When Shad is invited to Alexandria Academy, expecting to learn alchemy, he's in for a shock discovering no one at the school remembers it at all! With evil necromancers shadowing the hallways, and bullies sitting on haunches ready to pounce, Shad's year at his new school has never been more bizarre.

This book was a joy to read, as sugary sweet as Kahem's baklava. I especially adored how much Shad loved his Lebanese identity, culture and his family. The descriptions of sweets and food left my mouth watering and stomach rumbling with every page I flipped.

Shad Hadid and the Alchemists of Alexandria is a beautiful, inventive and heartwarming story of finding and embracing one's roots. It felt like a warm embrace after an incredibly stressful year. I can easily see it becoming one of my comfort reads!

A solid middle-grade story. I appreciate the author's inclusion of his Arab heritage but I feel like some of the comedy moments sometimes lessened the emotional story beats.

A really fun new spin on the magic school story! Shad is a great main character-- relatable and and easy to root for, indefatigable and brave enough to stick up for himself. Alexandra Academy is a fascinating local and one that appealed to me immediately--full of magic and mysteries presented with a childlike sense of awe and wonder that is communicated to the reader very effectively. The story is fast-paced; it easily keeps your attention and propels your reading through to the very end. I read it in one sitting! The only downside: I have had a craving for knafeh since reading this that I just can't kick!

Hilarious and fast-paced, SHAD HADID turns the magic school trope on its head. Shad discovers he's an alchemist like his late father; he can take regular ingredients and turn them into something powerful. As with the baking he loves to do, he also enjoys experimenting with the recipes, sometimes leading to amazing results. However, when he heads to Alexandria Academy to learn more about alchemy at the behest of his mentor, the teachers deny it even exists. Moreover, even when he creates incredible spells right in front of his classmates, they seem to always forget about it a day later. Filled with humor and lots of yummy Lebanese food references, this MG takes us on a rollicking magical adventure as Shad does his best to uncover the mystery of Alexandria Academy.

This was very cute, fast-paced, and I'm sure super engaging for children! My only critique is that there could have been more depth in character and in the physical descriptions of the setting

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for allowing the chance to read this arc copy of this book.

Shad Hadid and the Alchemists of Alexandria was a wonderful book. It shows a twelve year old boy who was came to America from Lebanon with his father and now lives with his sick grandmother. He’s also being viciously bullied by kids. During one of these sessions, he learns that he’s not just a normal boy. Tragedy happens and Shad ends up in a special school where all is not what it seems.

Shad was a cool character. Despite his fear he stands up to his bullies and all the people that try to stop him. He’s also not perfect. He’s quick witted but struggles with school. He’s chubby and accepts that and doesn’t care what the other kids think.

I did enjoy the story. It was fun learning as he did what he needed to do. It had fast paced action that felt realistic despite the fantastical elements. I like that the character are diverse and each have their own uniqueness.

There were a couple of places that were a little difficult to follow. I may have been tired when I read them.

Other than that, I loved this story and I will definitely buy this book for the library’s collection. I would love to read the second book since the ending hints at one.

Thank you again NetGalley and HarperCollins.

This was such an original and engaging book! It was fun, exciting, heartfelt, and Shad is one of my new favorite heroes. I loved reading about his journey and felt so much for this kid. The book is rich with Lebanese culture, mythology, and food, and the writing is incredibly vivid and immersive. I can not wait to recommend this book to students and faculty alike!

OH MY GODDDDD!! This book was so much fun!! What a fresh, entertaining, action packed debut full of friendship, magic, mouthwatering pastries, and heartfelt moments! I enjoyed every second of it!

Shad is such a determined and strong protagonist! He goes through so much and even so keeps looking ahead and never gives up. His gang is a very fun one and I especially liked the bond he had with Sarah and Rey. The little bits of Lebanese(&arabic) culture sprinkled into it were insightful and the cuisine made my mouth water hahaha. The alchemy magic system gave the story a unique spin and the ending ties up things nicely and leaves enough for a future sequel. I think it's a wonderful debut and I can't wait to see what else Shad and his friends get up to! It deserves all the hype I'm sure it'll get among middle grade readers!!

Have you ever visited a bakery and been transported to a time where you knew all would go well? That’s how reading Shad Hadid felt like to me—a warm hug, the welcome after a long day, a satisfying cuddle with my dog.

From page one, Shad is fully formed and unafraid to be who he is. His journey was fast paced and satisfying—and left me not just hungry for baked goods, but for more.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

Shad Hadid was an enjoyable read. He discovers he’s an alchemist during the summer after school ends, and trains in secret under a master- who previously was the local sweetshop baker.
Alchemy was an interesting ‘magic’ system with a heavy relationship to cooking. Alchemy isn’t magic, it’s science. He discovers he’s from a long line of Alchemists and needs to go to the Academy for an official education. The shock is, on the way there it seems like no one knows what the Academy is.. and they don’t study magic or talk about it at all. It’s on Shad to figure out what’s going on and save his fellow alchemists— even if they don’t remember what alchemy is!
Shad explores alchemy through his relationship with cooking for his beloved grandma. Shad deals with some heavy themes, loss, abandonment and some common ones, bullying (sadly) and, friendship. The mysteries will keep you turning the pages to figure out what the heck is going on at this academy. Don’t miss out in Shad.

SHAD HADID AND THE ALCHEMISTS OF ALEXANDRIA is a fun and very clever dventure with a big, sweet and kind heart. Shad's adventure takes him from discovering his ancestral talent for alchemy to the Alexandria Academy where he uncovers the nefarious plotting of the necromancers. It's left to this kind-hearted hero with a talent for baking (and alchemy) to save the school with the help of his friends all-the-while getting around bullies intent on taking him down.
Funny, fun and exciting, lucky are the MG readers who will have this book soon

Thank you to HarperChildren's for the E-Arc.

What worked:
Shad moved with his father to the United States from Lebanon, so the Arabic culture is a big part of the story. Shad lives with his grandma, his Teta, since his father, his Baba, died in a car accident. He stops by a local bakery daily to enjoy the delicious aromas and to watch the baker’s assistants make baklava and knafeh. Arabic food is often mentioned throughout the story, and Shad often uses Arabic words as exclamations. He uses the word fig as a form of swearing or as a derogatory term toward others. Other cultural terms are used, but readers should be able to use context to understand their meanings.
Bullies are an issue for Shad at home and at the school for alchemy. Part of his problem is the fact that he refuses to back down to them, and he won’t stand by while others are being bullied. Sarah is his main antagonist even though they’d been best friends a few years ago, until her parents told her to stop hanging out with an Arabic boy. She bullies him at school and on the street, and he doesn’t make things better with his verbal barbs and pranks. On Shad’s first day at the alchemy school, he steps in when he sees a girl being bullied and he takes the blame when another classmate makes an embarrassing comment about the dean. This demonstrates his moral character, but it makes him immediately known to everyone at the school, including the bullies. Unfortunately, Shad is shocked when a familiar bully from his past appears and is determined to make Shad’s life miserable, and dangerous.
The early part of the book sounds like many other middle-grade books as the main character discovers he has unknown abilities and attends a school for training. The twist this time is when Shad arrives and learns no one knows anything about alchemy. Basically, alchemy involves mixing ingredients to create elixirs, powders, and other concoctions. It’s supposedly not magic, but the alchemist’s thoughts and intentions provide the final element to finalize the creation. The essence of the plot is how necromancers are trying to eliminate all alchemists from existence if they don’t share the necromancer’s evil objectives. They want to create an elixir to give eternal life and raise the original necromancer, but they can’t figure out the final ingredient or the measurements. Of course, Shad is the only one with that knowledge, so danger awaits him in the shadows wherever he goes.
What didn’t work as well:
Some “battle” scenes are harder to visualize/accept when characters are mixing ingredients to use as weapons or for defense. Can you picture combatants combining various ingredients while fighting is going on around them? Alchemy is like science and requires specific ingredients and measurements, but Shad often eyeballs the amounts of substitute compounds he uses. These concerns don’t affect the entertainment value of the book, but they just seem odd.
The Final Verdict:
Search for the good in an enemy. The concept of Shad attending a school for alchemy where no one has heard of it makes this story very imaginative. Shad’s an admirable protagonist, as his empathy, bravery, and determination drive him to succeed. I’m looking forward to the sequel, and I recommend you give this book a shot!

I got a free e-ARC through the author and Netgalley, this in no way affected this review.

Move over, Percy Jackson, because Shad Hadid just entered the building!

This book was so good and so funny! I don’t usually like to compare books, because each one is different, but I really feel like people who loved PJO will love Shad just as much! He’s such a funny main character and I loved reading the story through his eyes!

I feel like there could have been a little more of a red thread throughout the book, because even though there was a main plot we were following, I did feel like some stuff that happened within the book was just meant to be filler moments.

Also, there were a lot of names to keep track of in the beginning which was a bit confusing at times and I feel like we didn’t need that many characters to keep the story going.

But nevertheless, I really enjoyed this book and I can see this becoming one of my new favourite middle grade series!

Shad Hadid and the Alchemists of Alexandria is an inventive, funny, and exciting adventure of a young alchemist discovering his powers in a land that has forgotten alchemy. When he’s sent to the Alexandria Academy, he stumbles upon a cabal of evil necromancers. Not only must he save the alchemical world, but he must also juggle bullied and making new friends. This story is a perfect blend of magic and heart.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced review. I felt like this was an immature version of Harry Potter. Sometimes I felt like crying, and other times I laughed out loud. Middle Eastern food and family traditions accompany some mentions of Arabian history. There is a lot of STEM in this high-tech Hogwarts-like school. Abuse, neglect, and loss are touched on. Middle schoolers would identify with this book, as the themes of friendship, bullying, and being true to oneself ring true. I appreciate that this was a clean novel without profanity or anything explicit, although the humor can be crude at times. The only flags are bullying and a side character mentioning his family does not accept him having crushes on other boys--the "gay" word is avoided. While not a total cliffhanger, I can see a sequel on the horizon. I would keep this in the classroom library.

This is a fun, diverse middle grade fantasy that is sure to appeal to a wide audience. The writing is extremely readable and witty. I also loved the cooking influences found throughout the book.

This is a charming, adventurous book I know my son would have adored! Shad Hadid is a great MG main character; I love his relationship with his grandmother. It was very funny and engaging; a book adults as well as kids can enjoy!!

When he’s not dodging bullies or cooking dinner for his beloved teta, 12-year-old Shad Hadid likes to hang out at the Arabic bakery—the only one in Maine—dreaming of opening his own someday. But a boy loitering in front of his shop window is bad for business, the baker grumps, before chasing Shad away again.

The two bond later, though, when the baker helps Shad fend off a shadowy monster in the alley behind the bakery. It turns out the baker is an alchemist who can combine ingredients into magical charms, potions and elixirs. Shad learns that his late father also was an alchemist and—holy cannoli—Shad’s one, too!

With the baker’s help, Shad, a Lebanese immigrant, soon is traveling to the prestigious Alexandria Academy, the world’s oldest school, to study alchemy. It’s a surprise, to say the least, when Shad finds none of his peers in the 2,223rd class seem to have even heard of alchemy. They believe they’re attending a top STEM school for gifted students, and let’s just say school hasn’t been Shad’s top priority back home. (The novel doesn’t name the desert country where the school is located. Based on his commute, Shad’s roommate guesses they’re in Jordan.)

Unfortunately, compared to his Portland middle school, the Academy’s bullies are meaner and more plentiful, including Shad’s obnoxious stepbrother. Even worse, those shadowy monsters—necromancers—are eager to “convince” Shad to enable their evil plan on the night of the science fair. If Shad cooperates, they’ll spare the lives of his friends and family, but what kind of world would be left?

Debut author George Jreije, also a Lebanese-American, has crafted a thrilling, fast-paced adventure that spotlights Arabic food and culture, alchemy (science + magic + imagination), family, and friendship. As Shad tries to figure out what’s going on, the mysteries pile up.

The story offers a delightful juxtaposition of old and new. The Academy is housed in a sprawling castle that was once known as the Library of Alexandria, the world’s first library. Its 2.7 million volumes include ancient texts from the original collection, believed to have burned in the Second Century. Moreover, only descendants of the school’s original founders are invited to study there. On the other hand, the school abounds with futuristic tech. In gym, students play brutal games of simulated dodgeball, at least one student uses a floating wheelchair, and robo roosters with sharp teeth patrol the halls after curfew.

Middle grade readers will giggle at the abundant fart jokes. (Not to mention the stink bombs, the Vomit Charm, and Diarrhea Mist.) The book is funny and, also, genuinely moving. Shad is sweet and generous, clever and loyal. It’s fun to watch him draw upon his grandmother’s cooking lessons—especially in improvising and substituting ingredients—to excel in alchemy. Despite doubts and feeling like an outsider his entire life, Shad continues to show up as his authentic self—and he encourages and inspires his small band of new friends, including one of his former bullies, to do the same. Readers will cheer this brave hero with a big heart.

This is a fun, OwnVoices novel that celebrates culture, magic, family, and friendship. Even though the main premise is saving magic from the hands of necromancers, it touches on a number of topics relevant to today's youth: stepparents/siblings, the loss of a family member, bullying, and the general awkwardness of trying to fit in and make friends at school.

What I think makes this book extra special is that the main protagonist, Shad, is originally from Lebanon (living in Maine). This introduces a whole new setting for promoting cultural awareness. A great, modern representation of an often under-represented culture.

Great pacing. Fun and diverse characters. Lots of action and magic.

A special thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"An imagination like yours can get you into trouble."

Shad Hadid is a 12 year old many of my students will identify with. Being raised by a grandparent because of unfortunate events with his parents, Shad takes care of Teta as much as she takes care of him. Lots of alone time allows him to discover his strengths as well as his weaknesses. He doesn't have the easiest time making friends and he realizes he's not the strongest student. Despite all this, he's chosen to attend the Alexandria Academy.

Alongside Shad at the academy is his former friend/current bully. Will they finally put aside their differences or is her spot at the bully table permanent? Shad has much to discover, for instance what is his family connection to the academy, how to make and maintain friendships, and why doesn't anyone at this school know what alchemy is?

Jreije does a phenomenal job using humor and action to keep the reader invested in what happens to Shad. I look forward to learning more about Sarah, Rey and the rest of Shad's friends.