Middle Grade Books for Teens

615 middle grade books for teens, sorted by rating — page 5 of 7.

Take a Stand Against Bullying by Na

Na

From teasing and name-calling, to shoving, making threats, and exclusion--bullying takes on many forms and occurs in different environments. Using real-life situations and engaging questions, the Take a Stand Against Bullying series sheds light on an unfortunately timely topic. Readers will learn ab

TALES OF MILITANT CHEMISTRY

Genre

This provocative collection of chemical warfare narratives blends scientific precision with military history, offering young readers a sobering look at how chemistry has shaped modern conflict. The s...

TALL WATER

Genre

This compelling coming-of-age novel plunges readers into the turbulent world of a teenager navigating the treacherous currents of high school, family secrets, and first love. The narrative flows with...

Tassajara Stories

Shunryu Suzuki, the abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center, and subsequently witnessed a revolving door of people looking for inspiration, enlightenment, or simply an alternative way of living for a while. The author walks readers through the minutiae of daily life at the monastery, which included a “complex oryoki eating ritual and chanting, which dragged the meal out to an hour with little time for the actual eating.” He also recalls various anecdotes and visitors, explaining different phrases and terminology along the way (“Kobun wore a black monastic work outfit he called samue. Samu was monastic work and ‘e’ meant clothes”). While the stories largely unfold chronologically, there is no particular thread to connect them other than their shared time and place. Chadwick uses short, choppy sentences with minimal adornment, creating a strange sense of monotony—but one that is occasionally broken up by a beautiful description of nature or a particularly memorable event. One such highlight is when the poets Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, and Daniel Moore came to meditate, read verse, sing, and chant mantras. This performance sparks what is surely one of the more delightfully bizarre sentences ever written: “Ginsberg played his harmonium with Ferlinghetti and Moore on Chinese horn and Hindu bells.” Surprisingly (and a bit disappointingly), the book’s focus consistently remains on the physical details of Tassajara and the everyday actions of its inhabitants, with very little personal or spiritual introspection. Still, the thorough and enlightening work achieves its ultimate goal of being an “oral history” by providing unparalleled access to daily life in a remarkable time and place."

This counting book offers young learners a vibrant journey through numbers with engaging illustrations and clever rhymes that make early math concepts accessible and fun. Each page introduces a new n...

TECH

striking statistics. Despite the focus on startup success, 4% of IPOs fail. Alexandre notes that “a startup is less an organization than an ethos” embedded in an “innovation\u002Dfocused culture.” Although his research includes nearly 150 interviews and a survey, the book isn’t centered on well\u002Dknown tech leaders—and many respondents chose to remain anonymous. The perspectives of workers, hiring managers, and entrepreneurs reveal a deeply secretive work environment governed by nondisclosure agreements. While organizational size—whether a nimble startup or a more established firm—clearly influences workplace culture and the practice of programming or entrepreneurship, Alexandre largely sidesteps this distinction. He embarks on a side quest into the history and culture of Burning Man, the desert festival that has significantly influenced the tech world. Nevertheless, academics and seasoned insiders will find new perspectives in studying this intricate ecosystem of blended work and leisure—a place and a culture that has created technologies with an outsize impact on our lives."

This comprehensive guide to modern technology offers young readers an accessible entry point into understanding the digital world that shapes their daily lives, covering everything from basic coding ...

TED'S TALES THREE

a bunch of tentacles rather than legs.” What their actions might mean for humanity’s future is an unanswered question. In “Cured,” a narrator with a rare blood type is the subject of a future, experimental plague treatment from helpful extraterrestrials with unforeseen side effects. In “Treestones,” a virtuous young pioneer\u002Dsettler couple in the 1880s do a good turn to a Kiowa shaman, who rewards them with practically eternal life. However, the couple must deal with the fallout of remaining conspicuously unchanged. The more earthbound stories include “The Bread Problem,” in which a young Italian American proudly takes charge of the family bread\u002Dbaking business but resorts to extreme measures when faced with a mob shakedown. A similar gangland background appears in “Funny You Should Ask,” in which a former wise guy thinks, mistakenly, that he’s gotten out of the syndicate without repercussions. The narrator of “From Head to Toe,” meanwhile, escapes dire peril on a wilderness hike but is exhilarated, not traumatized, by the experience. “Making a Difference” follows the routine of a military sniper who’s recruited for the war on drugs. Not all the tales feature such deadly dramatics\u003B the protagonist of “Wound Up,” for instance, gains self\u002Dconfidence by being thrust into the unplanned role of opening for a rock band who’s late in setting up. The author calls his oeuvre “books to read before bed for grownups” though not in the bawdy sense, but rather in the notion of uncomplicated, nongraphic, plainspoken narratives that wrap up in a minimum of pages. A few of the pieces, such as “Test Day” and “Red Hot,” intriguingly have the mien of the story genre known as the conte cruel, in which nasty conclusions await main characters who don’t really seem to deserve such terrible fates. However, most of these stories in this collection don’t seem to aspire to O. Henry\u002Dstyle head\u002Dspinning twists\u003B indeed, many of them bring down the curtain as early as possible, at the point at which the reader realizes what the plot is. In the stories in the horror/SF/fantasy vein, Delgrosso most recalls an unsung and prolific short\u002Dstory master of yesteryear: William Sambrot, who was anthologized only once, in 1963’s Island of Fear and Other Science Fiction Stories, but is worth seeking out. Other works feel like flash fiction—workshop\u002Ddeveloped, bite\u002Dsized pieces—and they generally come across as the types of tale that used to fill up fiction pages when popular family magazines like The Saturday Evening Post were newsstand mainstays."

This collection of short fiction delivers a satisfying variety of speculative and contemporary tales, from alien encounters and magical curses to gritty mob dramas and wilderness survival. The storie...

THAT DEVIL, AMBITION

Genre

This gripping exploration of ambition's double-edged sword follows a protagonist's relentless climb to the top, only to confront the moral compromises and personal costs incurred along the way. The n...

THE 1929 KELSEY QUILTERS

22 additional unsewn blocks, was discovered by the author’s family in the estate of her husband’s aunt in 2018. In tracing the mysterious origins of the quilt—both sewn and unsewn blocks featured the same eight\u002Dpoint star pattern, but with a different name embroidered on each—the narrative puts together lost pieces of both Hamberlin’s extended family history and that of an entire Southern community of families belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter\u002DDay Saints. The quilt, as the author learned, was made by a tight\u002Dknit group of women who lived in the Mormon community of Kelsey, Texas. While now a ghost town, at the turn of the 20th century Kelsey served as a haven for Mormon converts from the religiously oppressive South. (Even after the church banned polygamy, which was used by its opponents as justification for their persecution, its members continued to be met with hostility.) Exploring the lives of the women who worked on the quilt in 1929, this work uncovers a rich history of Kelsey’s town life, from its public school staffed by Mormon missionaries to its stores, farms, and mills built by the faithful. The text is at times hagiographic, written by a believer in the church’s teachings (the study of Kelsey, Hamberlin notes, “has strengthened [her] testimony of [her] Savior and the Atonement”), which may not resonate with those from different faith traditions. The study nevertheless draws on an impressive array of primary sources—from family oral histories to archival materials—to paint a vibrant portrait of life in Kelsey from the perspective of its women. Supplemented by a wealth of photographs, this is an accessible, engaging local history."

This historical novel transports readers to the heart of the Great Depression, following a determined group of women in a small town who turn to quilting as a means of survival and solidarity. The na...

THE ACADEMY

Cunningham as co\u002Dauthor. As their delicious new book opens, it’s Move\u002DIn Day at Tiffin Academy, and Head of School Audre Robinson is warmly welcoming the returning and new students to the New England campus, the latter group including a rare midstream addition to the junior class. Brainiac Charley Hicks is transferring from public school in Maryland to a spot that opened up when one of the school’s most beloved students died by suicide the preceding year. She will be joining a large, diverse cast of adult and teenage characters—queen bees, jealous second\u002Dstringers, boozehounds young and old, secret lesbians, people chasing the wrong people chasing other wrong people—all of them royally screwed when an app called Zip Zap appears and starts blasting everyone’s secrets all over campus. How the heck…? Meanwhile, it seems so unlikely that Tiffin has jumped up to the No. 2 spot in the boarding\u002Dschool rankings that a high\u002Dprofile magazine launches an investigation, and even the head is worried that there may have been payola involved. The school has a reputation for being more social than academic, and this quality gets an exciting new exclamation point when the resident millionaire bad boy opens a high\u002Dstyle secret speakeasy for select juniors in a forgotten basement. It’s called Priorities. Exactly. One problem: Cinnamon Peters’ mysterious suicide hangs over the book in an odd way, especially since the note she left for her closest male friend is not to be opened for another year—and isn’t. This is surely a setup for a sequel, but it’s a bit frustrating here, and bobs sort of shallowly along amid the general high spirits."

This gripping YA thriller plunges readers into the cutthroat world of an elite boarding school where perfection is mandatory and secrets are deadly. When a new student arrives at the prestigious inst...

THE AFTERLIFE PROJECT

day. Great vees of migrating geese fill the air with their throaty honking.” The final act takes a noticeable but not entirely drastic turn, culminating in an extraordinary and befitting denouement. "

This gripping young adult novel plunges readers into a high-stakes scientific mystery when a brilliant teen coder discovers her late father's secret research: a project capable of digitally preservin...

THE ARCHITECT'S EPIPHANY

the dastardly Zhehe people, but that just means that the stage is set for a City Builder—in this case the young Ocean Hacklin, heir to the great City Builder Yishan Hacklin—to rebuild Aye\u002DShan City all over again, using his superhuman Naoyang skills. Before that can happen, however, Ocean must team up with Shaman Ling Tiber\u003B together, the duo, along with a comical company of other Aye\u002DShan City refugees, set out to locate the fabled Guardian Beast. Readers may see parallels between Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series and the story of the fallen city of Aye\u002DShan: Both set technology and the natural world at odds with each other. The Kwong brothers take the premise one step further in positing that war itself is just part of the natural cycle of things. There is a lyrical quality in both the writing (“The fighting song is loud and clear, the sound of nature changes the world”) and the illustrations. The latter seem to shift and morph into varying styles, some vibrant and colorful, others stark and black \u0026amp\u003B white. At one point, speaking through imaginative speech balloons in prose that gives it an ethereal air of nobility, the mighty Guardian Beast laments how it was overcome after the Zhehe people “tempted Aye\u002DShan people to engage in lewd acts, which generated negative energy and weakened my power.” Will the Zhehe people and the inhabitants of Aye\u002DShan City ever break free of this cycle of destruction and creation? That depends on what the Kwong brothers next have in store for readers."

This architectural adventure follows a young designer's journey through a world of impossible structures and gravity-defying forms, where buildings come alive with personality and purpose. The narrat...

THE ART OF VANISHING

Jean Matisse, who lives with two of his siblings and his mom in a painting by his father, Henri. The “Elizabeth Bennet” in question is Claire, a new night\u002Dshift cleaning person at a private museum seemingly modeled on the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, where hundreds of paintings are hung edge to edge in a giant mansion. Ever since she was a little girl, Claire\u0027s had the feeling that there’s a way to cross over into the world of a painted image, and she’s about to find out she’s right. Later, after the pair has fallen in love: “We played cards with Cézanne’s farmhands, shot the breeze with Seurat’s models, and swam in the Medi­terranean Sea.” As the subjects of the paintings skip from one canvas to the next to get some variety in their frozen lives, one of the most popular hangouts is “Le bonheur de vivre,” a Matisse which depicts a clothing\u002Doptional seaside bacchanal. This escapist adventure and beautiful love affair is deeply satisfying, almost therapeutic, for young Claire, who has a lot of responsibilities and complications in the real world. At one point, she starts to realize she could be missing important calls while she’s over there in La La Land. “Of course there’s no cell reception in—what year is it in this paint­ing?” “1905 or 1906, I think.”  In addition to the details of Claire’s backstory, Pager throws two big real\u002Dworld developments into the mix—Covid\u002D19 and a museum heist. But the real joy of this book is the world she has invented on the other side of the canvas, a kind of Phantom Tollbooth for grown\u002Dups."

This imaginative novel offers a breathtaking escape into the world of art, where a young woman discovers she can literally step into the paintings she cleans at a private museum. Claire's journey fro...

THE ASCENSION DIRECTIVE

Genre

Women in the Koran and the holy scriptures of other religions.

THE AUSTEN AFFAIR

Genre

For readers who love historical fiction with a dash of romance and a modern twist, this novel cleverly transports its protagonist into the world of Jane Austen. When a contemporary teen finds herself...

The Battle against Juvenile Bullying The Plague of Child and Teen

Erin K. Leonard

"Dr. Leonard provides readers with a groundbreaking new perspective on the psychology of bullying. Using the concept of projective identification, Dr. Leonard masterfully explores the common misperceptions of bullying in order to demonstrate why most anti-bullying campaigns today aren't successful.

THE BEAST IN THE CLOUDS

two sons of Theodore Roosevelt." />

This gripping adventure novel follows two young brothers on a perilous expedition into uncharted wilderness, where they must confront both the harsh realities of nature and a mysterious creature rumo...

THE BELLES

her housecleaner grandmother—Deena hopes to learn her peers’ ways while she keeps a secret that might ruin her chances for a Bellerton\u002Dapproved future. If this territory has been mined by other writers, it doesn’t matter much as debut novelist Dunham juggles gothic elements including a nasty poetry professor, a drunken misery of a housemother, and glimpses of ghosts in the campus trees. Queen Bee Ada May Delacourt\u003B closeted Winifred (Fred) Scott and her bestie, Sheba Wyatt\u003B Nell Lawton\u002DPeters\u003B and Prissy Nicholson from Texas at first hew so closely to the expectations of Mrs. Tibbert, the wife of the college’s president, that she declares them the Belles of their class. But small things start to go missing from the girls’ rooms and as they snipe at each other, they also discover how good it feels to be bad, brandishing their signature hair ribbons like battle standards and roaming the woods at night, damn the consequences. Deena begins to encounter the apparition of a 19th\u002Dcentury student, Mary Burden, and wonders why only she can see her\u003B even if readers guess, they’ll already be under the spell of this isolated school. As the Belles prepare for their 50th reunion in 2002, their 21st\u002Dcentury lives offer bitter commentary on the real lessons they learned."

In a world where beauty is a commodity and the ability to transform appearance is a coveted magic, one Belle's journey uncovers the dark secrets behind the opulent court of Orléans. This lush, high-s...

THE BEWITCHING

a haunting of her own." />

This supernatural thriller delivers a chilling exploration of grief and the lingering power of memory, wrapped in a ghost story that will keep readers turning pages long past bedtime. The narrative m...

THE BIG HAPPY

the fads and whims of smin knowed as the Vox Popeye.” In Las Vegas, she teams up with Bogart Wham, the “Numero Uno Celeb Influsser in PopRep” (that’s the Popular Republic, the populist\u002Dcapitalist federation that now occupies Europe and North America). Together, they will prove whether a detective assembled from middling novels can catch a very real serial killer. According to Chadwick’s inventive lore, Earth was plunged into a 1500\u002Dyear Dark Age in the middle of the 21st century, and the newly revived civilization of 4050 therefore reveres American culture—and Donald Trump in particular—in the way that Renaissance thinkers revered the Romans\u003B this is the reason “freddykrueger” and Family Guy remain coherent references. (Some still manage to feel dated, however: Common profanities include “zuck”—for Mark Zuckerberg—and “Trump in Stormy!”) Numerous Trump jokes aside—two countries in 4050 are modeled on his teachings, including one called Trumpia—the novel’s premise and its execution are quite brilliant. Readers will end the book hoping more Serial Killer Miller cases are in the works."

This rhyming children's story carries with it a message about finding happiness that is as relevant for the children reading it, as it is for the adults that may be reading it to children. Posie the Penguin begins to feel that she is not contented with her life in Antarctica and decides that there m

THE BIZARRE BAZAAR

friends, crush Ginny Mendoza, and even his busy, overworked mother, Abel stumbles upon the Bizarre Bazaar one day and finds a charm bracelet that’s perfect for Ginny. It’s out of his price range, but Babs is willing to take a trade. Back home, Abel rummages through his absent father’s old things for possibilities but comes up empty\u003B after he does manual labor for his grumpy neighbor, she lets him take a mirror as payment. Before he can swap his new find for the bracelet, he falls into the mirror and enters a seemingly perfect world where his parents are together and everyone, including Ginny, adores him. But Abel quickly realizes that something isn’t right. In this start to a new graphic novel series, Nayeri’s cleverly structured narrative, paired with Enright’s bright, retro\u002Dstyle cartoons, sets a tone that’s by turns cavalier and chilling, delighting in mortal foibles and offering unexpected revelations. Brown\u002Dskinned Abel’s surname suggests that he’s of Iranian descent, Ginny is Latine, and the supporting cast is diverse."

This vibrant counting book transforms a bustling marketplace into an immersive mathematical adventure, where young readers encounter everything from seven shimmering scarves to ten towering pyramids ...

THE BLOOD IN WINTER

nobles. The crux of the dispute was over “Remonstrances,” a series of objections to Charles the First’s desire for absolute rule. Paramount among these were Parliament’s right to assemble and whether bishops should be allowed to sit in the House of Lords. No issue arose without provoking opposition. “Ship money,” a levy on coastal communities to fund the Royal Navy, was a classic example. The king tried to extend the levy to inland counties without parliamentary consent. This galvanized such opposition that when Charles and his army turned up at Parliament searching for five members whom Charles regarded as traitors, they had already fled downriver. They’d been tipped off by Lucy Hay, close companion to the queen and one of history’s great eavesdroppers. It is to Healey’s credit that, while giving a detailed discussion of the complex arguments, he also evokes the many colorful characters involved. Alongside a king who teeters between pomposity and timidity, a queen who sells her jewelry in exile, and the humble\u002Dborn Sir John Bankes, stuck “between a sow’s ear and the silken purse,” readers are treated to a portrait of a smoke\u002D, smog\u002D, and mud\u002Dfilled London, together with its inhabitants. Water poets and priggish Puritans may dominate, but who can forget a particular candidate for Constable of the Tower: Thomas Lunsford, who was “heavily in debt, rarely seen at church. Some said he was a cannibal.”"

This gripping survival thriller plunges readers into a brutal winter landscape where a group of teenagers must confront not only the deadly cold and scarce resources but also the terrifying creatures...

THE BOOK OF CHAOS

land and sea), establish an impressive pace that rarely lets up. The ending provides resolution and a welcome tease for yet another series entry."

This middle-grade fantasy novel plunges readers into a world where ancient magic and modern-day chaos collide, following siblings who discover their family's mysterious legacy holds the key to preven...

THE BOOK OF GUILT

German conspirators in 1943\u003B since then, British scientists have had access to studies “of immense scientific value” made in “the camps,” as they are called with pointed vagueness. In 1979, this history is taught to 13\u002Dyear\u002Dold triplet brothers—mercurial William, softhearted Lawrence, and thoughtful, watchful Vincent, who narrates most of the book. They live in a group home for boys, part of the Sycamore Homes program established by the government in 1944 to raise parentless children. Doted on by a threesome of Morning, Afternoon, and Night mothers, taught from the encyclopedic Book of Knowledge (an actual publication) and in weekly ethics discussions, the Sycamore boys have had happy if isolated childhoods marred only by incessant sickliness. Those who recuperate from “the Bug” get to move to “the Big House in Margate,” which, according to the brochure, is a wonderful place next to an amusement park. Only the triplets still remain when a new Conservative government decides to discontinue the Sycamore program to cut costs. Soon the Prime Minister puts the well\u002Dmeaning but clueless Minister of Loneliness in charge of rehoming the triplets. But where? That these children have been part of a creepy scientific experiment is obvious early on, but one shocking, horrifying surprise follows another in what is, at its most basic, a cat\u002Dand\u002Dmouse thriller. Meanwhile, Chidgey forces readers to delve into moral questions concerning science (and by extension, technology), pragmatism, personal responsibility, and institutional evil. Then there’s the novel’s unavoidable, disquieting contemplation of just who is given equal right in any given society (including ours). Chidgey, a New Zealander, borrows elements from Philip Roth’s The Plot Against America and Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, but the character Vincent most resembles is Pinocchio. Broad themes and issues become deeply personal as his coming\u002Dof\u002Dage becomes a monumental struggle toward self\u002Ddiscovery."

This psychological thriller plunges readers into the suffocating world of a teenager grappling with a life-altering secret, masterfully weaving suspense with the raw emotional turmoil of adolescence....

THE BOOK OF SEA MONSTERS

either a maritime reference (fish, boats, sea monsters) or a representation of the featured author. It functions as a sort of Great Books seminar for readers with a short attention span. The book reminds us of how great some of the poems are and where “water, water everywhere / and not a drop to drink” actually comes from. The anthology also prompts musings about erotic and psychological elements pertaining to sea monsters\u003B an example may be a possible feminist critique of mermaids. Just as Thoreau escaped the desperate city for the desperate country, so humankind fled the monsters among us only to succumb to their nautical cousins—escaping the devil, so to speak, for the deep blue sea."

This vividly illustrated guide plunges young readers into the mysterious depths of the ocean, introducing them to a captivating menagerie of marine creatures both real and legendary. From the colossa...

THE BOOK OF SHEEN

his umbilical cord, and goes on to a childhood in and around Los Angeles, where he made home videos with other showbiz kids. Along with his mother and three siblings, he frequently traveled to locations where his father, Martin Sheen, was filming, notably the set of Apocalypse Now. In an account laden with expletives and endearingly weird spelling choices (“dood,” “kool”), some of the actor’s most riveting chapters evoke his own stints on film sets, particularly his brutal experiences during the filming of Oliver Stone’s Platoon, in which the author starred. Though he went on to play parts in many more movies and in TV shows like Two and a Half Men, he turned his attention primarily to booze, drugs, gambling on sports, and encounters with sex workers. Don’t look for the usual redemption narrative here. Though Sheen does spend the last few pages of the book on what he says have been eight recent years of sobriety, undertaken for the sake of his children and grandchildren, he devotes most of the book to an exhaustive and sometimes exhausting survey of life on the edge. Despite many hours at meetings, he doesn’t have the respect for Alcoholics Anonymous—that “medieval gibberish club”—that he has for the many escorts he employed, whose charges he views as “a convenience\u002Dtax for a guaranteed outcome the other dating scenarios couldn’t offer.” Sheen’s three marriages zip in and out of the narrative with dizzying speed, leaving the reader no wiser about the women involved."

This vibrant collection of character studies and life lessons draws inspiration from the iconic actor Charlie Sheen, transforming his memorable quotes and public persona into thoughtful reflections o...

The Boys Body Book Everything You Need to Know for a Healthy, Happy

Kelli Dunham

Navigating the physical and emotional changes of puberty can feel like a monumental challenge for boys, but this guide serves as a clear, reassuring, and practical roadmap through it all. It tackles ...

The Boys Body Guide A Health and Hygiene Book for Boys 8 and Older

Frank C. Hawkins

A health and hygiene handbook for boys 8 and older that is written in an easy-to-understand language. Includes practical information on day-to-day topics such as acne, athlete's foot, eating right, and staying fit, as well as straightforward talk on sensitive hard-to-discuss subjects such as puberty

THE CALL OF ABADDON

the United Earth Federation, and now Jason and Sam have psychic abilities. Jason, however, can’t control his, and he suppresses them with regular doses of the drug Osmium. Untreated, he hears the voice of the Abaddon Beacon, an alien obelisk that sat in the labs with the three when they were still test subjects. As Jason’s connection to the Beacon hurts him as well as others, the salvagers vow to retrieve the artifact, which promises Jason answers to his “psychic affliction.” That’s just one reason to brave the surface of New Toronto, where they’re classified as “Undocs”\u003B the other is to salvage parts to repair their damaged 14\u002Dfoot robot, the true muscle in the Village’s defense. Meanwhile, the ongoing Solar War may be nearing an end, with the very real possibility that the UEF will surrender to the Solar Empire. Cyborg Anne Oakfield, who has ties to the Village and the government’s experiments, has another idea: She sets out to kill the nefarious EmperorHadrian Mariko of the Solar Empire. All the while, the Nanophage, a plague of corrupted Nanites that infect humans and bots alike, threatens everyone.Searle’s extensive worldbuilding turns this tale into a richly detailed epic\u003B backstories include Anne’s murky past\u003B particulars on Julian Yamamoto, the Village’s governor and founder\u003B and several nods to the Great War from a century ago. The three protagonists—tortured, sympathetic Jason\u003B fiercely loyal David, whose reason for also being in the lab is eventually revealed\u003B and Sam, who’s refined her psionic skills—are superbly rendered. They lead an indelible cast, highlighted by the unshakable Anne, another few notable Oakfields, and the diabolical Emperor and his “augmented” Imperial legionnaires. While there are some solid action sequences, this story relies more on the buildup of tension as various groups of people come into conflict. Perpetual menaces abound as the war continues, the Abaddon Beacon’s voice proves merciless, and the Nanophage\u002Dinfected victims amass in zombie\u002Dlike hordes. Throughout the narrative there are signs of familiar tech, from cybernetic implants and parts (like Anne’s “cyber\u002Deyes”) to a variety of vehicles including an airbus and a Jetbike. While these are fun details, it’s just as entertaining to watch characters get by without fantastical tech at their disposal (Jason, David, and Sam must make a hefty jump sans jetpacks and confront bulky foes in New Toronto with no assistance from their own gigantic robot). It’s hard to imagine where the salvaging trio might go next—which makes a sequel all the more appealing."

This gripping YA fantasy plunges readers into a world where ancient prophecies and modern-day heroes collide, delivering a heart-pounding adventure filled with shadowy realms, forbidden magic, and a ...

The Care and Keeping of You 2 (American Girl® Wellbeing)

Dr. Cara Natterson

The bestselling body book for girls ages 10 and up, now updated! Book 2 in our best-selling body book series for girls just got even better! With all-new illustrations and updated content, this title features tips, how-tos, and facts from the experts. This thoughtful advice book will guide you throu

The Children of the Children

chance—or perhaps divine intervention, as his new friends, The Fishermen, will insist—Danny winds up in San Francisco, learning the teachings of the charismatic Father Joseph. At first, his small group simply distributes Father Joseph’s letters around Haight Ashbury, trying to convert lonely hippies into new cult members. As their numbers grow and their philosophies and hierarchies evolve, The Fishermen move east to avoid scrutiny, eventually branching out all over Western Europe. Father Joseph begins bending rules of sexual conduct to fit his own personal (and abominable) desires and increase revenue via sex work. Danny finds himself in a love triangle with his wife, Martha (the eventual mother of David), and Deborah, a woman growing uncomfortable with the Fishermen’s increasingly disturbing sexual practices. But breaking out of Father Joseph’s psychic clutches is a tall order. As David comes of age and becomes a victim of physical and sexual abuse himself, he sets off on the path that will eventually lead him to Prague as he starts to question Father Joseph as well: “His instinct told him it was wrong, as his faith told him it was not.”McMillion’s subject and setting are fascinating, and the parallels between the protest energy of the late 1960s and the allure of a cult cut off from mainstream society lend a sharp and smart context to the novel. There are several scary and perfectly succinct explanations of how someone like Danny could get drawn into Father Joseph’s web. (“If deception is the art of convincing someone that what one knows to be false is true, then conversion is convincing him of what neither party can prove one way or the other,” the author writes in a truly standout moment.) However, the novel’s ambitious scope—the narrative spans two decades, a dozen complicated households, and too many countries to even list—overshadows the smaller, more disquieting moments. McMillion tries to pack in as much detail as possible, but this results in large chunks of writing that feel like nonfiction reportage rather than advancements of the engrossing emotional arcs already in place. This is felt most acutely in the various depictions of sexual abuse: Incidents conveyed from the point of view of characters such as Deborah or David are harrowing, while other scenes simply give cold factual accounts of Father Joseph’s horrendous proclivities. After the cult’s complicated history is filled in little by little, readers finally arrive back at the opening framing scene for an emotionally resonant conclusion that nevertheless feels too little and too late following such a dense history lesson."

This poignant multigenerational story explores the complex legacy of family history as it follows young protagonists grappling with the weight of their ancestors' experiences. Through alternating tim...

THE CIA BOOK CLUB

the CIA, which, brought to Warsaw and other Polish cities by travelers to the West during the brief thaw following Stalin’s death, were circulated via a “system of covert lending.” As English writes, the CIA agents providing funds and books were discerning: They sent fashion magazines and books by the likes of John le Carré and Philip Roth but also by East European and Russian writers such as Boris Pasternak, Joseph Brodsky, and Czeslaw Milosz. Eventually the book smugglers became more daring, publishing samizdat editions through a carefully coordinated series of safe rooms scattered across the country. English celebrates homegrown heroes such as Miroslaw Chojecki, trained as a physicist, who had been arrested 43 times by March 1980 but kept it up all the same. Romanian\u002Dborn George Minden, also honored, concocted a series of ploys to get books and money inside the Iron Curtain, including, daringly, simply mailing banned literature to recipients chosen at random from the phone book. The program was highly effective\u003B as English notes, “By 1962 at least 500 organizations were sending books on the CIA’s behalf.” By the program’s end, thousands of books had been circulated, to the gratitude of their readers, one of whom exalted, “We read poetry and literature. It showed us that there are likeminded people who are above nationality, who we can empathize with, who admire beauty, who admire virtue.”"

This gripping espionage thriller plunges readers into the high-stakes world of teenage intelligence operatives, blending the familiar pressures of high school with the dangerous realities of internat...

THE CODE OF LIFE

“junk DNA” that doesn’t code for proteins. She’s convinced that it hides a secret, and her research attracts the attention of Carter Industries, an incredibly wealthy corporation involved in “tech, AI, and space dreams.” With their resources, Camille and her colleagues discover that a sequence in human DNA contains specific coordinates: “a celestial map, directing us to a specific location on Mars….written into our very genetic code for millennia, waiting for us to uncover it,” notes benefactor Nathaniel Carter. Camille then becomes a member of the first human crew ever sent to the red planet, where she finds an ancient Martian AI, which explains that there was an advanced civilization there, billions of years ago. The Martians created it when they were on the verge of extinction, it says, so that it could steer development of life on Earth. Now, the AI intends to “merge” its memories with humanity to form one united species. Camille and her crew are afraid that this will mean the destruction of humankind, so they alert the corporation back home, leading to a tense, frightening standoff. In many ways, Masip’s novel reads like a blockbuster SF movie\u003B the action is grand and sweeping, and a few preternaturally skilled characters risk peril and revelation to save the day. The story is exciting and tense throughout, and it’s easy to root for the main characters. However, the book has some of the problems that many movie blockbusters also have: Convenient coincidences occur as the plot demands, which saps the dramatic power, and the novel’s length worsens this problem, as it’s difficult to maintain escalating tension for nearly 500 pages. However, the story’s themes are heartening, and Masip takes care to give his characters rich internal lives and distinct perspectives. Despite its flaws, this novel is a lot of fun and clearly written with care."

This compelling exploration of DNA and genetics takes young readers on a fascinating journey into the molecular blueprint that makes us who we are, from the double helix structure to how traits are p...

THE CONJURING OF AMERICA

tracing the transformations of the conjure woman from the Negro Mammy during slavery to the Candy Lady, a revered elder in Black communities during the Civil Rights Movement. Powerful figures in Blacks’ battles against racism and sexism, conjure women have inhabited many roles, among them, healers, spiritual guides, midwives and abortion providers, weavers and quilters, hairdressers, and cooks. Enslaved African women brought their ancestors’ use of natural medicine to the plantation, where Negro Mammies applied methods that were noninvasive and boosted the immune system, far different from medical doctors’ bloodletting and purging. Among one Negro Mammy’s remedies was a salve containing turpentine, which cleared airways so effectively it was sought after by whites, including one Southern man who made a fortune marketing it as Vicks VapoRub. In antebellum New Orleans, the Voodoo Queen was central to a community of free women of color who worshiped mermaids. Associated with rebellion and vengeance, Voodoo Queens inspired fear in their white neighbors. Stewart traces the connections of conjure to Aunt Jemima (whose image derived from a minstrel act), the invention of the blues, and even the creation of blue jeans, first made and worn by enslaved people and sewn from “negro cloth,” dyed with the West African plant indigo. Conjure emerges in the art of hairdressers, in cooks whose soul food has the power to bring good luck, and in quilters who designed “busy patterns” in their blankets to distract spirits that brought bad luck. Stewart melds personal reflections, African mythology, and abundant primary sources, most notably interviews conducted by the Federal Writers’ Project, to create a brisk, spirited narrative."

This gripping historical fantasy novel reimagines America's founding through a supernatural lens, blending authentic colonial history with magical elements that will captivate young adult readers. Th...

THE CREATIVE CTO

step, breaking concepts down into smaller, easily digestible segments. He lays everything out methodically and comprehensively, although his thoroughness sometimes leads him into statements of the obvious, such as: “It is important to track any specific risks that may affect your strategy” or “you must determine whether you’re making progress toward realizing your strategic objectives.” Still, the author covers all aspects of the CTO’s job in exhaustive detail, and both existing and prospective CTOs will find this breakdown valuable."

This insightful guide offers a rare and valuable perspective on technology leadership, exploring how chief technology officers can bridge the gap between technical execution and creative vision. The ...

THE CROSSOVER

Kwame Alexander

Fourteen-year-old twin basketball stars Josh and Jordan wrestle with highs and lows on and off the court as their father ignores his declining health.

THE DANDY

looking the part. This “rowdyism and larking” ushered in the “masher” at the turn of the century, a ribald lothario who would lurk around burlesque shows to profess their love to the dancers. Later, Andersson keenly connects the dandy’s sharp suiting with trends in gangster fashion and the zoot suits of the swing movement. Present throughout this centuries\u002Dlong evolution is the sneering eye of the press, which spurned dandies as “effeminate members of a third sex.” Andersson pieces together details on styles and their offshoots through a relentless feed of sarcastic articles and cartoons, deftly using these baseless dismissals as keystones to better render the movement. Throughout each case study, the author artfully accounts for dandyism as an amalgamation of both a subculture and the public’s reaction to it, and he harnesses that clash to stitch together a formidable sociological history."

This gritty urban drama follows a charismatic young man navigating the treacherous intersection of street life and ambition in a city that offers few second chances. The narrative pulses with authent...

THE DEVIL IN FINE PRINT

Genre

This legal thriller plunges readers into the high-stakes world of corporate malfeasance, where a young, idealistic lawyer discovers a sinister clause buried within a massive tech company's user agree...

THE DEVIL REACHED TOWARD THE SKY

Genre

This gripping novel plunges readers into a high-stakes supernatural conflict where the line between good and evil is terrifyingly blurred. The story masterfully builds a world where celestial forces ...

THE DEVIL TAKE THE BLUES

Genre

This gritty urban fantasy plunges readers into a world where the soulful ache of blues music holds literal, dangerous power, weaving a narrative rich with musical lore and supernatural stakes. The st...

THE DEVIL'S CASTLE

the experience of two Germans. Paul Schreber (1842\u002D1911), a judge hospitalized repeatedly for schizophrenia, wrote a vivid memoir that captivated Sigmund Freud. Dorothea Buck (1917\u002D2019), an artist and writer sterilized by the Nazis, spent her postwar life as an advocate for psychiatric reform. As Antonetta writes, Adolf Hitler praised Americans who embraced eugenics—by the early 20th century 30 states followed Indiana’s first\u002Din\u002Dthe\u002Dnation sterilization law, which mandated sterilization for “criminals, imbeciles, idiots, and rapists.” The first section of the book is a detailed, gruesome history of eugenics, peaking in the 1930s with the Nazis’ industrial\u002Dscale sterilization and execution of the mentally ill, along with other “useless eaters.” This was plain common sense, according to Hitler, who proclaimed that nations that support the genetically “inferior” are committing national suicide by encouraging them to multiply when natural selection would normally eliminate them. Antonetta then turns her attention to postwar psychiatry, which began discarding Freudianism in favor of approaching mental illness as a brain disorder with treatments similar to those that worked with diseases of other organs. She maintains that certain afflictions (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism) are not brain diseases but neurodivergence: different ways the psyche deals with the world. They require less “treatment” and more understanding and acceptance. As she writes, “The more kinds of minds we have, the richer our conscious ecosystem.”"

This gripping historical thriller plunges readers into the shadowy corridors of a foreboding fortress where ancient secrets and modern danger collide. A young protagonist, drawn to the castle's dark ...

THE DEVIL'S GRIN

an otherworldly presence. Dandelion works in a nursing home and seems constantly distressed. Her father torments her with repeated calls espousing paranoid conspiracies that may be connected to her inexplicable experiences. Robert and Dandelion’s neighbor Gary is an African American cartoonist who knew Robert’s mother and has the supernatural ability to direct real events via his cartoons—sometimes with deadly results. While Gary contends with racism and personal frustrations, his cartoons give him godlike powers—and he keeps his attention on Robert and Dandelion. The artwork and subject matter echo underground comix (R. Crumb is name\u002Dchecked), with cartoonish effects like bulging eyeballs and thumping hearts deployed in extensive and graphic sex scenes. With this as only Book 1 and no resolution to be found in these pages, Graham’s ability to bring these wild elements to a satisfying conclusion remains to be seen. But the energy and tapestry of the work is intriguing."

This gripping historical mystery plunges readers into Victorian London's foggy underworld, where a young detective confronts a series of chilling murders connected to the city's most notorious crimin...

THE DRAGONKIN LEGACY

the Naga may be a sign of the Last War alluded to in a seer’s prophecy that also foretells of a “Team of Five” that will stand up to the Naga. One of these eventual Five is the recently orphaned 11\u002Dyear\u002Dold Sakura, whose late father was a Shrine\u002Ddefending Dragon Guardian. The others include seafarer and mage Myrriden the Traveler, who takes in Sakura as his ward\u003B Myrriden’s magic\u002Dschool student son Emrys\u003B the Archmage Hoth\u003B and the enigmatic Fire Mage Volcan. Crucial to their defense of Cynnahu is the unearthing of an enchantment called the Elder Song, though no one is quite certain what that spell does. Adler’s epic\u002Dlength tale comprises two seamlessly connected novels. The worldbuilding is superb, starting with the Dragonkin and their former continent Cynnahu. The many isles, though they look the same, prove distinct in other ways\u003B one contains Emrys’ school, with an exterior that’s magically different for each individual (to one it appears as a “mist\u002Dcloaked temple”), while another isle houses the formidable, gleaming Blue Fortress. The characters are just as memorable, especially the courageous, same\u002Daged Sakura and Emrys, who put everything into their training and fighting. The standout among the supporting cast is Myrriden’s brother Aneirin, a historian\u002Dlike Loremaster who helps track down the Elder Song. A handful of lengthy conflicts on land and sea reach a worthy climax and a gratifying payoff and epilogue. The author rounds out this story with a traitor or two, a series of magic spells, and at least one death that will hit readers hard."

This epic fantasy adventure introduces readers to a world where ancient dragon magic has been awakened in a new generation of young heroes, thrusting them into a dangerous quest to save their kingdom...

THE ELEMENTS

inflicting her pain on new victims. And her former resident–turned–child psychologist, Aaron Umber, seeks to heal his own damaged psyche by embarking on a life\u002Dchanging journey back to Ireland with his teenage son. Originally published in the U.K. as separate novellas (Water, Earth, Fire, Air), these four interconnected stories pack a wallop when combined in one volume. If the format at times feels too tidy and contrived (especially in the final section), it doesn’t lessen the emotional impact of deeply wounded characters struggling to overcome their guilt and find redemption in the wake of catastrophic trauma. "

This comprehensive guide to the periodic table transforms abstract chemical concepts into an accessible visual journey, making atomic structure and elemental properties come alive for curious minds. ...

THE EXEMPLAR

live audiences and those spectating from their heat\u002Dresistant dwellings. Will (the only Black competitor) is one such enhanced clone of a long\u002Dago original. As Will studies for the Crucible, he is disturbed by strange dreams, unanswered questions, and the gaps in his knowledge. Why do some Crucible faculty react emotionally to Will Herndon’s name? Why is his aged grandfather still alive, and being very evasive? (“Will’s heart was beating fast...could it be that everyone—from his grandpa to Amy—were trying to protect others from him? He knew himself. Or he thought he knew who he was at his core.”) The dilemmas and identity questions posed by the author are compelling ones, if somewhat familiar (and yes, The Hunger Games (2008)gets name\u002Dchecked). YA SF readers might also note resemblances to the Maze Runner series by James Dashner—this novel’s climax is literally a maze run—and a cold\u002Dcase mystery at the hot\u002Dclimate narrative’s heart is resolved off\u002Dpage. But at least this cli\u002Dfi dystopian thriller wraps up in one relatively compact volume."

In a climate-ravaged future where enhanced clones compete in a deadly tournament for survival, this science fiction thriller follows Will, the only Black competitor, as he prepares for the Crucible w...

THE FAERIE MORGANA

Genre

This dark fantasy novel plunges readers into a world where ancient faerie magic collides with modern reality, following a protagonist who discovers a hidden lineage tied to the powerful and enigmatic...

THE FAIRLEY BROTHERS IN JAPAN

request and performing in unconventional venues, such as the back of a souvenir shop at a flower store. An online interview they give about their past gradually helps them pick up more fans\u003B their answers are woven throughout the story, allowing the reader to learn more about the brothers’ personalities, ambitions, and unresolved tensions. (Reflecting on the past, Andy observes, “There’s been so much water under the bridge, the bridge itself washed away—decades ago. But the way you were talking this morning, it sounded like it all happened yesterday.”) The author does not shy away from presenting the flaws in his sibling characters: Andy once stole Chris’ girlfriend, the love of his life, and Chris struggles with dissatisfaction in comparison to his more adventurous sibling (amid reflection and regret, Chris begins to emerge from his shell and find some fulfillment in his present circumstances). Starkey deftly balances nostalgia, humor, and heartbreak throughout, providing authentic\u002Dseeming details about touring Japan while presenting a realistic story of two brothers coming to a better mutual understanding with age. "

This middle grade adventure follows two American brothers as they navigate the cultural wonders and challenges of modern Japan, from navigating Tokyo's bustling Shibuya Crossing to experiencing tradi...

THE FAIRY TALE FIXERS

Genre

This clever middle-grade fantasy introduces a secret society of magical repair specialists who work behind the scenes to fix classic fairy tales when they go wrong. When a technical glitch causes sto...

THE FALL OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

Driver, a professor at Yale Law School, shows how the Supreme Court played the defining role in determining the place of race and gender in the fabric of American life. It focuses on the 2023 case Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College (abbreviated as SFFA) as the decision that effectively killed affirmative action as a legally enshrined practice. Driver argues that the tradition of taking race into consideration in college admissions created opportunities for historically underrepresented minority students. The author presents material from surveys and studies to show that classroom and workplace diversity enhances intellectual inquiry and fosters a productive competitiveness in the economy at large. He also reviews the arguments against affirmative action: that it privileges identity over accomplishment\u003B that it potentially advances students who are otherwise unprepared for “elite” institutions\u003B that it runs counter to a race\u002Dblind ideal of American meritocracy. SFFA was, in the author’s view, a radical decision, one made not transparently through argument and evidence, but disingenuously. Chief Justice John Roberts’ opinion “managed to violate virtually every tenet of the judicial approach that he announced [during his confirmation hearings]….The opinion evinced no willingness whatsoever to relinquish his own ideological priors in order to embrace the larger institutional considerations.” In short, SFFA was a product of changes in court personnel rather than of principled argument. It is now up to universities, the author argues, not to acquiesce in the face of judicial spinelessness or presidential extortion, but rather to fight vigorously for classrooms inclusive of all Americans, irrespective of the color of their skin or the thickness of their wallets."

This incisive examination of the legal and social history leading to the landmark Supreme Court decision dismantling race-conscious college admissions provides a crucial primer for young adults navig...

THE FARAWAY FOREST

Genre

This enchanting middle-grade fantasy transports readers to a magical woodland where ancient trees whisper secrets and mythical creatures guard hidden realms. The story follows a young protagonist's j...

THE FIRE-BREATHING DUCKLING

Genre

This whimsical picture book introduces a young duckling who discovers an unexpected talent for breathing fire, turning the peaceful pond into a scene of delightful chaos. The vibrant illustrations ca...

THE FIRST STATE OF BEING

Erin Entrada Kelly

This time-travel adventure from Newbery Medal winner Erin Entrada Kelly masterfully blends historical fiction with contemporary middle-grade concerns, following twelve-year-old Michael as he encounte...

THE FLOATING LAKE OF DRESSA MOORE

researchers. He also hopes that bringing along his lover, William Watts Worthwaddle, a linguist, will improve their faltering relationship. But the journey to Lake Connell spawns danger and obstacles at every turn. For one, Jonathan and William sail the Aquirren River on The Knotted Wood, a ship captained by Marta Bartolome, a pirate commanding an undead crew. Further complications abound, threatening to thwart their goal. The pirate ship is desperately pursued by Commodore Thomas Wilkes, who wants to kill Marta, believing she abducted his wife. The True Religionists don’t want Dressa Moore to be explored, fearing they’ll lose their tight control of the area. Fellow magilurgist Samson Sutter, jealous of Jonathan, tries to cut the funding for the expedition. Miller keeps his story hopping rapidly from one viewpoint to another, but his large pool of characters can sometimes be overwhelming. William, Jonathan, and Marta stand out from the crowd—flawed but somehow likable, capable of surprises. Heartless\u002Dseeming Marta reveals her code of ethics about human life: “I never take one without good reason.” Mocked for his useless linguistics studies (there’s only one language), William nevertheless finds a way to earn respect with his skills. A magical land is imaginatively depicted with airborne pigs eating a shower of lettuce and carrots while gliding above “seashell streets.” Roses rapidly bloom, die, and regenerate. Though there are battle scenes, the book’s tone is lighthearted. “It took me three months to find the perfect\u002Dsized vest!” Marta shouts after being shot in the shoulder. Miller’s riveting novel is so stuffed with characters and subplots that a sequel is announced at the end."

This middle-grade fantasy adventure transports readers to a world where a mysterious floating lake holds ancient secrets and a young heroine must confront her destiny. When the lake's magical propert...

The Fourteen Bears in Summer and Winter (Deluxe Golden Book) by Evelyn Scott

Evelyn Scott

A bear family amuses itself with summer and winter activities such as walking, swimming, making snowmen, and decorating trees.

THE FROZEN PEOPLE

an expert in period dress, Ali’s ready to leave. Since so much about time travel remains unknown, it’s a dangerous trip. The team has learned, for example, that travelers must stand in the exact same place they landed in order to return. Proceeding to 44 Hawk Street, a boardinghouse owned by Cain Templeton, most of whose residents were artists, Ali is greeted by the sight of Cain standing over the body of a dead woman. Although people think Ali is odd, she manages to stay in the house and investigate. But her portal is accidentally used by someone else, rendering it inoperative for her and leaving Finn and her team desperate to find a way to retrieve her. The man who used her portal may be a murderer now living in Ali’s present. When Isaac Templeton is found shot to death by an old\u002Dfashioned gun and Finn is arrested for his murder, one of Ali’s colleagues takes her place so she can return to the present and help clear her son."

This chilling science fiction adventure plunges readers into a frozen dystopia where a mysterious cataclysm has flash-frozen most of humanity in crystalline stasis. The story follows a small band of ...

THE GAME DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY GUIDE

Genre

This comprehensive guide offers aspiring game creators a practical roadmap through the entire development process, from initial concept brainstorming to post-launch marketing. It systematically break...

THE GARDEN AND THE JUNGLE

side in the West, as Plenel chronicles while interrogating “those imperial claims to superiority, domination, and power which have not ceased causing barbarism to appear in the heart of civilization.” Two frequently evoked cases in point are Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s war on Gaza, abetted by numerous authoritarian regimes, not least of them Donald Trump’s, which break “with the ideal of a shared world, where human beings, just like the nature of which they are part, are in relationship, ineluctably interconnected, intermixed, and interdependent.” The modern West, Plenel makes plain, is founded on “criminal ideologies and destructive forces”\u003B another case in point is the system of French colonialism, which, alone of the European powers, continues today in far\u002Dflung “neocolonial” places such as New Caledonia—one of many apartheid states, a category in which he also places Trump’s America—and Chad. Plenel is unsparing of his homeland, locating in it the “great replacement” theory beloved of the MAGA right in the U.S. Ironically, Plenel notes, the true law of the jungle is the anarchist theoretician Peter Kropotkin’s theory of mutual aid, where the survival of the fittest gives way to the survival of all who apply. The translation renders many names in their French forms (Kropotkine, Carl Schmitt, Atila), which is a touch distracting, but Plenel’s defense of the Enlightenment ideals of liberté, égalité, and fraternité comes through quite clearly."

This powerful dual narrative follows two young protagonists from starkly different worlds—one cultivating a carefully tended garden, the other navigating the untamed wilderness—as their stories gradu...

THE GHOST OF WRECKERS COVE

their father’s tales of fictional girl detectives, Cristina and Martha form their own secret sleuthing society and set out to solve the mystery. Their search takes them to the village library, a forgotten museum, and even a crumbling cliffside cave, uncovering clues that tie together ghostly sightings, legendary land pirates called “wreckers,” and a priceless jewel lost at sea. The pair begin to suspect that they may need to help Ida accept the truth of what happened so many years ago—a fitting task for two girls who are also quietly processing the recent loss of their mother. Despite its ghostly apparitions and dark themes, Del Campo’s story is more sweet than spooky, and Liniers’ illustrations employ a muted palette and watercolor texture that matches the quietly emotional story. “I will always believe in fairies and magic,” Martha announces to dismissive Cristina at one point, and this tale of sisterly bonding does indeed feel like a fairy tale, at times. As such, slightly older readers may wish that there were more swashbuckling, ghostly adventure, Still, its quiet pace and subtle tone will resonate with younger, reflective readers who are drawn to atmosphere over action. "

This gripping middle-grade mystery plunges readers into a windswept coastal adventure where a young protagonist uncovers a century-old shipwreck legend while staying with relatives for the summer. Th...

THE GHOSTS OF GWENDOLYN MONTGOMERY

Genre

A chilling ghost story unfolds when 17-year-old Gwendolyn Montgomery inherits her family's ancestral estate, only to discover it's haunted by generations of troubled spirits with unfinished business....

The Girl Who Trusted Ghosts

Genre

The key to my future is hidden in the past. But can I face the dark family secrets buried in 1591 and make it back in time to save everyone I love? The Kingsley, Mallory, Radcliffe heirs and I (the Langley heir) journey to our family estates on a mission. We must each gather a unique ingredient tied

THE GLITCH

engineering an amicable settlement for all. It’s a settlement that involves lots of ice cream, too. Why? “Ice cream makes you happy when you are sad!” Rex doesn’t offer actual explanations for Fred’s software glitch or its timely disappearance, but this unexpected behavior does make the light\u002Dskinned, round\u002Dheaded pacifist seem a little less too good to be true, and his message therefore that much easier to accept."

This gripping science fiction thriller plunges readers into a world where a mysterious digital anomaly, known as The Glitch, begins erasing reality itself, forcing a group of tech-savvy teens to unco...

THE GLOOMLANDS CHRONICLES

melodic fae, amusing chatty trees, and tiny, whimsical house trolls. The author balances fantastical elements with relatable ordinary life as the characters grapple with issues of identity, disharmony, and long\u002Dharbored family secrets while journeying toward self\u002Ddiscovery. The pacing could be improved by trimming some of the dialogue and day\u002Dto\u002Dday minutiae, but the novel’s diverse cast, fascinating folklore, and beautifully descriptive prose enrich the tale. (“Her long violet hair, adorned with colorful wildflower petals, cascaded down her back, and she wore an opal gown that shimmered like moonlight against her dark skin,” Rininger writes of a fae.) This imaginative debut will capture the heart and imagination of any adventure\u002Dloving middle\u002Dgrade reader."

In a world where magic has been outlawed and the sun is a fading memory, this fantasy novel plunges readers into the Gloomlands—a realm of perpetual twilight where ancient spells linger in the shadow...

THE GODS OF NEW YORK

his perceived mismanagement on numerous fronts. Corruption scandals undermined his administration. Homelessness surged, due in part to federal funding cuts, reductions in mental health in\u002Dpatient care, and local government failures. AIDS was killing thousands of New Yorkers. With City Hall slow to act on the latter, playwright and activist Larry Kramer tried to out the closeted mayor and lambasted federal health officials like Anthony Fauci. Conservative writer William F. Buckley Jr. said people with HIV should be tattooed to prevent its spread. Meanwhile, crack decimated poor neighborhoods, as “an inherently biased law” imprisoned many Black users and spared white users of powder cocaine. Violent crime and racial conflict stoked by tabloids made Al Sharpton famous and fueled international interest in Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing. Rudy Giuliani’s profile rose as he prosecuted Wall Street crooks. And Donald Trump, after making some bad business deals, “was now refashioning himself into the city’s white id,” Mahler writes. When Trump made inflammatory statements after five Black and Latino teens were accused—falsely, it turned out—of raping a woman in Central Park in 1989, famed columnist Jimmy Breslin wrote that he had “destroyed himself” as “all demagogues ultimately do.”"

This urban fantasy adventure plunges readers into a New York City where ancient deities walk the streets disguised as ordinary citizens, blending mythic stakes with contemporary city life. The narrat...

THE GOLDEN AGE OF ITALIAN JEWS

men and women who take advantage of new freedoms and, by the 1930s, find their ways among old prejudices. Jewish Italians served their nation in many ways, “eager to prove that the faith the country had shown in their Italianitá (Italianess) was fully warranted.” Their courage stands in sharp contrast to “the cowardice shown” by the world’s initial reluctance “to take action against the rise of Fascism.” Italian Jewry offers a lesson in ambition and resilience, patriotism and bravery."

This compelling historical exploration chronicles the vibrant and intellectually fertile period for Jewish communities in Italy, spanning from the Renaissance to the Baroque era. The book masterfully...

The Graveyard Gift (Ferns School for Wayward Fae)

Fern Forgettable

This young adult fantasy novel introduces readers to a mysterious academy for magical beings, where a protagonist discovers they possess an unusual ability tied to the spirit world. The story masterf...

THE HEALING HIPPO OF HINODE PARK

Genre

This heartwarming picture book introduces young readers to Hiro, a gentle hippopotamus who uses his special healing powers to help the troubled animals of Hinode Park. When the park's residents face ...

THE HIGHEST EXAM

three scholars presents a history of the exam, told through their personal experiences and framed as a socioeconomic study of Chinese ambition in the 21st century. The gaokao serves as an example of the highly centralized structure of Chinese life. Just as central planning governs much of urban and rural life, so too does the system of learning come from the top. The exam structure reflects not only the highly technocratic foci of Chinese advancement, but also its long\u002Dstanding values. Hard work remains the most important thing. China, however, is no straightforward meritocracy. “It’s not that China’s people are idealists who only believe in the power of an exam to predict intelligence,” the authors write. “Rather, China is a society known for connections and petty corruption—hence, the weakness of its institutions.” Children spend their lives taking exams, and family connections help with tutors and retesting. Teachers are not just paid\u003B they are often personally compensated for a child’s education. The “murky waters of corruption in China” wash over this highly centralized system of advancement. And while success is quantified by score, and while that score stays with the student throughout life, failure is equally branding. This book paints a landscape of vast inequality passing itself off as meritocracy—an exposé of an increasingly powerful global nation and a warning to any society, east or west, that still believes in teaching to the test."

This gripping examination of academic pressure and personal ambition follows a group of elite students competing in a legendary, life-altering test that promises success to only one winner. The narra...

THE HIROSHIMA MEN

Japan’s unexpectedly sudden surrender, Americans accepted the official story that ordinary superbombs had won the war. Stories of gruesome injuries and agonizing deaths that continued to occur months afterward were censored or officially denied. By 1946 Hersey was a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, chafing at Time\u002DLife’s reluctance to let him travel. More amenable, New Yorker editors sent him to Asia, where he returned traditional stories before traveling to Hiroshima, which, despite a year’s passage, smelled of death. Interviewing widely, he concentrated on stories from half\u002Da\u002Ddozen survivors. The result, filling the Aug. 31, 1946, issue, was a jolt, and the later book a worldwide bestseller. Both gave rise to the belief, still popular if not unanimous, that the bomb must never be used again."

This powerful historical account examines the devastating aftermath of the atomic bomb through the eyes of the Hiroshima Maidens—young women who survived the blast only to face severe burns and socia...

The History of Juneteenth A History Book for New Readers

Arlisha Norwood PhD

An introduction to the history of Juneteenth for kids ages 6 to 9 On June 19, 1865, a Union soldier traveled to Texas to tell the enslaved people who lived there that they were free—that slavery was now illegal in every state. The people danced and sang in celebration of their freedom. Today, we pay

THE HOPE NOT PLOT

the KGB. It’s an ambitiously sinister plan, but it’s not one that goes completely undetected. When suspicions regarding the funeral ceremony are brought to the attention of U.S. President Lyndon Johnson, he takes action: Not only does he decide not to attend the memorial services, but he also consults former CIA director Allen Dulles, who, along with many other government operatives, recognizes the seriousness of the situation, which could easily spiral out of control.The story begins with a rather bland speech from 1960s\u002Dera Prime Minister Harold Wilson (“We are on the threshold of an extraordinary moment in the history of the realm”)\u003B a bit later on, there’s a similarly unexciting flashback to Churchill’s final public appearance in 1964, in which a woman unnecessarily explains to her young daughter, “Sweetheart, that is Sir Winston Churchill and his wife, Lady Churchill.” Nevertheless, as the pages turn, so does readers’ anticipation regarding the wild spy mission, which involves a large cast of diverse characters\u003B they include a couple in the U.K. that “had dedicated themselves to Soviet intelligence for nearly three decades, their commitment unwavering despite upheavals and betrayals,” as well as a frazzled American spy who, before the threat of KOBA came to the CIA’s attention, had been living a very unhappy existence in Rome. The lively mix of real\u002Dlife historical figures and Stokes’ fictional creations keeps events moving briskly along, and that includes the action scenes\u003B in one, a character makes quick work of his adversaries by firing “three shots with great poise and precision, dropping all three men in less than two seconds.” And, of course, there’s always the chance that world\u002Dchanging fiascoes will occur if the plan actually succeeds. The potential for such chaos will give readers plenty of good reasons to stick with the novel all the way to its conclusion."

This gripping middle-grade adventure follows a group of young heroes determined to stop a sinister conspiracy that threatens their entire community, blending mystery and suspense with themes of frien...

THE HOUSE OF QUIET

a peat bog. White unveils magical abilities and sinister mystery in dreamy, disorienting passages. The third\u002Dperson narration occasionally follows other residents of the house. Once the teens start building relationships—Birdie develops a friendship with Minnow, and each has a love interest among the upper\u002Dclass residents—the intrigue picks up and the fragmented clues come together in an explosive, satisfying finale. Birdie presents white, and Minnow has light brown skin\u003B Minnow’s same\u002Dsex relationship is framed as remarkable only for crossing the class divide. "

This thoughtful exploration of domestic tranquility offers young readers a window into the restorative power of quiet spaces, blending gentle narrative with atmospheric illustrations that celebrate s...

THE IMPOSSIBLE BOMB

the end of the 1930s, Nazi advances in France, Poland, Denmark, and elsewhere had driven scientists to flee to England, many of them physicists highly motived to put their research toward ending the war. The U.S. had not yet entered the war, but their scientists were beginning similar efforts. The two research entities—the Manhattan Project in the U.S. and the Tube Alloys program in England—managed to join forces despite political machinations and ego\u002Ddriven resistance from Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, each of whom wanted his own country to claim ownership of the bomb. Once the leaders realized that neither side could complete the effort on its own, they signed a secret agreement in August 1943\u003B by December, 60 British scientists joined their American colleagues at Los Alamos and Berkeley, and work on the bomb began in earnest. Williams’ book impeccably documents those events, with an excellent selection of photos, timelines, and maps, along with a handy reference list featuring key players."

This gripping science thriller plunges readers into a high-stakes race against time as a brilliant young physicist discovers a world-ending device hidden within a deceptively simple mathematical proo...

THE IMPROBABLE VICTORIA WOODHULL

women. Other firsts followed: Victoria was the first woman to testify before Congress, on the matter of women’s suffrage, and, in 1872, the first to run for president. She touted her causes—suffrage and free love—in a newspaper column, “The Petticoat Politician,” and a weekly newspaper she and her sister published. Early admirers included Walt Whitman, Susan B. Anthony, and newspaperman Horace Greeley. But Victoria’s notoriety and arrogance undid her: She “hunted trouble and didn’t care where her foot landed,” Collinsworth notes succinctly. Anthony Comstock had her arrested twice. Mired in scandal, in 1877, she sailed for England, where, with stubborn determination, she reinvented herself."

This compelling biography brings to life the extraordinary story of Victoria Woodhull, America's first female presidential candidate, whose radical ideas about women's rights and financial independen...

THE INTELLIGENCE EXPLOSION

fierce competition between major tech companies like OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Microsoft. These corporations, he argues, have released unpredictable generative AI models and are racing to create artificial general intelligence (AGI) without fully understanding or addressing the risks. The result, according to Barrat and the experts he cites, will likely be catastrophic. One chilling comparison equates releasing open\u002Dsource code to publishing plans for a nuclear bomb. Another AI expert envisions rogue data centers developing unchecked AI systems that must be destroyed to protect humanity. Despite the urgency of his tone, Barrat notes that AI does offer tangible benefits for medicine, robotics, and scientific research. From protein folding to factory automation, current AIs already surpass human performance in many specialized domains. But the book’s core concern remains the lack of safeguards, AI’s unpredictable emergent properties, and our present inability to align superintelligent systems with human values. Barrat’s argument is passionate and unapologetically skeptical of industry motivations. His plentiful notes make the book a valuable resource for readers looking to explore the topic further. This volume will satisfy those wondering why many respected researchers are sounding the alarm about AI, fearing a risky, high\u002Dstakes choose\u002Dyour\u002Down\u002Dadventure game where black\u002Dbox models replace human decision\u002Dmaking. Barrat offers some hope, but he warns that smart AIs won’t stay confined to computers for long. Agree or disagree, this thought\u002Dprovoking introduction will add context for those seeking to understand AI’s darker potential."

This gripping exploration of artificial intelligence and technological acceleration offers young readers a compelling look at where machine learning might take humanity next. The book masterfully bre...

The Journal of Djuna Malik

a racist man who lived down the street. Mourning her are her much older sister, Nisha, who raised her after their parents were killed in a terrorist attack in Mumbai, and her Lit professor, Liam McFadden, who feels she’s a talented writer and shows her class writings to Nisha after toying with the idea of plagiarizing them as material for his own novel. Liam and Nisha bond over Djuna’s journal and begin an affair. Nisha tells her own story to Liam, which includes her rape by an American youth in India, which led to further tragedy when her vengeful Indian lover at Harvard accidentally blew up himself, his brother, and uncle, with a bomb intended for Nisha’s attacker. She also ruminates on her tense marriage with Michael, a depressed white man with lots of guns and seething resentments. Meanwhile, Liam is wrestling with his own past growing up in Ireland. His father, a famous novelist, was so enraged that Liam’s mother published her own novel that she never finished another one, and he also plagiarized the work of Liam’s brother, Shamus, a talented and volatile poet. After he dropped dead of a heart attack during an argument with Shamus, more tragedy followed. Throughout, Nisha and Liam ponder the dead, while Nisha untangles yet more fraught relationships with Felicity, a friend and also the mother of Djuna’s killer, and Jamie, a troubled friend of Djuna’s.Wieland’s novel works with big themes, including the experience of Indian immigrants eager to pursue the American dream but subject to racist affronts from microaggressions to homicide, and the problems of the story’s many angry men, with a first\u002Dterm Donald Trump being a distant, presiding spirit who haunts the characters’ anxieties. It’s also an atmospheric portrait of the modern university, capturing the classroom torpor, the energetic zeal of its protest culture, the flurry of squabbling and empty\u002Dnest sorrow that surrounds Nisha’s relationship with Djuna as she leaves home, and the central role that prestigious degrees play in shaping the identity and self\u002Desteem of the professional classes. (Djuna is distraught when her dream colleges reject her and she must settle for Chapel Hill, still one of the best schools in the country.) These are big themes, and Wieland explores them with psychological nuance and exactitude in prose that sometimes has a lyrical stillness and other times opens out into harsh, raw feeling (When tragedy strikes, Nisha’s “wailing afterwards was so loud and so long it seemed the sound came from the hospital building, out of the walls and floors, the drywall, the pipes, the wiring, the invisible Internet signal”). Wieland handles this sometimes unbearably dark material with evocative writing that packs an emotional wallop. "

This compelling novel follows a young woman's journey of self-discovery through the intimate pages of her personal journal, capturing the raw emotions and pivotal moments of coming-of-age. Djuna's vo...

THE LACK OF LIGHT

suicide 20 years earlier—a fact we learn in the first chapter but come to fully understand only 700 eagerly turned pages later. The narrator is Keto, who grows up in a delightfully quirky household with two battling grandmothers, a widowed physicist father, and a beloved older brother\u003B the story follows her friendships with brilliant Ira, daring Dina, and beautiful Nene, the darling daughter of a mobster family, from their schoolyard beginnings, through young loves, emerging talents, and life\u002Dchanging decisions, everything thrown into high relief by the unfolding disaster around them. Ferrante lovers will find many echoes of the Neapolitan novels here, the plot similarly featuring almost mythic levels of intensity in love and grief, centering the importance of women’s friendship. An unexpectedly moving translators’ note says that the novel, while not autobiographical, is probably Haratischwili’s \u0022most personal work to date,\u0022 a history strongly felt in myriad gorgeously written summary passages like this one: “We, the children of the nineties, who swapped our childhood and youth for Kalashnikovs and heroin—we, of all people, listened to Barry White and longed for nothing more than eternal love and the ecstatic fruits of that love, for fun and excitement. We, of all people, let the music play. And how! We played it right to the bitter end.”"

This haunting young adult novel plunges readers into a world where darkness has become permanent, following a group of teens navigating a society stripped of electricity and hope. The narrative maste...

THE LADY IN GRAY

the Civil War." />

This gripping historical mystery follows a young girl's investigation into a local ghost story that leads her to uncover hidden truths about her town's Civil War past. When strange occurrences begin ...

THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE

the time they got home, though, it was clear that the treatment had not worked, and that his mother was on the verge of death. When she did die, Jesse, devastated, was unable to function. He neglected his schoolwork, not because he wasn’t interested in learning, but because he couldn’t concentrate—a situation that may be partially a result of “ADHD, obsessive compulsive disorder, and intrusive thoughts,” all of which are issues that persisted throughout his adulthood. Eventually, Mechanic found a community of fellow “bad kids,” all of whom “went through something” that “dented our innocence.” Mechanic is convinced that these peers, along with punk and hip\u002Dhop, saved his life. After high school, the author worked at a bookstore, cultivating a love of literature and eventually graduating from college with honors. Years later, he became a father and saw his mother’s death in a new light, understanding how much it must have hurt to lose her chance to know her children as they grew older. Mechanic’s illustrations are vibrant and richly detailed, and his use of patterning is especially impressive. This is a raw account of grieving. While the prose feels overwritten at times, overall it’s a tender and frank memoir that will resonate with readers."

This powerful young adult novel explores the devastating aftermath of a violent crime through the alternating perspectives of a grieving mother and the teenage perpetrator, creating an emotionally ch...

THE LAST WIZARD

necessity, a trio comprises an “elf in pursuit of knowledge, a youngster in search of himself, and a burly dwarf embarked on his own mission to change the world.” In the story’s first half, the action is centered in Springdale’s sole tavern. As the trio become familiar with its patrons and proprietor—who’s also the leader of the village—they pick up mapmaking jobs and other odd quests in exchange for money, beer, and meals. Unbeknownst to the three, the titular unnamed wizard secretly oversees their quests and other local activities. Occupying an abandoned house, he’s prevented from materializing in the flesh, due in part to his ailing health: “My best tactic is to remain invisible, all while quietly pursuing the most unique artifact—the Aard of Being—deep within the dungeons.” With a Blood Moon on the horizon, a missing villager returns as a zombie that heralds necromancers and other dark forces converging. The trio discover a hidden dungeon entrance and embarks on their most dangerous quest yet, with the help of a fallen, a satyr, and a healer, to discover hidden artifacts and origins of evil. Mizgailo’s presents readers with a lengthy read that’s divided between accounts of village life and tales of subterranean exploration. The scenes in Springdale’s tavern are full of banter and bawdy characters, lending the characters’ relationships a greater depth. Grampy, the oft\u002Ddisgruntled dwarf, provides much of the humor in his desires for riches and alcohol: “Any free beer makes me happy.” The plucky boy soldier is engaging as he questions the elders in an attempt to learn more than the Warrior Guild permitted. In an addled dream sequence, his mind inspires some of the novel’s stronger prose: “His flame reflected from the moon, illuminating the tortured continent that was slowly devoured by darkness, calling for dawn.” The elf’s loss of faith is also a brief but compelling plot point. As the explorers descend into different dungeon levels, they encounter room after room of unholy creatures—each as deadly as the last. Readers familiar with role\u002Dplaying games, such as Dungeons \u0026amp\u003B Dragons and Warhammer, will enjoy reading about grisly battles and learning the complex, unfolding rules of the Lands of Amun. For others, the scenes may become somewhat repetitive, particularly when a second troop is dispatched to investigate the same area. The wizard provides an effective anchor for exposition, but this long and sometimes\u002Dconvoluted tale may not engage some casual readers."

A young apprentice discovers she's the last hope for a dying magical world in this thrilling fantasy adventure that explores themes of destiny, courage, and the weight of unexpected responsibility. W...

THE LIBRARY AT HELLEBORE

feeding his own body to the school’s ravenous hosts in order to protect his friends\u003B Delilah is an “immortal sacrifice,” dying over and over again in the service of the gods\u003B while Rowan is a “deathworker” whose destiny is foretold by prophecy. There are some intriguing elements—and it’s often hard to take. Like other postmodern antiheroines, among them Chuck Wendig’s Miriam Black (Blackbirds, 2015, etc.) and Julie Crews from The Dead Take the A Train, Alessa’s primary operating mode is pretty much caustic bitch, and her classmates don’t temper it much. Whether the deadpan violence and body horror is excessive is a matter of personal taste, but there’s no denying that the whole thing is pretty squelchy and it’s not always easy to follow. Proceed with caution."

This middle-grade fantasy adventure plunges readers into a magical library where ancient books contain living stories and dangerous secrets. When a young protagonist discovers the Library at Hellebor...

THE LONELINESS OF SONIA AND SUNNY

leaving home, coming back, connecting, disconnecting, and swimming in the ocean at Goa." />

A poignant exploration of adolescent isolation, this novel traces the parallel journeys of two teens grappling with profound loneliness in their respective worlds. Sonia navigates the treacherous soc...

THE MAGICIAN OF TIGER CASTLE

Genre

A young apprentice magician must master ancient spells to save a mystical fortress from dark forces in this thrilling middle-grade fantasy adventure. The story blends classic magical training sequenc...

THE MAN NO ONE BELIEVED

Genre

This gripping psychological thriller explores the terrifying reality of a man whose desperate warnings about an impending disaster are systematically dismissed by everyone around him. As the protagon...

THE MANY PASSIONS OF MICHAEL HARDWICK

the American judiciary." />

This compelling examination of a pivotal Supreme Court case offers young readers a fascinating window into the legal battle that fundamentally reshaped LGBTQ+ rights in America. Through the lens of M...

THE MASK

actors in theater before they were used for protection from disease and pollution. Perhaps that idea of misrepresentation is behind the social and political attitudes of protective mask wearing. Strasser (a biologist) and Schlich (a physician) examine the ways people have used protective masks to avoid “bad air” over centuries. The bad air can be too cold or too dry\u003B full of dust, smoke, bacteria, or viruses\u003B or toxic from military use, industry, or transportation. The use of protective masks illustrates what the authors call a technological fix. “Health and disease are examples of hugely complex phenomena, and they become even more so when considered collectively.” Society looks for a simple solution to a complex problem, and protective masks—and their uses and misuses over centuries—are a good example. Masks can be mandated or just recommended during epidemics, wars, or environmental disasters, but the primary responsibility for protection rests with the wearer. From plague doctors in the 1600s to the discovery of bacteria, protective masks were key to combating disease. Masks were also in great favor during the Industrial Revolution, because forcing workers—who were sanding wood, applying pesticides, spraying paint, mining coal, and making hats—to wear masks at work meant that industrialists didn’t need to clean up the work environment. Just slap a mask on workers, and they were good to go. The technology of masks has evolved over the centuries, but the politics of mask wearing has always been divisive, with some seeing protective masks as symbols of cowardice and fear, infringing on personal freedoms. Choosing to wear a protective mask is nothing less than a choice with cultural significance."

This psychological thriller plunges readers into the unsettling world of a teenager who discovers that the carefully crafted persona they present to the world has begun to consume their true identity...

THE MEMOIRS OF ANDRÉ TROCMÉ

Genre

This powerful memoir offers an intimate look at the life of French pastor André Trocmé, whose courageous leadership in the village of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon saved thousands of Jewish refugees during W...

THE MIGHTY ONION AND GUINEA PIG GIRL!

some hyper\u002Drealistic bits of illustration—a partly chewed candy bar in its wrapper, a fortune cookie, a box of matches, and pages from an old fictional guide to writing comic books by the creator of Toaster Oven Man. The resulting mix is fabulously funny and engaging. Main characters read white."

This vibrant graphic novel follows the unlikely partnership between a superhero onion with surprisingly potent powers and an ordinary girl whose guinea pig companion might just be the key to saving t...

THE MISSION

the Senate Intelligence Committee of the Torture Report, which described in horrible detail the interrogation methods used in the battle against al\u002DQaida. The book also describes the shocking effectiveness of Russian and Chinese cyberattacks. Weiner pegs the difference between the two foes: “China wanted to know their enemies. The Russians simply want to screw them.” Still, the CIA directed the multilateral decade\u002Dlong intelligence operations that enabled NATO and Ukraine to prepare for and react quickly to the Russian invasion in 2023. The CIA is the most studied and misunderstood of any U.S. government agency. Weiner’s book is a balanced and nuanced account that should change that."

This gripping YA thriller plunges readers into a high-stakes world of espionage and moral complexity, following a team of teenage operatives on a critical assignment that blurs the line between duty ...

THE MOON PRINCE

the racial slurs the white quarry manager flings at them. Their earthly society is deeply divided by race, and when they reach the moon, they find there are other ways that beings divide themselves and perpetuate inequalities. Both the illustrations and episodic plot evoke a retro storytelling aesthetic. This adventurous tale is bizarre, entertaining, and grounded in relationships: Molly searches for kindness, and Max fights to protect her. Although this is a satisfying story without the adrenaline\u002Dfilled incidents or lengthy worldbuilding that the genre often contains, there’s a mismatch between the protagonists, whose behavior feels very young, and some of the more mature content."

This enchanting middle-grade fantasy introduces readers to a young boy who discovers he's the heir to a magical lunar kingdom, blending royal destiny with the challenges of growing up. The story weav...

THE MOST UNUSUAL HAUNTING OF EDGAR LOVEJOY

the grotesque faces of dead people lingering on Earth since he was a little boy. He works part time for a cocktail business and a cat café, and then he goes home. It’s safer and less scary that way. When he meets Jamie Wendon\u002DDale, a genderqueer burlesque performer and haunted\u002Dhouse designer, they challenge him to step outside his comfort zone. Jamie loves their life and the pockets of comfort they have found in queer and spooky communities. Predictably, their choices cause their traditional family—their mother is a politician—to bristle. Their sister, Emma, asks Jamie to be her maid of honor (despite the very gendered term), and to step up and help out with wedding plans that coincide with Halloween—Jamie’s busiest time of year, professionally. After Edgar opens up to Jamie about seeing ghosts, he’s able to let Jamie coax him out of his comfort zone and back into the world. And when he has a panic attack at Emma’s rehearsal dinner, it emboldens Jamie to stand up for themself for the first time with their family. Edgar’s own family is only marginally less complicated. His parents aren’t really in the picture anymore, and no one really talks to the crazy aunt who sees ghosts, but his sister’s impending pregnancy might just be enough to bring their absentee brother back into Edgar and his sister’s lives. There’s as much hurt and comfort passing between Parrish’s two very likable love interests as there is scorching chemistry and hot sex. The supporting characters are well\u002Dwritten and nuanced enough to have their own spinoffs, and the book is every bit as cozy as it is steamy."

A teenage boy inherits a ramshackle Victorian mansion only to discover it's inhabited by a motley crew of eccentric ghosts, each with unfinished business that threatens to trap him within the creakin...

THE MYSTERIOUS BOOKSHOP PRESENTS THE BEST MYSTERY STORIES OF THE YEAR 2025

Genre

This annual anthology delivers another compelling collection of contemporary crime fiction, showcasing the sharpest short stories from both established masters and exciting new voices in the genre. T...

THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE MISSING CRIME WRITER

disappearing herself." />

This clever middle-grade mystery delivers a fresh take on the whodunit genre by following young detective-in-training Lily as she investigates the puzzling disappearance of her favorite author. The s...

THE NATURE OF DEMONS

Genre

This gripping supernatural thriller plunges readers into a world where ancient demons threaten modern reality, blending heart-pounding action with deep questions about good versus evil. The narrative...

THE NEFARIOUS NIGHTS OF WILLOWWEEP MANOR

Genre

A gothic mansion with a mind of its own, a trio of teens trapped by supernatural forces, and a race against time to break a centuries-old curse—this atmospheric novel delivers spine-tingling chills a...

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF MOANA 2

Greppi, follows characters from the Disney film Moana 2 in four new stories." />

This junior novelization expands the world of Disney's beloved ocean voyager, bringing Moana back to the big screen with a fresh quest that tests her courage and deepens her bond with the demigod Mau...

THE NEW GLOBAL POSSIBLE

2030…relative to 2019 levels,” he writes—a tall order given that global emissions are still rising.) Fortunately, he makes his case compelling with real\u002Dworld specifics and stories of leaders who achieved remarkable progress with limited means, like Wangari Maathai, who won a Nobel Prize for her grassroots tree\u002Dplanting campaign in Kenya. Dasgupta explains it all in straightforward and very readable prose that cuts the wonkery with empathy. (“I understand the helplessness when people ask, ‘Does it really matter if I give up meat?’ or ‘Will switching to an electric vehicle even make a difference?’ And yet the answer is always: Yes, it does matter.”) Readers daunted by the scale of the climate emergency will find much stimulating food for thought here."

This timely exploration of our interconnected world examines the complex systems shaping our future, from climate change and technology to global economics and cultural exchange. The author presents ...

THE NIGHTSHADE GOD

the god in his head, Lore doesn’t know what’s happening with the magic she was born with or the magic she’s gained, her friends are grappling with their own gods and scattered throughout the land. With ash thickening the air, Lore must fight just to survive, but she will never be satisfied with mere survival when she might still be able to save the world. So, with her friends and some allies (who may or may not be trustworthy) she begins to work toward a solution that could fix everything. But striving for salvation means anything might have to be sacrificed: Bastian or his disenchanted former Priest Exalted Gabe, her magic, or even her sense of self. As the Nightshade Crown trilogy draws to a close, its scope expands beyond Lore but ultimately remains focused on her journey. The increased presence of secondary characters, particularly Bastian’s half sister Alienor, makes this finale truly feel like an extension of the previous installments rather than simply a rehashed version of similar plot points. As the world expands, so too does the representation, with characters of different sexualities and gender identities incorporated with little fanfare, as their presence does not require remark. Lore’s moral journey is particularly compelling\u003B alongside her self\u002Dsacrifice, she makes bad choices and, often enough, suffers the consequences. Infusing the wonder of myths and magic with the desperation of a fight for survival and earth\u002Dshattering doom, this conclusion lives up to the trilogy as a whole."

In this gripping YA fantasy, a young woman discovers her family's dark connection to a forgotten deity of shadows and secrets, plunging her into a dangerous world where ancient magic clashes with mod...

THE NIGHTTIME BUTTERFLY

Catholics, Alicja writes like some great, undiscovered Kafka: “I will remain alone, completely alone among the entire human mass.”"

This beautifully illustrated picture book follows a young girl's magical encounter with a luminous butterfly that appears only after dark, weaving themes of wonder, patience, and the hidden beauty of...

THE ONCE AND FUTURE ME

Genre

This debut novel offers a fresh take on time travel that will resonate deeply with teenagers navigating identity and future anxieties. When a high school student discovers they can communicate with t...

THE OTHER GIRL

giving you, in turn, the existence your death gave me”—or to exorcise a spirit."

This gripping psychological thriller explores the dark side of teenage identity when a high school student discovers she has an identical twin she never knew existed. As the protagonist digs into her...

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

S. E. Hinton

Includes bonus material, a new foreword by the author, and a discussion guide.