My Books

So far I have published two YA novels, Worlds of Ink and Shadow and Witchlanders. My first middle-grade novel, Wicked Nix, is just out and has been nominated for a MYRCA Sundogs Award, a Diamond Willow Award, a Silver Birch Express Award and was named one of the best children’s books of the year by CBC Books!

Wicked Nix is a rare and wonderous book. Equal parts mischievous and poignant–this story is destined to linger in the hearts of all readers lucky enough to discover its magic. Easily the best fairy story I’ve read in years.
— Jonathan Auxier, NYT bestselling author of The Night Gardener

 

Wicked Nix
Amulet Books (US); Harper Collins Canada (Canada); Abrams & Chronicle Books (UK)
Hardcover, 112 pages
ISBN 979-1-41972869-3

Mischievous woodland fairy Nix is up to no good. His beloved fairy queen has gone away, leaving him with a very important job: He must protect the forest from a most dangerous enemy—humans.

When a determined invader trespasses on his territory, Nix’s skills are put to the test as he invents several wicked tricks to chase the sorry fellow away. But when his efforts don’t go quite according to plan, it becomes clear that this intruder—and this sprite—may not be at all what they seem.

This gorgeous new fairytale by acclaimed author Lena Coakley, with illustrations by rising illustration star Jaime Zollars, explores the timeless bonds of family and the joy of finding home in unexpected places.

More about Wicked Nix here, including reviews, author blurbs, and awards!
Worlds of Ink and Shadow
An ingenious premise and a richly drawn cast of characters make for an eerie and compelling read in this fantastical origin story of the Bronte siblings.

— Kenneth Oppel, author of Silverwing and Airborne

Worlds of Ink and Shadow
Amulet Books (US); Harper Collins Canada (Canada); Abrams & Chronicle Books (UK)
Hardcover, 352 pages
ISBN-10: 1443416592
ISBN-13: 978-1443416597
 Grades 7 and up.
From Goodreads:

Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne. The Brontë siblings have always been inseparable. After all, nothing can bond four siblings quite like life in an isolated parsonage out on the moors. Their vivid imaginations lend them escape from their strict upbringing, actually transporting them into their created worlds: the glittering Verdopolis and the romantic and melancholy Gondal. But at what price? As Branwell begins to slip into madness and the sisters feel their real lives slipping away, they must weigh the cost of their powerful imaginations, even as their characters—the brooding Rogue and dashing Duke of Zamorna—refuse to let them go.

Gorgeously written and based on the Brontës’ juvenilia, Worlds of Ink & Shadow brings to life one of history’s most celebrated literary families.

More about Worlds of Ink and Shadow

Exquisite storytelling plus atmospheric worldbuilding equals one stunning teen debut. Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Read the full review here.

Witchlanders
Atheneum (S&S), Fall 2011
Hardcover, 416 pages
ISBN-10: 1442420049
ISBN-13: 9781442420045
Grades: 7 and up

 

High in their mountain covens, red witches pray to the Goddess, protecting the Witchlands by throwing the bones and foretelling the future.

It’s all a fake.
At least, that’s what Ryder thinks. He doubts the witches really deserve their tithes—one quarter of all the crops his village can produce. And even if they can predict the future, what danger is there to foretell, now that his people’s old enemy, the Baen, has been defeated?
But when a terrifying new magic threatens both his village and the coven, Ryder must confront the beautiful and silent witch who holds all the secrets. Everything he’s ever believed about witches, the Baen, magic and about himself will change, when he discovers that the prophecies he’s always scorned—
Are about him.