Today’s post is sponsored by Media Masters Publicity and The Unraveling: The Counsel of Crows!
Title The Unraveling: The Counsel of Crows
Author Karl Buechner, Jeremy Mueller and Keith Ward
Intended Target Audience Middle Grade
Publication Date May 20th 2025 by Th3rd World Studios
Find It On Goodreads ● Amazon ● Chapters ● Blackwell’s ● Barnes & Noble ● IndieBound
“Even the smallest spark can set the darkest night ablaze.”
Twig never imagined himself at the center of anything important — let alone a battle for the fate of the Woodland Realm. But when his peaceful village is attacked by the ruthless Fortress Crows, the young chickadee finds himself on the run, hunted by a terrifying sorceress and her winged army. Thankfully, he’s not alone. Alongside a cunning bard, a fearless warrior, and two mischievous tumblers — who cause almost as much trouble as they solve — Twig embarks on a journey to uncover an ancient power and prevent history from repeating its darkest (and dumbest) mistakes.
Perfect for fans of Watership Down, Redwall, and The Green Ember, The Unraveling is a sweeping middle-grade fantasy adventure of courage, rebellion, and destiny. With pulse-pounding action, unforgettable characters, and a world as rich as it is dangerous, this is a story for anyone who believes even the smallest hero can change the world.
Because I predominantly read contemporary and realistic fiction, I don’t get to cover other genres on Pop! Goes The Reader as often as I would like, which is one of the many reasons I was so excited to work on this post. From treasure hunts to survival stories, fantastical odysseys to cross-country road trips, the 75 2025 middle grade books in this list are sure to take readers on an adventure they won’t soon forget! I’ve done my best to provide a varied assortment of genres and stories with the hope readers can find at least one book that piques their interest and have also prioritized standalone stories or the first book in a new series so you can jump right in!
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Forthcoming publication dates listed below might be subject to change.
Publication Date January 7th 2025 by Random House Books for Young Readers
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What would happen if Cinderella found herself in the beast’s castle, and Beauty woke up in some evil stepmother’s home? Fairy tales meet Freaky Friday in this series, where there’s a magical mix-up for every princess!
Ella’s spent her life dreaming about adventure, but it’s hard to have adventures when you’re stuck with a stepfamily who treat you like a servant. When she unexpectedly wakes up in a land far, far away, she’s thrilled at the chance to embark on an epic quest. That is, until she finds herself trapped once more — this time in the castle of a dangerous beast.
Belle, meanwhile, has plans. Her family’s trading company is on the brink of ruin, and to save it, she’s going to enter — and win — a royal competition in the prince’s honor. But when she unexpectedly winds up in a cellar with a wicked stepfamily who have their own plans to keep her from the competition…things get complicated.
Happily-ever-after couldn’t feel farther away. Can Ella escape the beast’s clutches? And can Belle get rid of this stepfamily in time for the competition?
Publication Date January 7th 2025 by Andrews McMeel Publishing
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Mack Moon has always loved space, so it’s EPIC when he discovers that his three pets are actually secret agents from P.E.T.S. But it’s NOT-so-epic when Mack finds out they’re here because an evil space ferret, Barbara has arrived on planet Earth.
Mack Moon dreams of being the first kid in space. So imagine his surprise when he discovers that his three regular pets — a goofy Labrador named Pickles, a tough gray cat called Lady, and a goldfish dubbed The Fish — are actually undercover agents. They belong to a secret agency called the Planetary, Enforcement, Tactics, and Stealth, AKA the P.E.T.S.
When the True Form of Evil, aka a ferret named Barbara (and yes, she gave herself that nickname), crash lands into Mack’s hometown, the P.E.T.S. must spring, jump, and swish into action to stop her.
Barbara’s goal?
Take over plant Earth.
After that?
Eat pancakes. Extra fluffy, please.Add in a battalion of poop-slinging space monkeys, a TV news station that’s gone to the dogs, and an epic pillow fight — and you’re holding in your hands the perfect recipe for an action-packed and hilarious graphic novel that’s perhaps even more delicious than Mack’s dad’s super-awesome ravioli. (Just kidding! Nothing is that delicious.)
Except pancakes…
MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA.Mack Moon and The P.E.T.S. is a hilarious and LOL-worthy, action-packed space adventure that’s perfect for fans of Galactic Hot Dogs, The Last Kids On Earth, The Moosicians, and Zita The Spacegirl.
3, 2, 1…Commander Moon, prepare for blast off!
Publication Date January 14th 2025 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
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Bestselling and award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes goes West in this thrilling adventure story about a son and his father who set out to win land during the Oklahoma Land Rush – if they can survive the journey.
It’s 1889, barely twenty-five years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and a young Black family is tired of working on land they don’t get to own.
So when Will and his father hear about an upcoming land rush, they set out on a journey from Texas to Oklahoma, racing thousands of others to the place where land is free — if they can get to it fast enough. But the journey isn’t easy — the terrain is rough, the bandits are brutal, and every interaction carries a heavy undercurrent of danger.
And then there’s the stranger they encounter and befriend: a mysterious soldier named Caesar, whose Union emblem brings more attention — and more trouble — than any of them need.
All three are propelled by the promise of something long denied to them: freedom, land ownership, and a place to call home — but is a strong will enough to get them there?
Publication Date January 28th 2025 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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From the screenwriter of Academy Award–nominated Puss in Boots and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish comes an inventive middle grade adventure about an interdimensional school for time travelers perfect for fans of the Spy School and Mr. Lemoncello’s Library series.
When Bertie Wells accidentally creates a black hole in his bedroom in the year 1878, it’s the very last thing he expects — except maybe the grown-up who steps out. Darla Marconi dresses and speaks like no one Bertie has met and comes with an offer: Bertie is invited to attend the College of Space Machines, Multiverses, and Other Odd Sciences (COSMOS for short, because no one would go to a school called COSMMOOS).
He is skeptical to say the least but, not having anything better to do, Bertie agrees. His day only gets weirder from there as he’s transported to 2022 for his first semester of school. Thankfully, he’s not alone — 144 years in the future, math whiz Zoe Fuentes just accepted the same invitation, and 550 years in the past, Amelia da Vinci (yes, that da Vinci) has also decided to attend.
The three team up and work together to survive the year, including weathering a time paradox, solving the case of a disappearing dean, and uncovering the truth behind a shady intergalactic secret society. At least time is on their side!
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 February 4th 2025 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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Perfect for fans of Skandar and Wilderlore, this compelling middle grade adventure 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 HarperCollins
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From Andrea Williams, the bestselling author of We Are Family with LeBron James, comes Inside The Park, the story of a young baseball fan’s misadventures after getting locked inside a pro baseball stadium on the eve of the biggest game of the season.
In this all-new, hilarious, action-packed middle grade tale, Timothy “Pumpsie” Strickland, a baseball-loving twelve-year-old, is about to step up to the plate for the biggest swing of his life.
Pumpsie needs a win. Or to be more precise, he needs the Nashville Wildcats to win. Pumpsie’s been waiting his entire life — twelve whole years! — for his favorite team to make it to the playoffs. And this year — finally! — they’re just one win away.
But when Pumpsie accidentally gets trapped in Lookout Field the night before the last game of the season, with only a lost dog named Campy for company, he may have accidentally stumbled into the best night of his life. For a baseball fan like Pumpsie, using the pro batting cages, running the bases, playing with the public address system, eating all the concession-stand junk food he can find is a dream come true…until he realizes he’s not alone in the stadium. Foul plots are brewing beneath Lookout Field, and now it’s on Pumpsie to swallow his fears, gum up his courage, and swing for the fences if he wants to save the Wildcats’ postseason chances.
Inside The Park is a fun-filled, action-packed slice of wish fulfillment that’s perfect for fans of Mike Lupica and Tim Green or any kid who’s ever closed their eyes and imagined stepping up to the plate with the game tied and the season on the line.
Publication Date February 4th 2025 by Scholastic Inc.
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With all the aspirational elements of Eloise and the heart and emotional intelligence of Ways to Make Sunshine, Cruise Life by Reese Eschmann is sure to set sail for success!
All aboard!
Caitlin and her big brother, Dylan, are still getting used to shuttling between Mom’s new little house and Dad’s fancy new condo after their divorce. But summer means a solid six weeks with her dad. Finally, one toothbrush in one place and all her outfits together! So when her dad announces that he’s gotten a new job on the fanciest, most fun, family-friendly cruise line — and he’s bringing his kids along — Caitlin has mixed feelings. For about a minute!
Then off she goes on the adventure of a lifetime on the biggest ship she’s ever seen, the Wandering Princess, which is tricked out to perfection. But soon the pressures of being a crew kid get to Caitlin. She’s already had to adjust to two new homes…will she be able to make the Wandering Princess her third?
Publication Date February 4th 2025 by First Second
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When a team of brilliant kids-turned-astronauts find themselves in serious trouble in outer space, they must work together to get back home. This is the first book in an incredible middle-grade graphic novel series created by real life astronaut, Leland Melvin!
Launch into action in T-Minus 3, 2, 1…
When Tia Valor takes a test on a whim for an exclusive NASA program for middle schoolers, she never thought she’d pass. After all, she never really fit in at school. In fact, she’s been skipping school most days to work at her brother’s auto shop instead. But Leland Melvin, a famed astronaut, sees potential in Tia, and before she knows it, she’s part of a team of other talented kids training to launch to an advanced space station orbiting the earth. But the perils of space are unpredictable and Tia finds herself with only half her crew and no adults around to help. Now she must rely on her instincts and the quick thinking of her fellow kid astronauts to save the space station and their lives!
Created by real-life astronaut Leland Melvin, Eisner-Award nominated comic creator Joe Caramagna, and brought to brilliant life by Alison Acton, Space Chasers is a space adventure like no other.
Publication Date February 4th 2025 by One Elm Books
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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.
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 4th 2025 by Scholastic Inc.
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Sharks, shipwreck, and sunken treasure in this action packed survival series from bestselling and award-winning author Gordon Korman.
Kaz, Dante, Adriana, and Star aren’t the best divers in the world. But they’ve been chosen to spend the summer exploring the depths of the sea.
There are only a few problems. First, the sharks. Killer sharks. And then the fact that the people running the program are covering up something big… and mysterious.
These four kids are about to make the discovery of their lives — and put themselves in danger because of it.
Publication Date February 11th 2025 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
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From Pura Belpré Honoree and Edgar Award Winner Adrianna Cuevas comes an out-of-this-world middle grade adventure, based on true historical events, perfect for fans of The Goonies and Stranger Things.
All Pineda Matlage wants is to get through the school year and maybe pull an epic prank or two with his friends Junior, Ernesto, and Patsy. But class is disrupted when a slew of American soldiers descends upon their rural Texan town of Soledad. They’ll be carrying out a training exercise and taking over everything, from Pineda’s school to the local government.
But Pineda knows why they’re really here. For days he’s hidden the strange creature who fell from the sky in his parents’ barn. He promised her he’d find her family and help them return home. But with soldiers now on every street corner and armed checkpoints across every road, reuniting his new friend with her missing parents seems an impossible task. Especially when they realize that the army’s presence is really a coverup for capturing his alien friends ― being observed in a laboratory by the US government for reasons of their own.
Enlisting the help of his friends, a Black soldier adjusting to a newly integrated army, and townspeople tired of the military’s destructive presence, Pineda and all of Soledad will embark on an adventure none of them could have ever expected.
Publication Date February 25th 2025 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
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Three cousins get transported back to 1862 to play an important role in the Battle of Puebla, the reason we celebrate Cinco de Mayo today, in this enchanting middle grade fantasy adventure.
History is alive with magic. That’s what zany Tía Xia is always telling cousins Jorge, Camila, and Siggy. Daredevil Jorge couldn’t be more different than his cousins: Camila is a dreamer who adores animals and Siggy is an aspiring influencer who has an exclusive party to attend. And their aunt has many secrets, including a mysterious diamond-encrusted sword that Jorge definitely wasn’t supposed to see.
But when the three stumble upon a time portal in their aunt’s yard, they are transported back to 1862, a past filled with wonders — and dangers. To return to the present, they must race to deliver the sword to General Ignacio Zaragoza in time for the historic Battle of Puebla in Mexico: the foundation of the holiday Cinco de Mayo.
As their journey to Mexico takes them through the Civil War–era United States, the cousins see just how much US history has been shaped by Latin communities. They must find the power within themselves to make sure things happen as they’re supposed to, without altering the past.
Publication Date March 4th 2025 by Scholastic Press
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen comes a brand-new, spine-tingling adventure about two kids and their fight for survival on the unforgiving trails of Mount Everest. Jennifer Nielsen’s storytelling climbs to new heights in this epic about loss, letting go, and the most important lesson a climber can learn: where the eye goes, a person follows.
For a climber, letting go means certain death. For Atlas, it means something even worse. But he’ll have to learn how to let go and look up if he ever wants to see the top…
Twelve-year-old Atlas Wade has been trying to forget the memory of his mother by climbing mountains ever since she died when he was nine years old. When his father signs them up for an expedition group hoping to be the first to ever summit the unconquerable Mount Everest, Atlas can’t wait for the chance to prove himself to his father, and maybe finally he can leave his mother behind him on the mountain.
But this time, Atlas is the one left behind, as well as a young American girl named Maddie and their sturdy yet injured Sherpa, Chodak. When news breaks out that war has returned to Europe, and that Nazis are attempting their own summit dangerously nearby, Atlas and Maddie plead with the expedition to come back down.
Their warnings come too late. Atlas looks up that same morning to see an avalanche and when they receive no word from the group, Maddie and Chodak join Atlas as he begins a dangerous journey up the mountain in the hopes of finding survivors.
Atlas, Maddie, and Chodak will have to rely not just on their own wits for survival, but on each other as well, especially as sickness, bad weather, and their fears of a Nazi spy watching them puts their mission — and lives — at risk in the brutal terrain. And Atlas will have to learn how to let go if he wants any chance of finding his father and fixing the rift between them caused by his mother’s death, before it’s too late.
Using one of the world’s greatest — and most infamous — mountains as a backdrop, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen’s storytelling climbs to new heights in this touching, thrilling epic about grief, letting go, and the bonds that keep us alive.
Publication Date March 4th 2025 by Sourcebooks Young Readers
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Two hundred years ago, an island disappeared. Benny has just two weeks to find it.
Everly “Benny” Benedict and her mom have always managed to get by, though they’re broke most of the time. But all that could change. Benny’s just learned she’s the sole heir to the vast fortune of Evelyn Terry, a mysterious ancestor from the 1800s!
There’s a catch, though. First Benny needs to play ― and win ― a game: following clues that are more than a century old, she must find her way to the tiny island Evelyn wrote about in her diary. It was somewhere off the shoreline of Evelyn’s home town, but according to legend, it vanished long ago and hasn’t appeared on maps for hundreds of years. Yet Benny has only a couple weeks to locate it.
If she’s successful, she’ll collect the inheritance. But what if there’s more than a fortune at stake in this game? What if Benny has to break an ancient curse to win?
Publication Date March 4th 2025 by Graphix
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One of the strangest disasters in U.S. history is brought to vivid life in this graphic novel adaptation of Lauren Tarshis’s bestselling I Survived The Great Molasses Flood, 1919, with text adapted by Georgia Ball and art by Karen De La Vega.
It’s been four years since Carmen and Papa moved from Italy to Boston. Life here is exciting, but not always easy. And then there’s the massive metal tank that rises up over their crowded North End neighborhood. The ugly tank, filled with sticky brown molasses, has always leaked. But nobody imagined that it could one day explode apart, sending a tsunami of molasses into the streets.
Caught in the flood, Carmen must fight for her life – the life that she and Papa built together in America. But where will she find the strength?
Lauren Tarshis’s New York Times bestselling I Survived series comes to vivid life in graphic novel editions. Perfect for readers who prefer the graphic novel format, or for existing fans of the I Survived chapter book series, these graphic novels combine historical facts with high-action storytelling that’s sure to keep any reader turning the pages. Includes a nonfiction section at the back with facts and photos about the real-life event.
Publication Date March 4th 2025 by Pixel+Ink
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A middle grade debut by New York Times bestselling co-author of Between The Lines stars 13 year old Ava, who helps run her family’s refuge for extraterrestrials. But a sudden attack on the zoo leads to her discovering a government conspiracy that upends everything she believed to be true.
When meteors suddenly dropped to earth containing eggs in which alien babies were growing, the government called in the experts. Ava’s parents hatched, cared for, raised, and researched these unique beings. When Ava was born, she became part of the team. So many extraterrestrial living beings (ELBs) came, that the government funded the Alien Zoo, where visitors could come and see the ELBs. It was a huge success in its day.
But now Ava is 13, and so much has changed. A terrible car accident claimed her mother. And her father, in deep despair, left Ava and the Zoo in the care of his brother, who’s still healing emotional wounds from his wartime. Then the alien babies stopped coming, and so did the public.
So when 15 year old Harley shows up as an intern for the Zoo, Ava feels blindsided. This is her show. And then a terrible storm changes everything. The once beloved ELBs are loose, and being hunted. Ava’s uncle, MIA. All she has is this strange new boy to help her save everything she loves.
Publication Date March 11th 2025 by Roaring Brook Press
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Amari and The Night Brothers meets Nevermoor in this enchanting middle grade fantasy, inspired by Indian mythology and British folklore, about a neurodivergent heroine, a mysterious school, and a world of magical creatures.
Eleven-year-old Vanya Vallen has always felt like she doesn’t fit in. She’s British-Indian in a mostly white town in England, her parents won’t talk about their pasts, and she has ADHD.
Oh, and she talks to books. More importantly, the books talk back.
When her family is attacked by a monster she believed only existed in fairytales, Vanya discovers that her parents have secrets, and that there are a lot more monsters out there. Overnight, she’s whisked off to the enchanted library and school of Auramere, where she joins the ranks of archwitches and archivists.
Life at Auramere is unexpected, exciting and wonderful. But even here, there’s no escaping monsters. The mysterious, powerful Wild Hunt is on the prowl, and Vanya will need all her creativity and courage to unmask its leader and stop them before they destroy the only place she’s ever truly belonged.
From the critically-acclaimed author of the Kiki Kallira series and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches comes an action-packed and magical middle grade fantasy, perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Roshani Chokshi.
Publication Date March 11th 2025 by Aladdin
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Only Murders In The Building meets Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library in this action-packed novel about a girl pulled into a mysterious treasure hunt at her new boarding school.
Ever since her mom passed away, twelve-year-old Megumi “Meg” Mizuno has been spiraling. After too many low grades and cut classes, she’s been expelled from school—apparently, everyone else has moved past her grief and expects the same from her. Her dad secures her a spot at the prestigious Leland Chase Academy, a boarding school in the middle-of-nowhere New York, called the Last Chance Academy by its student body. If Meg can’t make it work there, she’ll be forced to live with her horrible aunt.
At first, Leland Chase seems like an average, if very strict, boarding school, though Meg tentatively warms up to her roommate and some of their classmates. Then, one night, a mysterious envelope appears under her door, inviting Meg and her roommate to participate in a scavenger hunt. The only rules: don’t get caught by faculty or staff and no cheating. The grand prize? A luxury stay at a fancy resort in California. And after learning her dad has plans to sell their family home — with all its memories of Mom — Meg knows she has to win the competition and use the trip to convince Dad to stay.
Thanks to her mom, who taught her how to solve ciphers, Meg has a knack for puzzles she uses to get ahead in the hunt. But she quickly learns that her classmates seem to have their own sets of skills keeping them in the competition. And as they get deeper in the game, Meg and her fellow competitors realize the anonymous creator has their own agenda…and LCA isn’t quite what it seems.
Publication Date March 18th 2025 by Nosy Crow
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A fast-paced adventure full of daring action and delicious cakes!
Alice Éclair, Spy Extraordinaire will whisk you away on a glamorous and high-stakes adventure, full of daring action and delicious cakes!
Baker by day, spy by night — Alice Éclair leads an exciting double life!
A mysterious message sends Alice on a mission aboard France’s most glamorous train, the Sapphire Express . Alice must sneak on board posing as a pastry chef and discover which passenger is an enemy agent before they reach their final stop. But everyone on the train seems to be hiding something…
Armed with her whisk, her wits, and her will to succeed, Alice has a spy to catch.
Publication Date March 18th 2025 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
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An orphan girl fights to save the inhabitants of a magical house in this first book in the rollicking middle grade magical adventure series perfect for fans of Nevermoor and Greenwild!
Nine is an orphan pickpocket determined to escape her life in the Nest of a Thousand Treasures where she’s one of many thieves only valued for what they can steal. When she lifts a house-shaped ornament from a mysterious woman’s purse, she knocks on its tiny door and watches it grow into a huge, higgledy-piggledy building.
Inside, Nine meets the eccentric people who call the magical house their home: Dr. Spoon the alchemist, Flabberghast the young wizard and competitive hopscotch-er, and Eric the troll housekeeper with a strong emotional attachment to his feather duster. For years, they have been desperate to end the curse on the house that prevents them from leaving, finding the bathroom on the first try, or opening the tea cupboard. They can’t even change the scenery outside the windows because the toad’s tongue that enables the structure to move around has gone missing.
After years of having only herself to count on, prickly Nine doesn’t have an altruistic bone in her body and should be the very last choice for anyone looking for a hero, but she’s the only one around. With the promise of a life-changing reward in the balance, she sets her street smarts against bats with acid dung, a burping sugar bowl, and worse as she uncovers more about the curse…and herself.
Publication Date March 18th 2025 by Amulet Books
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An action-packed, spine-tingling ghost story about twins with supernatural powers perfect for fans of Five Nights At Freddy’s and the Goosebumps series.
Thirteen-year-old twins Gabby and Trent Manning are Connecticut’s youngest paranormal investigators. Both have inherited “the gift” from their grandparents, the Mannings, whose legendary ghost hunts inspired several books and movies — but whose names have been nearly forgotten since their untimely deaths years ago.
Armed with EMF machines, flashlights, and recording equipment, the twins’ mom drags them all over New England in an attempt to bring their family back into the limelight. Never mind that Gabby is tired of being known as a Ghost Twin, and Trent finds most of the haunts to be pretty frightening. Their mom thinks their latest destination is exactly what the family needs to go viral: the abandoned Majestic Theater, the site of the late Mannings’ infamous failed exorcism.
However, nothing about this investigation goes according to plan. After a terrifying séance-gone-wrong on the stage, their mother goes missing in the building, and it’s clear that a powerful demon is haunting the theater. Will the twins be able live up to their grandparents’ legacy and vanquish the demon — before it’s too late?
Featuring articles, interviews, and other found media throughout, The Many Hauntings of the Manning Family is packed with scares that will leave readers sleeping with the lights on.
Publication Date March 25th 2025 by Disney Hyperion
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An out-of-this-world story about friendship, empowerment, and…running from federal agents?
E.T. meets cult classic The Iron Giant in this middle grade light sci-fi from Emmy Award-winner Oz Rodriguez and New York Times best-selling author Claribel A. Ortega, perfect for fans of Witchlings.
With a little heart, you can fix anything.
Mimi Perez fixes things. Phones, tablets, speakers, printers. She gets it from her dad—helping him at the family e-repair shop was always one of Mimi’s favorite things to do. But ever since Papi was deported, there’s a lot more than electronics that need fixing in Mimi’s world. Things too big for any twelve-year-old to handle on her own.
Mimi hustles around her Brooklyn neighborhood trying to earn enough money to finally fix her family. There’s no time for school or friends, but Mimi knows it will all be worth it the day Papi comes home. Then her ex-friends approach her with a proposition: enter a robotics competition with them, and they could win $50,000. It could be her chance.
Not part of the plan? A mysterious robot crashing to earth. From space.
The robot is scared, alone, and broken, and federal agents are after her. Mimi does what any street-smart electronics repair person would do: she takes the robot home, fixes her up, and in the process, makes herself a friend.
Suddenly, Mimi is anything but alone. She’s part of a robotics team. She’s sheltering a robot. She’s dodging federal agents. And keeping all of it a secret from her mom.
Join a girl and a robot on their life-changing sci-fi adventure in this coming-of-age story that celebrates kids in STEM, first-gen communities, and the power of friendship.
Publication Date March 25th 2025 by Greenwillow Books
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From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler meets Indiana Jones! A young adventurer races to break the family curse by repatriating the artifacts her famed ancestor “saved.” Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan, Kwame Mbalia, and Rena Barron.
Cincinnati Lee’s great great (great?) grandfather is famous. His adventures discovering ancient artifacts have been made into movies, and his work is widely respected by museums across the world. The thing is, in that line of work, you’re bound to get cursed. And that leaves your great great (great?) granddaughter to break the curse by returning the artifacts you “preserved.”
Cincinnati’s own adventure begins in the Cosmopolitan Museum in New York City, where her single mom works and Cincinnati has grown up. Soon she learns about the ancient Spear of Destiny — and its potential to right all the wrongs in her family’s past. Or bring about the end of the world. It all depends on whose hands it falls into. Cincinnati must beat two relic hunters to the spear, and her quest will take her to surprising locations throughout the city and even across the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way, she’ll make a new friend (which is not the easiest thing to do), make some enemies (surprisingly easy to do), and ultimately learn what makes the world worth saving.
Acclaimed author Heidi Heilig makes a dazzling middle grade debut with an irrepressible hero, a compelling cast of friends and enemies, nonstop action, and a thoughtful approach to viewing our responsibilities to each other and the world around us.
Publication Date March 25th 2025 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
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From the Newbery-Award winning author of Catherine, Called Birdy and The Midwife’s Apprentice comes the story of an orphan who decides to go west – with nothing but gumption as her guide.
Sally O’Malley is an orphan working at a mineral spring hotel in the woods of central Oregon – that is, until she’s chucked out like chewed-on chicken bones, due entirely to an unfortunate incident with a pig and some church ladies.
And so Sally decides to head west to the sea. Glorious, she’s heard. Fierce, she’s heard. Why not see for herself? Before long Sally encounters a dangerous bobcat – and that’s just the first day! Safe in the knowledge that she’s fearless, she continues on her journey with no place to belong and no one to depend on. And that’s just fine with her.
Then a lady called Major, an old donkey, a loyal dog, and an abominable brat show Sally that she’s not quite as brave as she thinks.
It turns out that counting on someone else is the scariest thing of all.
Publication Date April 8th 2025 by Delacorte Press
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You’re invited to the wildest ride of the year! An exciting novel featuring a group of kids competing in a giant safari park challenge, this book is packed with animal facts, puzzles and more making it the perfect book for readers looking for their next adventure.
Twelve-year old Lucy can’t believe her luck when she is selected for the Wildlands Safari Escape Challenge, which involves solving a series of mind-bending puzzles to unlock access to new animal habitats across the local safari park. Her team will be racing the Wildlands Ambassadors, a group of student animal experts. And if they win, wildlife-loving Lucy will get the chance to be an Ambassador herself!
But this challenge is trickier than Lucy expects — her team is in for a wild ride! Broken locks, downed electronics, and empty animal enclosures are just the start. Lucy discovers something truly terrifying: Wildlands’ beloved baby elephant is on the loose and might be in danger! The team is sure this can’t be part of the competition — and with their walkie-talkie on the fritz, they have no way to call for help.
Their fun puzzle has turned into a serious test, but Lucy and her team will surprise everyone with how they tackle the real Wildlands challenge.
Publication Date April 15th 2025 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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Skandar and The Unicorn Thief meets One Thousand and One Nights in this thrilling middle grade fantasy from Rick Riordan Presents author Sarwat Chadda about a girl with the magical power to control the elements with her song.
In a land ruled by fierce winged warriors known as eagle garudas, twelve-year-old Nargis is just a poor, lowly human, a Worm who hates the garudas that killed her parents. But even though she can’t fly — and her childhood attempt left her walking with a crutch — she is far from powerless. Nargis is a spirit singer: able to coax small bits of wind, water, fire, and earth to do her bidding through song…well, sometimes.
When Nargis loses control of her power in a high-stakes kite fight, she is exiled. Cast into the desert, she discovers Mistral, an injured boy who turns out to be an eagle garuda, the prince of her enemies! He’s on a mission to take back his throne from a terrible vulture garuda. In spite of their mutual distrust, the two have no choice but to forge an unlikely alliance if they want to escape the desert alive.
And as Nargis and Mistral battle dangerous assassins, befriend crafty sky pirates, and sneak into the mysterious sky castle of Alamut, Nargis discovers she carries a family secret, one that could bring Monsoon’s rains back to the desert, but only if she’s willing to risk her life in the bargain….
Publication Date April 15th 2025 by Scholastic Press
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In her stunning literary debut, Mia Araujo presents a gorgeous reimagining of Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, spinning a new story that is accompanied by arresting, ethereal illustrations about twin sisters and how one must venture outside the safety of their home, into the wilderness, in order to find herself and true happiness.
Afia has always felt like half of a whole. Her twin sister, Aya, is perfectly happy with fulfilling their family’s expectations of them. But Afia dreams of exploring the world beyond her secluded cliffside home of Dafra. She dreams of adventure.
When she meets a charming shape-shifter named Bakame, who dazzles her with promises of a magical land called Ijábù, Afia decides to take her destiny into her own hands. Although it will mean leaving everything she has ever known behind, including her beloved sister, Afia follows Bakame into the forbidden forests surrounding Dafra, from which no one has ever returned.
Filled with magical sights, a charismatic Queen and her intriguing court, Ijábù is everything that Afia has ever dreamed of. But she soon discovers that nothing is as it seems, and this fantasy world demands a terrible price. With the help of a mysterious trickster, Afia must evade the Queen’s hunters and the lost dreamers of Ijábù, who wish to pull her deeper into their web.
Now, Afia must find the courage to survive while standing on her own – or risking losing herself completely to the wonders of Ijábù.
Debut author-illustrator Mia Araujo weaves an extraordinarily luminous and beautiful story, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, about what it takes to find your true self, even if it means facing your deepest fears.
Publication Date April 29th 2025 by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
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Bestselling and award-winning author Kate Messner takes readers on a heart-filling journey as a boy finds his path to healing.
One summer.
46 mountain peaks.
A second chance to make things right.Finn Connelly is nothing like his dad, a star athlete and firefighter hero who always ran toward danger until he died two years ago. Finn is about to fail seventh grade and has never made headlines…until now.
Caught on camera vandalizing a cemetery, he’s in big trouble for knocking down some dead old lady’s headstone. Turns out that grave belongs to a legendary local mountain climber, and her daughter makes Finn an unusual offer: she’ll drop all the charges if he agrees to climb all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks in a single summer. And there’s just one more thing – he has to bring along the dead woman’s dog.
In a wild three months of misadventures, mountain mud, and unexpected mentors, Finn begins to find his way on the trails. At the top of each peak, he can see for miles and slowly begins to understand more about himself and his dad. But the mountains don’t care about any of that, and as the clock ticks down to September, they have more surprises in store. Finn’s final summit challenge may be more than even a hero can face.
Publication Date May 6th 2025 by Walker Books US
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To rescue her scientist dad, Bitsy learns to conjure magicores — extraordinary creatures of all shapes, sizes, and magical abilities. This new fantasy series by an internationally best-selling author will appeal to Pokémon collectors, fans of creature-filled video games, and anyone who dreams of attending magic school.
Bitsy and her best friend, Kosh, are spending a normal evening playing video games — until a purple hamster the size of a bathtub barges in and eats Bitsy’s gym clothes. Now it’s a race against time to rescue Bitsy’s dad from a mysterious kidnapper, which starts with learning the truth — that he, Bitsy, and Kosh can conjure magicores, creatures made from the energy of emotions.
From magic-carpet-like huffluffs to shape-changing (and purring) copycats and big, stinky lubberwharls, countless magicores exist hidden in plain sight, as do the schools that teach young conjurers to wield their powers. But the world of conjurers also features conflicts between guilds, and Bitsy’s dad may have been caught up in one.
With minimal training, it’s up to Bitsy and Kosh to win an international race to find a long-lost magical object. The two friends must decide who to trust as they solve riddles, fight imaginative magical battles, and get to know the wide, wonderful world of magicores — before a shadowy archvillain destroys everything.
Publication Date May 6th 2025 by Melissa de la Cruz Studio
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National Treasure gets a Harlem Renaissance twist in this epic adventure through New York City, filled with history, humor, and heart.
Twelve-year-old Zeus Jones is just about the only person in the world who believes in his grandfather’s stories about the Harlem Renaissance. To be fair, they are a bit far-fetched. After all, what are the chances that there was a renowned magazine called Burn! whose headquarters literally burned down, destroying almost every single copy? And who would believe that a secret page was actually hidden amongst the ashes, said to be the key to unlocking a lost fortune? No one, that’s who.
But when Zeus accidentally stumbles upon the secret page on the same day that his grandfather disappears without a trace, he finally has proof that his grandfather’s stories are more than just stories — they’re real. And now he knows that the secret page is more than just a secret page — it’s a treasure map, leading to a prize beyond all imagining.
Follow the map, find the treasure, save his grandfather. Seems simple enough. But as Zeus and his friends work to solve the riddles of the map, long-buried secrets about the Harlem Renaissance, Black history, and Zeus’s own family are unraveled. And what’s more, they aren’t the only ones intent on seizing this prize…
Filled with interactive clues and puzzles, young readers will love solving this mile-a-minute mystery right alongside Zeus!
Publication Date May 6th 2025 by Roaring Brook Press
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For fans of Amari and The Night Brothers and The Marvellers, Alby C. Williams’ debut middle grade fantasy is a sweeping adventure filled with monsters, mysteries, and mischief.
Eleven-year-old Glory Brown is desperate for adventure far from her family’s quaint, quiet life at The Light Inn. Generations of Browns have been stewards of this humble hotel, which acts as a sanctuary in the stretch of monster-filled land called the Seam. But Glory wants nothing more than to learn how to use her Moxie, a special magic only kids have, and to train to become a Spherinaut like her mother, exploring and documenting the perilous depths of the Outersphere.
When a mysterious boy named Marcus appears one day on a top-secret mission for the Parliamentarium – the school for aspiring Spherinauts – Glory packs up her beloved books and sets off on a once-in-a-lifetime journey that will shuttle her across time and space…and reveal new dangers lurking in the worlds beyond the Seam.
For there’s mischief afoot that’s threatening the balance between the worlds, its magic, and its monsters. And it’s up to Glory to find a solution before it’s too late.
Publication Date May 6th 2025 by Kokila
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Reality proves more epic than fantasy in this family road trip story starring a reluctant young hero and his curmudgeonly grandfather.
Gonzalo Alberto Sánchez García has never considered himself the hero of his own story. He’s an observer, quietly snapshotting landscapes and drawing the creatures he imagines emerging from them. Forced to spend the summer with his estranged grandfather, Alberto William García — the very famous reclusive author — Gonzalo didn’t expect to learn that heroes and monsters are not only the stuff of fantasy.
But that’s precisely what happens when Gonzalo’s CEO mother, Veronica, sends Alberto on tour to promote the final book in his fantasy series for children and Gonzalo must tag along, even though he feels no connection to his grandfather or the books. Together, they embark on a cross-country road trip from Mendocino to Miami in a classic 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass S Convertible named Mathilde. Over the course of ten epic days on the highway, they will slay demons, real and imagined; confront old stories to write new ones; and learn what it truly means to show up for your family.
Publication Date May 6th 2025 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
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From award-winning and bestselling author of Where The Mountain Meets The Moon Grace Lin comes a gorgeously full-color illustrated story about a lion cub and a girl who must open a portal for the spirits, based on Chinese folklore.
Jin is a Stone Lion — one of the guardians of the Old City Gate who is charged to watch over humans and protect the Sacred Sphere. But to Jin, those boring duties feel like a waste of time.
What isn’t a waste of time? Perfecting his zuqiu kick, scoring a Golden Goal, and becoming the most legendary player of all the spirit world.
But when Jin’s perfect kick accidentally knocks the Sacred Sphere out through the gate, he has no choice but to run after it, tumbling out of the realm he calls home and into the human world as the gate closes behind him.
Stuck outside the gate, Jin must find help from unlikely allies, including a girl who can hear a mysterious voice and a worm who claims he is a dragon. Together, they must find the sphere and return it to the world beyond the gate…or risk losing everything.
Award-winning and bestselling author Grace Lin returns with another gorgeously illustrated adventure story about duty, love, and balance — expertly written in the vein of the Newbery Honor winner and modern classic Where The Mountain Meets The Moon. Based on Chinese Folklore, this beautiful novel features ten full-page pieces of stunning full-color art, as well as intricate chapter header illustrations.
Publication Date May 20th 2025 by Holiday House
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Twin sisters team up — despite drastically different personalities — to save their family from a bitter witch’s curse in this rich and atmospheric middle grade novel.
Twelve-year-old Lana isn’t looking for trouble when she ventures into the swampy marsh behind her family’s home in Galveston Bay. She’s just sweaty and bored and lonely, sick of sitting around doing nothing.
Her family never goes anywhere. Her mom and her sisters want nothing to do with her, and none of them will talk about their dead dad. With loads of unanswered questions and no other options, Lana decides to seek out the legendary Alligator Witch — if she’s even real.
What Lana doesn’t realize is that the Alligator Witch is very real, and has spent decades plotting her revenge on the town. When the witch swiftly casts a terrifying curse, the only person Lana can ask for help is her unfriendly and generally unwilling twin, Gracie.
Together, the twins embark on a memorable journey to make sense of the Alligator Witch’s dark past, along with the unexpected role their family played in her descent. In spite of their differences, Lana and Gracie must unite to make things right and save their loved ones.
An enchanting read packed full of fascinating lore, girl-powered adventure, and just-enough danger, this story of sisterhood will keep readers turning pages. Hand to fans of exciting, lightly magical sagas like The Midnight Children and The Jumbies.
Publication Date May 27th 2025 by Dial Books
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A whimsical, adventure-filled mystery about a young orphan at the edge of society who finds herself at the center of a city’s secrets. For fans of The Swifts and A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Maggie Fishbone is not expecting much when she’s sent to the Midwatch Institute for Orphans, Runaways, and Wayward Girls — the last resort after causing a ruckus at the orphanage where she was living. Except…the Institute isn’t some dreadful, dreary place like she thought.
Instead it’s full of curious girls training to solve mysteries, fight bad guys, and keep the city safe. In between fencing lessons and discovering all the shortcuts in the building, Maggie finds herself making friends at the Midwatch and finally feeling like she’s home. And when a woman goes missing, Maggie’s off on her first assignment, with each step leading her deeper into the secrets of the city.
With gorgeous black-and-white illustrations and pages of “Useful Things Every Girl Should Know” (like how send messages in morse code and how to shout extremely loudly), The Midwatch is a whimsical, adventure-filled mystery from internationally bestselling author-illustrator Judith Rossell.
Publication Date May 27th 2025 by HarperCollins
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From George Jreije, author of the acclaimed Shad Hadid and The Alchemists of Alexandria series, comes the first book in a new high-stakes middle grade fantasy. Perfect for fans of Percy Jackson and the Rick Riordan Presents line!
Shy, eleven-year-old Bashir Boutros dreads going back to America after an amazing summer in Lebanon. He’s always felt invisible back home, where he doesn’t have any real friends. Then, Bashir makes a lucky discovery — a long-lost ring containing a jinn whose magical aura brings power to those who wield it.
But the ring’s untold power makes Bashir a target for monsters — including Ali Adin, the world’s most dangerous demon. When Ali Adin kidnaps Bashir’s parents, Bashir joins forces with an ancient society sworn to protect the world from supernatural beings. Together, they set off on a race to stop Ali Adin from conquering the world as Bashir attempts to harness the ring’s abilities.
But great power comes at what cost?
Publication Date May 27th 2025 by Quill Tree Books
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Perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli and The Tea Dragon Society, this beautiful graphic novel follows a girl who learns more about friendship and family as she journeys across the fantastical land of Lirrin to tend to its majestic animals.
Lu dreams of being a great adventurer, just like her ah-ma, who is a world-renowned geozoologist. Ah-ma has traveled far and wide, researching unique animals like dreamy cloud-jellies, enormous sunfish, and playful mossgoats. There’s nothing Lu loves more than reading Ah-ma’s letters about her quests, even if she and her mom struggle to understand the Cylian language Ah-ma writes in.
But when Ah-ma’s letters suddenly stop, Lu becomes worried. So when a nearby town needs a geozoologist, Lu decides to go on the journey to find Ah-ma. She charts a course with the help of Ren, an old friend turned new travel buddy.
As they follow in Ah-ma’s footsteps, Lu begins to discover the complex relationships between geofauna — and between people. What stories has Ah-ma never told her? And what’s Ren hiding from her?
Publication Date June 3rd 2025 by Nancy Paulsen Books
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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.
Publication Date June 3rd 2025 by Aladdin
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A girl’s awkward road trip with her dad and her mom’s new boyfriend turns into to an epic quest to rescue a dragon from poachers in this action-packed middle grade adventure perfect for fans of Fablehaven and Wilderlore.
Aspiring rockstar Zadie Drake’s world flipped upside-down the moment her mom started dating Lloyd Clutterbuck — a boring risk analyst with an aversion to all things fun. Since Lloyd moved in, he’s made it his mission to drain every drop of joy from Zadie’s life — putting strict limits on her guitar sessions, nitpicking her every move, and filling the house with his utter dullness. Naturally, when Zadie’s daredevil park ranger dad invites Zadie and her older sister to spend the summer at his cabin, Zadie can hardly contain her excitement. But Zadie’s joy is short-lived when her mom announces that Lloyd will be tagging along.
Soon after arriving at the cabin, Zadie begins to suspect that there’s more to her dad’s job than meets the eye. Her suspicions are confirmed when family secrets make an explosive entrance in the form of a fire-wielding poacher who kidnaps her dad’s best friend — an enormous, ice-breathing dragon. The revelations launch Zadie and her family into a cross-country rescue mission of epic proportions. As tensions spike, tempers flare, and the family’s differences become glaringly obvious, Zadie realizes her family’s most daunting challenge might not be rescuing the dragon but working together.
Publication Date June 10th 2025 by Feiwel & Friends
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Raised in a sanctuary hotel for spies, the daughter of one of its top agents is determined to follow in her mother’s footsteps and use her hard-won spy skills to help others in Confessions Of A Junior Spy, a fun, fast-paced, middle grade series opener by Rosaria Munda.
Bea dreams of becoming a spy like her mom. Growing up in the Pangean Hotel, a secret sanctuary for spies, she spends her time studying self-defense, languages, codebreaking, and field medicine, preparing for the day when she can follow in her mother’s footsteps. But her mom has a different plan for Bea: She wants Bea to attend boarding school like one of the normal folk. Bea can’t think of a worse fate, the Life is all she’s ever known. But you do not say no to the Pangean League’s top spy.
While Bea is juggling test prep and applications with desperate plans to avoid going to normal school at all costs, a new girl moves into the hotel with her family. Chantal’s family is clearly on the run, and Bea and her best friend Tommy are certain they can use their skills and knowledge to help her…If boarding school doesn’t get in the way first.
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 July 1st 2025 by Candlewick
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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.
Publication Date July 1st 2025 by Walker Books US
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In this rollicking transatlantic romp set in 1910, a plucky girl named Patch accidentally stows away on a glamorous steamship, finding herself in the midst of a mystery.
Twelve-year-old Patch hasn’t found a real home yet, despite being passed like a package from one distant relative to the next. When she runs up the gangway of the massive steamship RMS Glorious, she isn’t planning to hang around. But it’s too late — the ship is setting sail! Patch has become an accidental stowaway. Luckily, she’s fearless and resourceful and finds friends on board in both high and low places. But hiding from the stowaway-hunting chief steward becomes harder and harder. And to make matters worse, Patch’s new friends urgently need her help: it turns out that some passengers are not what they seem, and there’s a mystery that needs solving before they reach New York.
Can Patch protect her friends and stop some dastardly criminals? And will she find a home at last, or will the excitement of life on the move keep calling her name? The elegant allure of Titanic-era steamships meets madcap escapades as our intrepid heroine finds adventure on every deck.
Publication Date July 1st 2025 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
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From the author of Marikit and The Ocean of Stars, a magical middle grade adventure about three Filipino children who must find their way through a mystical land filled with monsters and gods from Filipino lore.
The town of Santo Cristo is known for two things ― their colorful town fiesta capped off with a solemn evening procession, and the dozens of people that have disappeared over the years. When three kids ― the headstrong Bayani, stubborn Isay, and anxious Aaron ― find their way over the other side of a mysterious bridge and to a long-forgotten island of myth, they’re faced with monsters, cryptids, and sinister characters. In this land of Night, they must find their way back to their world and keep their light burning bright lest they lose themselves too.
Publication Date July 8th 2025 by Quill Tree Books
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Encanto meets Oceans 8 in this middle-grade fantasy-adventure, set in a Portuguese-inspired world, following a tween girl who joins a notorious band of thieves to steal a priceless jewel and discovers corruption that must be stopped.
Rosa Coelho has spent her whole life hunting monstros, wandering the city streets with her best friend Tiago, and dreaming of a better life for herself and her grandmother. And in a society that favors the rich and educated, every piece of knowledge comes with a hefty price, even the most basic books Rosa’s family needs to trap monstrous.
So when the powerful Ministério dos Monstros threatens her family’s struggling Encantadora shop, Rosa only has two weeks to scrape together the money for their debts. It seems like an impossible task…until Rosa tricks her way onto an infamous thief crew as their magical safecracker.
Thrust into the world of high class luxury and betrayal, Rosa is pulled into a scheme with the highest possible stakes: stealing from the Ministry itself. She must learn to trust her magical abilities and her crew — for if the heist goes wrong, everything she loves is forfeit.
Publication Date July 8th 2025 by Greenwillow Books
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The author of the acclaimed A Bit of Earth reimagines classic characters from The One Thousand and One Nights. Sabrena’s family has always claimed they are descended from the legendary sailor Sinbad. But when the sea calls Sabrena to a whole new world, she’ll have to fight for her own story. For fans of The Last Mapmaker and Mañanaland.
This happened. Or maybe it did not. That is how stories begin. Because whether you believe them — or not — depends on you.
Sabrena’s destiny — her qadr — is strong. Or so her family has always said. After all, according to her dad, they are the descendants of the legendary Sinbad the sailor, who sailed the seven seas in The One Thousand and One Nights. But Sabrena has felt anything but strong lately. Mostly, she has felt worried. Worried about being the new girl in a school everyone else has attended since kindergarten, worried about Grandma’s memory failing and her stories getting more outlandish, worried about Mom deciding that Grandma can’t even live at home anymore. Worried about the strange — almost fantastical — things that keep happening whenever she’s around water lately.
And then, one day, the sea’s call will not be denied. It floods into her life and sweeps her away, to be fished out of an ocean both strange and oddly familiar. It only takes her a moment to realize that she’s in the stories spun by the legendary queen Scheherazade. Yet no one has ever heard of Sinbad, nothing seems to be going quite as it does in the tales as she knows them, and a frightening jinn is terrorizing the kingdom. Can Sabrena find the courage to claim her destiny before it’s too late?
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Publication Date July 22nd 2025 by Disney Hyperion
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Adventure awaits in this middle-grade fantasy series that invites young readers to step into the shoes of of the story’s hero! Combining elements of table-top roleplaying and pick-your-poison storytelling, a roll of the dice determines whether you’ll score a legendary win…or an epic fail.
Set in a classic high-fantasy setting, Seth is last-surviving apprentice of the great wizard Bristleboor. One day, Bristleboor sends Seth on a mission to find an elusive flower that grows in the tunnels under the castle they live in. Aided by an imprisoned imp named Calivore, Seth traverses the tunnels and comes upon monsters to fight and puzzles to solve while learning secrets about himself…and his master. By the end, he and the reader will need to make choices about where and with whom their loyalties lie and what kind of hero they want to become.
In this new adventure series from Nick Eliopulos and featuring art by Ethan M. Aldridge, the reader becomes the character, getting to make their own choices about how the story will unfold. Or do they? Some chapters will present options to choose from while others will ask the reader to roll a six-sided die and let fate decide their path. It’s an interactive reading experience like no other that will allow young readers to tap into a Dungeon & Dragons style of storytelling while giving them an early introduction to pick-your-poison gamebooks and table-top roleplaying.
Publication Date August 5th 2025 by Sourcebooks Young Readers
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From the author of Time Villains comes a new fantastical adventure about family, tradition, and seeing things for what they truly are.
Nico wants to be a famous film director. He’s pretty sure if he can make the right movie, and soon, his life will completely change. The catch? His parents are sending him to Puerto Rico for the summer to stay with his iconic, but old-school, Abuela Luciana, and his awesome, but unpredictable cousins. Still, the show must go on.
Until Nico and his cousins awaken a monster. A monster that looks an awful lot like the infamous Chupacabra. And it turns out this isn’t a chance encounter. The creature begins stalking them all over Puerto Rico, turning up on every dark corner, sandy beach, and moonlit night. To make matters worse, a shadowy cult enters the chase, intent on capturing them before the Chupacabra can.
Soon they are thrown into an adventure that brings them face-to-face with the ancient Taino people, even more ancient Taino gods, and the mysterious Chupacabra, who is somehow linked to everything. Nico keeps his camera rolling, hoping the epic documentary will catapult him to stardom. But in the end, it’s the island’s fate that hangs in the balance, as they face down the very gods that created Puerto Rico.
Publication Date August 12th 2025 by Disney Hyperion
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A pint-sized Only Murders In The Building meets Land of Stories in this fantastical middle grade mystery where three kids’ search for a missing mother leads them to a world where every story ever told is real — making a hit web series about their search along the way.
Five months ago, Maggie Woodrow’s mom disappeared without a trace. Now, the world has given up the search and Maggie and her dad may lose their house. But Maggie has a plan: hire a private investigator, find her mom, and everything will go back to normal.
When the private investigator wants $3,000 to take on Maggie’s case, she knows just who to turn to: Griffin, the school’s entrepreneur-influencer. Maggie and her friend Petra approach him for help. Intrigued by Maggie’s mom’s story, Griffin agrees to film the investigation and create a web series, splitting the profits with Maggie.
Except their search takes a totally unexpected turn when they are sucked into a world where every story ever told is real — and so is magic. From Sherlock Holmes to Baba Yaga to terrifying mythical monsters, Maggie and her new friends never know what’s around the corner. Still, they are determined to work together and uncover the truth about Maggie’s mom.
As Maggie, Griffin, and Petra close in on the answers they seek, a mysterious (and dangerous) man known as The Reaper sends increasingly deadly threats after them. Will they find Maggie’s mom? Or will their own disappearance become the latest mystery?
Publication Date September 2nd 2025 by Holiday House
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What would happen if you accidentally bought a doodle worth millions? Edwin Hodge finds out in this middle grade novel by Dan Gutman, bestselling author of My Weird School series.
There were so many things Edwin Hodge didn’t know when he paid $10 for a cool poster of Kobe Bryant at the local flea market.
He didn’t know that hidden within the frame of the poster was an original drawing by Pablo Picasso, one of the most famous artists in history. He didn’t know the Picasso might be worth millions of dollars. He didn’t know that kids at school were going to treat him differently, or that he would become a world famous social media superstar.
And he sure didn’t know that people would tap his phone, follow him home, break into his house, or threaten to burn it down. He didn’t know the Picasso was going to ruin his life.
Have you ever had to make a decision – a really hard decision? A decision that would change the course of your life from that moment on? Edwin is faced with lots of crucial decisions in this gripping adventure, a blend of fact and fiction by Dan Gutman, an author who says, “I want my readers to think that reading my books is like watching a movie. One where you never know what’s going to happen next.”
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Publication Date September 2nd 2025 by Freedom Fire
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From the best-selling author of the Jumbies series comes another Afro-Caribbean–inspired story, about three cousins who are called on to use their moko (protector) magic when stolen art goes on the rampage.
Twelve-year-old Misty and her two cousins, Aidan and Brooke, are mokos — protector spirits — who recently combined their magic to save Brooklyn’s carnival celebration. Now they’re excited about Uncle Andrew’s upcoming art exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. He has chosen to create a piece centered around a Benin Bronze, one of several artworks that were looted from Nigeria in 1897, and the cousins are treated to a private tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to help him choose it.
When Misty views the bronzes for the first time, she is transported into a long-ago memory of an oba (king) who was stern and angry. And that’s just the beginning of the trouble. Once the selected bronze is delivered from the Met, the Brooklyn Museum is overrun with dust bunnies that attack people. A mysterious force controlling the dust begins to pull innocent victims into artworks and trap them inside. The cousins are going to need a lot of help — BIG help — to defeat this fearsome foe.
Tracey Baptiste, the author of the popular Jumbies series, has once again used her special brand of magic to concoct a wildly imaginative adventure as thought-provoking as it is thrilling.
Publication Date September 9th 2025 by Aladdin
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A kid who just wanted a cell phone ends up being responsible for saving the world from an alien invasion in this hilarious, action-packed new middle grade novel that’s perfect for fans of Sal and Gabi Break The Universe and Gordon Korman.
Ten-year-old Matt really wants a phone, but his parents won’t let him have one. When he finds one just lying on the sidewalk, he naturally picks it up and claims it for himself. But when Matt uses his new phone to take pictures, they show the crossing guard in front of his school as a monster. But that can’t be right…can it?
Matt soon learns that: a) his lunch lady is also a monster (actually, an alien); b) an invasion of Earth is due to take place within the next few days; and c) the lunch lady is having cold feet (well, tentacles) about the whole thing and wants his help. Matt and his friend Marcela join forces with her to save the planet.
Battles in their school cafeteria and high above the Earth’s atmosphere place them in very close encounters with alien pets and the business end of a gigantic oven. As the danger mounts, Matt and Marcela must ask themselves what they’re willing to risk to save their friends, their family, and their world.
Publication Date September 9th 2025 by Carolrhoda Books
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In 1970, twelve-year-old Zeyna has grown up in London but has never quite felt like she fits in.
Her monotonous life is suddenly interrupted when Zeyna’s parents decide to visit their native Pakistan ― where Zeyna feels she doesn’t fit in either. But then her parents disappear, leaving behind a string of clues that connect them to an international jewel heist. Along with her annoying little brother and her clever Pakistani cousin, Zeyna sets out to find her parents and clear their names. Along the way, she discovers that being shaped by two cultures doesn’t have to mean she’s always an outsider.
Publication Date September 16th 2025 by Quill Tree Books
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From New York Times bestselling author Margaret Peterson Haddix comes a suspenseful duology opener about a girl whose first phone connects her to a network of time travelers who want to change the world. Perfect for fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society and City Spies!
When Maisie’s mom gives her an old phone, Maisie can’t believe her luck — finally, she can keep up with everyone at school! Unfortunately, her mom also tells her that the whole family will be moving to spend the summer taking care of Maisie’s great-aunt Hazel. Maisie’s only getting a phone because she’ll be responsible for her younger siblings during the entire trip. With that, Maisie is ready to give the phone back.
Then the first puzzling text comes in.
Between the mystery texts and a not-completely-blank book from Great-Aunt Hazel, Maisie finds herself thrown into the world of moonleapers. Will she be able to learn more about the secretive group, and—gulp—help them accomplish their crucial mission in time?
Publication Date September 16th 2025 by Scholastic Press
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A hilarious and heartwarming fantasy adventure perfect for fans of Skandar and The Unicorn Thief! This is the middle grade debut from acclaimed author Sabina Khan.
Laila Habib is having the worst birthday ever, as she’s just discovered that her family’s two-year stay in Houston, Texas, is going to be extended…indefinitely. With one foot in her current life and one foot back in her old home in Mumbai, she doesn’t feel like she truly belongs anywhere.
But her day only gets worse from there. Opening up what she thinks is a hidden birthday present, Laila unleashes an evil jinn from a magical amulet. Trapped there long ago by Laila’s father, the jinn is eager for revenge, and drags Laila’s father back to the magical world of Qaf.
To save her father, Laila must travel to Qaf, where she discovers that there’s only one hope for freeing him. She must find the Bloodstone, an object that gives the holder absolute power. But doing so will require a quest that changes everything Laila ever thought she knew about who she is, what she believes, and who she can trust. Not fully belonging in the jinn world or our own, Laila has to create her own community, forge friendships, and fight for her family ― no matter who or what they are.
Inspired by Islamic mythology, this hilarious and richly-woven middle-grade fantasy from Sabina Khan sparkles with humor, magic, friendship, and heart – perfect for fans of Skandar and The Unicorn Thief and Percy Jackson.
Publication Date September 16th 2025 by HarperCollins
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A new Latinx middle grade fantasy debut where a secret magical academy, an evil sorcerer, and a powerful, coveted gem awaits one girl in her quest to reunite her family. Perfect for fans of Claribel A. Ortega and B. B. Alston!
Twelve-year-old Chloe Vega’s biggest fear is that her undocumented parents will be detained by immigration. That is, until she learns that her parents are actually part of a secret magical society…and that the suspicious looking police officers who have been hanging around their block are henchmen for an evil sorcerer determined to settle a decades-old score.
Just when Chloe discovers that she has powers, too, her parents are kidnapped. In order to rescue them, she’ll need to harness her abilities at an elite academy, run by the very agency who exiled her parents from the magical world.
Finding herself in the center of a magical war that might destroy everything she has ever known, Chloe can’t shake the feeling that the Agents of Magic are hiding secrets. With her parents’ lives hanging in the balance, she must uncover who is truly on her side and fast to save her family — and the world itself.
Publication Date September 16th 2025 by Allida
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Breathtaking suspense, unforgettable characters, and a pinch of magic combine in the dual stories of two young people — one in 731 China, and one in 1931 Chinatown — on perilous journeys to save their families. An instant classic from the beloved and bestselling author of the Vanderbeekers series.
In ancient Chang’An, Han Yu sells steamed buns in a bustling market full of whispers about his ability to summon tigers.
In New York’s Depression-era Chinatown, Luli gazes out from the roof of her parents’ restaurant, dreaming of dim sum and Chinese art.
Familiar rhythms rule the contained-but-contented lives of Han Yu and Luli. But when plague strikes Chang’An and financial crisis threatens Luli’s family, Han Yu and Luli must each venture out into the larger world — and into danger-filled adventure — to save what they love most. Filled with wondrous caves and conniving thieves, desert storms and magical lakes, Karina Yan Glaser’s epic and rewarding novel is a testament to the bravery required to face the unknown and the power of art to connect us through the ages.
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 Feiwel & Friends
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The Breakfast Club meets Hatchet in this middle-grade novel about three kids who ditch detention to search for an elusive white wolf, who may have the magical powers they need to face their challenges and heal their hearts.
A story of adventure and friendship from James Bird, an author whose work is praised as “big-hearted” by School Library Journal.
What do a raccoon, a skunk, and a moose have in common?
Okan, the raccoon, is a 13 year old whose mom works so hard he never sees her.
Sarah, the skunk, has been teased relentlessly about her body odor ever since her mom died.
And Marcus, the moose, is the bully, the rich kid who seems to have everything, except his parents’ love.
When they hear a white wolf has been spotted in the nearby forest, this unlikely trio heads out on a quest that turns into an adventure of a lifetime.
Publication Date September 30th 2025 by HarperCollins
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When Victoria and Ozzy’s mom, the famous child behavioralist Anna Gray, leaves without a word, Victoria can’t help but think it’s all her fault. So, Victoria commits herself to being perfect in the hope that her excellent behavior will win her mother back. And Victoria knows the best way to show her mom just how good she’s become is to get into the extra-elite Wheaton Prep School. Then mom will have to return!
Victoria’s plan feels foolproof — until Mr. Grieves arrives. Donning a bowler hat and accompanied by a lock-picking capuchin monkey named Kevin, Mr. Grieves is anything but your usual babysitter. He has the most backward ideas about right and wrong, drives a van that’s anything but street legal, listens to music designed to make your ears bleed, and can convince anyone to do anything in the blink of an eye. And before she knows what’s happening, Victoria and her younger brother, Ozzy, have stolen a priceless Egyptian artifact, barely survived a high-speed police chase, joined a killer biker gang, and waged an epic pillow fight for their lives.
Part Lemony Snicket, part Adventures In Babysitting, and all sorts of fun, Mr. Grieves and The Grievous Deeds is the debut novel from the writer behind the hit Ryan Reynolds movie Free Guy, screenwriter Matt Lieberman.
Publication Date October 7th 2025 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
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From the New York Times-bestselling author of The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise comes a new heartfelt and hilarious middle-grade romp full of friendship and adventure!
When 12-year-old Oscar Aberdeen decided he would do anything to save the only home he’s ever known, he didn’t realize that anything would include theft, trespassing, gambling, a broken nose, grand theft auto, a federal prison, and a police chase. He had no idea it would be so dangerous…or so fun.
Oscar Aberdeen is a bit of an oddball. He’s an ace at playing bridge, loves Frank Sinatra, and attends a whole lot of funerals. He’s also the youngest resident of Sunny Days retirement home by more than a half-century ― and he wouldn’t have it any other way. So when his grandpa’s suddenly served an eviction notice that threatens their place at Sunny Days, he needs to find some cash. Fast.
Enter Jimmy Deluca, a shady elderly man with a reputation for being bad news, who makes Oscar an offer he can’t refuse. He’s got the drop on riches hidden away on the “outside” and he’ll share the loot with Oscar on one condition: he busts him out of Sunny Days.
In this humdinger of an adventure, the ultimate odd couple, along with an uninvited stowaway, go from high-stakes escape to rollicking escapade as they search for the secret stash―and forge an unlikely friendship along the way. Will Oscar succeed in saving the only home he’s ever known? Or will he have to fuggedaboutit and return a failure?
Publication Date October 7th 2025 by Andrews McMeel Publishing
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Twelve-year-old Malo and his grandmother board the Scarlet Ship in this beautifully illustrated, full-color graphic novel for young readers. A super fun, high-stakes pirate adventure with the heartfelt themes of identity, courage, and the power of art!
Join Malo, a spirited young artist, on an exhilarating journey as he strives to match the incredible talents of his famous Grandma Zita. For fans of Disney’s Encanto, Jennifer Muro’s Primer: A Superhero Graphic Novel, Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, and those who are eager to chase their dreams in the face of doubt.
When Malo and his grandmother board a mysterious, floating vessel called the Scarlet Ship, they’re not quite sure what to expect. After all, the ship’s crew are no ordinary pirates; they specialize in art…piracy!
At the helm of the ship is the fearsome Captain Magenta, a ruthless man with a singular goal: to wipe out artistic expression from the world forever.
Armed with brushes, paints, and unwavering courage, Malo and his new friend Cyane must stand against Captain Magenta’s tyranny, save Grandma Zita from certain doom, and demonstrate that art possesses the power to inspire, unite, and stand up against oppression.
Brought to life with vibrant, expressive illustrations by renowned French comic artist Léo Verrier, The Scarlet Ship brims with heart, humor, and high-flying adventure. This graphic novel invites readers of all ages to uncover the magic of creativity and the importance of discovering their own artistic voice.
Publication Date October 14th 2025 by Holiday House
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Fairy tale heroes and fantasy villains chase one another across the multiverse in this clever middle grade debut that sparkles with bookish magic and quick-witted humor.
Ivy is an isolated, daydreaming girl in the “real” world. Forest is a scrawny, unlikely hero in Ivy’s “pretend” story.
Never the two shall meet…until Forest unexpectedly walks through a portal and finds himself in Ivy’s queendom. All Forest wants to do is talk to the author of his story about a few edits to his character arc — he has no idea what kind of narrative stakes he is up against.
As soon as Ivy and Forest try to rewrite Forest’s story, the pair gets caught in an evil wizard’s plot for world domination. They must travel through the multiverse of Ivy’s imagination — along with a mishmash cast of abandoned characters, including junior superheroes, an intrepid Victorian girl detective, and even a rough draft version of Forest himself — to foil their dastardly foe. If they don’t succeed in their heroic quest, each and every world (possibly even Ivy’s own!) could be obliterated with just two short words: “The End.”
Each story splinters into the next in this brilliant spin on classic storytelling tropes that celebrates the power of imagination and creativity during uncertain times. Bursting with energy, Hannah West makes a fresh middle grade debut that is perfect for bookworms and kids with big imaginations. Features spot illustrations and a map of Ivy’s multiverse destinations.
Publication Date October 14th 2025 by Random House Books for Young Readers
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From the New York Times bestselling author of the Mr. Lemoncello series comes a race across the country full of rousing riddles and laugh-out-loud humor as two brothers try to solve the million-dollar puzzle of an eccentric genius!
Benjamin and Ethan Broderick don’t fit together. Twelve-year-old Ben loves retro arcade games and puzzles, while his older brother would rather play sports and hang out with his friends. The only thing they have in common is how much they resent being forced to go on a summer road trip.
But at the quirky diner where the brothers make their very first stop, they discover a clue leading to a giant puzzle race with a million-dollar prize! Along with five other families, the Brodericks are thrust into a high-stakes competition along the famous Route 66.
Can Ben and Ethan put their heads together — and put aside their differences — to beat out the other families and solve Ms. Pennypickle’s ultimate puzzle?
Publication Date October 14th 2025 by Dutton Books for Young Readers
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An astonishing new fantasy series takes flight in this soaring, action-packed adventure filled with twists and surprises. The secret world of dragons is waiting for you!
There is a secret world of dragons that lurks at the edges of our own. But dragons also live among us. These Slumberers have been human for so long they have forgotten their true selves – until something awakens the dragon within.
Twelve-year-old Alex Evans is about to wake up.
Ever since her father’s death, Alex’s overprotective mother has smothered her with unbreakable rules and unspoken fears. Feeling trapped, Alex’s frustration has become too big to hide away. Burning inside, she erupts into a fierce, fiery roar.
A new school and a new life await Alex on the legendary island of Skralla, one of the last surviving dragon havens. There, she will train alongside other young dragons who are wild, untamed, and — unlike Alex — skilled at transforming and embracing their dragons within.
As dark factions begin to rise, Alex finds herself in a race to unlock her long-dormant power before Drak Midna, the greatest dragon of all, rises again to wage war against the human world.
Publication Date October 21st 2025 by Scholastic Press
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The only way home is to survive.
Caleb and Ronan are best friends. It doesn’t matter that Ronan is a dog and Caleb is a middle-schooler. They’ve been together their entire lives and traveled the world together with Caleb’s family.
But now, with Ronan too old for such adventures, Caleb has chosen to stay in Seattle, settling down with his grandfather in a quirky retirement community. Things should be calm here, maybe even boring. But then tragedy strikes, and Poppy is rushed to the hospital. Suddenly, Caleb’s world erupts in chaos and he and Ronan are separated.
Desperate to find each other, the two friends set out on an impossible journey. But a deadly storm is brewing and predators lurk, and they have no idea where the other is. Can they find their way back together ― and to Poppy ― before it’s too late?
Critically acclaimed and beloved author Martha Brockenbrough weaves a heart-pounding adventure that is equal parts survival story and finding your place in the world.
Publication Date October 21st 2025 by Nancy Paulsen Books
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A laugh-out-loud, edge-of-your-seat time-travel adventure perfect for fans of The Last Last-Day-of-Summer and City Spies from New York Times bestseller, Kyrstal Sutherland.
Twins Pearl and Patrick are no ordinary twelve-year-olds. They’re geniuses, hiding in plain sight, who pull heists all over the world to further their scientific and historical research. Their criminal activity, including grand theft auto, B&E and even espionage, have made them a regular nuisance to both the CIA and MI6. But it’s all been worth it. They’ve finally achieved their greatest triumph: time travel. Pearl’s Chrono-Loop can take the twins anywhere! Their first stop ancient: Egypt where they even get to see King Tut!
But when they return home, they’re arrested by T.I.M.E. — The Interdimensional Misconduct Enquiry — a secret organization charged with maintaining the timeline. Turns out Pearl and Patrick didn’t invent time travel — that happened two hundred years ago! And what Pearl did in ancient Egypt — killing a mosquito — could have rewritten history as we know it if not for T.I.M.E agents stepping in.
Punishment for disrupting the timeline is normally 100 years in the Eternal Abyss. But T.IM.E., impressed by the pair, offer them a chance to become agents. Unfortunately, they fail their entrance exam, and instead are banned from ever attempting time travel again. Pearl is infuriated and when she’s offered another chance at time travel from a rival organization, Pearl can’t resist. Too late, she realizes she’s been tricked and unwittingly plays a hand in replacing the timeline they know with a nightmarish scenario.
Now Pearl and Patrick must fix their mistake. But the only way to save the future is to go back to the past to enlist the true inventor of time travel for their help.
Publication Date October 28th 2025 by Andrews McMeel Publishing
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After saving the Excelsior Express, Teddy thought he’d be heading home for a quiet, adventure-free break. But when he accidentally boards the Rocket, a state-of-the-art, cutting-edge bullet train, things spiral out of control fast.
This fictional novel, perfect for middle schoolers or gamers of any age, is based on the hit Ticket To Ride™ board game by Alan R. Moon.
Without a ticket, a phone, or any idea why there’s a mysterious puppy in his backpack, Teddy hurtles towards New Orleans at record-breaking speeds. As his journey unfolds, he encounters an eclectic mix of characters, from shadowy agents to an elderly woman named Wilson to a pair of burly brothers who try to recruit him. And what’s more — everyone seems to be after the “asset,” and Teddy doesn’t know who to trust.
As the adventure intensifies, Teddy must rely on his train knowledge, sharp wits, and unexpected allies to protect the puppy, uncover the Rocket’s secrets, and find his way back home — if he can.
Join Teddy for another electrifying journey, packed with twists, turns, and unexpected surprises as he takes a Ticket To Ride™! Bestselling author Adrienne Kress weaves a delightful spy story with twist in a style reminiscent of Lemony Snicket and Roald Dahl.
Publication Date November 11th 2025 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
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Two podcasting sleuths help their neighbor solve a cold case — one that’s literally etched into the walls of their Brooklyn apartment building — in this cozy, twisty-turny middle grade whodunnit from the author of The Queen of Ocean Parkway.
Twelve-year-old globetrotter Thea Lim-Lambert is spending a rare summer at home in Brooklyn, when she discovers a secret room in the back of her closet. There, among her grandfather Errol’s old diaries and peculiar carvings, is a clue Errol left to a massive hidden treasure. But to find it, she’ll need the help of two experienced sleuths — lucky for her, two of the best live in her building!
Roya and Amin’s mystery podcast has earned them a stellar reputation, but they never could have guessed that their latest case would send them on a wild scavenger hunt in their own building. Clue by clue, they search the building from roof to cellar (thanks to Roya’s mom’s master key). But just when a solution seems near, they realize an essential piece is missing — locked away where none of them can reach it. And unless Thea finds the courage to stand up to her family the treasure of Ocean Parkway may be lost forever…
Publication Date November 11th 2025 by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
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An unlucky sorcerer must learn to wield her insect magic in this charming middle grade fantasy that’s perfect for fans of Impossible Creatures and Witchlings.
In the empire, magic determines your fate. But Yumi is tired of being a failed Cricket. Their magic is lousy and boring. She dreams instead of the sparkling magic of Fireflies, whose powers rival the sun. If only she could harness her talents like other magicians…For now, Yumi is ignored by even the crickets who are supposed to follow her spells.
Then, Yumi gets a chance to prove herself sooner than expected when all sorcerers are summoned for the princess’s coronation. But everything falls apart when the Firefly Crown is stolen, leaving the empire defenseless against the Ghost Swarm, a horde of undead bugs. Worse, Yumi is blamed. Suddenly this lowly Cricket is the empire’s most wanted. To clear her name and protect her loved ones, Yumi must find the real thief. But can a Cricket really save the day?
Publication Date November 18th 2025 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
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Impossible Creatures meets The Mysterious Benedict Society in this epic, fast-paced upper-middle grade fantasy full of dragon-like creatures, heroic hijinks, battle-forged friendships, and sharp humor.
Aerimanders are extinct. Or so the government would have you think. Centuries ago, the Kingdom of Glaucus decreed the destruction of these dangerous, dragon-like creatures whose deadly flame could level entire cities and upend world orders.
But when twelve-year-old Eva Alexander, a wealthy chemistry student in the city of Porttown, walks into a fashionable department store and walks out (accidentally) with the world’s last aerimander egg, everything changes. Suddenly, Eva is the target of unwanted attention ― including from the Thieves’ Union, a mysterious organization with a rebellious streak and fingers in every pie in Porttown. The Union orders its youngest member, the orphaned dairy delivery boy Dusty St. Ichabod, to steal the egg from Eva. Which is far easier said than done.
When Eva and Dusty meet one autumn night under extraordinary circumstances, an epic game of cat and mouse unfolds across the Kingdom. Initially at odds, the unlikely pair must come together to navigate a maze of sinister crime syndicates, elite boarding schools, and an incredibly slow getaway pony named Gourd ― all while fighting to keep the egg out of the hands of power-hungry Eoin Parnassus, Director of Kingdom Secrets. As the duo races against time, their fates and that of the whole world are at stake. Because there’s one question no one dares to ask: What happens when the egg hatches?
The Last Ember is the first installment in an action-packed fantasy adventure about a powerful creature, those who seek to exploit it, and those who are willing to protect it at all costs.
Publication Date December 2nd 2025 by Walker Books US
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When Caro finds a stolen masterpiece in her missing mother’s suitcase, she’s thrust into a thrilling art-heist caper in 1950s London.
When Caro Monday’s mother disappears on one of her jaunts across the globe, Caro is forced to stay with her miserable great-aunt all the way across town. To make matters worse, Caro’s beloved rabbit, His Nibs, isn’t allowed to come with her. Of course, Caro sneaks him into her aunt’s strict household anyway. Although Caro’s wild behavior exasperates her dour aunt, she never dreamed of the trouble she finds herself in when she discovers a small painting of a thrush hidden in the lining of her suitcase — a stolen masterwork that some dangerous art thieves are desperately searching for!
Catapulted into a caper with more twists and turns than the alleys of London, Caro and her friends, including budding fashion designer Horace, expert knitter Albie, and a wise “gentleman of the road” — not to mention His Nibs himself — must unravel a decades-old mystery and return the purloined picture before the thieves hunt them down. Plenty of surprises and a diverse cast of memorable characters await in this rousing art-themed adventure.
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.
