If you have any questions about the specific queer representation in any of the books listed in this post, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment or send an email to jen@popgoesthereader.com. I’m more than happy to discuss this with you in greater depth to ensure you’re able to find the right book and representation for you!
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Publication Date January 28th 2025 by Amulet Books
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From award-winning author Chad Lucas comes an enthralling new story about a strange island where boys go missing — and the two boys intent on uncovering the truth about it
On Rhodenroode Island, a remote colony of the Homeland, there sits a Mission on the Hill, where boys are taken in and taught the ways of the faith.
Darian is the only trainee of his race there, and he doesn’t remember how he came to the Mission. All he remembers are brown hands and the belly of a ship. Life among the other boys and the cantankerous Brothers is not always easy, but Darian is determined to live up to the lofty calling the leaders of the Mission have laid out for him: that one day he will carry the Sacred Word to places it has yet to reach.
But when another trainee at the Mission disappears — the latest in a string of vanishings — Darian is determined to solve the mystery that begins to shake his faith in what he’s always been taught.
When he and his friend Micah sneak away from the Mission and head east to see what they can learn about the rebel sect supposedly responsible for the vanishings, they discover that the island holds far more secrets than they ever could have imagined — and somehow, they must save the other boys at the Mission from a danger that’s even greater than they realized.
Publication Date January 28th 2025 by Quirk Books
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A young apprentice fights to save an ancient grove of magical trees in this page-turning fantasy adventure, perfect for middle grade fans of Kelly Barnhill and Jessica Townsend.
Nick Sixsmith has spent her whole life on the road. The daughter of a traveling arborist, she moves from town to town with her mother, caring for the ironwood groves that people rely upon for survival. When a dangerous blight threatens these magical trees, the Sixsmiths must journey to the city of Mistwood for answers.
Nick can’t wait to explore everything Mistwood has to offer: the bustling markets, the neighborhoods nestled behind a roaring waterfall, and the vast ancestral grove of ironwood trees. But dark secrets simmer beneath the surface as people start to disappear and tensions in the city reach a boiling point.
As the mystery grows, Nick and her new friends must follow the trail where it leads them — underground, to a strange and enchanting place called Underhill. Only there, among the roots of the ancestral grove, will Nick find a way to save the ironwood trees and the city she’s come to love.
This immersive fantasy adventure combines vivid world-building with timely themes of environmentalism, and young readers will be riveted until the final page.
Publication Date January 28th 2025 by Sourcebooks Young Readers
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The female heirs of two opposing families must duel for guardianship of the land in this stunning fantasy adventure debut!
Merriment Feast’s life is one constant party, complete with dazzling gowns and delicious pastries. Everything is perfect…except for her aunt’s physically grueling training. Merri believes it’s her responsibility to protect her family’s traditions and the power they’ve held for generations.
Rue Famine knows that only Feasts benefit from Feast rule. As the heir of House Famine, she spends her days studying potion-making in an enormous, dusty library and learning how to use her magic to help others.
Custom dictates that the heirs of Feast and Famine must duel on their thirteenth birthday. Only one family can rule the land of Fauret, and Merri and Rue have been raised as rivals.
But as the contest draws near and dangers escalate, their true enemy may be a shared one…
Publication Date February 4th 2025 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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Perfect for fans of Skandar and Wilderlore, this “chilling page-turner” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) follows a magical apprentice in a land of ice and snow who must uncover why strange monsters are attacking his fellow apprentices…or else suffer the tragic consequences.
Tundra is the last settlement in a world of ice. Oswin Fields is its only stray — a foundling rescued from the ice who many think is a drain on scarce resources meant for Tundrans. Then Oswin is summoned to Corridor by Grandmaster Yarrow to learn magic, finally giving him a chance to prove his worth.
But Oswin barely has time to embrace his new role before his fellow apprentices start being attacked by monsters. Perhaps even worse, he learns his deceased adopted uncle is considered the most infamous Tundran to ever have lived and might have left followers behind who want to destroy the settlement.
Now grappling with an unwanted legacy and mysterious foes, Oswin must look deep inside himself for the strength to prove he belongs in Tundra.
Publication Date February 4th 2025 by Dial Books
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A groundbreaking, action-packed, and ultimately uplifting adventure that intertwines elements of Jewish mythology with an unflinching examination of the impacts of transphobia, from Newbery Honor-winner Kyle Lukoff
Covid lockdown is over, but A’s world feels smaller than ever. Coming out as trans didn’t exactly go well, and most days, he barely leaves his bedroom, let alone the house. But the low point of A’s life isn’t online school, missing his bar mitzvah, or the fact that his parents monitor his phone like hawks — it’s the weekly Save Our Sons and Daughters meetings his parents all but drag him to.
At SOSAD, A and his friends Sal and Yarrow sit by while their parents deadname them and wring their hands over a nonexistent “transgender craze.” After all, sitting in suffocating silence has to be better than getting sent away for “advanced treatment,” never to be heard from again.
When Yarrow vanishes after a particularly confrontational meeting, A discovers that SOSAD doesn’t just feel soul-sucking…it’s run by an actual demon who feeds off the pain and misery of kids like him. And it’s not just SOSAD — the entire world is beset by demons dining on what seems like an endless buffet of pain and bigotry.
But how is one trans kid who hasn’t even chosen a name supposed to save his friend, let alone the world? And is a world that seems hellbent on rejecting him even worth saving at all?
Publication Date February 11th 2025 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
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A darkly inventive fantasy for fans of Tim Burton about a girl who can see Nightmare creatures from the forbidden Labyrinth of Souls.
In the Kingdom of Spinar, there are seven rules for safeguarding your soul from the Sorrows and Nightmare creatures — most importantly: never, ever enter the Labyrinth of Souls.
Ix Tatterfall has always been an outcast with big secrets: She can cross into the Labyrinth, home to the powerful Sorrows, and she can see strange Nightmare beasts when no one else can. Some, like the shadowy Inklings or bothersome Stubbed Toads, are merely a nuisance. Many more — like the Jimber-Jawed Hounds — are dangerous. Even deadly.
But something is very wrong in the Labyrinth. A terrible new Nightmare — a raggedy scarecrow called Jack — has been ravaging the misty maze, gobbling up wraiths and lost souls and allowing Nightmares to seep into the Waking World.
On one forbidden trip, Ix comes face to face with Jack. Worse, she’s apprehended by Candle Corps, an elite magical group that protects the kingdom against Nightmares. Instead of exile, Ix is allowed to enter the mysterious Candle Corps Academy. For the first time, she’s surrounded by others who can see what she sees: Morrigan Bea, a hot-tempered girl who might be a monster; Ollie Pembrooke, a shy boy who loves books and Dreamchaser dogs; and Hanky the Inkling, Ix’s faithful Nightmare companion.
But more and more Nightmares are bleeding into Spinar. Raggedy Jack is on the hunt for something — someone — from the Waking World.
Ix Tatterfall herself.
Publication Date February 11th 2025 by Random House Books for Young Readers
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A poignant novel in verse in which, after a life-changing accident, one girl finds her way back to her life’s passion. From the Newbery Honor-winning author of Iveliz Explains It All.
All these months of staring at the wall?
All these months of feeling weak?
It’s ending —
I’m going back to fencing.
And then it’ll be
like nothing ever happened.No one knows hard work and dedication like Valentina Camacho. And Vale’s thing is fencing. She’s the top athlete at her fencing gym. Or she was…until the accident.
After months away, Vale is finally cleared to fence again, but it’s much harder than before. Her body doesn’t move the way it used to, and worst of all is the new number one: Myrka. When she sweeps Vale aside with her perfect form and easy smile, Vale just can’t accept that. But the harder Vale fights to catch up, the more she realizes her injury isn’t the only thing holding her back. If she can’t leave her accident in the past, then what does she have to look forward to?
In this moving novel from the Newbery Honor-winning author of Iveliz Explains It All, one girl finds her way back to her life’s passion and discovers that the sum of a person’s achievements doesn’t amount to the whole of them.
Publication Date February 11th 2025 by Dutton Books for Young Readers
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A funny and heartfelt LGBTQIA+ middle grade novel set against the backdrop of family drama and a library funding campaign in a small town.
Alex Eager lives in Faillin, OR with her grandmother, a retired librarian. Life should be great for Alex, since she finally worked up the courage to ask her best friend PJ if they could be more than friends and she said yes. But their new relationship will have to be long distance, because PJ is moving. On top of that, Alex is worried that something is wrong with her increasingly forgetful grandmother. And to make matters worse, Faillin is holding a referendum on library funding, and things aren’t looking good. Will anything good for Alex ever last?
Mountain Upside Down is a beautifully crafted story of a thirteen-year-old girl finding her place in her family and her community. It’s a queer-positive story that doesn’t center coming out. It’s a story of a library’s role in a community that doesn’t feature book banning. And it’s a story of long-held family secrets and resentment that focuses not on final resolution but learning how to communicate again.
Publication Date February 18th 2025 by Random House Graphic
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New school, new country, but only half a family?! Embark on a coming of age journey with a middle school teen navigating their parent’s divorce while moving to a new country in this stunning graphic novel.
Ave thought moving to Kansas would be boring and flat after enjoying the mountains and trails in Mexico, but at least they would have their family with them. Unfortunately, while Ave, their mom, and their younger brother are relocating to the US, Ave’s father and older sister will be staying in Mexico…permanently. Their parents are getting a divorce.
As if learning a whole new language wasn’t hard enough, and now a Middle-Schooler has to figure out a new family dynamic…and what this means for them as they start middle school with no friends.
Jose Pimienta’s stunningly illustrated and thought provoking middle graphic novel is about exploring identity, understanding family, making friends with a language barrier, and above all else, learning what truly makes a place a home.
Publication Date February 25th 2025 by Triangle Square
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An essential, definitive visual guide and history to the variety of human rights and protections – great for activists, rights defenders, and young readers who love visual learning.
Wth timelines, easy-to-follow graphics and bite-sized bits of info, this book explains it all from workers’ rights to the right to a clean environment, and the people who fought to protect those rights.
All people deserve to be respected and valued. Regardless of where we were born, how much we have, what we believe or think, or our age or the color of our skin–all lives are important and we deserve to live them with satisfaction, justice, safety, and freedom.
There are many different kinds of human rights and many people who have fought to establish and protect those rights. Here you can learn about rights for indigenous, workers, children, and lgbtq+ people, the right to go to school and have a home, the right to think a certain way and practice the religion of your choice–rights we may not even realize weren’t always protected.
● Did you know that the right to be a child – to go to school and not have to work or be married off – had to be fought for and made law?
● Did you know that in some countries the right to live in a safe home with water and electricity is not guaranteed?
● Did you know that at one time in America, Indigenous people were not allowed to speak their native languages?Human Rights is an oversized, graphically vibrant book with timelines, short and easy-to-understand explanations, important people who fought for changes in human rights law, and a chapter on protecting future rights. It’s an essential visual reference that explains all there is to know about our human rights and the laws and doctrines that protect them.
Publication Date February 25th 2025 by Little, Brown Ink
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A heartfelt and magic-filled graphic novel for fans of Sheets and Real Friends about baking, friendship, and feeling every kind of emotion — no matter the flavor.
Emily, her mom, and her aunt Gina have a very special magical power: They can bake emotions into the desserts they sell at their family bakery. Need a dash of confidence? Try their millionaire shortbread! Want relief after a stressful day? The cheesecake will lighten your spirits! There is only one rule: Never bake a bad feeling.
Every day after school, Emily and her best friend, Dae, make tried-and-true recipes, while she and Aunt Gina brainstorm new ones. But when Aunt Gina dies in an accident, Emily’s life is turned upside down. Not knowing what to do, Emily breaks the rule and bakes her bad feelings into…a crumble. It looks gross. Dae says it tastes gross. But they can’t stop eating it. Neither can Emily’s classmates. And with her grief and pain baked into the crumble, Emily gets the comfort of being at least a little numb. So even though she’s not supposed to, she makes it again, and again, and again.
But baking (and eating) bad feelings doesn’t really make them go away…
Publication Date February 25th 2025 by Random House Books for Young Readers
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When a 7th grader is forced to join her school’s hockey team, she discovers unexpected friendships and a budding crush on the team captain. This fierce and heartfelt queer romance explores the courage to face your fears, even when your dreams are on thin ice.
Some goals are worth falling for.
After a lifetime of humiliating sports experiences, Bea Mullins knows the best way to survive middle school is to stick to the sidelines. When PE is suddenly canceled, though, Bea is forced to join an after-school activity…which is how she ends up as a member of the Glenwood Geese, her middle school’s first all-girls hockey team.
Bea would be happy sitting on the bench, but she doesn’t want to let down her best friend, Celia. Plus, the more time Bea spends on the rinks, the more she comes to enjoy her teammates, especially the incredibly talented – and incredibly cool – co-captain Gabi. But when low funding puts the Geese in danger of never playing again, Bea realizes she may lose everything she didn’t know she wanted.
A hilarious and heartfelt middle-grade contemporary about first crushes and fierce friendships from debut author Emily Deibert.
Publication Date March 4th 2025 by Random House Graphic
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Being a ranger means adventure, action, and protecting the weak. But who protects the ranger when they lose their way? From the bestselling author of The Moth Keeper and the Tea Dragon Society comes a must read MG graphic novel for fans of soft sweeping fantasy romances.
Rowan knows exactly what they want: to be a ranger, protecting their village alongside their trusted flying horse Kes. But when Rowan’s eagerness to show off their worth gets Kes injured, Rowan is suddenly unsure if they’re capable of being the protector they’ve always dreamed of becoming.
With Kes needing to heal, Rowan is assigned a slow and winding expedition across the outlying lands. Paired with a lackadasical sheep hearder Leone, Rowan only finds frustration as they seem to fail even the simplest tasks. But Leone’s own struggles, and endless support brings a new possibility to Rowan. Could their unlikely friendship be something more? And if it is, will Rowan be able to leave Leone behind to pursue being a ranger once Kes is healed?
Publication Date March 11th 2025 by Kokila
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A middle grade novel in verse about a young trans girl who uses a computer game to process an ADHD diagnosis, isolation, and her relationship to gender for fans of Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff.
J—’s life is consumed by the roller coaster video game Coaster Boss, and by the power she exerts over the pixelated theme park attendees. Her life outside the game, however, is less controllable.
Me.
I’m such a big space. I break the universe, a glitch.She’s navigating ADHD, the loneliness of middle school, and an overwhelming crush on a girl named Junie. J— is convinced that Junie sees her as who she really is, a person who isn’t “bad” just because she doesn’t stay quiet and sit still in class. As a person who is realizing that the name she’s been given doesn’t really fit her. And that maybe boy doesn’t either.
Glitch Girl! follows J— from fifth to seventh grade, from the beginning to the end of her obsession with Coaster Boss, and to the start of a new friendship. When J— meets Sam, a nonbinary classmate, she begins to realize that it’s okay to not fit into neat, pixelated boxes.
Publication Date March 18th 2025 by HarperCollins
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A novel-in-verse about life after loss, 13 Ways To Say Goodbye beautifully renders the power of sibling bonds, the depth of grief, and the strength of learning to love again, perfect for fans of Everywhere Blue and The Distance to Home, from the author of The Song of Us.
Nina always followed her older sister, Lily. But just before her thirteenth birthday, Lily died, leaving Nina behind forever.
In the three years since she lost her sister, Nina has completed Lily’s secret Before Birthday lists to continue in her footsteps. But now Nina is catching up. When Nina flies to Paris, France, and completes tasks that Lily never finished, Nina finds herself magically transported inside of her own memories, face-to-face with the ghosts of her past.
With her birthday looming and the last list running out, Nina is torn between visiting her sister in her memories and adventuring in the present, including crushing hard on her art classmate, Sylvie. Should she follow Lily’s instructions or try something new? And what happens when she finishes the list?
Publication Date April 1st 2025 by Scholastic Press
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A thrilling, ghostly adventure…and a testament to the power that kids have to change the world.
Defiance holds power.
The Ghost Scouts were created to keep the ghosts of Savannah in line. It’s an honor to serve.
Evey’s never wanted anything to do with ghosts, but after best friend, Laura, dumps her for no reason, Evey wants revenge. To take the student of the year award from her ex-bestie, she’ll have to join the Ghost Scouts. She’ll be the best Ghost Scout Savannah has ever seen.
Only this year the ghosts seem different. They are angrier than usual, and they seem to be growing in power. No problem, Evey can get to the bottom of why and send all the ghosts back to their cages.
But what she uncovers makes her angry too. What if the ghosts don’t deserve to be caged? What if they have every right to be furious?
Publication Date April 8th 2025 by Quill Tree Books
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For twelve-year-old Lucy Stulligross, a boring summer without her best friend turns into an unexpected coming-of-age journey of firsts. Perfect for fans of Kayla Miller and Jarad Greene.
With her best friend away at camp, tons of chores to do, and her dad always on her case for being such a tomboy, Lucy is dreading summer. That is, until Milforth’s plan to revive an old carousel for the town’s 150th anniversary brings artist Ray and her daughter, Anaïs, to town.
Anaïs is smart, funny, and easy to talk to, and Lucy — who’s used to being judged for her looks and interests — finally feels at ease in her own skin. And she thinks she may feel something for Anaïs, too.
Leading up to Milforth’s big birthday, tensions begin rising with locals, thanks to a shifty development company trying to overrun the town. Things also come to a breaking point at home, when Lucy butts heads with her dad over how she wants to express herself as a girl.
Can Lucy find the courage to be true to who she is? She’s got the whole summer to find out…
Publication Date April 8th 2025 by Clarion Books
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Set against the backdrop of a middle school cultural fair, this tenderhearted and funny novel from the author of The Unbeatable Lily Hong stars twelve-year-old Sophie Mu — who discovers the power of defining oneself as she navigates friendship drama, family expectations, and learning about her Hui, her Chinese Muslim identity.
Sophie’s work on the Chinese booth at last year’s Rainbow Fair is a point of pride for her and her parents, even if Sophie and her best friend, Katie, think the whole thing is a little silly. Sophie’s family is Hui, Chinese Muslim. The Muslim part is something she doesn’t know much about. Her parents prefer to keep it private. So when it gets slipped to an overenthusiastic teacher that Sophie is Muslim, the only Muslim in her class, suddenly Sophie is in charge of debuting a booth representing the Islamic religion she doesn’t practice, an assignment she is determined to keep secret from her parents.
Having to choose between leaving the Chinese booth or taking on double the workload leaves Sophie feeling conflicted. Why does she have to choose which part of herself to represent? Is it an issue with her or with how the Rainbow Fair is organized?
Between juggling both booths, old and new friends, and learning more about her Muslim faith and ancestry, Sophie starts to notice how her working on two booths starts to spark change throughout the student body. It turns out Sophie isn’t the only one at Monroe Middle School whose identity isn’t so simply categorized by the Rainbow Fair’s limited booths.
One thing is for sure, this year’s Rainbow Fair won’t look anything like it did in the past, and Sophie begins to realize that that might not be a bad thing at all.
Publication Date April 8th 2025 by Feiwel & Friends
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In this modern take on Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, debut writer Jess Callans delivers a tender, queer coming of age story about finding your voice and choosing to live authentically, even when it’s easier to blend in.
Puberty, AKA the ultimate biological predator, is driving a wedge between soon-to-be 13 year old Ollie Thompson and their lifelong friends. Too much of a girl for their neighborhood hockey team, but not girly enough for their boy-crazed BFF, Ollie doesn’t know where they fit. And their usual ability to camouflage? Woefully disrupted by all the changes around them.
When a school project asks them to write an essay on what it means to be a woman (if anyone’s got an answer, that’d be great), and one of their new friends is the target of bullying, Ollie is caught between the safety of fleeing from their own differences or confronting the risks of fighting to take their own path forward.
Publication Date April 15th 2025 by Quill Tree Books
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Better Nate Than Ever meets Dumplin’ in this charming, poignant debut by Kyle Casey Chu, aka Panda Dulce, a founding queen of Drag Story Hour.
After making the buzzer-beating shot at the Georgia basketball state championships, Derrick Chan becomes the star of Bayard Middle School, and Derrick’s single dad could not be prouder. But there are parts of Derrick that no one knows about, like the toenail polish he wears under his basketball sneakers, his secret lip-sync performances in the bathroom mirror, and the feelings he’s developing for his best friend and teammate, JJ.
As the school year comes to a close, Derrick’s dad takes an out-of-town job and ships Derrick off to spend the summer with his estranged, eccentric grandmother, Claudia. Soon, Claudia introduces Derrick to the world of small-town southern beauty pageants, and Derrick suddenly feels he’s found where he belongs. But when the opportunity arises to compete in the town pageant, Derrick is forced to decide just how much of himself he’s ready to show the world.
Can he learn to love and accept the most unique parts of himself? And what will happen if others — like his father and JJ — can’t do the same?
Publication Date April 15th 2025 by Graphix
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Can one spoiled cousin upend three kids’ hard-won happiness and stability? Find out in this hilarious, big-hearted, high stakes companion to the award-winning bestseller Parachute Kids! Perfect for fans of School Trip, A First Time For Everything, The Tryout, and The Squad.
WITH FAMILY LIKE THIS, WHO NEEDS ENEMIES?
After seven months on their own as undocumented immigrants, the Lin siblings have settled into their new lives in California. Jia-Xi (Jesse) has a new job, Ke-Gang (Jason) has a new crush, and Feng-Li (Ann) is excited to celebrate her eleventh birthday with her new friends. Their parents still await visa approval in Taiwan, so the trio is trying to take better care of one another and stay under the radar of immigration authorities. But when their stuck-up cousin Josephine ― a violin prodigy ― arrives with her privilege and demands, suddenly their world is in turnaround. Will they have to give up the life they worked so hard to achieve?
Publication Date April 15th 2025 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
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Four best friends spend Family Week together at an annual gathering of LGBTQ+ families in Provincetown, MA — the largest of its kind across the world — in this middle grade coming-of-age story that celebrates identity, acceptance, and found family.
For as long as they can remember, Mac, Lina, Milo and Avery have celebrated Family Week together in “the smallest, gayest town in the world” — Provincetown, Massachusetts.
But this summer, their big rented beach house feels different. Avery’s dads are splitting up, and her life feels like it’s falling apart. Milo’s flunked seventh grade, which means everyone is moving on to bigger and better things except for him. Mac’s on his way to a progressive boarding school that lets transgender kids like him play soccer, but it means leaving his twin sister, Lina, and his moms — and the safety of home — behind.
Everything is changing, and for Lina, it feels like it’s happening with or without her. Avery, Milo, and Mac know this is going to be their last summer together. But Lina can’t accept that — and if she can make this the best summer ever, maybe she’ll convince them that there will be a Family Week next year. Good things might not last in the real world, but they do in P-town….Right?
Publication Date April 22nd 2025 by Penguin Workshop
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Epic stories of love, adventure, and resilience featuring LGBTQ+ narratives and heroes, published as a collection of queer classics for the first time.
These are the fairy tales that history forgot — or concealed. Ten tales in which gender is fluid and where queer stories can have a happy ending. Some are rare examples of LGBTQ+ folklore, like “The Dog and the Sailor,” which features a male protagonist who meets his own handsome prince. These stories include folklore from Europe, Asia, and the African savanna. Vibrant illustrations from an international group of artists enhance the multicultural identities showcased here, including artists from India, Germany, Cape Verde, Russia, Canada, China, and more. They remind readers that folk tales are our tales, and invite them to be whoever they want to be. Researcher Pete Jordi Wood has combed through generations of history to collect and adapt these ten unforgettable stories celebrating LGBTQ+ themes and characters.
This title is already included on the Puffin Classics list, indicating its importance in preserving the ancient folklore of queer histories.
Publication Date April 29th 2025 by Holiday House
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Maeve Mulvaney goes from “family raincloud” to Feminist Superhero in this upper middle grade novel perfect for fans of Carrie Firestone, Julie Murphy, and Barbara Dee.
Fourteen-year-old Maeve feels more at home in the pages of her comics and sketchbook than she does in “Nowhereville” (her maybe-not-so-nice nickname for the small Florida town where her family just moved). In the comic-book version of her life, she’s a brave superhero who always bests the bad guys. In reality? Not so much.
When a bully at her new school makes her life miserable over her weight (and a sexist teacher defends him), Maeve isn’t sure what to do. Her mom thinks she should just cheer up, brush it off, and stay positive. But then Maeve hears from other misfit eighth graders who are also being picked on, and she decides that enough is enough.
Drawing inspiration from her comics, Maeve creates a feminist superhero club, hoping she and her new friends can inspire meaningful change in their community. But it turns out, fighting back without becoming the bully yourself is harder than it seems…
This heartfelt and uplifting novel serves as a sweet reminder that heroes are stronger together, that home is where you make it, and that the greatest superpower you have is your voice.
Publication Date April 29th 2025 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
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Beetle and her friends attend a carnival full of dragons and magic, only to discover something sinister at play behind the scenes, in this delightful sequel to the Stonewall Honor–winning Beetle & The Hollowbones middle grade graphic novel.
Hidden behind the clouds, giant dragons guard the most powerful magic in the world from prying eyes. On one magical night, once every ten years, these leviathans reveal themselves to a fanfare of costumes, music, and parades in the Chimera Carnival.
But this time, something’s wrong.
When Beetle, Penny, and Kat decide to check out the empty carnival site one night, they discover an injured dragon screaming for help. And the more Beetle uncovers about the Chimera Carnival, the more sinister it gets. Dragons who arrive for the early festivities disappear without a trace. Beetle’s magic begins to go haywire. And Kat’s parents come back to town, worrying both girls about whether they have a future together.
In the catacombs beneath the demolished ’Allowstown mall, something hungers for dragon magic. And Beetle and her friends are already more entwined with it than they could possibly imagine.
Publication Date May 6th 2025 by Harry N. Abrams
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An uplifting and empowering anthology, A Year of Pride and Joy shares joyful contributions from 52 contemporary LGBTQIA+ voices, including Olympic gold medalist diver Tom Daley, author and historian Blair Imani, and singer Rina Sawayama.
Edited by award-winning children’s author Simon James Green, this buoyant title celebrates the joy, talent, and contributions of members of the LGBTQIA+ community — and delivers a full year of celebration.
Each of the 52 entries — one for each week of the year — is tied to a particular season, event, international day, or week.
● Feel the timeless joy of old movies with actor Stephen Fry and discover his all-time favorite classic movies on Global Movie Day.
● Discover the joy of knitting with Olympic gold medalist Tom Daley, then follow a beginner’s step-by-step knitting guide.
● Find the joy of pets with singer Rina Sawayama, then consider which pet is right for you.
● Experience the joy of food with actress Miriam Margolyes, then uncover a recipe to her famous chicken soup with matzo balls.Vibrant illustrations are paired with the engaging text. Whether you read an entry a week or pick it up whenever you are feeling in need of joy, this is a book to treasure all year round.
Publication Date May 13th 2025 by Nosy Crow
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In this heartfelt and honest debut middle-grade novel, twelve-year-old Quinn seeks out her donor siblings, wondering if she will fit in better with them than she does with her own family.
Quinn loves her moms and little brother, but she often feels like the odd one out. She would much rather be quietly drawing than surfing or rock-climbing or whatever other intense activity her family is currently obsessed with.
Quinn has always known she is donor conceived. She’s never been that interested in knowing about her donor. But when her moms tell her that she and her brother have sixteen other genetic siblings, her mind is blown. Maybe one of them will be more like her!
The only problem is her parents want her to wait until they are older to contact any of them. When Quinn goes behind their backs to find out more, she starts to lose sight of what is really important, especially when she starts to suspect her worst enemy – the dreaded Monika – might be one of her siblings. Can she find a way back to her family, while finding a way to tell them how she really feels?
Publication Date May 13th 2025 by Christy Ottaviano Books
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Athlete is agender. Athlete can mean anyone. “Part memoir, part manifesto” (Booklist) this book revels in the achievements of strong, passionate, and determined LGBTQ+ athletes across every age, level, and field of sports.
Find your strength in: Adam Rippon’s unbelievable journey from figure-skating Olympic alternate to the first openly gay Olympic medalist in his sport; CeCé Telfer’s career as a trans track star and her unwavering commitment to run for the future freedom of trans athletes; em dickson’s relationship to eir gender identity and how sailing, a sport that doesn’t categorize athletes by gender, helped em embrace eir power and identity, and many other invaluable true stories.
Featuring testimonies by world-class athletes and award-winning children’s book authors, as well as profiles on culture-defining figures like Megan Rapinoe and Billie Jean King, Athlete Is Agender is a lifesaving book not to be missed.
Publication Date May 27th 2025 by Feiwel & Friends
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From author Caroline Huntoon comes a sparkling new middle grade novel, Going Overboard, a reverse-Parent Trap story where tweens Piper and Colton must force their parents to break up, or their lives will change forever.
Piper Shapiro has the best mom in the world: Noura, a single parent by choice who always has a plan, whether it’s for a spontaneous Saturday adventure or helping Piper navigate middle school as a nonbinary kid. They’re a package deal, and they tell each other everything. At least, they used to. But then Noura invites Piper out to dinner with her girlfriend Gwinny…and Gwinny’s son, Colton ― a boy Piper knows, and doesn’t exactly get along with. Piper panics when the realization hits: Noura and Gwinny are serious about each other. Suddenly, Piper’s life as half of a duo has an expiration date, and ze is horrified.
To put a stop to any potential wedding bells, Piper makes a plan: break up the parents and keep things the way they are ― the way they should be. When Gwinny surprises everyone with a get-to-know-each-other cruise for spring break, Piper’s game is on ― and Colton is in on it. The two of them work hard to make it clear that they are not one big happy family, even though it turns out that Colton might not be so bad after all. But when things with Project Break Up go a bit too far, Piper starts to question everything…and realize that maybe a little change isn’t a bad thing.
Publication Date May 27th 2025 by Aladdin
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Ellen Oh’s Spirit Hunters meets Katherine Arden’s Small Spaces in this middle grade supernatural mystery following a girl whose discovery of a magical clearing near her summer camp ends up putting her best friend in danger.
Pina’s first trip to summer camp is a chance to escape her overbearing parents and finally go on an adventure with her best friend, Jo. But Camp Clear Skies hides a secret: a clearing in the deep woods the older kids call “the Glade.” After falling asleep here, Pina and Jo are able to enter one another’s dreams, transforming into superheroes and knights in shining armor, fighting back their nightmares in epic adventures.
At first, the friends think they’ve discovered a secret more exciting than any video game – until Pina’s nightmares start leaking out into waking life. Worse, something seems to have followed them back from those dreams…and whatever it is, it’s taking over Jo. Jo has always been the superhero in their friendship, but Pina can’t just abandon them to their fate.
To save her friend, Pina journeys deeper into the Glade than she ever has before, facing the worst of her own fears and Jo’s. There, she must confront the consciousness trying to steal her friend’s body and learn what happened twenty years ago that shut down Camp Clear Skies and changed the Glade forever.
Publication Date June 3rd 2025 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
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Chess is Halima Kasim’s favorite thing in the world. But with no local chess club in her small town, she has no one to practice with offline. Yearning for worthy opponents IRL, she recruits newbies: her next-door BFF Jem (a dedicated friend reeling from the recent loss of her grandfather), Jem’s long-lost friend Parker (eager to escape the shadow of his sport-star siblings), and Daniel (itching for answers after discovering a mysterious note left for him inside a book). Together the team forms their own chess club, navigating not just the board but the highs and lows of middle school social life. Along the way they’ll learn that it takes more than practice to be great ― it’s teamwork, confidence, and the power of friendship. And never forget…chess is a game full of surprises.
Publication Date June 10th 2025 by Aladdin
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A girl joins the human resistance against sorcerer tyranny in this “breathless” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) first book in the exciting upper middle grade fantasy series The Incorruptibles that’s Keeper of the Lost Cities meets The Marvellers.
Fiora Barrowling lives in a world where sorcerers rule over humans. After surviving an encounter with The Radiance — the very worst of the sorcerers — she’s whisked away to the incredible Incorruptibles (“Inc”) Academy, a school for resistance fighters in training. But most of the other students think Fiora hasn’t earned her place there, and when things start to go wrong and it seems the sorcerers have a spy in the academy, all eyes are on Fiora. With all odds stacked against her, can Fiora prove that she belongs?
Publication Date August 5th 2025 by Graphix
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From the creator of Graveyard Shakes, a funny and charmingly offbeat middle-grade graphic novel for fans of The Witch Boy and Making Friends.
Nothing has been going right for Jinx. People at school think she’s a goth weirdo, and now her parents are getting divorced. She has to move to an unfamiliar apartment building that doesn’t feel like home – and that doesn’t have her dad. And when a new neighbor gives her a mysterious crystal, her life is turned even more upside down by the Adorables, a mischievous band of magical creatures. They are messy, distracting, and, worst of all, they follow Jinx everywhere. She just wants to be left alone! (Well, maybe she’s okay with getting to know another girl in her building, Robyn, a little better…) Getting rid of the Adorables turns out to be harder than expected, but they might just help Jinx find her way back to happiness.
Publication Date August 19th 2025 by Random House Books for Young Readers
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Welcome to the most magical bakery – Witchycakes! Little Blue, a witch-in-training, delivers baked goods all over their town, and helps their neighbors with a touch of magic. Cozy up with this sweet chapter book with irresisitible full-color art on every page!
In a magical bakery called Witchycakes there’s a young witch-to-be named Blue. Blue’s Mama bakes with magic and Blue makes the deliveries! They ride their bike all over town with their basket filled with magical scones, tartes, and pies to deliver. There’s always something going on in Shelville and Blue loves to help their neighbors – especially if helping them means they get to use a little bit of magic.
Cook up some love with Blue as they use magic and problem-solving to be the best helper they can be in their whimsical little town. And there’s a special magical recipe at the end of the book!
Publication Date August 19th 2025 by Oni Press
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Destinies collide when a village goat herder meets the palace princess in Goat Magic!
Trill, a spirited goat herder with a unique ability to communicate with her flock, yearns for a life beyond mountain pastures. Her “goat magic” feels common compared to the sorcery taught in the city’s prestigious magic schools, which are off-limits to her. Meanwhile, Princess Alya, known as the “Ordinary Princess” and heir to the kingdom of Capeya, doubts her own royal potential.
Their worlds collide when an assassination attempt on the queen leaves Alya cursed to transform into a black goat each sunrise. Seeking refuge in Trill’s goat herd, Alya discovers her new friend’s hidden talent is her only hope to break the spell. Together, they embark on a perilous journey back to the castle, facing treacherous foes and uncovering a web of betrayal and rebellion.
As Alya battles to reclaim her throne and restore order to Capeya, the girls discover a deep connection, their shared experiences forging an unbreakable bond. When Alya comes face to face with the ones who betrayed her, will she have what it takes to take back the crown and rule an unstable kingdom? Will Trill find confidence in her magic and the growing affection she has for her friend?
With fast-paced action, enchanting magic, and a budding romance, Goat Magic is a captivating graphic novel perfect for fans of fantasy adventure.
Publication Date October 7th 2025 by Greenwillow Books
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The second book in New York Times bestselling author Marieke Nijkamp’s immersive medieval fantasy trilogy! A shadowy conspiracy threatens the city, and two determined misfits must uncover the secret plot — and reveal their own secrets — in order to save everyone. For fans of B. B. Alston, Soman Chainani, and Tamora Pierce.
It’s only been a few months since Princess Adelisa, who goes by Ash, returned to the city of Kestrel’s Haven after her abduction by the treasonous group of nobles called the Larks. Ash’s best friend, Splinter, is slowly advancing in her squire training and feeling more protective of Ash than ever.
But Splinter and Ash’s work is not nearly done. Anyone could be a Lark, and it seems that everyone is hiding a secret. When the queen’s spies learn that the Larks plan to disrupt the city’s Harvest Festival, Splinter and Ash are determined to do their part to stop it. They’ll face traitors, assassins, and a ticking clock to prevent everything from going up in flames.
Publication Date October 14th 2025 by Labyrinth Road
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In the conclusion of this bestselling fantasy series a nonbinary knight-in-training, a reluctant crown prince, a fierce young witch, and her resilient twin brother must fight for the heart of their kingdom against tyranny, once and for all.
Helston and its champions have been torn apart by war. Finally reunited after being scattered across the realm fighting personal battles, Callie, Elowen, Edwyn and Willow must prepare to step into the roles they’ve been training for: Champion, Witch, Knight and King.
Even if it feels like their best will never be enough to conquer the infection of hate that has spread across Wyndebrel, even when their numbers seem so small compared to the might of their enemies, they must hold true to their mission: to create a better and safer realm for everyone.
With the aid of Eyrewood, Fairkeep, and the dragons, they are as ready as they’ll ever be to ride on Helston and Dumoor, to confront the newly crowned King Peran and the Witch Queen, and finally define what peace truly means. And there is a single truth Callie and friends must cling to: The battle is still worth fighting even when victory seems impossible.
Publication Date September 2nd 2025 by Holiday House
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Thirteen-year-old Ivan is a tender-hearted vampire who prefers a plant-based diet. In his daydreams, he rejects his destiny and hangs out in the human world forever! But would it be worth it if it means hiding his truest self?
Born into a family of vampires, cheerful Ivan is a black sheep: he loves sunshine, his best friends are human, and he can’t stomach the thought of eating meat.
So when Ivan’s vampire fangs come in on his first day of eighth grade, he’s determined to keep them a secret. He wants to stay in day school, with his sweet group of human BFFs, rather than transfer to night school with the rest of the teenage vampire crowd. Sure, that means he’ll have to lie to everyone, but how hard can it be? He will just act normal.
Keeping his secret gets much harder when Ivan is assigned a new lab partner: transfer student Damien. Around him, Ivan acts anything but normal. He’s fainting and fumbling and far from blending in. Ivan even finds himself thinking about blood and heartbeats and vampire kisses…All. Day. Long.
Is it safe to spend time with humans, or is Ivan turning into a bloodthirsty vampire against his wishes? He always thought he would do anything to stay in the human world, but maybe it’s too dangerous to keep pretending…
Fans of Fake Blood will sink their teeth into this graphic novel that’s perfect for readers navigating first crushes, unpredictable emotions, and the perils of middle school. Featuring LBGTQ+ characters and a unique, homespun art style, Snyder’s debut is fang-tastic.
Publication Date September 9th 2025 by Quill Tree Books
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In this queer, contemporary, and neurodiverse spin on Romeo and Juliet from Stonewall Award Honor author Taylor Tracy, two New York City girls from warring restaurateur families befriend each other during the busiest week for their respective Italian eateries: the Feast of San Gennaro.
Hot-headed and energetic Romea Marino is starting ninth grade with a full plate. Between confusing social dynamics of high school and juggling extracurriculars, Ro can only find peace in the reliable comfort of her kitchen, where she’s able to follow in her dad’s culinary footsteps, whipping up Italian-fusion recipes.
Thoughtful and reserved Julianna Cangelosi is dying to help in her family’s restaurant, which serves traditional Italian dishes. But because Jules suffers from anxiety and struggles with overstimulation, her parents are wary of their daughter being in the chaos of a New York City kitchen.
When Ro and Jules meet on the first night of the San Gennaro Festival, sparks fly…until they learn that their fathers own dueling Italian restaurants across the street from each other. But the more the girls hang out — Ro teaching Jules how to cook; Jules taking Ro to her favorite spots around the city — the more their feelings grow. Can they rewrite the old tale of star-crossed kids from rival families and create a new recipe for love and friendship?
Publication Date September 16th 2025 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
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For fans of Amari and The Night Brothers and The Okay Witch comes a hilarious and affirming cozy fantasy about the adventures of a girl who discovers she is the descendant of a powerful witch coven.
Becca Slugg is bored. It’s the tail end of summer, and it feels like she’s done nothing but run errands for her family’s Cape Disappointment Beach Inn, argue with her frustratingly overprotective mother, and have one-sided conversations with the giant spider living by the dumpsters out back.
When Becca wishes for something to happen, she doesn’t expect her wish to manifest in the form of an unwelcome visit from her mom’s sinister and estranged sister, Malatrice. It turns out Becca’s aunt is a powerful witch — and when she doesn’t get the help she wants from Becca’s mom, she unleashes a devastating ink spell. Becca is left with a mindless puppet for a mother and a whole lot of questions — like Can I castspells with the ink in my veins, too?
With the help of Natalya, her mother’s tarantula familiar, and Oddvar, a friendly troll living in the motel’s ice machine, a distraught but determined Becca sets out to uncover her own magical abilities and find the ingredients for a potion that will cure her mother. Besides, how hard can it be to find mermaid eggs, troll teeth, and the most precious possession of a Witch-Queen?
This magical adventure is equal parts hilarious and exhilarating, with a sassy, talking tarantula being just the tip of the iceberg.
Publication Date September 23rd 2025 by Disney Hyperion
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New York Times #1 best-selling authors Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro collaborate again on a new adventure in which Nico di Angelo teams up with his half-sister Hazel Levesque to protect…monsters?
A few months after returning from the depths of Tartarus, demigods Nico di Angelo and Will Solace agree to join Nico’s half-sister Hazel Levesque at Camp Jupiter on the West Coast. She needs their help in managing a situation that the boys inadvertently brought about: the demigods showed the monsters of the Underworld that they have options; they don’t have to be evil.
Now some of those monsters have taken up residence at Camp Jupiter to seek refuge. Nico and Will are on site assisting Hazel when one by one monsters start disappearing from camp. A mysterious dark force is at work, and its plan is to punish all monsters for their past crimes.
Things only get worse when Nico, Will, and Hazel learn that they’re all connected to it…
Publication Date September 23rd 2025 by Quill Tree Books
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From the powerhouse creator of Nimona comes a breathtaking illustrated novel, the start of a duology, following two orphans who leave the only home they’ve ever known to sail with an eccentric crew of pirates.
Viola and Wilmur have been waiting for their parents for fifteen boring years in the colorless town of Caveat. Their lives are a drudge of salt, trash, pirate stories, and what-ifs…until one very stormy night, when Captain Cadence Chase breaks down their door. They cut a deal with the captain: Chase can take their most prized possession, a mysterious book, but only if she takes them, too. After all, if their parents aren’t coming, Viola and Wilmur might as well have a grand adventure to find them.
Setting sail into the treacherous and beautiful world beyond Caveat, the two inseparable friends must uncover the facts behind legend — and the key to saving all of Dickerson’s Sea from obliteration — before the truth tears them apart.
Wickedly funny, deeply emotional, and sharply incisive, Scarlet Morning is a tale of love, betrayal, and the extraordinary lengths we’d go to save a world broken beyond repair.
Publication Date September 30th 2025 by Walker Books US
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From drag sensation and star of RuPaul’s Drag Race Kim Chi and the acclaimed author of the K-Pop Confidential books comes a contemporary superhero series about a community coming together, fabulously, to save a local library.
For twelve-year-old Korean immigrant Jae Han, the library is more than a place to check out books. It’s a safe space to work on his comic book featuring drag superhero Donutella Hamachi, play video games to improve his English, and befriend other outcast kids sheltering among the stacks. When the mayor announces plans to demolish the building and pave a mall parking lot, Jae Han pleads with his friend the librarian to intervene. But even if the mayor doesn’t shutter the library, Ms. Henny reveals, a funding deficit will. Called to action, Jae Han rallies his ragtag group of friends to halt the destruction of their haven. Can they — with help from the sparkling Donutella Hamachi — unite long enough to defeat the slime-shooting blobfish enveloping screaming citizens in goo (i.e., ace a fundraising campaign)?
Filled with diabolical plots and empowerment aplenty, this lively foray into the heart of a town’s darkness, sprinkled through with hilarious graphic panels, will delight superhero fans, comic book creators, and anyone who has felt outside the mainstream — and perfectly at home in a library.
Publication Date September 30th 2025 by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
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The Lost Library meets Not Quite A Ghost in this middle grade horror novel about a girl uncovering secrets about her new, haunted home.
The only thing worse than having ghost hunters for parents is having fake ghost hunters for parents. Luna Catalano would know. Her moms are haunted house flippers who use their home reno skills and pretend psychic powers to turn spooky old houses into ghost-free modern homes. Not only does their job require the family to move all the time – meaning Luna is completely friendless – but the only thing haunting any of those houses is bad decor. For once Luna wishes there was an actual, for-real ghost.
When they move yet again, Luna isn’t expecting much. But this house feels…different. Things start out innocent enough – items not where they should be, strange noises – but soon things turn sinister. Her moms are waking up with cuts and bruises, and disturbing drawings showing them with even worse injuries are being left in Luna’s room. With the help of her next-door neighbors and a mysterious woman who seems to know a lot about the home, Luna starts to piece together what exactly happened in that house before she moved in. But not everything is as it seems. In order to save her moms, Luna will have to get the story right before everything goes completely wrong.
Stonewall Honor-winning author Justine Pucella Winans returns with another middle grade horror with heart about friendship, family, and the stories we tell when real life feels too scary.
Publication Date October 7th 2025 by HarperCollins
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The second book in an action-packed middle grade fantasy duology by Gail D. Villanueva, steeped in Tagalog mythology and perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches A Hole In The Sky.
Lulu should never have let Maligno get away. Corrupt souls are escaping the Underworld in droves, unrest is plaguing the Middleworld, and factions are pitting gods in the Upperworld against each other. Nothing Lulu, Bart, and Kitty can’t handle, right?
Then Lulu finds outs that the Maligno intends to awaken the king of destruction, the primordial serpent god Ulilang Kaluluwa, in order to control the god’s power with the Sacred Niyog of legend—a powerful and ancient magical artifact that has been broken in three and kept hidden by the Salamangkeros of the past. But the Maligno isn’t the only one in search of the niyog. Bathala, the god of gods, wants to use it to vanguish Ulilang Kaluluwa once and for all in a battle that would destroy the universe.
To protect all three Realms, Lulu, Bart, and Kitty set off on a secret mission to find the three parts of the niyog before their enemies. But will they be able to keep the universe from falling into total chaos before it’s ripped apart?
Publication Date October 21st 2025 by Amulet Books
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From drag superstar Eureka O’Hara and bestselling author Dan Poblocki comes a beautiful, buoyant middle-grade novel about a boy who enters a local pageant — as a drag queen!
When Jackson Bright wears a dress to the last day of school, he expects to be complimented on the cute polka-dot design. Instead, he gets sent to the principal’s office.
Jackson doesn’t know why people are saying that he needs to “dress like a boy.” And with all the discussions of “dressing like a boy” and “dressing like a girl,” he wonders where people like his best friend Eva, who’s nonbinary, fit into all of this. Or why he felt so confident and happy while wearing that dress.
So when Jackson sees a flyer for the town’s beloved Little Miss pageant, he comes up with a plan: dress in drag in order to compete and show the town just how fabulous he can be! More than anything, though, he wants to push the boundaries of gender and learn how to better support Eva and other nonbinary kids like them, which is harder than he realizes.
Before he knows it, he’s thrust into a world of rhinestone gowns and fiercely applied makeup. With the help of Eva and Uncle Aaron, Jackson scrambles to come up with an array of dazzling costumes, a crowd-winning speech, and a killer talent act.
As he navigates the ups and downs of the competition — all while keeping his real identity a secret and hiding a growing crush on his rival’s brother — Jackson will have to figure out how to stand beside his friend and show his small town that #nonbinaryteaisvalid, unpack questions about his family and identity that he’s been hiding from, and learn how to stay true to himself and hold his head high no matter what!
Publication Date November 4th 2025 by Scholastic Press
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From the award-winning author of Melissa, a sweet and tart story about unexpected friendship and family reconciliation.
This is not the summer Chris had planned…
Chris does not want to be spending the summer with her grandparents and her little sister. Her grandparents aren’t bad – they just don’t let Chris do what she wants to do, which is sit around and read all day. And her sister, Becca, is the opposite, never sitting still and never being quiet.
The good part is that Chris’s grandparents are always telling her to go outside and “get some air” – so she can escape into the woods with a book and get some alone time. Or at least it’s alone time until Mia comes along. Mia is also in town for the summer, and she understands Chris in a way that Chris’s family just can’t.
Soon Chris is sneaking off to spend as much time with her friend as possible. But is there more to Mia than Mia is saying?
Publication Date November 11th 2025 by HarperCollins
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Young witch Ber uncovers buried secrets tying her family’s coven to the demon dimension in this sequel to Accidental Demons, perfect for fans of Witchlings and Aru Shah and The End of Time!
Bernadette Crowley feels like she’s finally getting a handle on her diabetes diagnosis. At least, she can finally manage to not summon a demon every time she checks her blood sugar. But without her Grandma Orla, who disappeared into the demon dimension while protecting their family’s coven, even big wins don’t seem to matter as much.
Frustrated that no one is trying hard enough to rescue Grandma Orla, Ber takes matters into her own hands, using her growing powers to try to reach the demon dimension. But nothing can prepare her for the truth, a history that ties together her family and demons back generations and a betrayal that has haunted them for years.
With her friends Cai and Phoebe and her alert dog Clio, Ber must venture into the unknown to save her grandma and the magical world as a whole.
Publication Date December 30th 2025 by Delacorte Press
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Family secrets, friendship, and magic burst from the seams of this thrilling fantasy adventure that follows a ten-year-old girl as she discovers a new world behind her home in desperate need of her help and within it, her own troubling family legacy.
Madelyn has always been satisfied with her life of cozy meals, great books, and adventures with her father in the woods behind their farmhouse.
But when a mysterious child appears and invites her down a forbidden trail and into a new world, Madelyn realizes that there’s far more to life than she ever allowed herself to realize.
This new world, Asterwood, is wider, wilder, and more magical than she could ever imagine. And somehow, it’s people know who she is — and desperately need her help.
Accompanied by new friends — one who can speak the language of the trees and one with a mind as sharp as her daggers — and her calico cat, Dots, Madelyn embarks on an epic quest across a strange and sprawling forest world whose secrets just might help her save her own.
