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A rollicking modern fantasy! Sixteen-year-old Dee Markappen is flunking Chemistry, flunking History, and flunking basically everything else. Biology, though—Bio is great. She’s grown up next to a haunted forest that contains impossible creatures, and she wants to know why: snakes with wings. Toads with feathers. Surely there’s an explanation. Everything changes when Dee finds an injured centaur chained beneath an old motel. He’s shackled. He’s furious. He’s disgusted at being captured by humans. And he’s exactly the source of information Dee needs. Every member of her family dies young. Her mother is involved in something gruesome. Despite Dee’s lifelong efforts, she hasn’t learned why. So, Dee strikes a bargain with this half-crazed centaur. In exchange for his freedom he’ll give her the answers she seeks. His herd is murderous. Even worse foes lay beyond the haunted forest. But if Dee can survive the journey, the distant homeland of her ancestors holds not just the source of impossible beasts, but the greatest secret ever hidden from humankind… Featuring an inconveniently-attractive sidekick and a temperamental centaur, this banter-filled romp is sure to please fans of adventure and magic. |
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Chase: The Boy Who Hid by Z Jeffries Don't run from your feelings. Run from the killer robot hunting you. Chase refuses to believe Grandad is dead. When he skips the old man’s funeral, he finds shape shifting tech, Grandad’s invention and the first hint of a secret life. Then his old teammates show up at Chase’s, recruiting him to pilot the tech. Trusting these strangers, risking his life piloting this bleeding edge technology is the only way to find out if Grandad is still alive. It all leads to the Military Camouflage Challenge, a clash of billion-dollar armor prototypes against clones and drones, and a classified game of hide-and-seek. That’s why the team wants to train Chase. It’s also the last place anyone saw Grandad. If he’s going to learn the truth, Chase must train, qualify, and survive the deadly game. Given the chance, he’ll do anything to reunite his family, including double-crossing his new teammates...or even risk disappearing himself. Chase: The Boy Who Hid is the action-packed first book of the Hide & Seek Chronicles, the teen Sci-Fi adventure series. If you like fast-paced sci-fi, lqbtq representation, and adventure stories for all ages, you have to follow Chase: The Boy Who Hid today! |
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Djinn Tamer: Starter by A.J. Cerna & Derek Alan Siddoway Tame. Train. Battle. Fans of Pokémon, Digimon, and Monster Rancher love this monster-battling series! Jackson Hunt dreams of becoming a professional monster tamer — to raise magical creatures called Djinn and battle them in the big leagues. Unfortunately for Jackson, dreams and reality don’t always coincide. Facing bank foreclosure, Jackson is desperate to save his family's home. Discovering a young, untrained Djinn is just the chance he's been waiting for. But can Jackson and his Djinn level up fast enough? Taming isn’t as easy as the pros make it look. As time runs out, Jackson delves into the shady world of underground fighting, experiences the agony of defeat and learns what it takes to be a true monster tamer. |
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People say that if Charlie Pratt had a penny for every blunder, he'd fill his pockets and then misplace his trousers. When Charlie tries to learn more about Dalia Addair, the peculiar girl who lives in the haunted manor on the edge of town, he accidentally slots himself into her magical trial—a trial that she has spent her whole life preparing for; he gets a day. But something's wrong; the trial is unleashing monsters that haven't been seen for centuries, and powerful forces are determined to stop them at any cost. Without knowing whom they can trust, Dalia and Charlie must work together to survive, and finish the trials, if they don't strangle each other first. Quirky, fast-paced, and brimming with action, Fableman is a middle-grade fantasy adventure that proves how even the most unlikely of heroes will step forward... when there's a ten-foot troll screaming after him. |
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Oh Wretched Moon by Kate Ramsey They were never supposed to meet. Stolen at birth and brought up underground, Luna knows nothing but darkness and isolation. When disaster drives her out of the only home she knows, she stumbles into a world of wonders. But monstrous creatures lurk in corridors—and then there’s the mysterious stranger who disappears when danger strikes. Raised by a witch, Aethon has been taught to worship strength and fear nothing. When a hunting expedition keeps him out past curfew, he finally encounters a threat his courage cannot face. With the help of a strange girl he survives the harrowing night, but his life has already begun to crumble. As opposite worlds collide, they will need to rely upon each other to find freedom. But which is more dangerous: captivity or escape? In Oh Wretched Moon, Kate Ramsey puts a new spin on a beloved fairy tale about power, love, and moonlight. If you love stories about dangerous magic, courageous women, and daring escapes, you’ll love this spellbinding fantasy. |
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The Wizard of New York City by Randall P. Girdner On the students' trip to New York City, the wolves rounded up the people. Then the trolls sealed off the edges of the island with stacks of crushed cars, and the goblins set about constructing a portal; a portal that would bring something horrible to this world…and all of this happened before the students had even left the American Museum of Natural History. Now, armed with strange weapons they acquired in the museum, seven students find themselves on the run in a frightening urban environment overtaken with dragons, ogres, and an undead populace intent on changing the city into a fortress. Nothing will ever be the same again. The Wizard of New York City tells the tale of seven teenagers trapped in Manhattan as a world of fantastic creatures and bizarre beings invade the island. As they struggle to stay alive in the face of dangers they can barely comprehend, the students soon realize that there is a reason they are still alive, and that reason will place a heavy burden on not just them, but the whole world... |
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A millennium has passed since the small world of Incari was struck by a meteor known as the Kutsal Stone. In the celestial object's wake, two powerful inhabitants of another realm—beings of light and creatures of shadow—ravaged the land with war until they were ultimately banished. Time distorted tales of these god-like creatures into myth and legend, but Princess Elurra quickly finds there is legitimacy amongst the lore. After her parents' deaths pave the way for her exiled aunt to claim the throne, she finds herself desperate and on the run. Elurra must uncover the truth about magic and untwist the legends of old in order to protect the future of her homeland and thwart her aunt's malicious plots. Mysterious visions lead Elurra and her unlikely allies down a path to the truth; however, they find the conflicts of the past may be impossible to repair before they rip Incari apart. |
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The Gatekeeper's Staff by Antoine Bandele TJ Young has been surrounded by magic his entire life, yet he has never tapped into it… until now. Fourteen-year-old TJ grew up normal in a secret community of gifted diviners in the heart of modern-day Los Angeles. His powerful sister was ordained to lead his people into a new age of prosperity, but her mysterious death in Nigeria threatens to destroy the very foundations of TJ’s world. Desperate to pick up where his sister left off and uncover the secrets behind her questionable death, TJ commits himself to unlocking the magical heritage that has always eluded him. So he enrolls in Camp Olosa—a remedial magic school for the divinely less-than-gifted in the humid swamps of New Orleans. But little does he know, TJ is destined to cross paths with powerful spirits of old thought lost to time: the Orishas. Delve into this young adult fantasy based on the mythology of the West African gods, where TJ will encounter unlikely allies, tough-as-gatorhide instructors, and the ancient secrets of the Orishas. |
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Squire George & The Dragon by Adam Digger Stolz A Reluctant Squire vs. An Invincible Dragon Squire George has no aptitude for (and even less interest in) being a knight, a hero or a dragonslayer. He also has no choice in the matter. It is, after all, the family business. So he shouldn’t be surprised when his father sends him off to chase after rumors of a mighty dragon in a faraway land. He shouldn’t be, but he still is. With an unfunny fool, a cursed wizard and a black-hearted knight for companions, it isn’t long before Squire George comes up against wispy zephyr-fiends, vengeful nar and single-mindedly stupid crorks. He also survives a trufflehump, befriends a bridge troll and meets an old crone to whom he might or might not be related. None of which helps prepare him to kill an unkillable dragon. |
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I Am King: Book One by Damien Shillingford Ten year old Beaumont never meant to get anyone killed. But when Rancine, the man who murdered his mother and father, sent assassins to capture him and deprive him of his right to his father’s stolen crown, the weight of his destiny came crashing down on him and his loved ones. After the assassination of the King and Queen of the Middle Island’s, young Prince Beaumont was taken from the island nation and hidden away in the secluded mountain village of Mount Hope in the newly discovered realm of Hattan, waiting for the day he was a man and could reclaim his stolen crown from his families killer. But the arrival of a warrior named Nisila and her mysterious raven Shadowcry, changed all his plans and at ten years of age Beau must brave the wilderness with his cousin Julius as they flee for their lives. With the help of Nisila, Shadowcry, Julius and a foul mouthed, ill-tempered sellsword named Gavin, Beau must brave harsh winter storms, mythical creatures, forsaken ghouls, black magic, determined assassins and a powerful demon in hopes of making it back to the safety of his homeland in the Middle Islands. This is a character driven story, about survival, trust, friendship and overcoming adversity. Readers who enjoyed such fantasy works like J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series (Game of Thrones) and Poul Anderson’s The Broken Sword will enjoy the nostalgic, classic fantasy vibe of I Am King. With lead characters of color and a pinch of influence from West Indian folklore, readers can expect a classic fantasy tale with diverse representation and plenty of the elements that make classic fantasy memorable and exciting. With no sexual content or strong adult language, this is the perfect gift for young readers of fantasy/action adventure. |
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Now that Tiffany Noboru is dead, being forced to become a fresh recruit in the gargoyle ghost hunter corps is the least of her worries. Soon she is meeting bizarre new people, discovering her magical abilities, and learning the landscape of a strange and captivating world where gargoyles protect the living by hunting ghosts. When her own killer, a maniacal ghost named Bones, comes after her again, Tiffany must find a way to defeat him in order to save the gargoyle world. |
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Little White Hands by Mark Cushen Almost five hundred years have passed since the Seasons were at war. Half a millennium since Winter defied Spring, and lost. Generations have come and gone, not knowing the bitter freeze and howling snows of Winter ever existed. But now, after centuries of silence, the participants in this ancient struggle have resurfaced and reignited their feud on the doorstep of an unassuming little kitchen boy. Garlan’s dreams of being just like the knights he idolizes may not be as impossible as he has always been led to believe, when he is chased from his home and thrust headlong into the kind of adventure he had only ever read about in books. Setting out on a journey that spans the entire kingdom of Faeland, Garlan will traverse impossible mountains and stormy seas and battle terrible monsters, all to keep the world he knows safe from an enemy who will stop at nothing to bring about a never-ending winter. With a cast of fantastical characters to aid him in his quest, can Garlan overcome his self-doubt and find the courage he needs to rise above his humble station and become the hero he always dreamed of being? The fate of the world rests in his hands. |
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The Frights of Fiji by Sunayna Prasad A world of magic and adventure awaits… Sent to live with her strict, aloof, and uncaring uncle after her parents are killed in a car accident, twelve-year-old orphan Alyssa McCarthy longs for the life she used to have—one filled with fun and love. Then one stormy night, a message appears in the raindrops on the window that will change everything. "Your life will never be the same again, as magic will interfere." Before long, Alyssa is kidnapped by Master Beau, a banished sorcerer with a mysterious connection to her who can only regain his power by weakening hers. Suddenly hurled into a world of wizardry filled with fantastical beasts and marvelous technology beyond her wildest imagination, Alyssa must defeat Master Beau if she ever wants to get home again. But Master Beau will stop at nothing, including using Alyssa’s friends, to ensure he is triumphant. Originally titled "From Frights to Flaws", this story is the exciting and enchanting first book in the "Magical Missions" series. |
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Sol Invictus (The Eye of Ra Book 2) by Ben Gartner Siblings John and Sarah barely made it home last time, but in their next time traveling adventure the challenge really heats up. Surrounded by clashing cultures on the ancient Roman frontier, they must fulfill their quest to unite the emperor with his enemy, an Alemanni barbarian, or risk being stuck in time forever. An action-packed fantasy full of sword fights, chariot chases, fearsome wild animals, and high mountain survival. For graduates of the Magic Tree House looking for a thrilling middle grade page-turner, read Sol Invictus, book two of The Eye of Ra series! |
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Tommy Black and the Staff of Light (Tommy Black #1) by Jake Kerr A magical legacy that isn't what it seems! For fourteen-year-old Tommy Black, nothing is worse than being raised by an overprotective grandfather in the city that never sleeps. That is until his grandfather is captured by magical creatures and Tommy has to save him with his family's magical staff. That wouldn't be so bad, but the only magic he can do with the staff is weak--making light. What the heck can you do with light? Tommy finds out as he fights golems, shadow creatures, and djinn in a journey that features a magical river, an enchanted train, and an illusionary fortress. But the worst part of all? Tommy has to save his grandfather with the help of Naomi, a girl whose talent with magic is only rivaled by her ability to hurl insults. From Nebula, Sturgeon, and Million Writers Award nominee Jake Kerr comes the Tommy Black trilogy, an action adventure series for readers of all ages. |
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Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows (The Elandrian Chronicles #1) by J.M. Bergen Thomas thinks he's an ordinary twelve year old, but when a strange little man with gold-flecked eyes gives him an ancient text called The Book of Sorrows, the world he knows is turned upside down. Suddenly he’s faced with a secret family legacy, powers he can hardly begin to understand, and an enemy bent on destroying everything he holds dear. The more he reads and discovers, the deeper the danger to himself and the people he loves. As the race to the final showdown unfolds, Thomas must turn to trusted friends and uncertain allies as he seeks to prevent destruction at an epic scale. |
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The Pygmy Dragon (Shapeshifter Dragon Legends #1) by Marc Secchia Yesterday, a Dragon kidnapped me from my cage in a zoo. Stolen from her jungle home and sold to a zookeeper, Pip knows only a world behind bars, a world in which a Pygmy warrior and her giant ape friends are a zoo attraction. She dreams of being Human. She dreams of escaping to the world outside her cage. Then, the Dragon Zardon kidnaps her into a new life. Pip rides Dragonback across the Island-World to her new school - a school inside a volcano. A school where Humans learn to be Dragon Riders. But this is only a foretaste of her magical destiny, for the Dragon Assassins are coming. They have floated an Island across the Rift and their aim is nothing less than the massacre of all Dragons. Now, the courage of the smallest will be tested to the utmost. For Pip is the Pygmy Dragon, and this is her tale. |
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On Winter's Eve by C.D. Alexander Winters in Bern are long and cold and deep. On winter nights, when the snow is falling, Pippa goes to sleep knowing she’ll wake up to tracks in front of her farmhouse. The tracks are small, and they come from the woods—those same woods that her mother says are full of witches and elves and trolls, and her father says are full of wolves and bears and demons. But these tracks are the Tompte’s, and he is a friendly creature. Or at least that’s what Pippa hopes. . . The Tompte borrows and mends things, he takes and he sometimes leaves things, and such is life on a farm at the edge of the realm. Her mother calls it tradition. Her father calls it a curse. And when things start going missing and trouble comes their way, Pippa’s not sure what to believe. Soon enough, she'll have no choice but to go into the woods to find out. . . |
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Finding Fairy Tales by Kate Ramsey Imagination is outlawed. Fairy Tale herself is imprisoned. Molly has never heard a bedtime story… or any kind of story. But her daydreams are full of impossible wonders nonetheless. She's kept her unruly imagination hidden for years, but she knows her luck won't last. The emperor has eyes everywhere. Even in her own house. Hatch knows it's risky even to dream of adventures beyond his home, but he can't help himself. Worse, the end of 7th grade is approaching. That means enrollment in the dreaded Institute, where there's no chance of keeping his illegal imagination under the radar, and not everyone makes it out alive. When a government agent appears on Molly's doorstep, the two children must flee together or risk arrest, but an impassable wasteland lies between them and freedom. Then they learn astonishing secrets about their pasts, and realize there is more at stake than their safety. To fulfill an ancient prophecy, the two embark on a dangerous quest to rescue Fairy Tale. But will they outwit the emperor's henchmen and reach her before it's too late? |
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Earthcore Book 3: Aftershocks by Grace Bridges They saved a town with the help of the creatures that command the geysers. They saved a city from volcanic eruption. Surely they've earned a break? Tell that to the Titanosaur. Now the faultline network is active, threatening all of central New Zealand with aftershocks that might be bigger than the initial event. Amateur geologist Anira Fraser is in Picton, facing her final high school athletics competition. Along with her friend Tiger McRae, she realises their presence is disturbing the area's guardian spirits. Soon other Earthcore members arrive in town and discover an old enemy stirring up fresh trouble, while the locals hint at the legend of a mysterious taniwha war that could worsen the series of quakes. It's up to Anira and the Earthcore team to find the cause of the war and end it--otherwise they themselves could be responsible for a cataclysmic natural disaster. |
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Awakening: Dragonborn Series, Book One by Brett Humphrey I soared high in the night sky in the most realistic dream I'd ever had. At least, I think it was a dream. * * * On the eve of his thirteenth birthday, Alister Drake believed he was a typical middle-school-aged boy—until he grew four inches overnight. Developing superhuman abilities that rivaled those of characters in books and movies he and his friends cherished, he struggled to understand how his life had turned upside down so suddenly and so completely. Little did he know how drastically his life was about to change, challenging everything he'd experienced as true and right in the world. Accompanied by his two best friends and led by a teacher who was much more than he seemed, Alister was about to embark on an adventure that surpassed anything he'd read or seen in movies. Extraordinarily morally centered for his age, surrounded by family and friends he loved unconditionally, Alister stepped into the unknown with one clear goal in mind… Protect the Weak! |
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Emma and the Minotaur by Jon Herrera A love letter to innocence, magic, and fantasy. The residents of the City of Saint Martin are disappearing. Those who hear the music of the forest are compelled to follow it and are never seen again. At the same time, creatures of myth and legend are returning to our world. Led by the colossal Minotaur, they hide in the shadows of Glenridge Forest, waiting for a day soon to come. Why are they here? What is the World of Light? Join young Emma Wilkins as she uncovers the truth behind the mystery and learns the identity of the great power behind it all. Like a song in the wind, the tale drifted out into the world. It started its journey in a dark glade deep inside Glenridge Forest. Those who had been there to witness the story carried it with them into the City of Saint Martin. From there, told and retold, the tale transformed and grew wings of its own. Farther and farther, the tale flew, reshaping itself into the form given to it by the voice of the teller. The story morphed and shifted, ever molding itself to the temperament of the land beneath it. The tale reached every corner of the world. To some, it was only a children's bedtime story. But others, in times to come, would find in it solace and truth. |
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Esme's Wish (Esme Trilogy Book 1) by Elizabeth Foster This was her last chance. Her hand twisted high in the air. When fifteen-year-old Esme Silver objects at her father’s wedding, her protest is dismissed as the action of a stubborn, selfish teenager. Everyone else has accepted the loss of Esme’s mother, Ariane—so why can’t she? But Esme is suspicious. She is sure that others are covering up the real reason for her mother’s disappearance—that ‘lost at sea’ is code for something more terrible, something she has a right to know. After Esme is accidentally swept into the enchanted world of Aeolia, the truth begins to unfold. With her newfound friends, Daniel and Lillian, Esme retraces her mother’s steps in the glittering canal city of Esperance, untangling the threads of Ariane’s double life. But the more Esme discovers about her mother, the more she questions whether she really knew her at all. Esme's Wish is first in an MG-to-YA fantasy adventure series for readers 10-14 years, or anyone who enjoys escaping to another world. Appeals to fans of Narnia and Percy Jackson. |
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Liberty Frye and the Witches of Hessen by J.L. McCreedy The average ten-year-old girl seldom travels far from home. She doesn't worry about being kidnapped by witches or imprisoned in medieval castles where children meet their unspeakable demise. She rarely gives thought to curses, potions and magic. She certainly isn't risking life and limb to decipher ancient rites and lost treasures .... But Liberty Frye is about to discover that she is not an average girl. When a cryptic note from long-lost relatives arrives, the news it brings flips Libby’s small-town life upside down. Soon, she finds herself lured to a foreign land where retired witches, chatty bats and geriatric World War II pilots await. It’s up to Libby to unravel the sinister plot that brought her there in the first place, but in so doing, she’ll uncover a shocking secret that will change her life forever ... if she survives the challenge. |
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The Tree of Mindala (Wunderwood Book 1) by Elle Jacklee B.R.A.G. Medallion Winner ~ Miranda Moon's vivid imagination has gotten her into trouble more times than she can count. This time, she's been suspended from school. So her straight-laced younger brother, Marcus, blames her when they're relegated to their late grandparents' old cabin over Halloween weekend. But when Miranda finds a curious trinket, they're mysteriously whisked away to Wunderwood, where magic flows through the trees and everyone already knows their family name. A place even Miranda never imagined. Just as they arrive, a sinister warlock, Thornton Crow, is freed from a long banishment. He resumes his deadly agenda to find The Tree of Mindala, the source of all the realm's magic. As Miranda and Marcus discover branches of their own family tree that they hadn't even known existed, they learn that Thornton has a score to settle with anyone in their bloodline. Especially them... Though justice has always had a way of being naturally restored in Wunderwood, Thornton's latest evil deed just may be the tipping point. When Miranda discovers her own role in Thornton's release, she knows it's up to her to stop him from stealing not just magic, but also hope. With travel companions that could as easily be foes as friends, and only the cryptic words of a prophecy to guide her, Miranda must decide if she can carry out the task that will either save Wunderwood... or doom it forever. |
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Tooth Fairies and Jetpacks by Kurt Fried Have you ever wondered why tooth fairies want your teeth in the first place? Or how fairies fly? Or how they carry money so much larger than they are? What if the answer is… SCIENCE? This is the story of two sisters who learn about the world of tooth fairies, and how they're really all scientists and engineers. When one of the fairies disappears, the girls will have to think quickly to solve the mystery. Hold on tight... Tooth Fairies and Jetpacks is a joy to read aloud, and parents who want their children to be excited by science will be delighted to read this modern, witty tale to them. It's especially great for kids who have lost a first tooth (kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2). "This is a charming tale perfect for young children filled with questions. Its storyline encourages inquiry and builds enthusiasm for science. And the characters' technological skill, scientific knowledge, initiative, and agency make it an excellent modern counterpart to classic images of tutu-clad fairies." - Read. Learn. Repeat. |
