A Wizard of Earthsea

Who it's for

Ged's pride leads him to release a shadow that nearly destroys him, and readers ashamed of a mistake made while trying to prove themselves recognize the cost of that moment.

Feelings it meets

• Shame
• Coming of Age
• Perfectionism
• Identity
• Regret

What it is

Ursula K. Le Guin's 1968 fantasy novel follows Ged, a boy from the island of Gont with great natural magical power who is apprenticed to the mage Ogion and later attends the school for wizards on Roke. Driven by rivalry with another student, Jasper, he attempts a spell to raise the spirit of a legendary dead woman, and it instead releases a shadow creature that attacks him.

Where to find it

In print (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt / Puffin); widely available from libraries (Libby/Hoopla) and as an audiobook. Not public domain. An illustrated edition (Charles Vess) exists.

Before you start

Heads up: A child's death from illness.

Age: Ages 12+

She had wandered, without rule or guidance, in a moral wilderness;Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter