Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's & Young Adult Book Picks US - Jan 2021

 

B. B. Alston - Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations) - Published by Balzer + Bray (January 19, 2021) - ISBN-13:978-0062975164 - Hardback - Age: 8+

Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black in this exhilarating debut middle-grade fantasy, the first in a trilogy filled with #blackgirlmagic. Perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, the Percy Jackson series, and Nevermoor

Amari Peters has never stopped believing her missing brother, Quinton, is alive. Not even when the police told her otherwise, or when she got in trouble for standing up to bullies who said he was gone for good.

So when she finds a ticking briefcase in his closet, containing a nomination for a summer tryout at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she’s certain the secretive organization holds the key to locating Quinton—if only she can wrap her head around the idea of magicians, fairies, aliens, and other supernatural creatures all being real.

Now she must compete for a spot against kids who’ve known about magic their whole lives. No matter how hard she tries, Amari can’t seem to escape their intense doubt and scrutiny—especially once her supernaturally enhanced talent is deemed “illegal.” With an evil magician threatening the supernatural world, and her own classmates thinking she’s an enemy, Amari has never felt more alone. But if she doesn’t stick it out and pass the tryouts, she may never find out what happened to Quinton.



Rebecca K. S. Ansari - The In-Between - Published by Walden Pond Press (January 26, 2021) - ISBN-13:978-0062916099 - Hardback - Age: 8+ 

Cooper is lost. Ever since his father left their family three years ago, he has become distant from his friends, constantly annoyed by his little sister, Jess, and completely fed up with the pale, creepy rich girl who moved in next door and won’t stop staring at him. So when Cooper learns of an unsolved mystery his sister has discovered online, he welcomes the distraction. 

It’s the tale of a deadly train crash that occurred a hundred years ago, in which one young boy among the dead was never identified. The only distinguishing mark on him was a strange insignia on his suit coat, a symbol no one had seen before or since. Jess is fascinated by the mystery of the unknown child— because she’s seen the insignia. It’s the symbol of the jacket of the girl next door.

As they uncover more information— and mounting evidence of the girl’s seemingly impossible connection to the tragedy—Cooper and Jess begin to wonder if a similar disaster could be heading to their hometown.


Thomas Kingsley Troupe (Author), Maggie Ivy (Illustrator) - The Dead Below (Haunted States of America) - Published by North Star Editions (January 1, 2021) - SBN-13: 978-1631634802 - Paperback - Age: 9+

It isn't long after Treva Gallo moves into her new Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, neighborhood that she starts to see otherworldly people around town. And the more ghosts she sees, the more they seek her out. As Treva researches her new neighborhoods murky past, she unearths more than she expected . . . and the ghostly spirits become more insistent. The spirits seem to want something from Treva. But what can a living person do for the dead? Every state has its own spine-tingling stories of ghosts and mysterious hauntings grounded in its regional history. The Haunted States of America series uses real-life ghost lore as jumping-off points to new, chilling tales. An author's note provides historical origins and fascinating facts, but beware: sometimes real life is stranger than fiction.



Nicole Lesperance (Author), Federica Fenna (Illustrator) - The Nightmare Thief - Published by Sourcebooks Young Readers (January 12, 2021) - ISBN-13: 978-1728215341 - Hardback - Age: 8+

Maren Partridge loves working in her family's dream shop where she can hand-craft any dream imaginable. The shop has only one rule. Dreams cannot be given to a person without their consent. Maren has no problem with this―until her sister, Hallie, has an accident that leaves her in a coma. Maren's certain she can cure Hallie with a few well-chosen dreams. And when no one is watching, she slips her a flying dream.

But a strange new customer from the shop has been following Maren and knows what she did. Now she's laid the perfect trap to blackmail Maren into creating custom nightmares for a dark and terrible purpose. As Maren gets drawn further into the sinister scheme, she must make a choice: to protect her family or to protect the town from her family's magic.

Pick up the first book in the Nightmare Thief if you are looking for:
  • Suspenseful stories of magical realism for kids with a side of danger
  • Gifts for 11-year-old girls, 13-year-old girls, and any young reader 11-14 that loves fantasy
  • Books that explore bullying, family ties, and feature strong female characters
  • Books for 4th graders, and any classroom with grades 3-8
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