New year, new reads! We’re kicking things off with the return of YAYBOOKS!, our monthly roundup of brand-new books releasing each month.
Whether you’re kicking off the year eager to slay your reading resolutions or simply searching for a reason to stay nestled in your blanket cocoon until the weather gets warmer, look no further than these new reads. But before we dive in and divulge this month’s new releases, we have a major announcement to share!
YAYOMG! is officially in our middle grade era! We’ll be sharing exclusively book-focused content going forward.
Ready to make middle grade magic with us? We’ll be posting plenty of bookish giveaways to keep your shelves stacked and empowering readers via our FIERCELY FICTIONAL series. Authors will take you beyond the pages of their books to give a glimpse into the worlds and stories they’ve created and share advice from your emotional support characters. There will be lists upon lists of books to discover, loads of bookish quizzes to take, and SO much more!
This month, we’re featuring 24 brand-new books and graphic novels that we think you’ll love!
YAYBOOKS! 24 Brand New Middle Grade Releases for January 2025:
Radiant
AUTHOR: Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
PUBLISHER: Dutton Books for Young Readers
DATE: January 7, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
A historical middle-grade novel in verse from multiple Coretta Scott King winner Vaunda Micheaux Nelson.
As school begins in 1963, Cooper Dale wrestles with what it means to “shine” for a black girl in a predominantly white community near Pittsburgh. Set against the historic backdrop of the Birmingham church bombing, the Kennedy assassination, and Beatlemania, Radiant is a finely crafted novel in verse about race, class, faith, and finding your place in a loving family and a complicated world.
Cooper’s primary concern is navigating fifth grade, where she faces both an extra-strict teacher and the bullying of Wade Carter, the only child of a well-to-do white family, whose home Cooper’s mother cleans for extra income. How can she shine when her mother works for the meanest boy in school? To make matters worse, Cooper quietly wishes she could be someone else.
It’s not all bad, though. Cooper and her beloved older sister have fallen for the Beatles, and Cooper is thrilled to have something special they can share. And what she learns about her British idols adds new complexity to Cooper’s feelings about race.
Fresh Start
AUTHOR: Gale Galligan
PUBLISHER: Graphix
DATE: January 7, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
From New York Times bestselling author Gale Galligan comes a funny and vibrant semi-autobiographical middle-grade graphic novel about friendship and belonging.
Ollie Herisson’s dad is a diplomat, which means her family moves around a lot. She has already lived in Singapore, Korea, France, and the United States. When Ollie starts at a new school, she doesn’t worry about making a good impression because she knows that when her family inevitably moves again, she’ll get a fresh start somewhere else. A complete reset. It doesn’t matter if her classmates think she’s weird for pretending that she lives in the world of an imagined anime, or if she makes an enemy out of the most popular girl in her class, or if she does something hugely embarrassing! And it definitely doesn’t matter that all her mom wants is for Ollie to be more of a proper Thai daughter.
But after moving from Germany to Virginia and having a mortifying first day at her new school, Ollie is shocked to learn that her parents are going to buy a house so that Ollie and her sister, Cat, can finish grade school in one place. Can Ollie figure out how to both be herself and make real friends when she can’t run away from her life?
Kaya of the Ocean
AUTHOR: Gloria L. Huang
PUBLISHER: Holiday House
DATE: January 7, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Anxious thirteen-year-old Kaya has always been afraid of everything—but when she learns she is the descendant of a Chinese water goddess, she’ll have to master herself to master her powers!
On the surface, thirteen-year-old Kaya leads a charmed life. She lives in beautiful, beachy Lihiwai. She has ride-or-die best friends. She’s ultrasmart and killing it at school. She even works with a super-cute boy at her parents’ restaurant.
But she also has anxiety—serious anxiety, the kind that makes you scratch and pick—and she’s always had bad luck around the ocean. It’s hard to enjoy Hawaiian beaches when you’ve almost drowned more than once.
But as stranger and stranger things happen to Kaya around the sea, she realizes that—wanted or not—she has a special connection to it. Waves rise when she’s angry. Surf smooths when she’s calm. Fish come when she calls them. And when she learns the truth about her family and her divine ancestor, Mazu, she knows that she will need to connect with her most difficult emotions ASAP—or her potent powers may become dangerous to the people she loves.
Kaya of the Ocean is an exciting, fresh, and beautiful middle-grade fantasy about embracing who you really are. This heartfelt adventure of sun, surf, and sand touches on mental health, the immigrant experience, and the complexities of growing up.
🌊Want to go beyond the pages of this heartwarming read? Kaya shared her top tips for dealing with anxiety HERE!
The Princess Swap: Cinderella and the Beast (or, Beauty and the Glass Slipper)
AUTHOR: Kim Bussing
PUBLISHER: Random House Books for Young Readers
DATE: January 7, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
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!
The magical first edition paperback of Cinderella and the Beast (or, Beauty and the Glass Slipper) will feature dual-toned sprayed edges!
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?
For other Princess Swaps, don’t miss Snow White and the Dragon (or, Sleeping Beauty and the Seven Dwarfs)!
👑FAIRYTALE FACTS: Author Kim Bussing spilled enchanting secrets about her book (and other fairy tale facts) for our readers HERE!
The Misfits: A Copycat Conundrum
AUTHOR: Lisa Yee
ILLUSTRATOR: Dan Santat
PUBLISHER: Random House Books for Young Readers
DATE: January 7, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
When San Francisco is under strange attacks—like earthquakes affecting only two city blocks at a time—who’re you gonna call? An elite team of crime-fighting underdogs, that’s who! The Misfits are on the case in this hilarious illustrated series!
“For any kid who’s felt like a misfit, this crackling adventure packs a wallop!” —Lincoln Peirce, creator of Big Nate
Oof! After solving the case of the Royal Rumpus, Olive Cobin Zang and her elite team of underdogs are on top of the world. As the awkward, crime-fighting Misfits, they’re acing every mission thrown at them from NOCK (aka No One Can Know, the covert agency they work for).
But when their classmate Zeke starts receiving threatening notes, the Misfits are stumped. They’re no strangers to danger, but this case is a total head-scratcher. Who would target kind, friendly Zeke . . . unless he’s not what he seems to be?
At the same time, unusual earthquakes start shaking up San Francisco just as priceless art goes missing, and the Misfits are called to investigate. Is it a coincidence that the city is under attack while Zeke is getting mysterious messages? Or is it all just a cover for a scheme bigger than any they’ve faced before?
For other Misfit adventures from Newbery Honoree Lisa Yee and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat, don’t miss The Misfits #1: A Royal Conundrum!
Drive
AUTHOR: Cynthia L. Copeland
PUBLISHER: Algonquin Young Readers
DATE: January 7, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
“An inspirational, information-packed tale inspired by a real feminist trailblazer.” —Kirkus
START YOUR ENGINES!
In 1964, Janet Guthrie is on her way to becoming one of the most successful female race car drivers in history—the first ever to qualify for and race in the Indianapolis 500. But the road ahead of her will not be easy. She’ll have to drive with broken bones and in rickety cars, while constantly proving to the press and the racing world that she’s every bit as good as the men on the track.
In 2019, twelve-year-old Alex finds a vintage Jaguar her grandfather never finished restoring. It’s a dream come true for a “car girl,” and she dives into teaching herself how to repair and restore it—with the help of her favorite mechanic’s videos. Alex’s father thinks she’s wasting her time, and the local car community isn’t eager to welcome a girl. But there’s a car show coming up, and Alex is determined to prove her skills.
No matter what gets in their way, Janet and Alex are passionate trailblazers who know that the only way forward is to keep your foot on the gas. Told in alternating timelines, highlighted by two different color palettes (Janet’s story is in a limited palette, while Alex’s is in full color), Drive is an immersive story of how far we’ve come and how far we have yet to go.
As You Wish
AUTHOR: Nashae Jones
PUBLISHER: Aladdin
DATE: January 14, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
A girl learns the hard way to be careful what she wishes for in this sweet and funny middle grade rom-com featuring a chaos-loving West African trickster god.
Birdie has big plans for eighth grade. This is the year that she gets a boyfriend, and since she and her best friend, Deve, do everything together, it makes sense that Deve will get a girlfriend. This is the kind of math Birdie doesn’t find intimidating—it’s Eighth Grade 101. (Birdie + Boyfriend) + (Deve + Girlfriend) = Normal Eighth Grade Experience. And normal is something Birdie craves, especially with a mom as overprotective as hers.
She doesn’t expect Deve to be so against her plan, or for their fight to blow up in her face. So when the West African god Anansi appears to her, claiming to be able to make everything right again, Birdie pushes past her skepticism and makes a wish for the whole mess to go away. But with a trickster god, your wish is bound to come true in a way you never imagined.
Before long, Birdie regrets her rash words…especially when she realizes what’s really going on with her and Deve. With her reality upended, can Birdie figure out how to undo her wish?
💫THINK BEFORE YOU WISH: Birdie learns a ton of lessons about trying to transform yourself so you don’t have to & she’s sharing her sage wisdom & witty personality with our readers HERE!
Chickenpox
AUTHOR: Remy Lai
PUBLISHER: Henry Holt & Co. (BYR)
DATE: January 14, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
This hilarious and heartwarming contemporary middle-grade graphic novel is about eldest sister Abby, who is sick of being trapped at home with her FOUR younger siblings as they all suffer from the chickenpox—for fans of Guts and Allergic.
All big sister Abby wants is to spend more time with her friends, far away from the sticky fingers and snooping eyes of her annoying brothers and sisters. But when a case of the chickenpox leaves the Lai kids covered in scratchy red spots and stuck at home together for two weeks of nonstop mayhem, Abby thinks this might be the end . . . of her sanity. Yet she feels responsible for the situation since her best friend was Patient Zero and brought chickenpox into their home.
Will the itch to escape her siblings overwhelm Abby or will she realize being a big sister isn’t all bad? Full of heart and hijinks, Chickenpox showcases what gets us through good times and bad: family.
The Forgotten Magic of Zoey Turner
AUTHOR: Erin Stewart
PUBLISHER: Aladdin
DATE: January 14, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
A girl whose anxiety disorder has been ruling her life since her father’s death unexpectedly has the story she’s written come alive in this adventurous and tender middle grade fantasy perfect for fans of Barbara Dee and Jamie Sumner.
Zoey Turner used to see magic everywhere. With a dad like Zoey’s, it was hard not to. Not only did they read The Magic of Ever After series together every day, they also used to create original stories together. Used to. Ever since her dad died unexpectedly last year, all Zoey sees is danger.
Fear has shrunk homeschooled Zoey’s life to the span of one block, where she keeps close to the people that she needs the most. Her mom is almost never out of sight, and Jada, the owner of Ever After Books, is always around to talk about their favorite fantasy trilogy. Zoey finally ventures outside her comfort zone for the chance to meet famed author Raven M. Wells, only for the outing to lead to a panic attack.
Instead of a signed book, Zoey ends up with a novelty pencil embossed with the phrase make your own magic that she uses to cope with her disappointment by writing a story like the ones she and her dad shared. The next day, Zoey is shocked to find her fantastical tale has come true. Emboldened by the pencil, Zoey takes risks she thought were long behind her in pursuit of her happy ending. But is she really in charge of how the story ends?
PAWS: Hazel Has Her Hands Full
AUTHOR: Nathan Fairbairn
ILLUSTRATOR: Michele Assarasakorn
PUBLISHER: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
DATE: January 14, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
More heartwarming and humorous adventures await in the fourth book of this graphic novel series that is the Baby-Sitters Club for pets!
Summer break is just around the corner, and the PAWS team is gearing up for a busy season full of dog-walking, travel, and fun! Gabby’s got a packed schedule with about a hundred different camps plus playing host to her mysterious cousin visiting from out of town. Meanwhile Mindy is headed to her dad’s house for a month-long stay. With so much going on, the girls are looking forward to scaling back and taking it easy this summer. . . with one exception.
When the opportunity to cat-sit two new fur babies arises, Hazel jumps at the chance. Their new client’s house is even wheelchair accessible! But when everyone’s hectic summer plans mean she would have to take on the job alone, Hazel knows her overprotective mother would never approve. On the other hand, managing a side business all on her own could prove that she is much more capable than her mom might think…
Hazel soon learns that juggling multiple cats and dogs along with her own physical therapy—while also keeping a big secret—is no easy task. When disaster strikes, will she have the energy to make everything right by herself, or will she be forced to reach out for help and risk getting into even more trouble?
Same Page
AUTHOR: Elly Swartz
PUBLISHER: Delacorte Press
DATE: January 14, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
From the beloved author of Hidden Truths comes a novel about take-charge sixth grader Bess Stein, who brings together friends and a group of rockstar librarians called the Book Warriors to fight a book ban happening at her middle school.
Bess Stein is more than ready to be 6th grade class president. She’s got tons of ideas—including a book vending machine—and her new friend June is beside her as vice-president. Together, they’re unstoppable.
But when the books the girls want included in the vending machine come under fire, Bess is stunned. How can one person believe they have the right to decide what other people can read? It turns out that June’s mom is leading the fight, and now everything’s a mess.
Bess misses June—but she wants to make sure kids who might like these books get the chance to read them, even if it means she and June can’t be friends. With such different opinions, will they ever be on the same page?
📚FIERCELY FICTIONAL: Want a closer look at this empowering read? Author Elly Swartz dished out ALL the reasons Bess is totally fierce. CLICK HERE!
No Purchase Necessary
AUTHOR: Maria Marianayagam
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins
DATE: January 14, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
The wannabe-cool, Tamil-nerd vibes of Never Have I Ever meet the hidden life of Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim in this funny, poignant coming-of-age middle grade debut from Maria Marianayagam. A Sri Lankan boy’s life spirals out of control when he wins a prize in a stolen candy bar, pushing him to navigate his identity amid his ever-watchful family.
Ajay Anthonipillai has a million-dollar problem.
Ajay has lived his life dutifully following the rules set by his Tamil parents.
Rule #3: Straight As only
Rule #5: There is no such thing as a no-homework day.
Rule #10: Never watch scary movies.
However, moving to a new school gives Ajay a new rule to follow: Get on seventh-grade all-star Jacob Underson’s good side.
When Jacob asks him to steal a Mercury bar from Scary Al’s convenience store, Ajay feels this is his chance to finally “get cool” and stop eating alone. But Jacob rejects the stolen chocolate bar, leaving Ajay to unwrap it and discover that it contains Mercury’s Twenty-fifth Anniversary Grand Prize…one million dollars.
Faced with an extreme dilemma, Ajay will have to bear the weight of his actions and battle his morality in deciding whether to claim the prize that may change the life of his family forever.
Operation Sisterhood: Stealing the Show!
AUTHOR: Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
PUBLISHER: Crown Books for Young Readers
DATE: January 14, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Sunday, Bo, Lee, and Lil are ready to tackle their next project: a musical! But when director Sunday gets a little too bossy, the cast and crew may call it quits before opening night!
“This ode to Black girlhood and the communities that serve them offers humor, tenderness, and charm.” –Renée Watson, New York Times bestselling author
After the success of the Garden Wedding Party, Sunday announces that the community bonding can continue — by staging an original “community musical”! She’ll write, direct, and star, of course. But when tween TV star Talitha Thomas moves next door, there’ll be more drama off stage than on!
It’s up to Bo and the twins to use their citywide scavenger hunt project (and what they learn about NYC communities past and present), their band babysitting business, and the power of good storytelling to help Sunday find the way back to the community connection that sparked the idea in the first place.
Award-winning author Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich delivers a heartwarming sequel to Operation Sisterhood. Includes a New York City map to follow along on the sisters’ scavenger hunt!
How to Free a Leviathan (Giada the Healer)
AUTHOR: Meg Cannistra
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins
DATE: January 14, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
It’s Giada against C&C Medicinals in the fight to protect a leviathan—and all magical creatures.
Do you know a fairy with a fever? Or a sasquatch with a stomach ache? Giada Bellantuono is the one to call. She’s no ordinary veterinarian. She has the power to heal all kinds of fantastic creatures!
Now she and Sinistro, her black cat familiar, have left their home in New Jersey to train with magical veterinarians around the world. And a conference in Argentina has come just in time. A company called C&C Medicinals is kidnapping and hurting magical animals to make medicine for humans! Giada knows firsthand how dangerous the company can be. She saved a unicorn from one of their henchmen just last month. Once Giada gets to Argentina, she’ll spread the word.
But there’s something suspicious going on at the conference, and Giada and Sinistro suspect that C&C Medicinals is at the root of it. Before they can do anything about it, Sinistro is kidnapped! With help from old friends and new ones, including a shy young leviathan, Giada will do whatever it takes to bring down C&C Medicinals and save Sinistro.
This third and final installment in the Giada the Healer series, which award-winning author Laura Ruby called “perfect for fans of Rick Riordan,” perfectly blends action-packed thrills with a tender exploration of grief.
Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers
AUTHOR: Angela Dominguez
PUBLISHER: Roaring Brook Press
DATE: January 14, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Nine-year-old Gabby Torres is the star of this new graphic novel series! Join Gabby as she navigates the inevitable disasters of fourth grade and social media, perfect for fans of Katie the Catsitter and Allergic.
Gabby Torres is nine years old and ready to conquer the world.
She’s already joined the Sea Musketeers, the environmental protection club founded by her idol, Stella Díaz, and plans to be their best (and youngest) member ever.
Gabby’s latest and greatest idea: start a social media page for her club. But her parents think she’s too young! Nothing stops Gabby though… until some online meanies get her in some serious trouble!
But she’s totally got everything under control all on her own.
Right?
This heartwarming series is written and illustrated by Angela Dominguez, the New York Times bestselling illustrator who created the beloved Stella Díaz series. Gabby Torres is tenacious, bold, relatable, and hilarious, reminiscent of favorite characters like Junie B. Jones, Clementine, and Ramona Quimby.
The Secret of Honeycake
AUTHOR: Kimberly Newton Fusco
PUBLISHER: Knopf Books for Young Readers
DATE: January 21, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Hurricane is quiet while her Aunt Claire is a force of nature with very particular ideas–and a host of Latin sayings to back them up. When Hurricane gets stuck living with her, she retreats into herself…until a series of unexpected friends, including a mangy cat, help her find her voice in a whole new way.
A recipe for The World’s Most Comforting, Twelve-Layer Honeycake:
1 quiet girl named Hurricane, who runs like the wind along the Mighty Atlantic with her old dog Brody-Bear.
1 imperious aunt, who steps up when Hurricane’s world turns upside down.
1 kind-hearted boy, who helps wounded animals (and may smell a little of fish)1 lonely and flea-bitten cat with a ragged ear and a crooked tail.
1 gentle chauffeur, who knows exactly what to say…and when not to say a thing.
Mix them all together in big, fancy house in the city. What you get might surprise you.
Mixed Up
AUTHOR: Kami Garcia
ILLUSTRATOR: Brittney Williams (Lettering by Tyler Smith)
PUBLISHER: First Second
DATE: January 21, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia has returned with a middle grade graphic novel about the struggles of a game-loving girl who gets diagnosed with dyslexia and her loving support network that help her along in the journey.
Stella knows fifth grade will be the best year ever. Her closest friends, Emiko and Latasha, are in her class and they all got the teacher they wanted. Then their favorite television show, Witchlins, announces a new guidebook and an online game!
But when the classwork starts piling up, Stella struggles to stay on top. Why does it take her so long to read? And how can she keep up with friends in the Witchlins game if she can’t get through the text-heavy guidebook? And when she can’t deal with the text-heavy Witchlins guidebook, she can’t keep up with her friends in the game. It takes loving teachers and her family to recognize that Stella has a learning difference, and after a dyslexia diagnosis she gets the support and tools she needs to succeed.
Bestselling author Kami Garcia was inspired to write this special book by her daughter’s dyslexia journey; her own neurodivergent experience; and the many students she taught over the years. With subtle design and formatting choices making this story accessible to all readers, Mixed-Up shows that our differences don’t need to separate us.
To make reading as comfortable as possible for dyslexic readers, the book has been lettered in Dyslexie.
Very Bad at Math
AUTHOR: Hope Larson
PUBLISHER: HarperAlley
DATE: January 21, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Hijinks, unexpected friendships, and math take center stage in this contemporary middle grade graphic novel perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Kayla Miller from New York Times bestselling and Eisner Award–winning author Hope Larson.
Verity “Very” Nelson can do it all.
She’s student body president, debate club whiz, and first chair clarinetist. You could say she’s pretty much the best at everything…Well, almost everything. Everything except math.
And it’s not like she doesn’t try. Math just doesn’t make sense in her brain. But it better start soon, or else she can kiss her presidency—and her campaign promises—goodbye. Soon Verity finds herself enrolled in a remedial math class where, despite her best efforts, failure persists. All seems lost until a teacher helps her discover the truth: Verity has dyscalculia, a learning disability that causes her to mix up numbers.
Armed with a new perspective, can Verity pass math, keep her presidency, and make good on her word to the student body she loves so much? Or will her presidency—and perfect reputation—all come crashing down?
Danilo Was Here
AUTHOR: Tamika Burgess
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins
DATE: January 21, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
From the acclaimed author of Sincerely Sicily, Tamika Burgess, comes a timely coming-of-age story about a young boy’s fight to save his family and his dreams in the aftermath of the US military invasion of Panamá. Perfect for fans of Janae Marks, Adrianna Cuevas, and Chrystal D. Giles!
Danilo Osorio Jr.’s baseball skills were once the pride of his father and entire hometown of El Chorrillo, Panamá. But that was then, and this is now…
Following 1989’s Operation Just Cause, a US military invasion that left his neighborhood decimated, Danilo couldn’t care less about baseball or the father who abandoned him for opportunities in the States. Now Danilo’s focus is taking care of his mamá and sister and trying to save them all from needing to relocate to a refugee camp.
When Danilo unintentionally catches the eye of a baseball recruiter and is offered the opportunity to visit and train in California—the same place as his father’s last known address—he is tasked with deciding to go or stay. But if playing baseball could help him find his father and secure the extra funds his family needs, Danilo is willing to travel anywhere, even to the very country responsible for destroying his home.
Between his tough-as-nails baseball coach, ultracompetitive teammates, and overly enthusiastic host family, Danilo’s plans encounter some curveballs. And when his turn to bat finally comes, he’ll have to decide what and who he’s actually fighting for.
Bodega Cats: Just Kitten Around
AUTHOR: Hilda Eunice Burgos
ILLUSTRATOR: Siara Faison
PUBLISHER: Henry Holt & Co. (BYR)
DATE: January 21, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
In the Heights meets Front Desk in this heartwarming and funny illustrated story about the friendship between a bodega owner’s anxious kid and her newly-adopted mischievous kitten.
Everyone thinks Yesenia is calm, collected, and crushing it. But really, her stomach is constantly a ball of nerves. With parents who left their home in the Dominican Republic to make a better life for their kids, and three perfect, over-achieving older sisters, Yesenia can’t let anyone know about the anxiety that’s causing her to fall behind in school. When her doctor tells her parents that taking care of an animal could help, little did they know her newly adopted kitten would be such a mischievous influence.
All kitten Candy can think about is adventure–and what’s she supposed to do when her owner is cooped up inside helping at the bodega? But when Candy escapes and gets lost in New York City for a night, she realizes maybe the big open world isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Can these two find a way out of feeling so lost, as long they’re together?
The Song of Orphan’s Garden
AUTHOR: Nicole M. Hewitt
PUBLISHER: Feiwel & Friends
DATE: January 21, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Combining the gentleness of Miyazaki, the wintry wonderland of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and the whimsicality of Newbery winner The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Nicole M. Hewitt’s debut middle-grade novel, The Song of Orphan’s Garden, is an enchanting fantasy tale with all the makings of a new classic.
In an arctic world that’s getting colder every day, Lyriana’s only hope of survival is to get her little brother Zave and herself to the fabled Orphan’s Garden. It’s rumored to be the one place in the world not controlled by deadly Winter Spirits or ruled by the tyrant Giant king. In Orphan’s Garden, healing trees will melt away Winter’s pains, and Lyriana and Zave can live safely in the warmth of Spring. If the garden exists, they must find it. They won’t live much longer without it.
Brob, a Giant boy, also needs sanctuary. When the Giant king banishes his family to the Winter Blight, it’s a death sentence. Orphan’s Garden is his family’s only hope, and as far as Brob’s concerned, it belongs to him. After all, he was the one who accidentally used an ancient magic to grow the garden years ago. He has no intention of sharing his haven with pesky humans, who will just use up its magic and ruin it.
When it becomes clear that Orphan’s Garden is in danger of being destroyed, Lyriana and Brob are the only ones who can save it—but only if they can put the ages-old battle between Humans and Giants aside and find a way to work together.
The Secrets of Underhill
AUTHOR: Kali Wallace
PUBLISHER: Quirk Books
DATE: January 28, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
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.
Inkbound: Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo
AUTHOR: Philippa Leathley
PUBLISHER: Storytide
DATE: January 28, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Enter an extraordinary magical adventure about family, fate, and finding the courage to be yourself. A remarkable debut!
“One of my favorite middle grade books from recent years.” —Jordan Lees, author of The Whisperwicks
“An adventure overflowing with magic, brought to life with wit and charm.” —Beth Lincoln, author of The Swifts
On her tenth birthday, Meticulous Jones—known to her friends as Metty—receives her fate, as all children do, in the form of a magical tattoo on her hand. She hopes that her ink will reveal something exciting: a tattoo that will symbolize travel, or discovery, or adventure. What appears is a skull, balanced in the palm of a violet glove.
Metty’s fate is to become a murderer.
Metty is swiftly hidden away by her father, Moral Jones, in a remote Welsh farmhouse, with only a miserable housekeeper (who’s terrified she’ll become Metty’s first victim) for company. But when Moral goes missing, his sister, Aunt Magnificent, arrives to sweep Metty off to the glittering city of New London. Metty is mesmerized by the magic and enchantment she discovers there. But when she starts to hear rumors of a mysterious and dangerous organization known as the Black Moths, she wonders if they might be connected to her father’s disappearance—and to her own fate. . . .
Fizzing with atmosphere, danger, magic, and mystery, this fantasy will keep kids hooked from the start.
A bold heroine and a darkly comic voice make this debut perfect for fans of Nevermoor and the Swifts.
Inkbound’s world of magical ink and fate tattoos is utterly unique, yet the writing feels classic.
The Doomsday Vault (Everwhen School of Time Travel and Other Odd Sciences)
AUTHOR: Thomas Wheeler
PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
DATE: January 28, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
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!
🌀TRAVEL TO EVERWHEN: Want to know more about Bertie, Zoe, and Millie? Author Thomas Wheeler dished out Fun Facts & a peek between the pages of the Everwhen Yearbook!
📚Ready to crush your reading goals? The YAYOMG! Reading Challenge features 24 prompts to inspire your reading all year long!
