Leon, čarobnjakov učenik

Leon is a twelve-year-old boy from a Zagreb neighborhood who hates school, loves video games, and dreams of becoming a hero like those from his favorite RPGs. One rainy afternoon, while running away from class, he accidentally enters an old bookstore “At the Magic Pen” and meets a strange old man there – Mr. Erazmo, who introduces himself as the last true wizard in Croatia.

Erazmo is looking for a successor because the end of his life is approaching, and ancient magic is disappearing from the world. After several funny and dangerous tests (including an encounter with talking crows and floating books), Leon is chosen as his student. He receives a magic yew wand and his first spell – “Ignis parva” (a small flame), with which he immediately accidentally sets his neighbor’s cat on fire (fortunately, only its tail).

The story follows Leon’s education in the secret “Wizard Academy” located under Zagreb’s Upper Town. There he meets other young sorcerers: the brave Sara who masters weather spells, the timid genius Tino and the flamboyant girl Luna from Dubrovnik. Together, they must prevent the return of the dark wizard Blackbeard, who was locked in a book 400 years ago, and is now freed because children are losing faith in magic.

The novel is full of humor (Leon constantly confuses Latin spells and says "Expelliarmus" instead of "Revelio"), but also serious moments about friendship, responsibility and preserving imagination. The most tense part is the final battle on the roof of the cathedral where Leon, instead of a powerful spell, wins with faith in himself and his friends.