We rounded up this month’s new releases so you don’t have to! Our latest YAYBOOKS! Roundup! is overflowing with 54 brand new books and graphic novels releasing in April!
With this month’s new releases, you can choose to spend the summer at the Renaissance Faire, renovating an old carousel, or at the cape with your friends. Get tapped for a mysterious secret society at a posh boarding school, be swept away into a fantasy adventure steeped in mythology, or discover an alien artifact that turns you and your besties into animals. Whether you’d prefer to hunt for ghosts or gently help them pass to the afterlife, or you’d prefer not to deal with ghosts at all, there is a story for every type of reader!
We’ve got plenty of giveaways, fun facts, and even a drawing tutorial on the horizon for this month.
YAYBOOKS! 54 Brand New Middle Grade Books Releasing in April 2025:
Kaya Morgan’s Crowning Achievement
AUTHOR: Jill Tew
PUBLISHER: Freedom Fire
DATE: April 1, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
A vibrant and heart-warming novel about the unforgettable joys of the Renaissance Faire, overcoming grief through cherished memories, and remaining true to yourself—even in cosplay.
For as long as she could remember, Kaya Morgan has spent her summers with her dad at the greatest place on Earth: The Renaissance Faire. Full of performers cosplaying as thieving pirates, enchanting fairies, and courageous heroes, the Ren Faire has always been a place where anyone could be anything they wanted to be. And for as long as she could remember, Kaya and her dad have dreamed of her someday being named the first Black Queen of the Faire.
Unfortunately for the last two summers, Kaya has been known as something else: the girl with the dead dad. But she’s not going to let anyone stop her from taking her place as the Queen’s apprentice (the first step on her journey towards Queen). But when the role is given to the pretty and blonde Jessie, the only spot left for Kaya is the Court Jester (who doesn’t even come with a crown).
It’s bad enough that it’s another summer at the Ren Faire without her dad, and that her family thinks her love of medieval times is weird. But with everyone around Kaya determined to put her in a role she doesn’t want to be in, Kaya must decide whether to hold onto her old dreams no matter what, or realize that it’s okay for new dreams to become reality.
👑FIERCELY FICTIONAL: Want to know what makes Kaya fierce? Author Jill Tew shared Kaya’s fiercest qualities HERE!
The Cartoonists Club
AUTHOR: Raina Telgemeier & Scott McCloud
PUBLISHER: Graphix
DATE: April 1, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
#1 New York Times bestselling cartoonists Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud team up for a one-of-a-kind friendship story about creativity and self-expression that blends how-to and comics magic. Welcome to the club!
Makayla is bursting with ideas but doesn’t know how to make them into a story. Howard loves to draw, but he struggles to come up with ideas and his dad thinks comics are a waste of time. Lynda constantly draws in her sketchbook but keeps focusing on what she feels are mistakes, and Art simply loves being creative and is excited to try something new. They come together to form The Cartoonists Club, where kids can learn about making comics and use their creativity and imagination for their own storytelling adventures!
The Dragon’s Apprentice
AUTHOR: James Riley
PUBLISHER: Labyrinth Road
DATE: April 1, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
In this hilarious fantasy adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of the Story Thieves series, a girl strikes a deal with the ancient, cranky dragon she accidentally summoned to teach her the forbidden magic she needs to save her mother.
STOP. Don’t read any further. There are magic spells in this book, and the Emperor has forbidden anyone from learning magic, because it’s way too dangerous! If you try one of the spells, any number of terrible things might happen (or so the Emperor says).
Don’t be like Ciara, a twelve-year-old girl living in the tiny village of Skael. When she used a spell from within this book, she ended up summoning a dragon. A DRAGON! Those things breathe fire! From their mouths! She’s obviously doomed.
And don’t listen if Ciara tells you that dragons won’t hurt humans, and that they even once taught us magic, a thousand years ago. Definitely don’t pay any attention to the fact that the dragon she summoned, Scorch, might be willing to help rescue Ciara’s mother and free her village from the Emperor and his Warden, because it’s all obviously a big lie. So put this book down, and forget about it. Magic is just way too dangerous. After all, you wouldn’t want to summon your own dragon, would you?
Ghost Scout’s Honor
AUTHOR: Carey Blankenship-Kramer
PUBLISHER: Scholastic Press
DATE: April 1, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
A thrilling, ghostly adventure…and a testament to the power that kids have to change the world.
Defiance holds power.
The Ghost Scouts were created to keep the ghosts of Savannah in line. It’s an honor to serve. Evey’s never wanted anything to do with ghosts, but after best friend, Laura, dumps her for no reason, Evey wants revenge. To take the student of the year award from her ex-bestie, she’ll have to join the Ghost Scouts. She’ll be the best Ghost Scouts Savannah has ever seen.Only this year the ghosts seem different. They are angrier than usual, and they seem to be growing in power. No problem, Evey can get to the bottom of why and send all the ghosts back to their cages.But what she uncovers makes her angry too. What if the ghosts don’t deserve to be caged? What if they have every right to be furious?
Unboxing Libby
AUTHOR: Steph Cherrywell
PUBLISHER: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
DATE: April 1, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
AI meets American Girl Dolls in this quirky novel about a group of preteen androids who have been cast aside and have to make their own way in the world.
Max isn’t always sweet and bubbly. That wouldn’t be an issue except for the fact that she’s programmed to be. “Max” isn’t even her real name. She’s a Libby– one of the most popular A.I.Cademy Girl social robots, which top the sales charts for girls ages eight to twelve. They look almost human and there’s a companion to fit every personality. Wendys are smart. Robins are sporty. Noras are artistic. And Libbys? As the box they come in says: Always chipper, cheerful, and sweet, Libby(TM) makes the perfect friend.
But despite her packaging and her programmed memories, Max is feeling the opposite of perfect. The only thing she wants to know is why. But this question uncovers bigger answers than she bargained for – like the shocking fate of the other A.I.Cademy Girls, and what the founders of their idyllic community are really hiding. Max may not be the perfect Libby, but she’ll have to embrace what makes her uniquely Max to save herself and her friends before they’re all sent to the junkyard.
📝MAX’S ESSAY: Take a peek inside Max’s mind with an exclusive peek at an essay about her summer vacation (written by Steph Cherrywell) HERE!
A Day at the Beach
AUTHOR: Gary D. Schmidt & Ron Koertge
PUBLISHER: Clarion Books
DATE: April 1, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Look Both Ways meets Seedfolks in this masterful novel from two titans of kid lit that follows a diverse cast of young people whose lives intersect in surprising and hilarious ways over the course of a summer day.
Here’s what’s so cool about the beach. Kids are everywhere! Kids you know, kids you want to know. Wandering from one blanket to another, from one family to another. Somebody’s mom reads a fat summer novel. Somebody’s dad snores with an iPad on his chest. Babies cry. Girls laugh. Frisbee players whoop! Kites in the perfect blue sky.
Some kids bodysurf. Some don’t even like the water. They build sand cities for their friends and sand jails for the grown-ups, and when the tide comes in everything gets washed away.
There’s the other world, where all kids hear is tomorrow, next week, next year. And then there’s the beach, where everything is right now!
Why can’t every day be a day at the beach?
From two-time Newbery honoree Gary D. Schmidt and two-time PEN Award winner Ron Koertge comes a moving and often laugh-out-loud funny middle grade novel about family, friendship, and belonging, told by a group of kids spending a day at the beach. Thoughtful vignettes brilliantly weave together an irresistible tale of tween conflict and connections.
Rebellion 1776
AUTHOR: Laurie Halse Anderson
PUBLISHER: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
DATE: April 1, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
From New York Times bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson comes an “thoroughly researched, emotionally resonant” (Booklist, starred review) historical fiction middle grade adventure about a girl struggling to survive amid a smallpox epidemic, the public’s fear of inoculation, and the seething Revolutionary War.
In the spring of 1776, thirteen-year-old Elsbeth Culpepper wakes to the sound of cannons. It’s the Siege of Boston, the Patriots’ massive drive to push the Loyalists out that turns the city into a chaotic war zone. Elsbeth’s father—her only living relative—has gone missing, leaving her alone and adrift in a broken town while desperately seeking employment to avoid the orphanage.
Just when things couldn’t feel worse, the smallpox epidemic sweeps across Boston. Now, Bostonians must fight for their lives against an invisible enemy in addition to the visible one. While a treatment is being frantically fine-tuned, thousands of people rush in from the countryside begging for inoculation. At the same time, others refuse protection, for the treatment is crude at best and at times more dangerous than the disease itself.
Elsbeth, who had smallpox as a small child and is now immune, finds work taking care of a large, wealthy family with discord of their own as they await a turn at inoculation, but as the epidemic and the revolution rage on, will she find her father?
Maxwell Dark: Nightmare Hunter
AUTHOR: Brady Smith
PUBLISHER: Penguin Workshop
DATE: April 1, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Maxwell Dark is on a mission to help kids hunt down and defeat the nightmares haunting them in this chilling horror graphic novel filled with monsters and mayhem.
I’m Maxwell. Please don’t call me Max. I have a gift that I was born with, although most of the time it feels like a curse.
That gift—or curse—allows twelve-year-old Maxwell to sense, experience, and enter other kids’ nightmares. He drifts from town to town, drawn by the darkest dreams, till he can help people defeat whatever is truly haunting them. With seventy-three clients and counting, he’s seen every monster there is to face.
Or so he thinks, until he meets Sid. Sid’s dreams start off as typical nightmare fare, but soon they get weirder. Creepier. Impossible to ignore. As Maxwell goes deeper and deeper into Sid’s nightmares, he starts to realize he may be trapped in one of his very own…
⚡️EXCLUSIVE ILLUSTRATIONS: Take a peek at a few EXCLUSIVE illustrations ^ fun facts about Maxwell Dark by Brady Smith HERE!
The Liars Society: A Risky Game
AUTHOR: Alyson Gerber
PUBLISHER: Scholastic Press
DATE: April 1, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
The sequel to the USA Today bestseller! The Inheritance Games and One of Us is Lying for middle grade — beloved author Alyson Gerber’s new series is an unforgettable mystery featuring a secret society, a mysterious island, and dangerous family secrets.
Deadly stakes, dangerous secrets, and a cut-throat game where the winners are set for life. Welcome to the Boston School, and the world of the Liars Society.
Weatherby and Jack have been tapped to join Last Heir, the most powerful secret society in the world, but the night of the first gambit, the game takes a terrifying turn. Now, Jack and Weatherby are in a race against time to discover the truth about the game – and themselves. But how do you know who to trust when everyone is a liar?
Beloved author Alyson Gerber is back with a highly-anticipated sequel full of twists and turns, secrets and lies, friends and foes. Can you spot the difference?
The Beat I Drum
AUTHOR: Dusti Bowling
PUBLISHER: Union Square Kids
DATE: April 1, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Connor, best friend of Aven Green, tells his own story in this tale about overcoming the challenges of life with Tourette’s.
Connor Bradley is dreading the first day of high school. Not just because he is new, or because he misses his best friends, but because he knows the other kids won’t understand his barking and tics. Connor has Tourette Syndrome, and every day has been a challenge—from the mimicking to the laughing, the questions, and the stares. It turns out school isn’t quite as bad as he expected. Connor forms a fast friendship with a girl who also has Tourette’s and is welcomed into her accepting circle of friends. He also meets a special music teacher who encourages him to take up the drums to manage his stress, and maybe get a break from his tics.
But Connor’s world is turned upside down when his absent father reappears and a bully starts to escalate at school. All these problems—with family, with friends, and even with himself—build and build until Connor feels ready to explode. Will a surprising revelation save him and help him find his beat again?
Storm Dragons: Firebred
AUTHOR: Julie Kagawa
PUBLISHER: Disney Hyperion
DATE: April 1, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Newfound friends must overcome countless danger in a quest to save the world in this epic sequel of the Storm Dragons saga!
REMY has come a long way from his life as a scrappy orphan on Cutthroat Wedge. Still on the run from the evil pirate Jhaeros, Remy and his dragon, Storm, set out to find a True Dragon, the only creature old enough to understand why the magic that powers their floating islands is dying. After a confession from a long-forgotten sky knight about the remote location of a True Dragon, Remy is more determined than ever to help save the day. But this is easier said than done when an ancient force has done everything in its power to keep that True Dragon hidden.
GEM is ready to harness magic to protect her friends, but training is impossible now that she’s far away from the College of Magic. That is, until she teams up with the surly wizard Lysander aboard the Queen’s Blade, forming a begrudging partnership and beginning a journey to master magic. As Gem grows stronger, so does her desire to live up to her title as the princess by halting the kingdom’s impending doom. But what good is revealing the truth about the dire state of the world if nobody will listen?
To save their realm, Remy, Gem, and Storm must evade the king’s guards, discover the hidden truths about the past, and face down a vengeful villain none of them saw coming. Together they will discover who they are, what it means to be a good friend, and what it takes to be a hero.
Ollie in Between
AUTHOR: Jess Callans
PUBLISHER: Feiwel & Friends
DATE: April 8, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
In this modern take on Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, debut writer Jess Callans delivers a tender, queer coming of age story about finding your voice and choosing to live authentically, even when it’s easier to blend in.
Puberty, AKA the ultimate biological predator, is driving a wedge between soon-to-be 13 year old Ollie Thompson and their lifelong friends. Too much of a girl for their neighborhood hockey team, but not girly enough for their boy-crazed BFF, Ollie doesn’t know where they fit. And their usual ability to camouflage? Woefully disrupted by all the changes around them.
When a school project asks them to write an essay on what it means to be a woman (if anyone’s got an answer, that’d be great), and one of their new friends is the target of bullying, Ollie is caught between the safety of fleeing from their own differences or confronting the risks of fighting to take their own path forward.
The Trouble With Secrets
AUTHOR: Naomi Milliner
PUBLISHER: Quill Tree Books
DATE: April 8, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
A Jewish girl preparing for her upcoming bat mitzvah tries to keep a secret—along with one of her sister’s—in this beautiful coming-of-age contemporary novel that explores change, grief, and the complexities of sibling relationships.
Twelve-year-old Becky has great expectations placed upon her. Not only does she need to be as perfect as her older brother and sister, but her upcoming bat mitzvah needs to be perfect, too. She is the rabbi’s daughter, after all. The trouble is, Becky’s intentions often lead her astray. At least when she plays the flute, she feels like the best version of herself. Until playing the flute causes Becky to do something not so perfect: keep a secret from her parents.
Then Becky discovers that Sara, her “perfect” sister, has an even bigger secret. One that could turn the family upside down. The sisters couldn’t be more ready to keep each other’s secret safe…until the excitement turns to guilt, and Becky is forced to make an impossible choice.
When secrets are shared and choices are made, doing the right thing can feel so wrong. And Becky will learn that actions, no matter how well intended, always have consequences.
Carousel Summer
AUTHOR: Kathleen Gros
PUBLISHER: Quill Tree Books
DATE: April 8, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
For twelve-year-old Lucy Stulligross, a boring summer without her best friend turns into an unexpected coming-of-age journey of firsts. Perfect for fans of Kayla Miller and Jarad Greene.
With her best friend away at camp, tons of chores to do, and her dad always on her case for being such a tomboy, Lucy is dreading summer. That is, until Milforth’s plan to revive an old carousel for the town’s 150th anniversary brings artist Ray and her daughter, Anaïs, to town.
Anaïs is smart, funny, and easy to talk to, and Lucy—who’s used to being judged for her looks and interests—finally feels at ease in her own skin. And she thinks she may feel something for Anaïs, too.
Leading up to Milforth’s big birthday, tensions begin rising with locals, thanks to a shifty development company trying to overrun the town. Things also come to a breaking point at home, when Lucy butts heads with her dad over how she wants to express herself as a girl.
Can Lucy find the courage to be true to who she is? She’s got the whole summer to find out…
🎠DRAWING GUIDE: Want to learn to draw a carousel horse? Author & illustrator Kathleen Gros shared a helpful drawing guide HERE!
Survive this Safari
AUTHOR: Natalie D. Richards
PUBLISHER: Delacorte Press
DATE: April 8, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
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.
MK’s Detective Club: The Double Trouble Puzzle
AUTHOR: James Patterson & Keir Graff
PUBLISHER: JIMMY Patterson Books
DATE: April 8, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Discover Nancy Drew for a new generation, packed with thrills, chills, and even laughs—from #1 bestselling mystery maven James Patterson.
Minerva Keen is the absolute best kid detective Chicago has ever seen, and she’s hungry for a new mystery to solve with her friends. But a know-it-all new girl, Zoe, tries to take control of MK’s detective club. Worse still, Ms. Claire Voyant, who has always had a soft spot for Minerva, takes Zoe’s side. It’s clear to Minerva that someone…or something has taken over her favorite teacher.
Add in terrifying nightmares, the return of Minerva’s parents (who come home with more dangerous baggage than just their luggage), and some shocking developments—MK’s Detective Club just might have more mysteries than they can solve. With nowhere to turn, the club walks right into danger…and the stakes just might be deadly.
For more MK’s Detective Club adventures, don’t miss MK’s Detective Club: The Poison Puzzle!
Rainbow Fair
AUTHOR: Diana Ma
PUBLISHER: Clarion Books
DATE: April 8, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Set against the backdrop of a middle school cultural fair, this tenderhearted and funny novel from the author of The Unbeatable Lily Hong stars twelve-year-old Sophie Mu—who discovers the power of defining oneself as she navigates friendship drama, family expectations, and learning about her Hui, her Chinese Muslim identity.
Sophie’s work on the Chinese booth at last year’s Rainbow Fair is a point of pride for her and her parents, even if Sophie and her best friend, Katie, think the whole thing is a little silly. Sophie’s family is Hui, Chinese Muslim. The Muslim part is something she doesn’t know much about. Her parents prefer to keep it private. So when it gets slipped to an overenthusiastic teacher that Sophie is Muslim, the only Muslim in her class, suddenly Sophie is in charge of debuting a booth representing the Islamic religion she doesn’t practice, an assignment she is determined to keep secret from her parents.
Having to choose between leaving the Chinese booth or taking on double the workload leaves Sophie feeling conflicted. Why does she have to choose which part of herself to represent? Is it an issue with her or with how the Rainbow Fair is organized?
Between juggling both booths, old and new friends, and learning more about her Muslim faith and ancestry, Sophie starts to notice how her working on two booths starts to spark change throughout the student body. It turns out Sophie isn’t the only one at Monroe Middle School whose identity isn’t so simply categorized by the Rainbow Fair’s limited booths.
One thing is for sure, this year’s Rainbow Fair won’t look anything like it did in the past, and Sophie begins to realize that that might not be a bad thing at all.
Rosie Frost: Ice on Fire
AUTHOR: Geri Halliwell-Horner
PUBLISHER: Philomel Books
DATE: April 8, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
The second sweeping adventure by iconic Spice Girl, songwriter, and New York Times bestselling author, Geri Halliwell-Horner.
On the brink of discovering who—or what—lies behind her mother’s death, Rosie Frost begins a new adventure with a murder to solve, revenge on her mind, and more questions than she has answers.
It’s a new term at Heverbridge School, and Bloodstone Island is in turmoil: mutant animals are on the loose, jealous classmates want to bring Rosie down, and, even worse, there’s a black hole to deal with. Below the island’s surface, an everlasting star is growing in strength, and it just may end them all.
Rosie discovers the north side of the island, home to the alluring Imperium Palace. But is the palace one of scientific genius or deadly menace?
While she fights to know the truth about her past—and her family’s ancient ties to Bloodstone—Rosie begins to wonder if the price for the truth may be too high. She must discover what she’s really made of as a fresh danger puts her new home—and all that she loves—at risk.
*Books contain a web link with access to original songs by Geri Halliwell-Horner!
Adventures Unlimited: You and Me and the Land of Lost Things
AUTHOR: Andy Griffiths
ILLUSTRATOR: Bill Hope
PUBLISHER: Feiwel & Friends
DATE: April 8, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Come along with New York Times-bestselling author Andy Griffiths (The 13-Story Treehouse) on a brand-new adventure that plunks the reader right into the middle of all the wacky action and laughs with its unique storytelling style.
Hey, you and me sure have had a lot of amazing adventures together, haven’t we?
Remember the time we flew to the moon without a rocket? And remember the time we went to the bottom of the ocean and fought a high-voltage giant octopus? And how about the time we got lost in The Land of Lost Things?
What? You don’t remember? Really? Well, let me refresh your memory. It all started like this…
Family Week
AUTHOR: Sarah Moon
PUBLISHER: Knopf Books for Young Readers
DATE: April 15, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Four best friends spend Family Week together at an annual gathering of LGBTQ+ families in Provincetown, MA—the largest of its kind across the world—in this middle grade coming-of-age story that celebrates identity, acceptance, and found family.
For as long as they can remember, Mac, Lina, Milo and Avery have celebrated Family Week together in “the smallest, gayest town in the world”—Provincetown, Massachusetts.
But this summer, their big rented beach house feels different. Avery’s dads are splitting up, and her life feels like it’s falling apart. Milo’s flunked seventh grade, which means everyone is moving on to bigger and better things except for him. Mac’s on his way to a progressive boarding school that lets transgender kids like him play soccer, but it means leaving his twin sister, Lina, and his moms—and the safety of home—behind.
Everything is changing, and for Lina, it feels like it’s happening with or without her. Avery, Milo, and Mac know this is going to be their last summer together. But Lina can’t accept that—and if she can make this the best summer ever, maybe she’ll convince them that there will be a Family Week next year. Good things might not last in the real world, but they do in P-town…. Right?
🌈MEET THE CHARACTERS: Get to know Lina, Milo, Avery, and Mac as author Sarah Moon divulges deets about the Family Week characters HERE!
📚GIVEAWAY: Want a chance to WIN a copy of Family Wee? ENTER HERE!
The Queen Bees of Tybee County
AUTHOR: Kyle Casey Chu
PUBLISHER: Quill Tree Books
DATE: April 15, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Better Nate Than Ever meets Dumplin’ in this charming, poignant debut by Kyle Casey Chu, aka Panda Dulce, a founding queen of Drag Story Hour.
After making the buzzer-beating shot at the Georgia basketball state championships, Derrick Chan becomes the star of Bayard Middle School, and Derrick’s single dad could not be prouder. But there are parts of Derrick that no one knows about, like the toenail polish he wears under his basketball sneakers, his secret lip-sync performances in the bathroom mirror, and the feelings he’s developing for his best friend and teammate, JJ.
As the school year comes to a close, Derrick’s dad takes an out-of-town job and ships Derrick off to spend the summer with his estranged, eccentric grandmother, Claudia. Soon, Claudia introduces Derrick to the world of small-town southern beauty pageants, and Derrick suddenly feels he’s found where he belongs. But when the opportunity arises to compete in the town pageant, Derrick is forced to decide just how much of himself he’s ready to show the world.
Can he learn to love and accept the most unique parts of himself? And what will happen if others—like his father and JJ—can’t do the same?
Opal Watson: Private Eye
AUTHOR: Brittany J. Thurman
PUBLISHER: Storytide
DATE: April 15, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Opal Watson, Private Eye introduces an exciting new middle grade mystery series based on the popular original Pinna podcast that feels like a modern-day version of Harriet the Spy.
Opal Watson loves being a detective. When her neighbor’s cat goes missing or her grandmother loses her cherished cookbook, Opal is on the case. And there is no mystery she cannot solve.
Returning home to Chicago after spending the summer with her Meme Augustine in New Orleans, Opal is nervous to begin school. Despite her parents’ confidence, they worry about her making new friends and dealing with her Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease. When Opal gets paired with a new student, Ivy, to work on their history project together, she is hesitant—after all, she only needs her cousin, Frank, and her best friend, Madison.
But school quickly becomes the least of her worries. Madison has heard disturbances in the apartment building she and Opal live in, the Crescent. Renovations are being done, but it’s unclear where the noises are coming from that are upsetting all her neighbors. Even worse, the old building is the target of developers wanting to tear it down. As Opal begins to investigate, she realizes this will be her toughest case yet.
Can Opal solve the mystery at the Crescent and save her home? And what hidden truths will she uncover along the way?
The Forgotten Summer of Seneca
AUTHOR: Camryn Garrett
PUBLISHER: Amulet Books
DATE: April 15, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
From acclaimed author Camryn Garrett comes a middle-grade mystery with a magical twist, about a girl who goes to live with her aunt in the summer after the loss of her father—and who finds a doorway in Central Park that leads to a magically preserved historical village
Everything is changing, and twelve-year-old Rowan Robinson hates it. She’s dreading having to spend her summer in New York City with her Aunt Monica, even though she used to love it. But things are just different after her father passed away. Without him, nothing about her world feels the same.
Things start to get a little better when Rowan brings her dad’s old camera to Central Park to take pictures. But as she’s snapping photos, she notices a strange mirror-like shape floating in the air. When she gets closer to it, she trips and falls through the portal, and after she lands, she finds herself in a different world: Seneca Village, where Black people with magical abilities seem to live in the past, in a time without phones or electricity. At first, Rowan thinks it must be a dream, but the more time she spends in the village with her new friend Lily, the more she wants it to be real.
But outsiders aren’t even supposed to be able to find Seneca. Rowan and Lily aren’t sure how Rowan was able to see the portal, but they suspect it might have something to do with the girl who normally guards the portal having gone missing. As Rowan and Lily search for clues to help find the missing girl and uncover the truth of the portal’s magic, Rowan begins to realize what secrets this village might be hiding, and how the events of the past still linger in the present day.
Filled with sparkling magic, honest explorations of grief, and moving depictions of a new friendship, The Forgotten Summer of Seneca asks us to remember a history that’s often overlooked—and imagine a future where we’re brave enough to embrace change.
Please Pay Attention
AUTHOR: Jamie Sumner
PUBLISHER: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
DATE: April 15, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
A girl with cerebral palsy navigates loss, grief, and the aftermath of trauma following a school shooting in a world that wasn’t built for her in this deeply affecting novel in verse from Jamie Sumner, the acclaimed author of Roll with It.
There is a Before and an After for sixth grader Bea Coughlin. Before the shooting at her school that took the lives of her classmates and teacher and After, when she must figure out how to grieve, live, and keep rolling forward. But as her community rallies in a tidal wave of marches and speeches and protests, Bea can’t get past the helplessness she felt in her wheelchair as others around her took cover.
Through the help of therapeutic horseback riding, Bea finally begins to feel like herself again. And as she heals, she finds her voice and the bravery to demand change.
Benny on the Case
AUTHOR: Wesley King
PUBLISHER: Beach Lane Books
DATE: April 15, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
A boy with Mosaic Down syndrome navigates entering a mainstream classroom, making new friends, and standing up to bullies all while trying to catch a thief and save his home in this “suspenseful, emotional” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) middle grade mystery from New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Wesley King.
Benny isn’t your average boy from Newfoundland. He lives in a retirement home that his mother runs, he has an eighty-six-year-old best friend named Mr. Tom, he knows more about fixing boats than video games, and he has Mosaic Down syndrome. When Benny transitions to a mainstream classroom for the first time, the other students tease him for his differences…except for Salma. She’s new, too, and not your typical Newfoundland girl: she’s tech savvy, speaks Arabic, plays basketball, and isn’t afraid to eat lunch with Benny.
So when Salma’s grandmother and several other residents in the retirement home are robbed, Benny asks Salma to help him catch the thief. Time is not on their side as an inspector threatens to close the home. And to make matters worse, Benny and Salma must crack the case while working on a class assignment with their bullies. Can Benny save his home and take a stand against the bullies once and for all? He’s about to find out, b’ys.
Rabbit Rabbit
AUTHOR: Dori Hillestad Butler & Sunshine Bacon
PUBLISHER: Holiday House
DATE: April 15, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
To rebuild their broken family, a pair of audacious tween cousins must confront the long-buried secrets that destroyed it in this upper middle grade novel told from dual perspectives.
Twelve-year-olds Alice and Bee are practically strangers when their grandparents’ anniversary party reunites their estranged families and ignites their own fast friendship.
But their reunion doesn’t last long—Bee’s mother and grandfather are dead set on keeping the liberal Seattle faction of the family away from the conservative Minnesota crew. “It’s complicated,” the grown ups tell them over and over (and over!) again.
Bee and Alice grow closer despite their geographical distance, determined to keep their friendship going—and to uncover the big family secret. What happened all those years ago, and why did it tear their family apart?
Just when they’ve started to make progress, the COVID pandemic strikes. Bee and Alice watch as the world shuts down and their loved ones grow further divided along their fractured lines. Somehow, it’s up to the twelve-year-olds to clean up the mess that the grown ups have made.
This powerful, timely story cuts deep, touching on recent historic events and intimate family details alike. With an age-appropriate approach, Rabbit Rabbit tackles religion, sexuality, bodily autonomy, and other juicy stuff you’re not supposed to talk about at Thanksgiving.
Readers will fall headfirst for Alice and Bee as the unforgettable tweens make space for their friendship and shifting identities while standing up to their far-from-perfect family, with all the love and grace they can muster.
K Is in Trouble AGAIN
AUTHOR: Gary Clement
PUBLISHER: Little, Brown Ink
DATE: April 15, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Misfortune hilariously abounds in this graphic novel about the life of one persistently unlucky kid named K—who is, once again, very, very much in trouble!
K just keeps getting in trouble!
Trouble finds him when a mischievous goat eats his train ticket home. Trouble finds him when he’s stowed away in a barrel of apples, hiding from angry farmers. Trouble finds him as he dangles from a ridiculously high diving board in front of the entire town. Trouble even finds him through a very talkative snowman, whose chatter gets K into even more trouble.
But it’s not all bad news for K: The stories in this graphic novel find him reunited with an old friend, taking a restorative trip to the sea, and making the acquaintance of a young farm girl! Join K as he tries (and fails) to stay out of trouble in this new set of adventures from Gary Clement.
For more adventures with K, check out K Is in Trouble
Outsider Kids
AUTHOR: Betty Tang
PUBLISHER: Graphix
DATE: April 15, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Can one spoiled brat upend three kids’ hard-won happiness and even their safety? Find out in this hilarious, hair-raising, high stakes companion to the bestselling Parachute Kids!
WITH FAMILY LIKE THIS, WHO NEEDS ENEMIES?
After seven months on their own as undocumented immigrants, the Lin siblings have settled into their new lives in California. Jia-Xi (Jesse) has a new job, Ke-Gang (Jason) has a new crush, and Feng-Li (Ann) is excited to celebrate her eleventh birthday with her new friends. Their parents still await visa approval in Taiwan, so the trio is trying to take better care of one another and stay under the radar of immigration authorities. But when their stuck-up cousin Josephine-a violin prodigy-arrives with her privilege and demands, suddenly their world is in turnaround. Will they have to give up their home, their friends, and the stability they worked so hard to achieve?
Afia in the Land of Wonders
AUTHOR: Mia Araujo
PUBLISHER: Scholastic Press
DATE: April 15, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
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 Ijabu, 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, Ijabu 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 Ijabu, 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 Ijabu.
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.
Storm Singer
AUTHOR: Sarwat Chadda
ILLUSTRATOR: Virginia Allyn
PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
DATE: April 15, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
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…
Queenie in Seven Moves
AUTHOR: Zanni Louise
PUBLISHER: Candlewick
DATE: April 22, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Amid the uncertainty of not having a permanent home, twelve-year-old Queenie finds unforeseen friendship—and unexpected confidence—in this warm, sensitive story addressing loss and belonging.
To Queenie, home is Peachy, the little peach-walled house she’s lived in forever, all art deco and flaky paint. Always a provider of solace. But when she and her mom have to move out, suddenly one temporary move follows another, from a retirement village to a flood-prone old camper van to a shared home, sometimes with just her father’s guitar under her arm and some budding lyrics in her head. Along the way, the change-resistant Queenie discovers that home isn’t a place at all—it’s making new friends and reconnecting with old ones, letting yourself be uncomfortable, and finding the courage to share your song with the world. With insight, honesty, and gentle humor, Zanni Louise’s timely novel touches on the experience of housing insecurity as it introduces a relatable protagonist who readers will want to follow wherever she goes.
Candle Island
AUTHOR: Lauren Wolk
PUBLISHER: Dutton Books for Young Readers
DATE: April 22, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
A moving portrait of loss and the restorative power of art from Lauren Wolk, the Newbery Honor-winning author of Beyond the Bright Sea.
Lucretia Sanderson has a secret.
Lucretia and her mother have come to tiny Candle Island, Maine (Population: Summer, 986; Winter, 315) to escape—escape memories of the car accident that killed her father and escape the journalists that hound her mother, a famous and reclusive artist. The rocky coast and ocean breeze are a welcome respite for Lucretia, who dedicates her summer days to painting, exploring the island, and caring for an orphaned osprey chick.
But Candle Island has secrets of its own—a hidden room in her new house, a mysterious boy with a beautiful voice—and just like the strong tides that surround the shores, they will catch Lucretia in their wake.
With an unforgettable New England setting and a complex web of relationships old and new, Candle Island is a powerful story about art, loss, and the power of being true to your own voice.
Band Nerd
AUTHOR: Sarah Clawson Willis
ILLUSTRATOR: Emma Cormarie
PUBLISHER: HarperAlley
DATE: April 22, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Perfect for fans of Roller Girl and New Kid comes a heartfelt coming-of-age story about music, family, and friendship wherein twelve-year-old Lucy Carver must navigate life as band nerd in a new school, all while competing for a top flute soloist spot in band. But for Lucy, facing the music means dealing with the problems at home.
Middle school is tough—thank goodness there’s band.
For twelve-year-old Lucy Carver, music isn’t just a way of life; it’s an escape from homework and an off-key homelife with her alcoholic father. When Lucy starts seventh grade at Windley School of the Arts, with its high academic standards and even higher artistic expectations, it becomes much harder to keep life in tune.
Determined to be the conductor of her own life, Lucy focuses all her energy on beating snobby Tolli Claybourne for first chair flute. As things spiral out of control with her parents and her schoolwork, Lucy grows desperate for a win. Just when she thinks she’s hitting all the right notes, an accident leaves her unable to play and her mother threatens to withdraw her for poor grades. Now Lucy must sabotage Tolli or give up on her dream.
Packed with heart, Band Nerd is a poignant coming-of-age story about resilience, family, and using your voice to find harmony even during life’s most discordant moments.
Don’t Cause Trouble
AUTHOR: Arree Chung
PUBLISHER: Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks
DATE: April 22, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Twelve-year-old Ming Lee hopes middle school will be the fresh start he needs.
But stepping into school with the same bowl haircut his mom insists on giving him, and wearing the extra-discounted thrift shop clothes she buys him doesn’t quite make for the first day of his dreams. Things only get worse when he’s placed in an ESL class despite English being his first (and only) language. The journey ahead is full of awkward, painful, and downright embarrassing moments.
Ming’s dad always tells him, “Get good grades! Don’t cause trouble!” But with two new friends by his side, and a few tricks up his sleeve, Ming is determined to make some changes.
Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Jerry Craft, Don’t Cause Trouble is a funny, warmhearted graphic novel that will resonate with readers who are looking for a place to belong.
The Tontine Caper
AUTHOR: Dianne K. Salerni
ILLUSTATOR: Matt Schu
PUBLISHER: Holiday House
DATE: April 22, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Clue meets Knives Out for the younger set in this twisty-turny middle grade mystery-comedy with dry humor, impeccable plotting, and fun interactive bonus content.
Eleven-year-old orphan Nico Lombardi has been unfairly indentured at a remote mountain inn for five years now.
Just as he gathers the courage to escape, the inn gets booked by the remaining members of a “tontine,” an investment scheme where a cash prize is awarded to whomever lives the longest. In other words, every guest wants access to the fortune. Preferably as soon as possible.
During their stay, a chaotic race to control the fate of the tontine takes over the normally sleepy inn. Nico watches in horror as a series of comically disastrous events unfolds—some of which might aid his escape, and some of which might get him in big trouble. Before he can even put the right clues together, three unexpected revelations change the course of everyone’s future!
Arch humor and an incredible cast of strange and calculating characters keep the pages turning in this Wes Anderson-esque mystery filled with funny mishaps and misunderstandings.
With illustrations, a hotel map, character dossiers, a personality quiz, and a test to see how YOU would fare in a tontine caper, this read is perfect for fans of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and The 39 Clues series.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Beasties
AUTHOR: Peter Lerangis
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins
DATE: April 22, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
In this all-new adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of the Seven Wonders series, Peter Lerangis, four kids discover an alien artifact in Central Park that turns them into animals. The clock is ticking for them to find a cure—before the park’s predators find them first.
On a field trip to Central Park, Riley and his classmates accidentally encounter a supernatural artifact that looks a lot like, well, honestly … a piece of poop. But one of them gets too close, there’s a blinding flash, and suddenly the five friends are turned into various critters. Riley’s sister’s a hawk, the school bully’s a raccoon, and Riley? He’s transformed into everyone’s least favorite animal, a New York City rat.
Their once-dull morning quickly turns into a fight for survival. The kids have stayed alive long enough find a way to turn themselves back to normal. But as it turns out, they’re not the only humans-turned-into-animals on the loose in Central Park.…
As it turns out, Riley and his friends have accidentally thrust themselves into the center of a dangerous Manhattan-wide plot. And now they must use all their animal abilities to stop the bad guys, find the cure, and get back home without, you know, getting eaten on the way. It’s a wild adventure of a lifetime—because if they fail, these beasties will stay beasts forever.
The Secrets of Lovelace Academy
AUTHOR: Marie Benedict & Courtney Sheinmel
PUBLISHER: Aladdin
DATE: April 22, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
From New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict and Courtney Sheinmel comes a historical adventure about a young girl plucked from a London orphanage to begin attending a boarding school with more secrets than she could imagine—perfect for fans of Enola Holmes.
Lainey Philipps has lived at the Sycamore Home for Orphaned Children since she was three years old. Now nearly a teenager, her life is hard, and she doesn’t expect it to get better—until a chance encounter during an open house changes everything when Lainey meets a woman who invites her to attend the prestigious Lovelace Academy.
Fitting in amongst the many privileged students within the ivy-covered walls of Lovelace Academy presents challenges unlike the ones Lainey has faced in the past. Her life of drudgery has hardly prepared her for the aristocratic airs and cutthroat academic ambition of the other girls. Terrified she’ll be cast out of the academy, Lainey grabs at her chance to prove herself by traveling to Switzerland to meet a female scientist crafting a groundbreaking theory.
Determined to prove her capability and reach her destination, Lainey must rely on her own wit—as well as a mysterious boy who has yet to prove himself as friend or foe. But the real test is what awaits her in Switzerland, at the home of Mileva Maric, wife of Albert Einstein.
The Myth of Monsters: The Gods’ Revenge
AUTHOR: Katherine Marsh
PUBLISHER: Storytide
DATE: April 22, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
The second book in National Book Award finalist Katherine Marsh’s Myth of Monsters series finds Ava and her friends up against their least-expected foe yet.
Ava Baldwin is ready for her second year at the Accademia del Forte. Now that she knows that her fellow classmates, descendants of the so-called Greek monsters, have been lied to by the Olympians, she’s ready to help them uncover their ancestors’ true stories—if only she can stay out of the way of the new headmaster, Perseus.
But laying low is easier said than done, especially when Perseus seems intent on trolling Ava, making it impossible to control her anger.
When Perseus banishes one of her friends, Ava must lead a rescue party on a whirlwind adventure from the Stygian Marsh of the underworld to the ice caves of Mount Etna with Ares and the spirits of violent death in hot pursuit. But the gods won’t be tricked so easily this time . . .
Spirit Service
AUTHOR: Sarena & Sasha Nanua
PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
DATE: April 22, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Ghostbusters meets The Baby-Sitters Club in this supremely sweet and spooky story about four seventh graders who start a small business helping their local neighborhood spirits pass on to the other side.
All Raveena wants is to bring back her school’s beloved arts program. It’s been six months since her music-loving grandmother passed, and four since Hollows’ Peak Middle School cut its entire arts budget. Now Raveena has no way to practice music, and worse, no way to honor Grandmama’s memory.
But Raveena’s world turns on its head when she and her friends stumble upon an otherworldly discovery: an old-fashioned telephone with the ability to contact ghosts!
With her newfound possession, Raveena devises the perfect plan to raise funds for the arts program: Spirit Service, an agency that guides deceased townspeople to the afterlife by reconnecting them with their living loved ones. The best part? There are tons of spirits in need of assistance—and people willing to pay big bucks to communicate with them.
But not all spirits are interested in peacefully moving on…
To keep their neighborhood safe, Raveena and her friends must dive into the history of their town and the mysterious phone, and in the process, uncover secrets that are much closer to home.
👻MEET THE FIERCE FOUR: Get to know Raveena, Aiko, Lillian, and Blair as authors Sarena & Sasha Nanua share deets about the characters HERE!
📚GIVEAWAY: Want a chance to WIN a copy of Spirit Service? ENTER HERE!
Charlie Hernández & the Hand of Darkness
AUTHOR: Ryan Calejo
PUBLISHER: Aladdin
DATE: April 22, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Inspired by Hispanic folklore, legends, and myths from the Iberian Peninsula and Central and South America, this fifth and final book in the Charlie Hernández series follows Charlie as he ventures into the Land of the Dead.
The League of Shadows has done everything they can to keep the Land of the Living safe from La Mano Peluda, but it hasn’t been enough. The barriers between the worlds are falling, and the forces of the dead are only days away from launching an unstoppable invasion.
Only one hope remains for the living: unleashing the full power of the Morphling—all five of them, to be exact. But to do so, Charlie and his friends will have to journey into the very heart of the Land of the Dead to track down Charlie’s predecessors.
Determined to fulfill his destiny as the final morphling, Charlie will risk everything to bring balance back to the realms. But the Land of the Dead is no place for the living. Danger lurks everywhere, from ancient malevolent forests to legendary beasts that haven’t been seen for millennia. Yet, in the end, it is death itself the friends will have to overcome in this epic conclusion to the Charlie Hernández series.
Tales From Beyond the Rainbow: Ten LGBTQ+ Fairy Tales Proudly Reclaimed
AUTHOR: Pete Jordi Wood
PUBLISHER: Penguin Workshop
DATE: April 22, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Epic stories of love, adventure, and resilience featuring LGBTQ+ narratives and heroes, published as a collection of queer classics for the first time.
These are the fairy tales that history forgot—or concealed. Ten tales in which gender is fluid and where queer stories can have a happy ending. Some are rare examples of LGBTQ+ folklore, like “The Dog and the Sailor,” which features a male protagonist who meets his own handsome prince. These stories include folklore from Europe, Asia, and the African savanna. Vibrant illustrations from an international group of artists enhance the multicultural identities showcased here, including artists from India, Germany, Cape Verde, Russia, Canada, China, and more. They remind readers that folk tales are our tales, and invite them to be whoever they want to be. Researcher Pete Jordi Wood has combed through generations of history to collect and adapt these ten unforgettable stories celebrating LGBTQ+ themes and characters.
This title is already included on the Puffin Classics list, indicating its importance in preserving the ancient folklore of queer histories.
The Night We Got Stuck in a Story
AUTHOR: Ben Miller
ILLUSTRATOR: Christopher Naylor
PUBLISHER: Aladdin
DATE: April 22, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Lana must rescue her brother from an evil queen in this sequel to the illustrated middle grade fantasy adventure The Day I Fell into a Fairy Tale from actor, author, and comedian Ben Miller—perfect for fans of Half Upon a Time and Land of Stories!
When Lana and Harrison stay with their grandparents, one of their favorite places to play is a large hollow tree that made their adventures feel magical long before they were first transported into a fairy tale. But during their latest visit, the two discover the tree is set to be demolished.
That night, a magical golden thread leads them up through the hollow of the tree into a storybook land, where wind and rain rage and a fearsome beast terrifies all who live there. The siblings try to help, but things only get worse when Harrison gets kidnapped by the evil queen.
Now, Lana must do whatever it takes to find him, save the villagers, and restore the balance of the storybook world in order to save their beloved landmark.
Marya Khan and the Disastrous Class Project
AUTHOR: Saadia Faruqi
ILLUSTRATOR: Ani Bushry
PUBLISHER: Amulet Books
DATE: April 22, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Perfect for fans of Ivy & Bean and Stella Diaz, this charming chapter book series by the author of the successful Yasmin series follows a Pakistani American third-grader whose plans may backfire but whose persistence and heart are inspiring
It’s time for her class’s country project, and Marya is super excited. She loves public speaking, and she’s assigned Pakistan, where her family is from. But Marya has two problems: She doesn’t actually know very much about her grandparents’ country, and she’s paired with new kid Waleed, who is so shy he can barely talk, let alone present to the class. Marya figures if she can just befriend Waleed, he’ll help her make the best project ever.
It’s time for Operation Make a Friend! But how do you make a friend? Play sports? Make jokes? With time running out before the big presentation, Marya worries she’ll never get this Waleed kid to loosen up. But after researching a lot about friendship—and Pakistan—she might be able to save this project yet!
Maeve Mulvaney Has Had Enough
AUTHOR: Kelly Mangan
PUBLISHER: Holiday House
DATE: April 29, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Maeve Mulvaney goes from “family raincloud” to Feminist Superhero in this upper middle grade novel perfect for fans of Carrie Firestone, Julie Murphy, and Barbara Dee.
Fourteen-year-old Maeve feels more at home in the pages of her comics and sketchbook than she does in “Nowhereville” (her maybe-not-so-nice nickname for the small Florida town where her family just moved). In the comic-book version of her life, she’s a brave superhero who always bests the bad guys. In reality? Not so much.
When a bully at her new school makes her life miserable over her weight (and a sexist teacher defends him), Maeve isn’t sure what to do. Her mom thinks she should just cheer up, brush it off, and stay positive. But then Maeve hears from other misfit eighth graders who are also being picked on, and she decides that enough is enough.
Drawing inspiration from her comics, Maeve creates a feminist superhero club, hoping she and her new friends can inspire meaningful change in their community. But it turns out, fighting back without becoming the bully yourself is harder than it seems…
This heartfelt and uplifting novel serves as a sweet reminder that heroes are stronger together, that home is where you make it, and that the greatest superpower you have is your voice.
Gigi Shin, Live from Manhattan
AUTHOR: Lyla Lee
PUBLISHER: Aladdin
DATE: April 29, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
This second book in a sparkling middle grade series that gives a fresh take on The Baby-Sitters Club follows Gigi and her friends to New York City as they attend the art camp of their dreams.
Gigi Shin is looking forward to her best summer ever: not only did she get accepted to the prestigious Starscape Art Academy in New York City, but so did all her friends and fellow Ace Squad members! Plus, Gigi’s art idol, Christiana Moon, is going to be a guest lecturer and Gigi is determined to make a great impression.
But as soon as they land in NYC, things don’t exactly go to plan. Instead of being able to room with each other, the girls are all assigned to room with other attendees; Gigi is paired with Sohee, who doesn’t seem too excited to have Gigi as a roommate. The workload is heavy, and while the teachers are all experts in their field, they aren’t exactly the best instructors—including Gigi’s idol, Christiana, who’s dismissive when Gigi asks her for advice.
When all the attendees are given a huge opportunity to showcase their work, Gigi and her friends are determined to turn things around and make the best of camp, using the city for inspiration. With the help of some unexpected allies, can Gigi prove to everyone—and herself—that she has what it takes?
The Lemonade War: The Graphic Novel
AUTHOR: Jacqueline Davies
ILLUSTRATOR: Karen De la Vega
PUBLISHER: Clarion Books
DATE: April 29, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
The first book in the beloved Lemonade War series—a clever blend of humor, math wizardry, and business know-how—is now available in a full-color graphic novel.
Evan Treski is people smart. He’s good at talking to people, even grown-ups.
His younger sister, Jessie, on the other hand, is math smart—but not especially good at understanding people. She knows that feelings are her weakest subject.
With just five days left of summer vacation, Evan and Jessie launch an all-out war to see who can sell the most lemonade before school starts. As the battleground heats up, there really is no telling who will win—and, even more important, if their fight will ever end.
Jacqueline Davies’s bestselling The Lemonade War is brought to life in vivid color by illustrator Karen De la VegaPerfect for reluctant and emerging readers; high interest, low reading levelTeaches basic business and math concept
Beetle and the Chimera Carnival
AUTHOR: Aliza Layne
PUBLISHER: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
DATE: April 29, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Beetle and her friends attend a carnival full of dragons and magic, only to discover something sinister at play behind the scenes, in this delightful sequel to the Stonewall Honor–winning Beetle & the Hollowbones middle grade graphic novel.
Hidden behind the clouds, giant dragons guard the most powerful magic in the world from prying eyes. On one magical night, once every ten years, these leviathans reveal themselves to a fanfare of costumes, music, and parades in the Chimera Carnival.
But this time, something’s wrong.
When Beetle, Penny, and Kat decide to check out the empty carnival site one night, they discover an injured dragon screaming for help. And the more Beetle uncovers about the Chimera Carnival, the more sinister it gets. Dragons who arrive for the early festivities disappear without a trace. Beetle’s magic begins to go haywire. And Kat’s parents come back to town, worrying both girls about whether they have a future together.
In the catacombs beneath the demolished ’Allowstown mall, something hungers for dragon magic. And Beetle and her friends are already more entwined with it than they could possibly imagine.
The Vanished Kingdom: The War of the Maps
AUTHOR: Jonathan Auxier
PUBLISHER: Amulet Books
DATE: April 29, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
This epic middle-grade adventure—companion to Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes and Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard—will take readers to the very ends of the earth . . . and beyond. From the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of The Night Gardener and Sweep.
The War of the Maps is a breathtaking fantasy in the vein of His Dark Materials and The Last Battle that dares to give new answers to age-old questions—inviting readers of all ages to sail beyond the edges of the map into a world of magic, myth, and boundless adventure.
Since time before time, two opposing forces have been locked in an endless battle: It is the war between magic and reason—between what if and what is. And the victor will not just shape the future but the very nature of reality.
Peter Nimble and Sophie Quire have spent the last four years fighting to protect a world of magic from the insidious, unstoppable forces of “progress.” But, every day, the wonders that once surrounded them are vanishing. Lurking behind this transformation is a mysterious group called The League of Maps that seems to hold the answers.
As Peter and Sophie fight to untangle this mystery, they find themselves thrown into opposing sides of a vast war that stretches from the very beginning of humanity and into our present age.
The Trouble With Heroes
AUTHOR: Kate Messner
PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
DATE: April 29, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
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.
Sisters Ever After: Sea Swept
AUTHOR: Leah Cypess
PUBLISHER: Delacorte Press
DATE: April 29, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
The final book in the Sisters Ever After series of fairy tale retellings from the point of view of the siblings in the background, this is the captivating of story Daria and her older sister, Meria, who has left their life under the sea for a human prince. But when Meria needs Daria’s help, she must travel to the human world to save her older sister.
Daria grew up in Serema, an underwater city where merfolk and humans livetogether in peace. She’s not interested in life out of the water, unlike her older sister, Meria, who has fallen in love with a human prince.
Still, when Daria gets a distress message from Meria, she’s willing totrade her mermaid tail for legs if it means getting her sister back below thesurface as fast as possible. Except Meria has vanished, and none of the humans will tell Daria where she is.
In the strange world above the sea, Daria will soon discover that shecan’t trust anyone—and that whatever happened to her sister might happen to her next.
Mindy Kim and the Fun Family Vacation
AUTHOR: Lyla Lee
ILLUSTRATOR: Dung Ho
PUBLISHER: Aladdin
DATE: April 29, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Fresh Off the Boat meets Junie B. Jones in this adorable chapter book series following Mindy Kim, a young Asian American girl—in this twelfth and final novel, Mindy and her family vacation to South Korea.
Mindy is so excited to go back to Korea—not only are she, Dad, and Julie going to the popular tourist spot, Jeju Island, it’s baby Charlie’s first big international trip! Mindy can’t wait for some lazy days on the beach and to see the natural sites unique to the island. But the trip gets off to a rocky start, and Mindy finds herself hoping this first vacation together won’t be memorable for all the wrong reasons!
Abeni and the Kingdom of Gold
AUTHOR: P. Djèlí Clark
PUBLISHER: Starscape
DATE: April 29, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Return to the world of Abeni’s Song in Abeni and the Kingdom of Gold, the action packed sequel by P. Djèlí Clark.
“Lush and magical.” —KWAME MBALIA • “Astonishing.” —MARK OSHIRO • “Abeni’s story will sweep you away.” —AMANDA FOODY
The Children of the Night are free.
Abeni and her spirit friends rescued them from a terrible fate in the Witch Priest’s army of monsters. But when Abeni is asked to return home to rebuild her village, she refuses. She must carry on with her mission until all of her people are safe.
When Abeni is captured and imprisoned by the legendary Kingdom of Gold Weavers, she must win her freedom by retrieving the mystical Golden Throne—or risk becoming a living statue of gold forever! Legend says the throne is guarded by a dragon who can only be defeated by a magic sword.
But stories are not always what they seem. And the truth can change everything.
To reclaim the throne, Abeni and her spirit companions must travel to a city of light high in the mountains and a lost kingdom beneath the sands, fight frightening monsters and a golden army, all while evading the Witch Priest’s daughter, who hunts them at every turn.
Without courage and strength, even a kingdom of gold will fall to darkness. Will Abeni and her song be enough to save them all?
Abeni and the Kingdom of Gold is the second epic adventure in Abeni’s tale of magic, monsters, friendship, and courage.
The Last Comics on Earth: A Song of Swords and Stuffies
AUTHOR: Max Brallier & Joshua Pruett
ILLUSTRATOR: Jay Cooper and Douglas Holgate
PUBLISHER: Viking Books for Young Readers
DATE: April 29, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
The third installment of the New York Times bestelling graphic novel series based on the worldwide phenomenon The Last Kids on Earth!
After one-upping themselves with a triumphant follow-up to their bestselling comic book, the Last Kids on Earth are met with unexpected competition: Skaelka has written her own comic and it’s selling like hotcakes! Determined to reclaim their #1 spot, our heroes get to work to create the ultimate threequel . . .
When a vicious monster attacks Apocalyptia, a group of adorably fluffy and delightfully stinkin’ cute mascot-shaped heroes arrive on the scene to help: the Laser Blade Hero Squad! Forming an alliance with our heroes, they agree to look after Apocalyptia while the Savage Aloner is called home on a mission to save his people from a mysterious threat. The entire land, and its citizens, have been . . . cutified! Now it’s up to Savage and our heroes to get to the bottom of things, before Barbarious Fantastica, and the rest of Apocalyptia, becomes permanently adorable!
Dreamslinger
AUTHOR: Graci Kim
PUBLISHER: Disney Hyperion
DATE: April 29, 2025
SYNOPSIS:
Amari and the Night Brothers meets Pokémon in this thrilling start to Graci Kim’s brand-new fantasy series where dragons and phoenixes roam the skies of Seoul; meals magically appear based on your mood; and dreams literally come to life
Fourteen-year-old Aria Loveridge lives at the Resthaven Home for Dreamslingers, a safe haven for children born with a genetic mutation that transports them to a powerfully magical realm while they sleep. But this magic can be unpredictable—even deadly. After all, it was only ten years ago when members of the Royal League of Dreamslingers caused the Great Outburst—a tragedy that killed hundreds of people, including Aria’s mom.
Since then, Aria’s dad has become leading expert on Dreamslinger Welfare, which means Aria knows better than most what it takes to keep society safe from her, and others like her: separation, identification, and most importantly, power suppression.
So when the Kingdom of Royal Hanguk—home of the Dreamslinger League—announces the first Dreamslinger trials where teenage slingers from around the world are invited to compete for a chance to join the League and learn how to use their powers, Aria knows what she must do: join the trials and take down the League from the inside.
But the Trials introduce Aria to a world of wonderous magic and friendship, a world where she finally feels like she belongs. And as dark secrets from the past are revealed—ones that make Aria question her very identity—she becomes even more determined to discover the truth for herself. She just has to survive the trials first.
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