and illustrations. There's a happy ending to it all (the ending reminded me a bit of a scene in Amari and the Night Brothers) but that's not a bad thing at all. Highly recommend! Also, would love to see more books set in this world.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is the best part and Jupiter Nettle and her friends (and foes) are the second best with the ultimate message of hard work is hard work however it looks.

Jupiter has wanted to be a part of a magic school and thinks she'll be able to get into one of the seven schools- and when she does, she's disappointed that it's the earth school which actually doesn't require magic at all because honestly, Jupiter really doesn't have a handle on magic. But it's been her dream and she has a lovely mentor who has invited her into the school where she takes care of the unicorns and the plants only to discover that this is the lifeblood of making all of the other magic and magic schools run even when she's bullied. The power is in the perseverance and she doesn't win over the bullies.

It's an easy sell and sits in the category of awesome magic school stories.

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delightful and cozy graphic novel that is perfect for fans of fantasy books that take place at magical boarding schools. With beautiful illustrations by Pablo Ballesteros and a brilliant storyline by Sangu Mandanna, readers will connect with Jupiter's struggle to recognize the importance of her particular school in comparison to her peers. It ultimately captures the idea that every job is important in making a community successful even if some jobs seem more glamorous than others. With adventure, a mystery, magic, self-discovery, and friendship at the core of this story, this isn't one that you want to miss!