Gregory Maguire Releasing WICKED Prequel 'Galinda: A Charmed Childhood' in 2026

Gregory Maguire, author of the novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, will release his new book Galinda: A Charmed Childhood in the fall of 2026.

The prequel novel tells the origin story of the title character, serving as a companion to 2025's Elphie: A Wicked Childhood, which, likewise, was set during the early days of Elphaba's life. Though plot details are being kept under wraps, the book totals 256 pages, with the initial release of Galinda being a deluxe limited edition with stenciled edges and special endpapers. Hitting shelves on September 29, 2026, the book is available for pre-order now here.

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West was first published in 1995 and was made into a global phenomenon of a musical in 2003. Maguire followed up the novel with several sequels, including Son of a Witch, A Lion Among Men, and Out of Oz. Last December, during the film's theatrical run, the novel reached #1 on The New York Times Best Seller list for the week of December 15, a prestigious honor for a book title. 

Wicked: For Good, the second part of the movie adaptation of the musical is now in theaters and stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Ethan Slater as Boq, and Marissa Bode as Nessarose. Get tickets to see Wicked: For Good in theaters and check out critics' reviews here.

The first part was released on November 22, 2024, and received 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande nominated for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively. The film won 2 awards at the ceremony: Best Costume Design and Best Production Design.