Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Favourite Children's Book Picks - March 2026 US

Matteo L. Cerilli - Fathom Fall - Published by Bloomsbury Children's Books (March 3, 2026) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1547616527 - Hardback - Age: 12+ 

The Maze Runner meets Fortnite in this action-packed young YA about a boy who finds out the monsters from his favorite video game are real.

They came for our water, but they'll settle for your blood.

On Fathom Fall's leaderboard, player Wyatt “DoctorDoctor” Docherty ranks at number three. In real life, he's seen only as the privileged kid of head engineers at Hydrexo, the company that supplies 75% of North America's water. He has easy access, while others must line up to pay exorbitant prices at public water taps, and he feels totally useless. 

To prove he's more than a spoiled Water Baby, Wyatt wants to win the upcoming Fathom Fall competition and finally make a name for himself. But when he starts seeing Bluddites – the water-guzzling monsters from the game – in real life, Wyatt suspects that the tournament is about more than just prize money.

Wyatt wants to win, but as the tournament approaches, he starts to worry: Why won't anyone tell them what's really going on? Why would the game – the military, even – be training kids to hunt monsters for them? And how far is he willing to go to prove himself?

Set in a near-future, water-scarce Toronto, Fathom Fall is a high-octane speculative thrill ride that questions the ethics of new technology and how it defines our very reality.

Micah Johnson (Author), Durk van der Meer (Illustrator) - Aku: Journey to Ibra - Published by Random House Books for Young Readers (March 3, 2026) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593811788 - Hardback - Age: 7+

Aku has always dreamed of becoming an astronaut. It’s easier to picture life among the stars than deal with the bully at school—or the pain of his grandfather’s mysterious disappearance. But when a strange space helmet shows up in his basement, Aku is pulled into something far bigger than he ever imagined.

The space helmet doesn’t just look cool—it teleports him to Ibra, a distant planet under siege. There, precious Lunaberries are being stolen by a ruthless space militia, and Aku’s grandfather may be the key to stopping them. With the help of his best friends and a few unlikely allies, Aku must dream bigger than ever before, find the courage to lead, and discover that bravery isn’t about having no fear—it’s about rising above it.

Ross Montgomery - Small Wonder - Published by Candlewick (March 3, 2026) - ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1536252468 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

Remember everything I taught you, Small Wonder. Take care of Leaf. Take care of Pebble. I’ve done all I can. The rest is up to you . . .
Tick, called Small Wonder by his grandfather, lives peacefully at the edge of Ellia, along with his little brother and faithful horse. But then a deadly assassin and an invading army arrive. The kingdom is in danger and Tick has six moons to get to King’s Keep and warn their ruler. Traveling through forests and over mountains, encountering bandits and rogue knights, Tick is determined to honor his grandfather’s last words of advice . . . Make it count. Can Tick warn the kingdom in time and protect his little brother from the dangers they encounter? As they make their treacherous journey through Ellia, Tick starts to uncover a long-buried history that will change everything he thought he knew.

Christina Uss - Midnight Mayhem - Published by Holiday House (March 3, 2026) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0823456352 - Hardback - Age: 8+  

Kaz Jakobsen can’t sleep.

Ever again.

Kaz Jakobsen knows things will never be the same after his family’s sudden move to Philadelphia. He’ll have to make new friends, which isn’t his strong suit. But an even bigger change arrives at a restaurant where he orders a bagel sandwich. Kaz eats a potent combo of the world’s greenest mustard and rootiest rootbeer and loses his ability to sleep.

Scientifically, brain + no sleep = kablammo. The longest a human insomniac has gone without sleep is eleven days. What will happen to Kaz without sleep for more than seventy years? How will he survive the lonely boredom?

Kaz luckily meets Floyd, a fellow non-sleeping kid, at a sleep study lab. Floyd thinks being sleepless is a super-power, a chance to try a million new things. He takes Kaz on madcap midnight adventures, introducing him to all the things kids are allowed to do at night in Philadelphia. And a few things they aren’t. The bad news: his ideas always seem to lead to mayhem.

Kaz wants to keep Floyd’s friendship but lose the mayhem. When he learns there’s an antidote to a lifetime awake, he has a tough choice to make. If Kaz cures his sleeplessness, will he lose the best friend he’s ever had?

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Favourite Children's Book Picks - March 2026 UK

Beth O'Brien - Feather Vane - Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, 26 March 2026 - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0008642044 - Paperback - Age: 8+

In the village of Greeth-Under-Edge, magical creatures are causing chaos. A green-toothed hag lurks in the river, a nest of gnomes are up to no good and a scatter of salamanders threaten to set everything on fire.

Creirwy and Morfran, trainee sorcerers, have been sent to banish the creatures by brewing an almost impossible potion. To collect the ingredients, they’ll need to go on an adventure with dangers at every turn.

But as the twins journey through a moon fairy forest, into a hag’s watery lair and to the top of a giant’s beanstalk, they find that the most powerful magic is not always where you’d expect. 

M. G. Leonard (Author), Polly Dunbar (Illustrator) - The Adventures of Portly the Otter - Published by Farshore, 26 March 2026 - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0008667771 - Hardback - Age: 7+ 

Beautifully illustrated in full colour by award-winning illustrator of The Hug, Polly Dunbar, this gorgeous hardback gift book celebrates the 95th anniversary of EH Shepard’s iconic artwork for The Wind in the Willows. 

There is a time in a young otter’s life when they must be introduced to their river. For Portly, today was that day …

Told across four seasons in one year, little Portly has the greatest of adventures. Among other fur-raising encounters, the youngest of Mrs Otter’s pups learns to swim, battles a large trout, rescues a human girl, outwits the weasels and stoats of the Wild Wood and sleeps in the care of the god Pan – a scene familiar to readers of the original book.

Full of all the charm, nostalgia and sounds of splashing in the river that fans of The Wind in the Willows have fallen in love with over the years, M.G.Leonard’s faithful spin-off will enchant an entirely new generation.

Catherine Doyle (Author), Rachael Dean (Illustrator) - Scare B'n'B - Published by ‎ Bloomsbury Children's Books, 12 March 2026 - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1526655141 - Paperback - Age: 7+

Spooky silliness reigns in Catherine Doyle's brand new series as Ted and Frankie team up to save their hotel from a ghostly duke and his restless spirits. Featuring hilarious illustrations from Rachael Dean. 

Ted McKenley would rather live anywhere than with Frankie "spawn-of-the-devil" Stark. And Frankie wouldn't go near a coward like Ted. Too bad - their parents just got married and blew their savings turning a creepy old mansion into a boutique hotel. At least it's big enough for the stepsiblings to stay far apart.

But when Ted encounters a disappearing housekeeper and Frankie runs into a screaming suit of armour, their feud becomes the least of their problems.

With cranky spirits on the loose, Ted and Frankie reluctantly team up to stop the devious Duke of Snoring from turning their new home into haunted rubble.

The battle for the hotel has begun!

• 
• 
  
Aaron Starmer - You Are Now Old Enough to Hear This - Penguin Workshop, 24 Mar. 2026 - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593751091 - Hardback - Age: 10+ 
• There's always more to the story. 
  In the latest middle-grade speculative novel from Spontaneous author Aaron Starmer, Roman follows the twisted threads of bizarre family legends and magical secrets to write his own chapter in his peculiar family narrative.
  The Toe Beast looms large in the Barnes family lore--a tale concocted by twelve-year-old Roman's grandpa to explain his missing toe. But Roman has never actually heard the full story, and after his grandpa dies suddenly, it seems like he never will. 
  That is, until Roman is tasked with clearing out his grandpa's house and stumbles upon some strange things. An old mason jar full of formaldehyde, a mysterious handwritten book about a girl and a pack of dogs, a rusty metal bucket with peculiar abilities. And they all tie back to extraordinary secrets from the distant past. 
  By unraveling even more unbelievable stories that have been hidden from him, Roman is forced to rethink how he fits into his family's history. Now it's up to him to see his own story through to the end. Because the Toe Beast was only the beginning . . .

Clare Povey - The Midnight Sweet Factory - A Wanderdays Adventure - Book Review - Usborne Publishing

Published by Usborne Publishing Ltd, 11 Sept. 2025. Illustrated brilliantly by Davide Ortu. 

"HELP! Trapped in the Midnight Forest. Come before the lollypops run OUT!"

This enchanting, sugary sweet book whisks readers away on an adventure through a vivid, magical landscape where every page bursts and buzzes with excitement and wonder. Here are some highlights of this spellbinding tale:

Engaging Storyline: The narrative is rich with twists and turns, ensuring that readers remain on the edge of their seats throughout the journey. The story balances heartfelt moments with pulse-quickening suspense, making it a perfect blend of fantasy and adventure.

Vibrant World-Building: The author has crafted a mesmerising world filled with mystical creatures, enchanted forests, and ancient secrets. Every setting feels alive, encouraging readers to lose themselves in the intricate details of this realm.

Dynamic Characters: The protagonists are multi-dimensional and relatable, facing challenges that test their courage, loyalty, and resilience. Their growth over the course of the story adds a layer of depth, making the emotional stakes as important as the physical ones.

Themes of Hope and Discovery: Beyond the adventure, the book explores themes of self-discovery and the timeless battle between light and darkness. It reminds us that even in the face of overwhelming odds, hope and friendship can light the way.

Captivating Writing Style: The lyrical prose and imaginative descriptions draw readers deeper into the fantastical world. The balance between detailed descriptions and brisk pacing ensures that the narrative feels both expansive and personal.

Overall, this book is a delightful escape into a magical world where adventure awaits at every turn. Whether you're a long-time fan of fantasy or a newcomer to the genre, you'll find this tale to be a captivating journey that's both heartwarming and exhilarating.

Happy reading!

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Favourite Children's Book Picks - JULY 2025 UK

 

Pil Van Martin - The Spick and the Span - Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books (31 July 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0008724788 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

Imaginative, magical, wildly funny, and with a truly unique world, The Spick and the Span is an extraordinary, exciting fantasy middle grade adventure – perfect for fans of Jessica Townsend's Nevermoor, Jonathan Stroud's Lockwood and Co, Diana Wynne Jones' Howl's Moving Castle, and Terry Pratchett's Discworld.

Thanks to many generations of careless magicians, the city of Helm is overflowing with magic, which has made it a very dangerous place to live. Leave anything alone for too long and it will transform into something else: your house will turn to gingerbread, your teapot will start pouring pond water or – if you're really unlucky – your floor will turn to lava.

The magicians liked to pretend it’s them who keep the worst magical hiccups in check, but the real heroes of the whole sorry situation are of a wholly different occupation: equally well known but decidedly less respected.

The heroes of the city of Helm are the cleaners.

Ward, an ambitious twelve-year-old cleaner, wants nothing more than to belong to the League of Cleaners, who will grant him the prestige and popularity he's been looking for all his life – if only he can pass three near-impossible tests. Struggling toward this goal with a team he doesn't trust, Ward's world is upended when his friend disappears and mysterious magic-eating monsters appear all over the city and start tearing holes in the fabric of reality. Suddenly his ambitions are the least of his problems…

Hugely funny and exciting, and with an incredibly imaginative, original story, The Spick and the Span is the unmissable fantasy middle grade debut of 2025 – you'll never look at magic the same way again…

Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick - The Museum of Lost Umbrellas - Published by Faber & Faber (31 July 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0571385720 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

Discover a magical island where the houses grant you wishes and the alleyways are secret portals . . .
Faber is proud to launch a show-stopping debut fantasy middle-grade series, The Cloud Witch Chronicles, from award-winning Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick!

When Dilly arrives on the island of Ollipest, she is unsure what to expect from her new life . . . She certainly doesn't expect to find magic!

Until now, the magic of Ollipest Island has been a well-kept secret. Then the Museum of Lost Umbrellas opens after many years of closure . . .

And when the museum attracts some unsavoury anti-magic outsiders, Dilly must unlock her ancestral powers to help keep the island safe.

A dazzling, epic adventure where witches fly with umbrellas, magical dogs walk out of the sea and pet parrots suddenly become humans. This will keep readers on their edge of the seats and leave them desperate for the next instalment.

Ross MacKenzie - The Uninvited - Published Andersen Press (31 July 2025)  - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1839133176 - Paperback - Age: 10+ 

When the Faerie folk flee their world and come to ours, running from the nightmare of war, nobody in the everyday knows what to do. So they are locked away.

Thirteen-year-old Samm Wolfback lives in Glass Forest, a sprawling Faerae refugee camp in England. Life in Glass Forest is hard, poisoned by disease and crime and poverty. But Samm has a unique gift that lines his pockets – he can find lost things.
When Samm is thrust into the centre of a plot to escape Glass Forest and return home, he must use his gifts to unearth two treasures lost in the everyday: a relic that will end the war back in Faerae; and the only person with the power to reopen the door between worlds – the Locksmith. The task will take Samm to dark places filled with danger, from a grimly enchanted circus of nightmares to a museum housing a murderous exhibit, and he will have to use all of his skills to stay alive.
Meanwhile, in the human world, a kidnapped boy with a dark secret begins to realise that he might hold the key to the Faerae folks’ fate. Before all is said and done, destiny’s web will entangle him with Samm and send them spinning towards a showdown with the great evil that lurks in the world beyond the door.

Bali Rai - Escape From Amritsar - Bloomsbury Education (3 July 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1801997720 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

Amritsar, India, 1919. A city on the brink of violence, as tensions between the local people and the British colonial rulers explode.

12-year-old Arjan Singh learns that his father has been falsely charged with serious crimes. But there has been a terrible massacre in the city, as British troops fired on unarmed Indians, and the city is under curfew. Anger and fear have left the population seething and danger lurks around every corner.

Arjan sets out on a perilous mission to save his father, in the face of armed troops, martial curfew, and vicious local bandits. Can he escape and get to his father before it's too late?

The Best Children's Book Picks AUGUST 2024 US Post - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Tracey Baptiste - Freedom Fire: Moko Magic: Carnival Chaos - Published by Freedom Fire (August 6, 2024) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1368074377 - Hardback - Age:8+ 

From the best-selling author of the Jumbies series comes an Afro-Caribbean-inspired story about three cousins who discover they are mokos--protector spirits--during carnival season in Brooklyn

Weirdness and wonders abound in this colorful celebration of Afro-Caribbean culture by the author of the beloved Jumbies series.

Twelve-year-old Misty and her mother have just moved from Trinidad to Brooklyn, New York, in time for the annual carnival celebrations over Labor Day weekend. Misty has plenty to deal with getting used to living with her cousins Aiden and Brooke in her new surroundings. On top of that, her mom is too busy trying to find a job and her aunts and uncles are too preoccupied with carnival preparations to pay any attention to her. 

Then really strange things begin to happen. A ball of feathers in the basement turns into a creature that squeaks and rolls around. When Misty and her cousins eat pieces of mango anchar, flames shoot out of their mouths. Most disturbing of all, Misty begins to see visions of the future--scary visions that soon come true.

Misty discovers that she and her cousins come from a long line of mokos, people who have special powers meant to help them protect their community. Misty can see impending danger, Aiden can heal, and Brooke has crazy physical strength. The trio is just learning about their skills when Misty senses something watching her. And then each of the carnival events is disrupted by a different disaster. Some kind of evil force is clearly trying to stop the festivities. But why? And will moko magic be enough to save the day?

Kate J. Armstrong - Fyrebirds - Published by Nancy Paulsen Books (August 27, 2024) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593463307 - Hardback - Age:12+ 

With tensions rising and their powers no longer a secret, the Nightbirds must decide for whom and for what they are willing to fight for and how far they will go in the spellbinding sequel to the international bestseller Nightbirds.

The Nightbirds were once their city’s best-kept secret, but now the secret’s out. What’s more, they can do feats of magic no one has seen in centuries. They’re like the Fyrebirds of old: the powerful women who once moved mountains, parted seas, and led armies. Some say that when four join together, they become a force that shakes the earth and sends magic rippling through it. It does seem as if something has awoken in Eudea, but the four girls responsible don’t want the world to know the full extent of what they can do—at least not yet.

As the new leader of Eudea works to lift the prohibition on magic, the churchmen who do not support it—and the gang lords who profit from it—whisper rebellion. The secret resistance who once sheltered the Nightbirds is rallying, too. Smelling blood in the water, an ambitious Farlands king threatens to take Eudea. As war looms, and the empire’s fate hangs from a knife’s edge, the Nightbirds have to decide if becoming more than that are—Fyrebirds—to protect Simta is worth losing themselves entirely and the lives and loves they might have had.

Joan Reardon - The Grimsbane Family Witch Hunters - Published by Aladdin (August 20, 2024) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1665929561 - Hardback - Age: 7+ 

Netflix’s Wednesday meets Jodi Lynn Anderson’s The Memory Thief in this creepy and high-stakes middle-grade adventure about a girl’s quest to save her cursed brother who takes her through perilous, monster-filled woods.

The Grimsbane women have been hunting witches and monsters for generations—ever since the Watcher, the most powerful witch in the Midwest, cursed the Grimsbane men to die untimely and unusual deaths. Part-time skater, full-time troublemaker Anna Grimsbane may be only twelve, but she’s been learning about hunting her whole life and is tired of waiting to do the real thing. She and her twin brother Billy are about to turn thirteen, the age the curse takes hold, and Anna wants to be on the front lines fighting to break it.

Only hours before he’ll become an accident-prone walking disaster, Billy runs away to find the Watcher himself. The Grimsbane women are all out on patrol, leaving it up to Anna and her friends Suvi and Rosario to find Billy before his recklessness hastens his demise. But the woods are crawling with cryptids, most of whom hate humans, and all of whom hate the Grimsbanes, and the deeper Anna gets into the forest, the clearer it is that reading about witch hunting is no replacement for practical experience.

Anna feels in over her head, especially as she starts to suspect she knows much less about her family history than she’d thought. As she races against the clock to find Billy before midnight, it becomes all too evident that he isn’t the only Grimsbane at risk for a grisly death tonight.

Brandon Hoang - The Crossbow of Destiny - Published by 

Scholastic Press (August 6, 2024) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1338789843 - Hardback - Age: 8+ 

Author Brandon Hoang takes readers on a high-stakes adventure through Vietnam in search of an ancient magical crossbow in this debut middle-grade fantasy that Michael Dante DiMartino, co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender calls "a must-read"!

When Vietnamese American Freddie Lo finds herself in Vietnam for the first time since she was little, she's not quite sure how to feel. The memories of her extended family are more like distant echoes; she has a tough time speaking Vietnamese; and she can't help but feel like she just isn't Vietnamese enough. Still, this is her chance to reconnect with her family, especially her Ong ngoai -- or grandfather -- who is receiving a big award.

That's when Ong ngoai reveals his secret: He knows the location of an ancient legendary crossbow, one with the power to decimate armies -- and he's hidden it away from those who intend to use its magic for evil. But when Ong ngoai is kidnapped, it's up to Freddie, her cousin Lien, and a mysterious boy named Duy to get to the crossbow before it ends up in the wrong hands.

In this Indiana Jones-style adventure, readers will travel through Vietnam -- from its seaside villages, to the swamps of the Mekong Delta, to the majestic Marble Mountains of Da Nang -- as Freddie learns what it takes to be a hero.

The Best Children's Book Picks July 2024 US Post - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Christopher Lincoln - The Night Librarian - Published by Dial Books (July 30, 2024) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593617663 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

Night at the Museum meets The Land of Stories in this thrilling new graphic novel adventure series in which two siblings, a mysterious Night Librarian, and a motley cast of book characters try to save the New York Public Library

Twins Page and Turner know about the magic a library holds—they’ve been going to their beloved New York City public library for years, especially since their parents are always traveling for work.

But a secret mission involving their dad’s rare and valuable edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula uncovers a world they’ve never known, featuring a mysterious Night Librarian, famous heroes (and villains) that have broken free from classic books, and an epic battle to save the library from total destruction.

William David Thomas - Hum - Published by Charlesbridge Moves (July 16, 2024) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1732213722 - Hardback - Age: 9+

A chance encounter with an old llama astonishingly reveals a language Allen didn’t know he could speak in this captivating and one-of-a-kind middle-grade novel.

Eleven-year-old Allen has a recurring nightmare, a persistent habit of humming, and difficulty connecting with other people. Making a fresh start, he and his grandmother move to a small village in northern New York. But when he meets an old llama at a winter festival, the encounter reveals a language he didn’t know he could speak and unveils repressed memories that contradict what he has long believed about his earliest years and his parents’ deaths.

When the llama’s life is threatened, Allen vows to free it. Together they begin a desperate trek through a snowy wilderness, a journey on which Allen must wrestle with lies about his past while struggling against the elements to survive.

Sarah Tolcser - Majestica - Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers (July 2, 2024) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-059369654 - Hardback - Age: 7+

Jurassic Park meets Skandar and the Unicorn Thief in this page-turning middle-grade fantasy adventure set at a nature preserve for magical beasts, where two girls find themselves on a wilderness expedition gone disastrously wrong.

Hattie Swift is a maid-in-training at Majestica, a resort and nature preserve where visitors come face-to-face with rare magical flora and fauna. She’s thrilled to be invited along on the park’s famous wilderness train excursion for the first time, but there’s a catch: She has to accompany Evelyn Ridgewell, the hotel owner’s haughty niece, who wants nothing to do with her.

Soon after embarking, Evelyn overhears a man who aims to hunt the park’s creatures for sport, and Hattie meets Jacob Threadborne, an apprentice magician sent by a foreign government on a top-secret mission. Then the magical fences keeping guests safe stop working, and the train breaks down in the most treacherous part of the jungle. Faced with poachers, man-eating trees, and a dragon on the loose, Hattie, Evelyn, and Jacob must stick together to figure out what’s gone wrong at Majestica . . . that is, if they want to make it out alive.

Features a richly illustrated map of the expansive nature preserve, as well as a bestiary with all the magical—and dangerous—creatures at Majestica.

R. L. Stine - Shark Night - Published by Blackstone Publishing (July 2, 2024) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8874712341 - Hardback - Age: 8+

From bestselling and award-winning author R. L. Stine, Shark Night is a terrifying seafaring adventure that will leave readers gasping for more.

After an accident with the original diver, Carlo finds himself alone in a giant water tank holding a camera. A twenty-foot-long hammerhead shark is about to be lowered into the tank with him ...

Carlo is helping his mom film a documentary for the Danger Channel. A twelve-year-old battling a shark! It'll be a sensation! But don't worry, the hammerhead is the gentlest of sharks, and this one is old and nearly toothless, so he should be fine.

But Carlo is still paralyzed with fear, and as the shark is lowered into the tank he realizes something isn't right ...

They sent down the WRONG shark!

The Best Children's Book Picks MAY 2024 UK Post - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Alastair Chisholm - I Am Wolf - Published by Nosy Crow (9 May 2024) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1839945311 - Paperback - Age: 9+ 

Coll is Wolf.

He lives with his clan on a Construct, a huge technological "creature" driven by the clan's combined willpower. Together they roam their world, fighting other clans and absorbing them into their own.

But when a new and dangerous Construct attacks them, Coll is thrown clear from Wolf and left behind. Now he must survive life on ground and get back to his clan. He is helped by Rieka, a "Tock" who makes the Constructs work. She promises Coll a way to return, but can she be trusted? And what is she really trying to do...?

When Coll uncovers the truth, it destroys everything he thought he knew about his clan, the world they live in, and even himself. In a world full of danger, and suddenly without meaning, can he find a way back?

Jennifer Bell - Magicalia: Race of Wonders - Published by Walker Books (2 May 2024) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1529506143 - Paperback - Age: 7+

From the internationally bestselling author of Wonderscapeand The Uncommoners, comes a spectacular new fantasy series for 9+ set in a world of magical creatures, ancient meteorites and secret organizations, irresistible to fans of Pokémon, Skandar and the Unicorn Thief and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

FEEL THE MAGIC. CONJURE THE IMPOSSIBLE.

When her dad is kidnapped by a woman with a giant hamstoceros, Bitsy and best friend Kosh are swept into a secret world of ancient meteorites and strange beasts called magicores, each conjured using a different emotion. Using a powerful bestiary called Magicalia, the friends must quickly become conjurors themselves, before following a trail of clues that will take them from London to India to Paris, in a race to rescue Bitsy’s dad from a mysterious villain…

Jasbinder Bilan - Nush and the Stolen Emerald - Published by Chicken House (9 May 2024) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1915947024 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

A stunning new historical children's novel from Costa Award-winning author of Asha & the Spirit Bird.

Anushka is furious. As princess of an Indian kingdom, she has watched the British East India Company take land and her family's most divine jewel – an emerald the size of an apple.

So when her father, the Maharaja, decides to visit Queen Victoria at Buckinham Palace, Nush goes too – determined to bring back the gem that can heal her country. 

• A fabulous new historical direction from Costa-winning and Waterstones-shortlisted author, Jasbinder Bilan.
• Themes of colonialism and identity, mixed with an action-packed royal mystery.

Alexandra Page - The Secret Society of Very Important Post - Published by Bloomsbury Children's Books (9 May 2024) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1526644336 - Paperback - Age: 7+ 

It's 1953, just days from the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, and Penny Black can't get into the summer holiday spirit. Not when she's about to move to Scotland - and away from everything she knows - for good. 

But when Wishyouwas plops into the fireplace in a cloud of soot and chaos, with a summons from the Royal Postmistress herself, all of Penny's plans suddenly go up in smoke.

The intrepid pair are soon on the trail of a mysterious traitor and a potentially deadly plot to halt the coronation. Their investigation will take them across London's busy streets, high up in the air and deeper into danger than they've ever been before.