Ages 8–14  ·  5 Book Series
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A secret island. A lonely child. A magic the world has almost forgotten.

Five books, one epic journey ... Disappearing islands, ancient nature magic, and two kids who will cross worlds for each other. This is an adventure for parents who grew up on Narnia and Lord of the Rings, and for kids who love Warriors, Keeper of the Lost Cities, and Wings of Fire.

Start the journey on Amazon
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Press PLAY to listen to Indie's Theme, written and performed by Grace Hughes.
BOOK 1 – Begin the Series

Emerald Child

"Hughes has done a brilliant job crafting a story that will capture young fantasy lovers and their parents alike."
TRUTH ABOUT BOOKS
Indie has always been protected. She just didn't know what from. When a stranger named Kai arrives with a quest only she can complete, she has to choose between the safety of everything she knows and a truth she can't walk away from.
Buy on Amazon
My daughter was given the first book as a gift and she could not stop reading it. It is the first book she has picked up that she has not wanted to put down. She is overly excited about receiving the second book as well. Thanks! She told me to tell you your books inspire her to read.
—Lora, Atlanta, USA
Ages 8–14 · 220 pages · Independent readers and read-aloud.
Ages 8–14  ·  5 Book Series
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A secret island. A lonely child. A magic the world has almost forgotten.
Image

Five books, one epic journey ...

Disappearing islands, ancient nature magic, and two kids who'd cross any world for each other. For parents who grew up with Narnia and Lord of the Rings. For kids who love Keeper of the Lost Cities and Wings of Fire.

Start the journey on Amazon
BOOK 1 – Begin the Series

Emerald Child

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"Hughes has done a brilliant job crafting a story that no doubt will capture young fantasy lovers and their parents alike."

TRUTH ABOUT BOOKS
Indie has always been protected. She just didn't know what from. When a stranger named Kai arrives with a quest only she can complete, she has to choose between the safety of everything she knows and a truth she can't walk away from.
Buy on Amazon
Confident readers Year 4+ · Read-aloud Year 2+ · 220 pages
"My daughter was given the first book as a gift and she could not stop reading it. It is the first book she has picked up that she has not wanted to put down. She is overly excited about receiving the second book as well. Thanks! She told me to tell you your books inspire her to read." —Lora, Atlanta, USA

"This series is a wonderful addition to children's fantasy fiction… atmospheric and filled with spells, magic and ancient lore. My six-year-old daughter and I would read a chapter together at bedtime. However, I did end up reading the books after she was asleep as they're so engrossing."

—Reena Bilsen, Newy with Kids

Read the Whole Series

The Kalika Magic series follows Kai and Indie across five books, from a hidden island to a haunted desert and a lake of burning light. Each book is a complete adventure. Together, they're one journey of friendship, courage, and powerful nature magic.
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BOOK 2

The Shaman's Secret

An ancient magic. A broken land. A journey beyond this world.
Kai and Indie have faced dark magic before, but the mountains hold a different kind of power—older, stranger, and far less forgiving. The shaman who offers to guide them may be their only hope. He may also be the reason they don't come back.
“An engrossing tale of magic and mystery. The Shaman's Secret is well worth unlocking.”
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
Start the Series – Book 1
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BOOK 3

The Sorrow of the Waters

A dancing monkey. A dangerous wish. A dark forbidden road.
She was imprisoned on the Island of the Dead for good reason. One careless wish set her free. Now the land is breaking apart, the water spirits have lost their minds to grief, and the children they touch are left hollow and unreachable. Some mistakes cannot be undone. This one has to be.
"Loved the messages and mystical magic woven through the story. I couldn't put it down."
Lulu Trevena, ELEPHANT JOURNAL USA
Start the Series – Book 1
BOOK 4

The Howling Sands

An abandoned village. A furious firebird. A haunted desert land.
One hundred years ago, the mysterious Veladin people vanished into the earth. Now Kai and Indie must find them before their land is lost for good. The desert sands are shifting. Time is running out. Their only hope is a reckless wind spirit, but even the wind has secrets.
"Karen paints a detailed world of atmosphere, imagination and magical wonder. Readers will literally get swept away."
Romi Sharp, JUST WRITE FOR KIDS AUSTRALIA
Start the Series – Book 1
BOOK 5

Spark and Flame

A golden eagle. A song of grief. A lake of burning light.
A great battle is looming, the nature spirits have fled the land, and the children of Gort are trapped in the icy mountains where an ancient spell slowly drains their souls. To save them, Kai and Indie must go where no one else can—deep inside a living volcano.
"An extraordinary web of characters, complex worlds, the threat of impending battle and good vs. evil. No mean feat in terms of storytelling."
Brydie Wright, CHILDREN'S AUTHOR
Start the Series – Book 1
Start the Series – Book 1

Meet the Characters

The heroes and villains of the Kalika world

"Two hundred years ago, Kaosha, the Seeing Tree, warned that the land of Gort would face dark and terrible times. Gort would only be saved by the courage of her children." —from Uncle Paco's book

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Indie
Raised in safety. About to leave it behind.
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Kai
A friend by accident. Still learning his magic.
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Nima
Healing hands. A heart that wants too much.
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Jabar
Mountain-born. A long way from home.
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Willem
Tags along uninvited. Won't take the hint
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Grandma Helki
Knows the old ways. Has been waiting for this moment.
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Aunt Sofia
The aunt who raised her. The aunt who knows.
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Wizard Tenzel
A wizard with ambition. A master he won't name.
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About Karen Hughes

Karen Hughes grew up on a 6000-acre wheat and cattle station on the Liverpool Plains, climbing trees, paddling in the creek, and reading her way through Narnia, Middle Earth and Earthsea. She studied law and Asian cultures, and then practised as a lawyer in Canberra until she walked away from it to write.

Karen has trekked the Nepal Himalaya, explored the jungles of Thailand and Vietnam, and wandered the Scottish Highlands. Despite holding a doctorate in English and other degrees, she has never stopped believing that nature knows things universities don't.

The Kalika Magic series was born in the landscape that made her. As director of Ironbark Retreat and Hunter Valley Writers, she now takes other writers into wild places and watches the stories find them.

Start the journey on Amazon