List

The hope spread by the Firebird Song was supposed to change everything. Although nature has returned to balance, the Kingdom of Lyrica suffered for too long, and remains afraid. Worse yet, Princess Calliope has begun to hear sounds--horrible shrieks and cries from across the sea that keep her awake at night--and she seems to be the only one hearing them. How can she lead her kingdom if everyone is so afraid?

When Calliope's friend Ilsbeth is kidnapped, Calliope and the Bargeboy, Prewitt, embark on a secret quest to save her--but before she can rescue her friend, Calliope must find the confidence to act like the Queen she knows she is destined to be.

This imaginative, heart-warming tale brings truths of our own world to the surface, and shows readers that out of sorrow emerges joy, out of fear arises courage.

A heart-rending novel-in-verse about a girl who must come to terms with the sudden death of her best friend.

Eleven-year-old April Jackson loves playing the drums, almost as much as she loves her best friend, Zee, a violin prodigy. They both dream of becoming professional musicians one day. When Zee starts attending a new school that will nurture his talent, April decides it’s time for her to pursue her dreams, too, and finally take drum lessons. She knows she isn’t very good to start, but with Zee’s support, she also knows someday she can be just as good as her hero, Sheila E., and travel all around the world with a pair of drumsticks in her hand.

When the unthinkable happens and Zee suddenly passes away, April is crushed by grief. Without Zee, nothing is the way it’s supposed to be. Zee's Dad isn't delivering the mail for his postal route like he should. April's Mom is suddenly dating someone new who is occupying too much space in their lives. And every time April tries to play the drums, all she can think about is Zee.

April isn't sure how to move on from the awful feeling of being without Zee. Desperate to help Papa Zee, she decides to secretly deliver the mail he’s been neglecting. But when on her route she discovers a classmate in trouble, she doesn’t second guess what she knows is the right thing to do.

This laugh-out-loud middle-grade novel follows thirteen-year-old Will— who hates hockey and loves dancing—as he navigates school, bullies, and his father’s expectations.

Will is a Canadian eighth grader who hates hockey—and he stinks at it, too. Will is bullied at school, doesn’t have any friends, and is generally miserable.

When Will's seventeen-year-old hockey-star cousin, Alex, arrives to stay with Will’s family, Will and Alex quickly realize they can't stand each other. Then Will stumbles into a local dance school. He fights the urge to cha-cha, but he's good! When Will’s dad finds out about the dancing, he basically forbids it. And Alex’s dad refuses to listen to what Alex wants to do with his life.

Will takes readers on a journey through noogies, awkward conversations, and epic farts. He worries, dances, and makes messes. Filled with humor, nuance, and emotion, this novel asks what makes a family and what makes a man.
 

The Amadeuses were always considered somewhat strange. Even before the incident.

When six-year-old Beatrice Willoughby vanished at the Amadeuses’ annual All Hallows Eve party, people in the tiny mountain town of Nevermore were quick to whisper: They were always odd. Their house is full of dark magic. And when Mort Amadeus was pegged for the crime, the Amadeuses, once the center of society, retreated. They closed their doors, disappeared from life. People almost forgot. Until thirteen years later, when six envelopes land at the doorstep of six households in town: We cordially invite you to a celebration on the 31st of October this Saturday evening at the Amadeus household.

So begins the mystery of who was really responsible for the missing girl thirteen years ago. Was it Duchess von Pelt, whose face no one has ever seen? Mrs. Raven, the keeper of the local inn? Wormwood, the Amadeuses’ mysterious caretaker? Dr. Foozle, the town pharmacist? Count Baines, who seems to know when unlucky things are about to happen? Judge Ophelius, who presided over Beatrice’s case originally? Mr. and Mrs. H, a couple who no one can ever quite remember? Or somehow, might precocious, eleven-year-old Dewey and his storytelling dad, Chaucer, be somehow mixed up in all this?

The guests must work together to identify the guilty party among them over the course of the evening—but beware the ticking clock, because at midnight, everything is going to change! Told from different perspectives, this is a sly, darkly funny mystery. Filled with strange characters and set in a mansion deep, deep in the woods. G. Z. Schmidt has crafted an unforgettable puzzle, perfect for reading on a dark autumn night.

Nominated for the Louisiana Reader's Choice Award

When the rules no longer apply, how do you keep your head in the game?

Wyatt has a three-part Plan for Life, and it starts now, at the beginning of seventh grade, with tryouts for his local travel baseball team. A biracial kid in a mostly white town, he’s always felt like a bit of an outsider. The baseball field is the only place where he feels like he truly belongs. If he can just make the team, everything else will fall into place: school, friends, even his relationship with his often-distant dad.

But after upsetting incidents at tryouts, something inexplicable happens: wisps of smoke form around Wyatt.

As Wyatt tries to figure out what’s causing this mysterious smoke and how to control it, he discovers it’s connected to a painful family history. The more he learns, the more Wyatt begins to question the rules he’s always followed to fit in. With tensions rising at school and on the field, can he face the injustices of the past while keeping his cool in the present?

Set in the world of New York Times bestseller Seraphina, a boy on the run from a dragon—among other dangers—seeks refuge in a haunted abbey in this wholly original ghost story about what haunts us, and what connects us.

A few things to know about the town of St. Muckle’s: It’s too out-of-the-way to interest greedy lords, and too damp and muddy for marauding dragons to burn. And anyone, from a humble serf to a runaway nun, may earn their freedom by living for a year and a day within the town walls. Seven years ago, Charl and his mother fled to St. Muckle’s and made it their safe-haven, building a new life in this so called Peasant’s Paradise. But when Charl sees something impossible—a ghost—soon the embers of his past are threatening to engulf his world in flame. A tragic accident is quickly followed by murder, a deadly plague, and a mercenary dragon. 

Charl manages to escape to an abandoned abbey outside of town, but finds no safety within those ruined walls. A treacherous nun, a chorus of murdered girls, and the fearsome Battle Bishop await, ready to ensnare him in a complex web of history, magic and fate. For some things should never be forgotten, however much they haunt us, and Charl will need all his wisdom and resiliency if he is to fight for the world he knows…and the people he calls home.

Discover more critically-acclaimed fantasy from Rachel Hartman!
Seraphina
Shadow Scale
Tess of the Road

Part mystery, part fantasy-adventure, part riveting real-life disaster, this deft tale-within-a-tale blends the history of the 1980 Lake Peigneur drilling accident with a fateful quest for pirate treasure.

When thirteen-year-old Junius Leak--expert on waterbodies and creator of the encyclopedic Amazing Waterbodies of the World--steps foot on Uncle Spot's rickety dock on Lake Peigneur, the truth assails him: he may love waterbodies, but that doesn't mean they love him back. The latest in a long line of Junius Leaks, he's the first to be doomed to ten days of awkwardness and boredom on a houseboat with a relative he doesn't know while his parents "work on" their marriage. Delcambre, Louisiana, where Junius was born, is awash with unwelcome surprises. He determines to learn why his mom left town when he was a baby--and to conquer his fear of water at the same time. But the lake has other plans for him, plans tied to a hundred-year-old family feud and a swashbuckling mystery. When disaster strikes, Junius must dive deep within to emerge an unlikely hero. Alternating viewpoints spin the perceptions of a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)--and the wry voice of a lake with a long memory--into an inventive tale of sunken treasure and buried secrets anchored by a dramatic true event.

A powerful debut novel in verse about a neurodivergent seventh grader who dreams of traveling to the stars one day.

“This story is about a boy who is certain of his own magic in the midst of the doubtful adults around him. A kid who knows not even the sky, but the stars are the limit. Which makes Paulino's debut...extraordinary.” —Jason Reynolds, author of National Book Award finalist Look Both Ways and Newbery Honor Book Long Way Down

Seventh grader Alex's favorite things to do are watching YouTube videos of rocket launches with his Papi and spending hours on the NASA website reading about astronauts and planets. He even dreams of going to space one day himself, and knows he'll have to study hard in order to get there.

But Alex is in his grade's SC (self-contained) classroom, which means doing the same dull worksheets every day and reading books his sister read back in the third grade. Worst of all, being in SC means nobody thinks he's ready to join Ms. Rosef's mainstream science class—the class Alex knows will be the first step on his path to NASA.

When his teacher says "not yet" for the millionth time, Alex decides it's time to make a change. Now he's ready to try everything he can to get the people in his life—his teachers, his parents, and the kids at school—to understand that he, Alex Ramirez, is capable of the extraordinary.

In this timely contemporary middle grade novel from award-winning author Elissa Brent Weissman, two girls find their private struggles against their influencer mothers going very public

Quiet, introverted Hadley and rough-around-the-edges Willow have one big main thing in common: both their moms have gained a huge online following sharing every detail of their lives. Hadley’s mom—Phoebe of @PhoebeAndJay fame—loves to share all the terrible, down and dirty bits about raising kids while Willow’s mom Rosalind at the up-and-coming @MoonbeamsAndMarigold basks in the glow of motherhood. 

If getting all her life's moments (including an almost decade old viral potty training video) shared online isn't enough, Hadley’s starting a new school in a new neighborhood and desperately trying to keep her mom’s identity a secret while Willow is struggling with a recent life-changing announcement from her mom who, it turns out, is not getting out of the influencer world anytime soon. 

As the two girls build a friendship on a private Instagram page and share the pains of having a momfluencers, they come up against the same question—how long will they have to share their lives with everyone?

In this exhilarating alien sci-fi adventure perfect for fans of Jordan Peele’s Nope, Lamar Giles and Kwame Mbalia, twin brothers must stop aliens from taking over their Atlanta suburb.

There’s something weird going on in South Bank…and the Young brothers are at the center of it.

Cypress and Oakley Young are polar opposites and if it weren’t for being identical twins, no one would ever guess they were related. Cy is a budding film director and this summer, he’s filming his latest movie at the abandoned theme park with Oak and their best friend Jaz as his actors. He loves directing, because being the director means calling the shots, being in absolute control of how the story turns out. Except Oak’s wild imagination can’t be contained. Tired of hearing about his brother’s dreams and alien conspiracy theories, Cy snaps at him. But before he can patch things up, Oak vanishes into Owl Rock, this huge otherworldly granite formation at the center of the park, leaving only his skateboard behind.

When Orion Industries, the company that’s been excavating beneath Owl Rock and snapping up property all around town, start searching for Oak with a little too much interest, it’s up to Cy and Jaz to find Oak first and uncover the true secrets of Owl Rock. This heartening whirlwind adventure is ready to thrill as two brothers discover we’re not alone in the universe.

Meet Cat Douglas—monster hunter. A historical fantasy adventure set in Scotland and the first in a series by award-winning author Jane Yolen.

With engaging graphic novel inserts, 8-11-year-olds will travel to historical 1880s Scotland, a land in desperate need of monster hunters in this new adventure.

Cat Douglas is a monster hunter, and in the 1880s, the Scottish countryside is filled with monsters. In Ansthruther, one of the oldest villages of Fife, you can see small sea dragons swimming by looking like small Viking ships, but never anything bigger. . . until now.

When Maggie McGonagal races up to the schoolhouse screaming she’s seen a dragon, everyone is sure it is a trick of her imagination. But what if it’s real? What if a sea dragon has gotten beyond the wall that protects the village? The local chapter of a Scottish monster-hunting society called the Royal and Ancient, must prepare for battle, including Cat, who is new to the society, and will be the bait for the sea dragon!

Join Cat and her friends as they adventure through a fantastical and historical Scotland in this first installment of the Sea Monsters series. Graphic novel panels are interspersed throughout the novel, making it an engaging read and the three books in the series have collectible posters meant to be pieced together to create one big poster.

In the spirit of Lauren Wolk and Ruta Sepetys comes the tale of a girl fighting her way back home after surviving the sinking of the Lusitania—and learning to think for herself rather than accept the prejudice of wartime.

The year is 1915 and the world is at war. Marta and her father are passengers on the Lusitania, desperately trying to get back home to Germany. While aboard, they must keep their identities hidden or risk being mistaken for enemy spies. Then the Lusitania is attacked by a German submarine. They just make it off the sinking ship, but her father is discovered and detained. Marta suddenly finds herself alone in enemy land.

To survive, Marta must draw upon a deep well of bravery she never knew she had. Fortunately, she meets Clare, a young Irish girl who can talk a mile a minute, and her kind family. Believing that Marta is a Dutch refugee, they welcome her into their home. She can't risk letting her new friends know she's actually from Germany—the very nation that the Irish and English are fighting against. But could these people who have shown her nothing but kindness truly be her enemy? 

Sweeping from the Irish Sea to a cathedral city in England, this story shows us that friendship, especially in times of war, may be the greatest gift of all.

An exciting and twisty middle-grade debut mystery novel--perfect for fans of From the Desk of Zoe Washington and The Parker Inheritance--about the disappearance of a famous magician, and one boy's quest to find the truth

Spending the summer with his aunt as the only Black kid in a small Midwestern town was bad enough, but now Andy Carter's summer has been effectively ruined. His dad's parole hearing is postponed, he misses his friends, and--when an old barn burns down--he's stuck taking the blame.

Andy is sentenced with helping the barn's owner, a cantankerous old man, renovate his crumbling mansion--a mansion that hides a mystery. It was once owned by the famous magician the Red Nave. In 1954, the Nave was a wanted suspect in the town's most infamous murder before disappearing without a trace.

The whole town is sure the Red Nave is guilty, but to Andy, things just don't add up. Investigating a mystery from the '50s isn't the same as spending time with his dad, but Andy can't help but be drawn into the Red Nave's exciting world of magic and illusion. To solve the Nave's final vanishing act, Andy teams up with another boy he doesn't quite trust. Secret by secret, they try to uncover the Red Nave's identity and learn why his last performance came to such a tragic end.

With a gripping combination of hidden doors, shocking twists, and deep emotional heart, Smoke & Mirrors asks the question: How much of the truth is what you can get people to believe?

An instant #1 New York Times bestseller!

A brand new magical fantasy series from bestselling author Anna James, filled with seasonal magic and exciting adventure, starring twins Juniper and Rafferty as they brave their new magical abilities, grown from the changing seasons. Perfect for fans of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief, Impossible Creatures, and Greenwild!

In Whetherwhy, everyone has magic inside them–grown from the changing seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. But a rare few are Enchanters: people born with magic in their bones, who can wield all four seasons of magic.

When Juniper discovers she is an Enchanter, she must leave behind everything she knows to begin studying at the Thistledown Academy. And when her twin brother, Rafferty, begins an apprenticeship at a nearby bookbinder to be close to her, he too has adventures of his own.

As Juniper learns how to wield enchantment and hone her magic, Rafferty becomes involved with a mysterious secret society that meets after dark. Monsters are creeping out of the shadows and dangers lurk in unexpected places. Amid night markets and magic lessons, the twins realize there is more to enchantment than they ever imagined. And when dangerous monsters attack, the adventure that follows brings Juniper's and Rafferty's paths together again in ways they could never have expected . . .

Praise for Chronicles of Whetherwhy: the Age of Enchantment:

"Fans of the magic school genre will enjoy this series opener." --Kirkus reviews

"An enchanting exploration of a new magical world anchored in family and friendship." --Booklist

"An enthralling adventure shining with enchantment."--Pari Thomson, author of Greenwild

“A tale brimming with magic and mystery . . . Sings out an exuberant celebration of the power of nature and the magic in all of us."–TAMZIN MERCHANT, author of The Hatmakers

“A magical world full of wonder. An irresistible tale that will leave readers of all ages enchanted and entranced."–KATIE TSANG, author of Dragon Mountain

In this dystopian middle-grade novel, a climate change disaster forces humanity to flee as Earth's atmosphere escapes into space.

Narrated by siblings Nick and Lily, the story follows their resourcefulness in aiding neighbors. Nick's digging prowess and Lily's strategic planning become vital as oxygen diminishes. Nick unveils a hidden tunnel connecting houses, forming a lifesaving network as breathable air dwindles. Lily crafts a communication system with walkie-talkies and baby monitors to share critical information. A frantic race ensues to complete the tunnels before food and oxygen become scarce, a tense battle for survival in a world teetering on the brink.

The instant New York Times bestseller!

*This stunning edition features sprayed edges. While supplies last!*

Mega bestselling and award-winning author Tiffany D. Jackson (The Weight of Blood; White Smoke) makes her thrilling middle-grade debut with a can't-put-it-down murder mystery set on Martha's Vineyard. R.L. Stine, bestselling author of Goosebumps, says, "Don't miss this one!"

This summer, beware of sharks...

Brooklyn girl Kaylani McKinnon feels like a fish out of water. She's spending the summer with family friends in their huge house on Martha's Vineyard, and the vibe is definitely snooty. Still, there are beautiful beaches, lots of ice cream, and a town full of fascinating Black history. Plus a few kids her age who seem friendly.

Until the shocking death of a popular teenage boy rocks the community to its core. Was it a drowning? A shark attack? Or the unthinkable--murder?

Kaylani is determined to solve the mystery. But her investigation leads her to uncover shocking secrets that could change her own life as she knows it... if she survives.

New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson makes her thrilling middle-grade debut with this heart-pounding mystery packed with twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the end.