Looking for some great new reads to read this winter? Check out this list of forthcoming middle grade novels and place your reservations!
Amari and the Night Brothers
Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black in this exhilarating debut middle grade fantasy, the first in a trilogy filled with #blackgirlmagic. Perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, the Percy Jackson series, and Nevermoor. Amari Peters has never stopped believing her missing brother, Quinton, is alive. Not even when the police told her otherwise. So when she finds a ticking briefcase in his closet, containing a nomination for a summer tryout at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she's certain the secretive organization holds the key to locating Quinton. Now she must compete for a spot against kids who've known about magic their whole lives. With an evil magician threatening the supernatural world, and her own classmates thinking she's an enemy, Amari has never felt more alone. But if she doesn't stick it out and pass the tryouts, she may never find out what happened to Quinton.
Clues to the Universe
When Rosalind's father dies unexpectedly, all Ro has left of him is an unfinished model rocket they had been working on together. Benjamin Burns doesn't like science, but he can't get enough of Spacebound, a popular comic book series. When he finds a sketch that suggests that his dad created the comics, he's thrilled. Too bad his dad walked out years ago, and Benji has no way to contact him. Though Ro and Benji were only supposed to be science class partners, the pair become unlikely friends. As the two face bullying, grief, and their own differences, Benji and Ro must try to piece together clues to some of the biggest questions in the universe.
The Last Bear
There are no polar bears left on Bear Island. At least, that's what April's father tells her when his scientific research takes them to a faraway Arctic outpost. But one night, April catches a glimpse of something distinctly bear shaped loping across the horizon. A polar bear who shouldn't be there--who is hungry, lonely and a long way from home. An excellent choice for readers in grades 3 to 7, this fierce celebration of friendship includes full-page black-and-white illustrations throughout, as well as information about the real Bear Island and the plight of the polar bears.
The Nightmare Thief
Maren Partridge loves working in her family's dream shop where she can hand-craft any dream imaginable. The shop has only one rule. Dreams cannot be given to a person without their consent. Maren has no problem with this--until her sister, Hallie, has an accident that leaves her in a coma. Maren's certain she can cure Hallie with a few well-chosen dreams. And when no one is watching, she slips her a flying dream. But a strange new customer from the shop has been following Maren and knows what she did. Now she's laid the perfect trap to blackmail Maren into creating custom nightmares for a dark and terrible purpose. As Maren gets drawn further into the sinister scheme, she must make a choice: to protect her family or to protect the town from her family's magic.
Root Magic
It's 1963, and things are changing for Jezebel Turner. Her beloved grandmother has just passed away. The local police deputy won't stop harassing her family. With school integration arriving in South Carolina, Jez and her twin brother, Jay, are about to begin the school year with a bunch of new kids. But the biggest change comes when the twins turn eleven-- and their uncle tells them he's going to train them in rootwork. The twins have always been fascinated by the African American folk magic that has been the legacy of their family for generations. But Jez soon finds out that her family's true power goes far beyond small charms and elixirs...and not a moment too soon. Because when evil both natural and supernatural comes to show itself in town, it's going to take every bit of the magic she has inside her to see her through.
Unplugged
Jett is Silicon Valley's number one spoiled brat. When one of his stunts brings in the US Air Force, Jett's father sends him off to Oasis Mind and Body Wellness center where he'll be unplugged and disconnected from the outside world. Of course Jett hates it instantly and does his best to get himself kicked out. But it's not as easy as he thinks. When Grace rescues a defenseless lizard, Jett is drawn into caring for the little guy with the help of Grace, Tyrell and Brooklyne. But things aren't as they seem at Oasis. There's something going on with the head meditation pathfinder, Ivory -- something dangerous that threatens the future of all the guests at Oasis. And Jett is the only one who can put a stop to it.
