Summer Reading for NCCS Middle School Students 2023: Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror and The Supernatural

To save their father's life, a brother and sister must journey across a land full of magical beings from Colombian folklore and find the most powerful and dangerous of them all--the Madremonte. Grade 4-7

Eleven-year-old Juniper Harvey is having trouble coping in her new Florida town, but when the girl from her recurring fantasy dream appears in her room they have to figure out how to save Galatea's world from a war of rival gods--and deal with their mutual attraction. Grade 3-7

The Otherworld is at war. The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts trains warriors. And Kelcie Murphy―a foster child raised in the human world―is dying to attend. A place at AUA means meeting Scáthach, the legendary trainer of Celtic heroes. It means learning to fight with a sword. It means harnessing her hidden powers and―most importantly―finding out who her parents are, and why they abandoned her in Boston Harbor eight years ago. When Kelcie tests into the school, she learns that she’s a Saiga, one of the most ancient beings in the Otherworld. Secretive, shunned, and possessed of imposing elemental powers, the Saiga are also kin to the Otherworld's most infamous traitor. But Kelcie is a survivor, and she’ll do whatever it takes to find her parents and her place in their world. Even if that means making a few enemies. Grade 6-8

Riley Oh ventures into the Spiritrealm, where she hopes to convince Saint Heo Jun to become the new patron god of the Gom clan and restore their healing powers. Grade 4-8

All Momo wants for her twelfth birthay is an ordinary life, but instead she finds out she is half human, half goddess and must unlock her divine powers to save her mother's life and keep countless evil spirits from escaping Yomi, the land of the dead. Grade 5-7

Searching for her buried friend after the mines collapse, twelve-year-old Pakistani mica miner Nura finds herself at the Sijj Palace, a luxury hotel for the dangerous and deceitful jinn, where she must discover the truth beneath the glitter or be trapped forever. Grade 5-8

After her home is attacked by shapeshifting vampires, twelve-year-old Serwa Boateng is sent to live with her aunt and cousin in Maryland, but the aspiring vampire hunter discovers that middle school is harder than it appears on television, especially when she has to avoid detention and turn her classmates into warriors before they become vampire food. Grade 5-8

After twelve-year-old Lebanese-American Shad Hadid discovershe is an Alchemist, he receives an invitation to the Alexandria Academy where he discovers not everything is as it seems and shadowy figures are lurking around every corner. Grade 4-7

Eleven-and-a-half-year-old Valentina Salazar grew up as a monster protector until her father's loss, but when a video of a mythical egg appears, Valentina convinces her older brother and sister to help her find and save it--all while avoiding the monster hunters who want to destroy it. Grade 4-6

Armed with her fledgling powers, a magic cookbook, and the mentorship of a talking rabbit, sixth-grader Winnie Zeng must embrace her heritage and the powers of her ancestors to save her town from an evil spirit of Chinese legend. Grade 5-8

Soon after meeting her eighteen-year-old brother, Dustin, for the first time, thirteen-year-old Molly learns their shared inheritance, a mortuary business, serves monsters. Grade 5-8

When a child goes missing from the Orphan House in the town of Stone-in-the-Glen, the mayor suggests the kindly Ogress is responsible, but the orphans do not believe that and try to make their deluded neighbors see the real villain among them. Grade 4-8

Eleven-and-a-half-year-old Valentina Salazar grew up as a monster protector until her father's loss, but when a video of a mythical egg appears, Valentina convinces her older brother and sister to help her find and save it--all while avoiding the monster hunters who want to destroy it. Grade 4-6

Noah Prime discovers he can exhibit the traits and access the abilities of animals and must use them to fight back against those who are hunting him. Grade 5-8

When a new boy joins the class, everyone thinks he’s a bit strange, but he’s brilliant at football and loves crisps, and that’s all that matters to Dan and Maxie. However, the truth about George is stranger than anyone could have imagined ... and more sinister, too. Can his new pals help him to become truly free? Grade 4-7

Zero Adedji dreams of joining one of the Saba guilds―groups of intergalactic travelers who explore space, retrieve lost treasures, and hunt down criminals. Instead, he must scrape by as a guide to travelers stranded on his home planet of Anansi 12. Then he meets Wanderblatch, a strange creature with an even stranger object: a golden pyramid that houses a legendary Kobasticker called the Jupiter. When the Jupiter chooses Zero as its next host, he is recruited by a top Saba guild so he can harness his newfound powers. But the stakes are rising, and Zero and his friends Camih and Ladi are tasked with recovering an artifact known as the Mask of the Shaman King, which can grant wishes at a terrible price. And they’re not the only ones on the hunt―Space Mafia head Rozan Leombre is desperate to use the Mask to break his family’s curse. The trio must use their wits, courage, and friendship to achieve their quest and protect the galaxy. Grade 4-7

In a near future where most adults are connected to the multiweb through neural implants, a twelve-year-old uncovers a corporate plot to genetically manipulate her classmates, and her scientist mother may be involved in the conspiracy. Grade 5-7 (Lexile: 740)

Noah Prime discovers he can exhibit the traits and access the abilities of animals and must use them to fight back against those who are hunting him. Grade 5-8

Bones Malone feels like he can’t do anything right in his new small town: He almost punched the son of the woman who babysits him and his brothers, he’s one of the only Black kids in Langille, and now his baseball team (the one place where he really feels like he shines) just lost their first game. To make matters worse, things in town are getting weird. His mom isn’t acting like herself at all—she’s totally spaced out, almost like a zombie. And then he and his brothers have the same dream—one where they’re running from some of their deepest fears, like a bear and an eerie cracked mirror that Bones would rather soon forget. Kyle Specks feels like he can never say the right thing at the right time. He thinks he might be neurodivergent, but he hasn’t gotten an official diagnosis yet. His parents worry that the world might be too hard for him and try to protect him, but Kyle knows they can’t do that forever. Even though he’s scared, he can’t just stand by and do nothing while things in this town get stranger and stranger, especially not after he and Bones find a mysterious scientist’s journal that might hold answers about what’s going on. But when faced with seemingly impossible situations, a shady corporation, and their own worst nightmares, will Kyle and Bones be brave enough to admit they're scared? Or will the fear totally consume and control them? Grade 5-7

This middle grade thriller from Margaret Peterson Haddix delves into the power of privilege, the importance of true friendship, and the question of humanity and identity. Because when anyone could be a whatnot, what makes a person a real friend—or real at all? Grade 4-7

Eleven-year-old Lemon Peabody is certain that aliens visited her grandfather thirty years ago, but she is running out of time to prove it before Grandpa Walt's memory fades. Grades 4-6

In a future shaken by climate disasters, Yolanda Cicerón knows that nature is something to be feared. While life in the Valley is brutal and harsh, Yoly dreams of leaving her farm to live in Silo--the most advanced town for miles around. But first, Yoly will need to prove she belongs in a place where only the smartest and most useful are welcomed. Between her razor-sharp smarts and sheer determination, Yoly is well on her way until she discovers her family can no longer afford her schooling. When forced to take matters into her own hands, the closer she gets to securing her future, the more she uncovers the dangers lying inside Silo's walls--ones that threaten the entire Valley. As she cracks long-guarded secrets, Yoly, along with those closest to her, is put in grave peril and the only chance of surviving may lie in the rediscovery of a long-extinct species--the honeybee. Can the last surviving beehive be the key to pulling the Valley out from under Silo's thumb, or will they destroy what remains of Yoly's future? Grade 4-8

Five years after dragons decimated the world, a chance encounter with a young dragon leaves twelve-year-old Noah questioning everything he thought he knew. Grade 4-7

Crumbling under the pressure at her elite school on the moon, misfit Myra Hodger discovers a lab full of toxic plants and uses her botanical magic to weed out its secrets, but quickly discovers some will do anything to take those secrets to the grave. Grade 5-8

Years after her sisters venture Outside and vanish in a snow squall, thirteen-year-old Tag sets out to rescue the lost Youngers, accompanied by an unlikely crew--Boots, who can climb anything; Ant, who will eat anything; and Ren, who will say anything. Grade 5-8

When Glennon McCue moves into a lighthouse on a mysterious island not found on any maps, he must figure out why those who visit are never heard from again before he and his family fall victim to the island's curse. Grade 4-7

In the summer before middle school, eleven-year-old Bug must contend with best friend Moira suddenly caring about clothes, makeup, and boys; a ghost haunting; and the truth about Bug's gender identity. Grade 4-7

A powerful and poignant story about friendship, betrayal, and redemption. This unforgettable story, complete with lush black-and-white illustrations throughout, explores how we can find the strength to face down monsters: in the darkness, in our friends, and in our selves. Grade 5-8

Being "nerdy" in middle school isn't a bad thing--I should know! Me and my friends are nerds. Some of us are geeky but funny, smart but never boring. One is a jock but not jerk. We don't quite fit. But we're funny. We're fun. We're total chaos. And we own it--until one of us is targeted by a maniac. It will take all of our nerdiest skills to Sherlock Holmes our way out of one dangerous mess. Grade 4-7

To rescue her aunt from the ghost of a serial killer, twelve-year-old Evie Von Rathe embarks on a journey into a strange world filled with hungry witches, ghosts, and a story thief, all while trying to fulfill her deal with the Clackity. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 750)

Tori, Marvin, and Noah would rather be anywhere else than on the seventh grade class field trip to Raven Island prison ... But when the three of them stumble upon a dead body in the woods, miss the last ferry back home, and then have to spend the night on Raven Island, they find that they need each other now more than ever. Grade 4-6 (Lexile: 620)

Thirteen nightmare scenarios to life in this page-turning collection that's perfect for budding horror junkies. In his wondrous world, danger waits behind every doorway . . . even in the most ordinary places. Grader 4-7

Tuck Everlasting meets The Village in this delightfully eerie middle grade novel about a boy trapped in a strange town where secrets turn deadly and the unnatural lurks in the night. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 710)

Twelve-year-old Sophie and her 300-year-old best vampire friend Delphine break into a secret government facility to find a cure for the illness causing vampires to go rogue. Grade 3-7

Magnolia “Maggie” Hagen is determined to be in the spotlight . . . if she can just get over her stage fright. This summer, though, she has big plans to finally attend Camp Rising Star, the famous performing arts camp she’s been dying to go to for three whole summers.

But on the last day of school, her parents break the news: Maggie isn’t going to Camp Rising Star. She’s being shipped off to fat camp—and not just any fat camp. She’s going to Camp Sylvania, run by world-famous wellness influencer Sylvia Sylvania, who is known for her soon-to-be-patented Scarlet Diet.

When Maggie arrives at camp, things are . . . weird. There are the humiliating weigh-ins and grueling workouts, as expected. But the campers are also encouraged to donate blood—at their age! The cafeteria serves only red foods and the oddly specific rules change every day. There are even rumors of a camp ghost.

Despite these horrors, Maggie makes friends and starts to actually enjoy herself. There are even tryouts for a camp production of The Music Man! This place might not be so bad . . . until campers start going missing and other suspicious things begin happening—especially after dark. The camp ghost might be the least scary thing about this place. . . .Grade 3-7

Princess Harbor Rose is cursed. She's lived her whole life hidden away on a remote island with her magical aunts, following all the rules for being a princess. Now it is only one more year until thirteenth birthday, when a hero will finally arrive to save her from her curse. But as with any story, there are two sides . . . and the curse told of much more than a single princess's uncertain fate. It told of a dangerous foe rooted in powerful magic. It told of a terrible war that could destroy everything if a young hero didn't arrive in time. It told of a magic imbued with hope that could save everyone, but only if they believe. With her beloved kingdom and island at grave risk, Harbor Rose has a choice: Should she wait for the hero, or take matters into her own hands? Grade 4-6

Alliana spends her days tending to her stepfamily's inn at the edge of the abyss, but when she rescues an orphaned nightdragon and later helps an apprentice witch, she seizes her chance to escape her stepmother's tyranny and find her own happily ever after. Grade 4-7

To save their father's life, a brother and sister must journey across a land full of magical beings from Colombian folklore and find the most powerful and dangerous of them all--the Madremonte. Grade 4-7

When twelve-year-old Olive, who suffers from brittle bone disease and has been homeschooled all her life, finally attends school in person she soon discovers fitting in is not that easy, but if she can find the magical wish-granting hummingbird that supposedly lives nearby, and prove herself worthy, maybe her deepest wish will be granted. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 610)

Kohei Fujiwara has never seen a big ryåu in real life. Those dragons all disappeared from Japan after World War II, and twenty years later, they've become the stuff of legend. Their smaller cousins, who can fit in your palm, are all that remain. And Kohei loves his ryåu, Yuharu, but Kohei has a memory of the big ryåu. He knows that's impossible, but still, it's there, in his mind. In it, he can see his grandpa - Ojiisan - gazing up at the big ryåu with what looks to Kohei like total and absolute wonder. When Kohei was little, he dreamed he'd go on a grand quest to bring the big ryåu back, to get Ojiisan to smile again. But now, Ojiisan is really, really sick. And Kohei is running out of time. Kohei needs to find the big ryåu now, before it's too late. With the help of Isolde, his new half-Jewish, half-Japanese neighbor; and Isolde's Yiddish-speaking dragon, Cheshire; he thinks he can do it. Maybe. He doesn't have a choice. In The Lost Ryåu, debut author Emi Watanabe Cohen gives us a story of multigenerational pain, magic, and the lengths to which we'll go to protect the people we love. Grade 4-6

Princess Harbor Rose is cursed. She's lived her whole life hidden away on a remote island with her magical aunts, following all the rules for being a princess. Now it is only one more year until thirteenth birthday, when a hero will finally arrive to save her from her curse. But as with any story, there are two sides . . . and the curse told of much more than a single princess's uncertain fate. It told of a dangerous foe rooted in powerful magic. It told of a terrible war that could destroy everything if a young hero didn't arrive in time. It told of a magic imbued with hope that could save everyone, but only if they believe. With her beloved kingdom and island at grave risk, Harbor Rose has a choice: Should she wait for the hero, or take matters into her own hands? Grade 4-6

When the delicate balance between the mythical rabbits and the people of Montpeyroux breaks down, runt Quincy and twelve-year-old Fleurine learn to trust each other to ensure their respective community's survival. Grade 4-7

A powerful and poignant story about friendship, betrayal, and redemption. This unforgettable story, complete with lush black-and-white illustrations throughout, explores how we can find the strength to face down monsters: in the darkness, in our friends, and in our selves. Grade 5-8

Zia remembers the exact night the Shadoom arrived. One moment she was laughing with her best friends, and the next a dark room of shadows had crept into her chest. Zia has always loved words, but she can't find a real one for the fear growing inside her. How can you defeat something if you don't know its name? Grade 4-7

An unlikely group of dinosaur misfits discover a deadly secret and must band together to save their herbivore kingdoms from doom at the hands of ruthless carnivores, Grade 4-7

As they uncover their magical powers, Nell and her new friends discover a parallel New York City called the Nigh, where monsters roam Central Park, Finfolk haunt the Hudson River, and a terrifying Minister, who controls it all, holds the key to Nell's missing brother. Grade 5-7 (Lexile: 700)

Eleven-year-old Juniper Harvey is having trouble coping in her new Florida town, but when the girl from her recurring fantasy dream appears in her room they have to figure out how to save Galatea's world from a war of rival gods--and deal with their mutual attraction. Grade 3-7

Twelve-year-old Cassie and her companions embark on a mission to rescue Albert from the vengeful dragon King Vayne and learn more about the prophecy that is putting Albert in danger. Grade 4-7

Eleven-year-old Ella Durand is the first Conjuror to attend the Arcanum Training Institute, a magic school in the clouds where Marvellers from around the world practice their cultural arts. Despite her excitement, Ella discovers that being the first isn't easy--some Marvellers mistrust her magic. Eventually, she finds friends in elixirs teacher, Masterji Thakur, and fellow misfits Brigit and Jason. When a dangerous criminal escapes prison, supposedly with a Conjuror's aid, Ella becomes the target of suspicion. Worse, Masterji Thakur mysteriously disappears while away on a research trip. With the help of her friends and her own growing powers, Ella must find a way to clear her family's name and track down her mentor before it's too late. Grade 5-7

When Oscar dies in the city of the elves after a silver wave struck him down, his friends, family, and a six-year-old troublemaking stowaway elf race against time to stop the clock and rewind time to prevent the tragedy. Grade 5-8

Riley Oh ventures into the Spiritrealm, where she hopes to convince Saint Heo Jun to become the new patron god of the Gom clan and restore their healing powers. Grade 4-8

To free himself from an ancient curse, thirteen-year-old Shinji Takahashi must team up with a secret organization of explorers, find a magical font hidden in the jungles of Mexico, and replace a stolen idol. Grade 5-8

The arrival of Superintendent Tiltersmith threatens to upset the balance of nature unless four intrepid classmates can free the Lady of Spring and bring an end to winter in Brooklyn. Grade 5-8

Malika “Boog” Wilson and her best friends have grown up idolizing The Vanquishers, a group of heroic vampire hunters who wiped out the last horde of the undead decades ago. Nowadays, most people don't take even the most basic vampire precautions--the days of garlic wreaths and early curfews long gone--but Boog's parents still follow the old rules, much to her embarrassment. When a friend goes missing, Boog isn't sure what to think. Could it be the school counselor, Mr. Rupert, who definitely seems to be hiding something? Or could it be something more dangerous? Boog is determined to save her friend, but is she ready to admit vampires might not be vanquished after all? No one ever expected the Vanquishers to return, but if their town needs protection from the undead, Boog knows who to call. Grade 3-7

Sycamore seed siblings Merwin and Louise must use their wits and imaginations to navigate a mysterious and often dangerous world, filled with talking plants, monsters, meteors, and the fear of never finding the right conditions to set down roots and become big trees. Grade 3-7

on a quest to defeat a tyrannical ruler and protect a magical book. Rachel and Robert live a gray, dreary life under the rule of cruel and calculating Charles Malstain. That is, until one night, when their librarian father enlists their help to steal a forbidden book.
Before their father is captured, Rachel and Robert are given one mission: find the missing final page.
But to uncover the secrets of The Book of Stolen Dreams, the siblings must face darkness and combat many evils to be rewarded with the astonishing, magical truth about the book. Nevertheless, they resolve to do everything in their power to stop it from falling into Charles Malstain's hands. For if it does, he could rule their world forever. Greade 4-8

Disobeying her witch-like grandmother when she becomes desperate to uncover a family secret, thirteen-year-old Simi goes exploring outside her remote Nigerian village where she discovers a strange parallel world after sinking into the red quicksand of a forbidden lake that holds the key to everything. Grade 5-8

An unlikely group of dinosaur misfits discover a deadly secret and must band together to save their herbivore kingdoms from doom at the hands of ruthless carnivores, Grade 4-7

Mott's life becomes complicated when the abandoned puppy she found turns out to be a mythical Norse wolf who is partly responsible for bringing about the end of the worlds. Grade 4-6

Freddie Ruiz is cursed.
While other people may have bad days, Freddie and his family have had bad generations: from bird poop splatting on him during picture day to the many tumbles and trips that earned him the nickname Faceplant Freddie. He’s learned to lay low and keep himself out of trouble—which means no fun, no friends, and definitely no risks. But when he discovers a family heirloom, a century-old amulet from the Philippines that’s supposed to bring good fortune, Freddie thinks his luck is finally about to change. He couldn’t be more wrong. Because the spirit of Freddie’s cranky great-granduncle Ramon is trapped in the heirloom, and the evil spirits responsible for his death have returned with a vengeance. Now, Freddie and his cousin, Sharkey, have thirteen days to break the curse, or Freddie will join Ramon for an untimely afterlife in the amulet. Grade 4-7

Four unlikely heroes--a boy-turned-dragon, his reluctant dragon rider, a runaway witch, and a young soldier--bound by the Fates to save their world, and magic itself, from being destroyed. Grade 3-6

As they uncover their magical powers, Nell and her new friends discover a parallel New York City called the Nigh, where monsters roam Central Park, Finfolk haunt the Hudson River, and a terrifying Minister, who controls it all, holds the key to Nell's missing brother. Grade 5-7 (Lexile: 700)

Twelve-year-old Octavia, who grew up believing her town was the only one left after a magical war, meets a girl from outside her town and tries to uncover the truth about her world. Grade 5-8

Eleven-year-old Juniper Harvey is having trouble coping in her new Florida town, but when the girl from her recurring fantasy dream appears in her room they have to figure out how to save Galatea's world from a war of rival gods--and deal with their mutual attraction. Grade 3-7

Twelve-year-old Cassie and her companions embark on a mission to rescue Albert from the vengeful dragon King Vayne and learn more about the prophecy that is putting Albert in danger. Grade 4-7

Never trust a fae. Lark Mairen knows this. In her village, the border between the fae and human worlds is as thin as a whisper, and fae trickery is nothing new. But Lark's brother, Galin, has just disappeared into the fae realm while racing in the deadly Wild Hunt, and Lark's only lead is a mysterious fae boy called Rook. To save her brother, she'll have to trust Rook--even if it takes her into the dangerous fae kingdom, where she'll untangle riddles, navigate labyrinths, and face the wicked king himself. Grade 5-8

A young woman’s struggle to unburden herself of the past and chart her own destiny in a world of secrets. As assistant to Mangkon’s most celebrated mapmaker, twelve-year-old Sai plays the part of a well-bred young lady with a glittering future. In reality, her father is a conman—and in a kingdom where the status of one’s ancestors dictates their social position, the truth could ruin her. Sai seizes the chance to join an expedition to chart the southern seas, but she isn’t the only one aboard with secrets. When Sai learns that the ship might be heading for the fabled Sunderlands—a land of dragons, dangers, and riches beyond imagining—she must weigh the cost of her dreams. Vivid, suspenseful, and thought-provoking, this tale of identity and integrity is as beautiful and intricate as the maps of old. Grader 4-7

Swept into Engkantos, the land of gods and spirits, ten-year-old Marikit embarks on a quest to save her family from a sinister shadow god. Grade 3-7 (Lexile: 700)

Eleven-year-old Ella Durand is the first Conjuror to attend the Arcanum Training Institute, a magic school in the clouds where Marvellers from around the world practice their cultural arts. Despite her excitement, Ella discovers that being the first isn't easy--some Marvellers mistrust her magic. Eventually, she finds friends in elixirs teacher, Masterji Thakur, and fellow misfits Brigit and Jason. When a dangerous criminal escapes prison, supposedly with a Conjuror's aid, Ella becomes the target of suspicion. Worse, Masterji Thakur mysteriously disappears while away on a research trip. With the help of her friends and her own growing powers, Ella must find a way to clear her family's name and track down her mentor before it's too late. Grade 5-7

All Momo wants for her twelfth birthay is an ordinary life, but instead she finds out she is half human, half goddess and must unlock her divine powers to save her mother's life and keep countless evil spirits from escaping Yomi, the land of the dead. Grade 5-7

Almost-thirteen-year-old Naomi receives a mysterious package containing a tiny clay Golem that obeys her every command, and she is unprepared for the chaos he creates when she sends him away with instructions to save the world.Grade 5-8

Five years after dragons decimated the world, a chance encounter with a young dragon leaves twelve-year-old Noah questioning everything he thought he knew. Grade 4-7

It's not easy being a Remarkable in the Unremarkable world. Some things are cool--like getting a pet hellhound for your twelfth birthday. Others, not so much--like not being trusted to learn magic because you might use it to take revenge on an annoying neighbor. All Nic Blake wants is to be a powerful Manifestor like her dad. But before she has a chance to convince him to teach her the gift, a series of shocking revelations and terrifying events launch Nic and two friends on a hunt for a powerful magic tool she's never heard of...to save her father from imprisonment for a crime she refuses to believe he committed. Grades 4-6

When fifteen-year-old Iranian American Marjan discovers her murdered father was secretly a veterinarian to magical creatures, she realizes she must take up his mantle, despite the many dangers. Grade 6-9

When Oscar dies in the city of the elves after a silver wave struck him down, his friends, family, and a six-year-old troublemaking stowaway elf race against time to stop the clock and rewind time to prevent the tragedy. Grade 5-8

When his mother accidentally kills a Quidhunk in the woods, Osmo Unknown must embark on a quest to find the Eightpenny Woods--the mysterious kingdom where all wild forest creatures go when they die--and make amends. Grade 5-8

Riley Oh ventures into the Spiritrealm, where she hopes to convince Saint Heo Jun to become the new patron god of the Gom clan and restore their healing powers. Grade 4-8

To free himself from an ancient curse, thirteen-year-old Shinji Takahashi must team up with a secret organization of explorers, find a magical font hidden in the jungles of Mexico, and replace a stolen idol. Grade 5-8

Competitive siblings Sadie and Clip Chu must set aside their differences and work together when they get stuck in a virtual reality laser tag game. Grade 4-6

Young Linnet, her father, and the other bird-people, the Alkonosts, have been driven to live in the swamps of Morovia, forbidden to sing magic, and often hunted by the humans, so when her father is captured Linnet embarks on a rescue mission. Grades 4-7

The arrival of Superintendent Tiltersmith threatens to upset the balance of nature unless four intrepid classmates can free the Lady of Spring and bring an end to winter in Brooklyn. Grade 5-8

Eleven-and-a-half-year-old Valentina Salazar grew up as a monster protector until her father's loss, but when a video of a mythical egg appears, Valentina convinces her older brother and sister to help her find and save it--all while avoiding the monster hunters who want to destroy it. Grade 4-6

Malika “Boog” Wilson and her best friends have grown up idolizing The Vanquishers, a group of heroic vampire hunters who wiped out the last horde of the undead decades ago. Nowadays, most people don't take even the most basic vampire precautions--the days of garlic wreaths and early curfews long gone--but Boog's parents still follow the old rules, much to her embarrassment. When a friend goes missing, Boog isn't sure what to think. Could it be the school counselor, Mr. Rupert, who definitely seems to be hiding something? Or could it be something more dangerous? Boog is determined to save her friend, but is she ready to admit vampires might not be vanquished after all? No one ever expected the Vanquishers to return, but if their town needs protection from the undead, Boog knows who to call. Grade 3-7

Years after her sisters venture Outside and vanish in a snow squall, thirteen-year-old Tag sets out to rescue the lost Youngers, accompanied by an unlikely crew--Boots, who can climb anything; Ant, who will eat anything; and Ren, who will say anything. Grade 5-8

Every year, in the magical town of Ravenskill, Witchlings who participate in the Black Moon Ceremony are placed into covens and come into their powers as full-fledged witches. And twelve-year-old Seven Salazar can't wait to be placed in the most powerful coven with her best friend! But on the night of the ceremony, in front of the entire town, Seven isn't placed in one of the five covens. She's a Spare! Spare covens have fewer witches, are less powerful, and are looked down on by everyone. Even worse, when Seven and the other two Spares perform the magic circle to seal their coven and cement themselves as sisters, it doesn't work! They're stuck as Witchlings--and will never be able to perform powerful magic. Seven invokes her only option: the impossible task. The three Spares will be assigned an impossible task: If they work together and succeed at it, their coven will be sealed and they'll gain their full powers. If they fail... Well, the last coven to make the attempt ended up being turned into toads. Forever ..Grade 4-7

J.R. struggles to navigate the torments of middle school, made thornier by her secret power to write wishes into existence. Grade 4-7

When lonely Ravani Foster discovers his new friend Virginia and her six mysterious runaway companions are in danger, he must fight to keep them safe, or lose the only person who has ever understood him. Grade 5-7

Pesah has lived with leprosy for years, and the twins have spent most of that time working on a cure. Then Pesah has a vision: The Angel of Death will come for him on Rosh Hashanah, just one month away. So Ziva takes her brother and runs away to find doctors who can cure him. But when they meet and accidentally free a half-demon boy, he suggests paying his debt by leading them to the fabled city of Luz, where no one ever dies--the one place Pesah will be safe. Grade 4-6

Sylvie and her mother and grandmother are beloved, trusted healers in their medieval French village, though some whisper that fifteen-year-old Sylvie and her grand-mere deal in more than herbs and medicines...After her grandmother dies, and an attempt to use magic to heal her mother's grief brooks tragic consequences, Sylvie leaves her village in search of a teacher. Grade 5-8

Fished from the river as an infant and raised by a roving band of street urchins who call themselves the Crowns, eight-year-old Duck keeps her head down and her mouth shut. It’s a rollicking life, always thieving, always on the run—until the ragtag Crowns infiltrate an abandoned cathedral in the city of Odierne and decide to set down roots. It’s all part of the bold new plan hatched by the Crowns’ fearless leader, Gnat: one of their very own will pose as an apprentice to the local baker, relieving Master Griselde of bread and coin to fill the bellies and line the pockets of all the Crowns. But no sooner is Duck apprenticed to the kindly Griselde than Duck’s allegiances start to blur. Who is she really—a Crown or an apprentice baker? And who does she want to be? Meanwhile, high above the streets of Odierne, on the roof of the unfinished cathedral, an old and ugly gargoyle grows weary of waiting to fulfill his own destiny—to watch and protect. Told in alternating viewpoints, this exquisite novel evokes a timeless tale of love, self-discovery, and what it means to be rescued. Grade 5-8

A thrilling story of six sisters who must fight against circumstance and fate, gorgeously told and steeped in history and legend.
On a poor farm surrounded by marshlands, six sisters -- Grace, Willa, Freya, and triplets Deedee, Darcy, and Dolly -- live in fear of their father and the superstition that haunts him: The Curse of the Six Daughters. Their beloved grandmother tries to protect them, but the future seems bleak. When the Full Moon Fayre makes a rare visit to Hollow-in-the-Marsh, the girls slip out to see the famous Shadow Man, an enigmatic puppeteer. Afterwards, oldest sister Grace is missing. Following the Full Moor Fayre into the Lost Marsh, Willa will have to battle her inner doubts and the legends that have haunted her family. Can she save her sister from one fate, and outrun her own? Grade 4-7

After inheriting a grieving fox spirit, a Chinese American boy must learn to embrace his heritage to solve the mystery of his brother's death. Grade 3-7

Kohei Fujiwara has never seen a big ryåu in real life. Those dragons all disappeared from Japan after World War II, and twenty years later, they've become the stuff of legend. Their smaller cousins, who can fit in your palm, are all that remain. And Kohei loves his ryåu, Yuharu, but Kohei has a memory of the big ryåu. He knows that's impossible, but still, it's there, in his mind. In it, he can see his grandpa - Ojiisan - gazing up at the big ryåu with what looks to Kohei like total and absolute wonder. When Kohei was little, he dreamed he'd go on a grand quest to bring the big ryåu back, to get Ojiisan to smile again. But now, Ojiisan is really, really sick. And Kohei is running out of time. Kohei needs to find the big ryåu now, before it's too late. With the help of Isolde, his new half-Jewish, half-Japanese neighbor; and Isolde's Yiddish-speaking dragon, Cheshire; he thinks he can do it. Maybe. He doesn't have a choice. In The Lost Ryåu, debut author Emi Watanabe Cohen gives us a story of multigenerational pain, magic, and the lengths to which we'll go to protect the people we love. Grade 4-6