The Lakeside Kids and the Magical Metamorphoses: Book One of the Lakeside Adventures

In magical America, the government implants wizards with microchips to regulate their magic and control their lives. Every citizen is tested for magical ability before high school, and those with the ability get sent to one of five specialized magical Academies.

The day James Clayden discovered he could cast magic was simultaneously the best and the worst day of his life. His family of staunch anti-magic purists disowned him and his girlfriend dumped him, but he would be attending the Lakeside Academy of Magic and Advanced Technology, the most prestigious of the five American Academies. Despite his upbringing, James had always secretly wanted to be a wizard, so he was both elated and devastated at the turn of events.

Life at the Academy surpassed all James's expectations. His more socially competent new roommate introduced him to several other students, and they all became fast friends. The robot chefs made better food than he'd ever had in his life. The library was exhaustive, and there were magics to read an entire book in an instant. On top of everything else, there was the actual learning and casting of magic.

Things at the Academy are not all they appear to be, though, as soon one of James's new friends is transformed into a tree through magic no one seems to know either how to cast or reverse. Soon, more students are lost to unexplained transformations, transformations they don't survive, and James and his friends set out to figure out who or what is behind these deaths. While navigating new relationships and confronting bullies, James has to discover the cause of these deaths before he or another of his friends fall victim to whatever is happening, or, worse, the Academy is closed.