TAKE FLIGHT ON THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME  

BOY. RIDER. HERO. 

Skandar Smith just wants to train to be a rider. But when the Island’s unicorns are struck by a terrible curse and the Commodore of Chaos refuses to investigate, it is up to Skandar and his friends to be the heroes the Island needs. 

Can they stop the curse before it’s too late?  

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.