Author Gregory Maguire, whose definitive 1995 novel inspired the Broadway phenomenon and the recent Universal blockbuster starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, is returning to the Land of Oz with a prequel novel, per deadline.com.
This new volume will explore the early life and origins of the Good Witch, Galinda.
Titled “Galinda: A Charmed Childhood,” the HarperCollins book is set for release on September 29, 2026.
Billed as a “sister volume” to the No. 1 New York Times-bestselling Elphie: A Wicked Childhood – which, naturally, explored the origins of the Wicked Witch – Galinda promises to tell the true tale of the girl “behind the bubbly, shallow cliché.”
•The preliminary cover for ‘Galinda: A Charmed Childhood’/ HarperCollinsThe official synopsis offers a glimpse into her privileged, yet complex, upbringing: “The youngest of four children in a high-born family down on their luck, Galinda is both pampered and ignored. Her natural grace promises to elevate her in the district dance competitions—but these efforts distract her from seeing the growing resentments of local merchants who disapprove of her family’s business strategies. Enmired in the self-satisfactions and unnamed timidities of childhood, Galinda finds in herself neither canniness nor the need to cultivate it. However, as her father deftly pivots around the snares and nets laid for him by his competitors, Galinda begins to dance toward a life that might lift her above her proud, if hardscrabble, childhood.”
Per the publisher, William Morrow, limited deluxe hardcover editions are currently available for pre-order, featuring stencilled edges and designed endpapers, as long as supplies last.
The news of Maguire’s return comes hot on the heels of the spectacular cinematic success of Wicked: For Good, the second film in the Universal adaptation, which achieved an opening of $147 million domestically and $223 million worldwide, beating several records set by its predecessor, last year’s Wicked.
Although stars Grande and Erivo have seemingly completed their turns as Galinda and Elphaba, Universal Chief Marketing Officer Michael Moses has indicated that the studio is already planning for a potential Oz-related cinematic universe.
“Because of Wicked’s success but also the fanship, we have almost a responsibility to figure out how we can continue in this universe,” Moses told Vulture. “Have we figured it out yet? No. But there are things underway.”
Wicked 2 notably featured brief glimpses into Galinda’s childhood, perhaps foreshadowing this literary exploration. In one memorable early birthday scene, Galinda receives a wand but finds she cannot perform a spell, lying that a chance rainbow was the result of her “magical prowess.” Her parents then dismiss her fears, encouraging her to focus instead on her “innate charms and smile.”
•Featured image: Gregory Maguire/Getty Images
