First published in 1983, So You Want to Be a Wizard is a young adult fantasy novel written by American author Diane Duane. It is the first book of the long-running series known as Young Wizards consisting of ten more novels. The sequel to the novel is Deep Wizardry (1985) and the most current book is Games Wizards Play (2016).
The novel delves into the themes of redemption and sacrifice while exploring elements of science fiction, magic, and religion. It focuses on the young girl, Nita, who encounters a book on becoming a wizard in a library in New York City. She meets with another young protagonist, Kit, with the ability to access magic and the hidden world. They embark on a journey to the alternate world for their initiation where they find out about the impending danger. Managing to perform certain spells they summon an intelligent entity that informs them of the bright Book. Nita and Kit find out about the Lone Power, the evil force that can destroy the city with a shadow book that exists. They have to flee from the cosmic force and its minions while attempting to save the world from destruction.
The story explores the journey of two young characters whose lives have been changed by the discovery of magic. They have to cope with the existential threats, magical powers, and responsibilities of the adult world. The twelfth book in the series is also in the works with the title Wizardry in Shadow.
