Sona and the Golden Beasts

From Newbery Honor and Walter Award–winning author Rajani LaRocca comes a gripping middle grade fantasy perfect for fans of The Serpent’s Secret and The Last Mapmaker.

Though music is outlawed in the land of Devia, Sona hears it everywhere. Sona is a Malech, a member of the ruling class that conquered Devia centuries ago. Malechs forbade music to prevent the native Devans from using their magic, and Sona hides her abilities lest they put her in danger.

Then Sona discovers an orphaned wolf pup. She believes the pup, with its golden ears, might be related to one of the five sacred beasts of Devia, and she vows to keep it safe. That means bringing the pup in tow when Sona embarks on a perilous quest, along with a Devan boy, to secure the nectar of life for a loved one who has fallen gravely ill. On the journey, as Sona uncovers secrets about the Malechian empire and her own identity, she realizes that the fate of the sacred beasts, and the future of Devia, just might come down to her.

This captivating fantasy novel by award-winning author Rajani LaRocca will sweep readers into Sona’s quest across the land of Devia as she grapples with the lasting impact of colonial rule and learns to fight for what she knows is right. 

• Forbidden Music and Magic: In a land where the ruling empire has outlawed music to suppress magic, Sona can’t stop hearing it—a secret that could cost her everything.
• A Sacred Animal Companion: When Sona finds an orphaned wolf pup with golden ears, she realizes it’s one of Devia’s five sacred beasts and vows to protect it, no matter the danger.
• A Perilous Quest Adventure: To save a loved one, Sona must team up with a Devan boy and journey across the land to find the mythical nectar of life.
• A Coming of Age Story: As Sona grapples with the injustice of colonial rule, she uncovers devastating secrets about her own identity that will change her world forever.
• A Fight for Justice: This gripping fantasy adventure explores the legacy of colonialism, making it a perfect read for young fantasy fans and a great conversation-starter.

Rajani LaRocca was born in India, raised in Kentucky, and now lives in Massachusetts, where she practices medicine and writes award-winning books for young readers, including the Newbery Honor–winning novel in verse, Red, White, and Whole. She’s always been an omnivorous reader, and now she is an omnivorous writer of novels and picture books, fiction and nonfiction, in prose and poetry. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Medical School, she lives outside Boston with her family. Visit her at rajanilarocca.com.