Skandar and the Spirit War (Paperback)

TAKE FLIGHT ON THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME  

BOY. RIDER. HERO. 

Skandar Smith is an enemy of the Island. Rex Manning has turned the Islanders against him.  

Skandar will need to put together a team of brave and loyal unicorn riders, including his sister Kenna, to defeat Rex’s evil plans. But saving the day won’t be that easy – he must also discover the origins of the Island’s elemental magic.  

Can Skandar be the hero one last time and save both the Island and the Mainland?  

 
GET READY FOR EPIC SKY BATTLES, DEADLY SECRETS AND FRIENDSHIPS THAT WILL LAST FOREVER. 

GO ALL IN and celebrate the National Year of Reading 2026 with these epic new editions of the international bestselling Skandar series, featuring brand new illustrated covers. 

Praise for the SKANDAR series: 

‘The most popular children’s fantasy hero since Harry Potter’ – Telegraph 
 

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief was WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022 and WINNER OF THE INDIE BOOK AWARDS 2023! 
 
*Skandar and the Chaos Trials was the Number 1 bestseller in the UK Nielsen Bookscan chart, 27th April 2024 

*Skandar and the Spirit War was the Children’s Number 1 bestseller in the UK Nielsen Bookscan Chart 30th August 2025 

About the Author

A.F. Steadman grew up in the Kent countryside, getting lost in fantasy worlds and scribbling stories in notebooks.

In 2019, she was awarded a distinction in a creative writing masters from the University of Cambridge.

Before focusing on writing, she worked in law, until she realised that there wasn’t nearly enough magic involved.

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief is her debut novel.