The Best Children's Book Picks MAY 2023 - US Post - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

Matt McMann - Escape from Grtimstone Manor - Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers (May 9, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593530719 - Paperback - Age: 7+

Here's the first book in the series of terrifying tales that combine monsters + mysteries, perfect for fans of Goosebumps.

In a mansion on a hill,
lived a man no one could kill.
Raised the dead with magic dark
to rule the world and make his mark.

Zari has always been fascinated by creepy stories about Hezekiah Crawly, the real-life inspiration behind her local amusement park's haunted house attraction, so she's thrilled when her friends Mateo and Taylor agree to go on the last ride of the day before the park closes.

But when the ride breaks down, the three get trapped inside the haunted house for the night! As if that weren't scary enough, the kids stumble onto a hidden staircase leading to a dark, cobwebbed crypt that doesn't seem like part of the ride—and by the looks of it, they aren't alone down there. Is it possible the stories about Hezekiah Crawly and his monstrous experiments are true? And if so, can Zari, Mateo and Taylor make it through the night in one piece?

Lev Grossman - The Golden Swift (The Silver Arrow Series) - Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (May 2, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316283649 - Paperback - Age: 7+ 

In this thrilling adventure in the New York Times bestselling Silver Arrow series, Kate and Tom must confront the limits of what even magic can do—all while trying to bring balance back to the world.

A lot has changed for Kate in a year. She and Tom are now full-fledged conductors of the steam-powered, animal-saving Great Secret Intercontinental Railway. Life is good!

Or good-ish, anyway. Her uncle Herbert has gone missing, and the worsening climate means that there are more and more animals that need help all the time. How many times does Kate have to save the world before it stays saved? 

And her real life isn’t exactly perfect either. She flunked her audition for the junior high musical and got stuck in the chorus, while her archenemy Jag got a lead.

So, out of desperation, Kate breaks the rules and takes the Silver Arrow out on an unsanctioned mission, to find Uncle Herbert and bring back balance to the world. But she quickly discovers she’s not the only one on the Great Secret Intercontinental Railway. There’s a mysterious train called the Golden Swift out there too, with an agenda of its own. Is it an ally? A rival? An enemy? A bit of all three? 

The question will turn Kate’s world upside down, take her from the Scottish Highlands to the Australian outback to the bottom of the Bering Sea, and lead her straight on a collision course with the mysterious masters of the Great Secret Intercontinental Railway itself. Because when you're a human being fighting to save nature, are you the hero or are you the villain? There are no simple answers.

Ena Jones - Six Feet Below Zero - Published by Holiday House (May 9, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0823454693 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

A dead body. A missing will. An evil relative. The good news is, Great Grammy has a plan. The bad news is, she's the dead body.

Rosie and Baker are hiding something. Something big. Their great-grandmother made them promise to pretend she's alive until they find her missing will and get it in the right hands. The will protects the family house from their grandmother, Grim Hesper, who would sell it and ship Rosie and Baker off to separate boarding schools. They've already lost their parents and Great Grammy--they can't lose each other, too.

The siblings kick it into high gear to locate the will, keep their neighbors from prying, and safeguard the house. Rosie has no time to cope with her grief as disasters pop up around every carefully planned corner. She can't even bring herself to read her last-ever letter from Great Grammy. But the lies get bigger and bigger as Rosie and Baker try to convince everyone that their great grandmother is still around, and they'll need more than a six-month supply of frozen noodle casserole and mountains of toilet paper once their wicked grandmother shows up!

This unexpectedly touching read reminds us that families are weird and wonderful, even when they're missing their best parts. With humor, suspense, and a testament to loyalty, Ena Jones takes two brave kids on an unforgettable journey. Includes four recipes for Great Grammy's survival treats.

Christina Li - Ruby Lost and Found - Published by Quill Tree Books (May 16, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0063008939 - Hardback - Age: 7+ 

Perfect for fans of Kelly Yang and Rebecca Stead, this touching middle-grade novel maps one girl’s quest to remember her grandfather through his scavenger hunts; reconnect with her family; and fight for her community in her rapidly changing hometown. 

Thanks to her Ye-Ye’s epic scavenger hunts, thirteen-year-old Ruby Chu knows San Francisco like the back of her hand. But after his death, she feels lost, and it seems like everyone—from her best friends to her older sister—is abandoning her.

After Ruby gets in major trouble at school, her parents decide she has to spend the summer at a local senior center, with her grandmother, Nai-Nai, and Nai-Nai’s friends for company. When a new boy from Ruby’s grade, Liam Yeung, starts showing up too, Ruby’s humiliation is complete.

But Nai-Nai, her friends, and Liam all surprise Ruby. She finds herself working with Liam, who might not be as annoying as he seems, to help save a historic Chinatown bakery that’s being priced out of the neighborhood. And alongside Nai-Nai, who is keeping a secret that threatens to change everything, Ruby retraces Ye-Ye’s scavenger hunt maps in an attempt to find a way out of her grief—and maybe even find herself. 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Children's Book Picks UK - May 2023

Zohra Nabi (Author), Tom Clohosy Cole (Illustrated) - The Kingdom Over the Sea - Published by Simon & Schuster Children's UK (2 May 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1398517707 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

My own Yara, if you are reading this, then something terrible has happened, and you are on your own. To return to the city of Zehaira, you must read out the words on the back of this letter . . . Good luck, my brave girl. 

When Yara’s mother passes away, she leaves behind a letter and a strange set of instructions. Yara must travel from the home she has always known to a place that is not on any map – Zehaira, a world of sorcerers, alchemists and simmering magic. But Zehaira is not the land it used to be. The practice of magic has been outlawed, the Sultan’s alchemists are plotting a sinister scheme – and the answers Yara is searching for seem to be out of reach.
Yara must summon all of her courage to discover the truth about her mother’s past and her own identity . . . and to find her place in this magical new world.

Ross Montgomery - SPELLSTONE - Published by Walker Books (4 May 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1529501933 Paperback - Age: 8+ 

The greatest magic is hidden in plain sight...

Evie is used to not being noticed. But when she meets the mysterious Wainwright, she discovers that going unnoticed might just be what makes her unique. Recruited into a secret magical organization, Evie finds herself at the heart of an ancient and magical battle. Evil is returning to the land, and Evie is the only person who can stop it. But how can she defeat the most dangerous magician in the world, when she doesn’t even know her own powers? 

Skye Melki-Wegner - The Deadlands: Hunted - Published by Walker Books (4 May 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1529504736 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

Before there were dragons, there were dinosaurs...

Imagine a world in which the dinosaurs weren't killed by a meteor hitting the earth. A world in which dinosaurs have learned to speak. To dream. To wage war.

Eleri is an oryctodromeus, a small dinosaur raised in an underground warren. He dreams of becoming his herd’s storyteller but when he saves an enemy soldier from a pterosaur attack, he is exiled to the Deadlands. To survive this scorched desert full of carnivores, he joins a herd of other young exiles, including a peppy stegosaur, a stoic sauropod, an irritable triceratops … and a mysterious spy. Can five young misfits save their warring kingdoms?

Includes bonus content: a map and extra dinosaur facts.

Ravena Guron - The Thief of Farrowfell - Published by Faber & Faber; Main edition (4 May 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0571371174 - Paperback - Age: 8+

Welcome to a fantasy world where edible magic is the hottest commodity, traded between those who can pay or - in the case of Jude Ripon, the youngest thief in Farrowfell - those who can steal it! 

Twelve-year-old Jude Ripon has never been taken seriously by her family of magic-stealing masterminds. To them, she's just the youngest, only good for keeping watch while they carry out daring heists.

Desperate to prove her worth, Jude decides to steal valuable magic from the fanciest house in town . . .

But Jude's stolen prize was protected by a curse which threatens to wreak havoc on the family business.

While attempting to untangle the mess she's made (and wondering why anyone would want to curse an honest thief trying to earn a living), Jude discovers just how far her family will go to stay at the top of the criminal world.

Suddenly, her quest to become a true Ripon isn't straightforward any more... 

The Best Children's Book Picks April 2023 - US Post - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

Skye Melki-Wenger - The Deadlands: Hunted - Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (April 4, 2023). - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250827692 - Hardback - Age: 8+ 

Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park in this action-adventure middle-grade debut series by Skye Melki-Wegner about five outcasts―and former enemies―who are the only hope to save their warring kingdoms from impending doom.

The battle rages between the dinosaur kingdoms of Cretacea.

When the Fallen Star struck, it brought death and despair, ash and toxic rain. But some dinosaurs survived . . . and were changed. Their minds grew alert. They learned to speak. To dream. To wage war.

As the two remaining dinosaur kingdoms fight for territory, Eleri, the disgraced son of a prince, is exiled from his home for saving an enemy soldier. Banished to the merciless Deadlands, a terrifying desert full of tar pits, poisonous gas, and ruthless carnivores, he must join forces with a group of questionable allies―including the enemy soldier he saved―to avoid becoming prey.

When Eleri and his fellow exiles discover the horrific truth behind the war, the unlikely heroes must do all they can to save their kingdoms from a lurking predator. . . and a secret plot that might destroy them all.

Jonathan Stroud - Notorious Scarlett and Browne - Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers (April 25, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593430408 - Hardback - Age: 9+ 

The now notorious outlaws Scarlett and Browne are back in their second death-defying adventure—and this time it’s not just their own lives on the line. . . .

Albert and Scarlett are a formidable pair. With his ability to read minds and her way with a weapon, no bank can keep them out and no jail can keep them in.
     But their notoriety may have spread a bit too far. Now old enemies from Scarlett’s past and a sinister new threat from Albert’s world are boxing them in—and holding their friends hostage.
     To win their freedom, the outlaws Scarlett and Browne are charged with pulling off an impossible mission.
     And the clock is ticking . . .

Fans of Jonathan Stroud's The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne won't want to miss their next adventure.

Gavriel Savit  - Come See the Fair - Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers (April 11, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593378663 - Hardback - Age: 8+

An unforgettable story of magic, mediums, and séances set during the Chicago World’s Fair from the author of the National Book Award finalist The Way Back.

Twelve-year-old orphan Eva Root travels the country pretending to channel spirits at séances. Her audiences swear their loved ones have spoken to them from beyond the grave. This, of course, is impossible.

But one day, Eva experiences another impossibility: she hears a voice in her head telling her to come to the World’s Fair in Chicago. There, she meets a mysterious magician who needs her help to bring magic to life. But as their work progresses, Eva begins to suspect that the project's goals may not be as noble as they seem. And when tragedy strikes, Eva will have to reach beyond death itself to unravel the mystery of the magician's plan—before it’s too late. 

From the author of the National Book Award finalist The Way Back comes a story of what to do when you get burned by the magic you’ve been looking for all your life.

“Gavriel Savit is an alchemist. Fusing history and magic with the shimmering ghost light of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, he has conjured a perfect potion of adventure and suspense. 

Matthew J. Kirby - Star Splitter - Published by Dutton Books for Young Readers (April 25, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0735231665 - Hardback - Age: 11+

Survival and self-determination collide in this haunting, pulse-pounding science fiction novel from Edgar Award–winning author Matthew J. Kirby that spans both space and time.

2199. Deep-space exploration is a reality and teleportation is routine. But this time something seems to have gone very, very wrong. Seventeen-year-old Jessica Mathers wakes up in a lander that’s crashed onto the surface of Carver 1061c, a desolate, post-extinction planet fourteen light-years from Earth. The planet she was supposed to be viewing from a ship orbiting far above.

The corridors of the empty lander are covered in bloody hand prints; the machines are silent and dark. And outside, in the alien dirt, there are fresh graves carefully marked with names she doesn’t recognize. Now Jessica must unravel the mystery of the destruction all around her—and the questionable intentions of a familiar stranger.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Children's Book Picks UK - April 2023

 

Lee Newbery (Author), Laura Catalán (Illustrator) - The First Shadowdragon (The Last Firefox) - Published by Puffin (27 April 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0241628560 - Paperback - Age: 7+

All legends start somewhere . . .

After defeating the evil Grendilock and saving Cadno, the last firefox, Charlie Challinor is looking forward to a well-earned rest. But when a familiar face appears from the realm of Fargone, Charlie's family is once again swept up into adventure.

Along with Lippy, Roo and new magical friend Blodyn, Charlie must travel to Fargone to face the dreaded Draig, the shadowy monster that is slowly draining the life from the land - and uncover the lost secret that links Draig's history to Charlie's own . . .

Justyn Edwards - The Great Fox Heist (The Great Fox Books) - Published by Walker Books (6 April 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1529501957 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

The stakes are high in this fast-paced mystery adventure starring young magician Flick Lions. The second book in the Great Fox series.
How well do you really know someone...?

Flick is a magician who needs answers. Her father is still missing, and top illusionist the Great Fox doesn't seem interested in finding him, despite his promises. Meanwhile, she and her friend Charlie must represent the Great Fox in a new competition in the Swiss town of Linth. The Global Order of Magic is electing a new chancellor, and the Fox insists that if he wins, it will help – but Flick isn't so sure. Determined to solve the mystery of her father's disappearance and of The Bell System, his greatest and most mysterious magic trick, Flick must pull off an impossible diamond heist to win. But danger lurks around every corner, and nothing is what it seems.

Jess Butterworth (Author), Rob Biddulph (Illustrator) - Lost on Gibbon Island - Published by Orion Children's Books (13 April 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1510110328 - Paperback - Age: 8+

The Last Bear meets The Life of Pi in this adventure-filled survival story set on a lush Cambodian island! Meet 12-year-old Lark, who finds herself ship-wrecked with no one but a baby gibbon for company. Can she survive storms, lack of food and jelly-fish infested waters and find her way home?

'If you're reading this, hopefully you've come to rescue me. My name is Lark Taylor, and I've been shipwrecked on an island. The last mainland I was on was Cambodia, miles and miles away from home...'

When Lark's mum takes her family with her on a research trip to Cambodia, Lark never expects that she'll end up stranded on a deserted island! But that's exactly what happens when her boat is shipwrecked.

With her only companion a baby gibbon, Lark faces many dangers - brutal storms, scorching sunshine and jellyfish-infested waters. And with dwindling food and water, she must make a plan to find her way off the island before it's too late...

Formatted as Lark's diary with lined journal pages, gorgeous design details and a special map of Gibbon Island by Rob Biddulph, this is a gorgeous survival story that will have you on the edge of your seat.

David O'Connell (Author) Seb Burnett (Illustrator) - The Smidgens United - Published by Bloomsbury Children's Books (13 April 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1526640604 - Paperback - Age: 7 

The third book in David O'Connell's funny and magical series about tiny people having ENORMOUS adventures! Perfect for fans of Terry Pratchett, Max and the Millions and The Borrowers

The final battle to save the Smidgens has begun! In order to defeat the evil Claudia Slymark and her ghosts once and for all, Gafferty and her friends must reunite the three Smidgen clans, and stop anyone piecing back together the legendary Mirror of Trokanis. The race is on to find the remaining fragment. Will Gafferty save the day?

Liz Flanagan (Author), Joe Todd-Stanton (Illustrator) - Wildsmith: City of Secrets (The Wildsmith) - Published by UCLan Publishing (6 April 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1915235077 - Paperback - Age: 7

Rowan starts to embrace her gifts as a magical Wildsmith who heals and speaks to animals. But saving a young pegasus brings difficult decisions. Danger comes closer than ever, threatening her family and even Rowan’s own life. When she is betrayed, which friends can she trust? With her family divided and war still raging, where does Rowan belong now?

The Best Children's Book Picks March 2023 - US Post - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

Polly Holyoke - Skyriders - Published by Viking Books for Young Readers (March 7, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593464410 - Hardback - Age: 7+ 

Wings of Fire meets Skandar and the Unicorn Thief in this epic fantasy adventure set in a world where human and skysteed share a deep bond of friendship and love.

When monsters emerge to attack the empire, it's up to Kiesandra and her beloved winged horse N'Rah to prove to herself and the imperial army that she has what it takes to lead them to victory . . . and survival.

Thirteen-year-old Kiesandra's best friend isn't human, but that doesn't stop her from sharing jokes and secrets with her winged horse, N'Rah. She, like every other person with a skysteed, can communicate with N'Rah through her mind. Their bond is critical when one day, monsters from long ago reemerge to ravage a nearby village. No one knows how to fight the fearsome chimerae except Kie's uncle . . . and now Kie.

Injured in the battle, Uncle Dug makes her promise to bring his attack plan and weapons to the capital. Kie reluctantly agrees. At the palace, she and N'Rah attempt to gain the trust of the royals and train the army in Dug's lessons. But how can a young girl and her skysteed convince anyone that only they know how to defeat the deadly monsters?

Buzzing with action, heart, and friendship, this first book in the Skyriders series show that kids can achieve the impossible—especially with flying horses on their side.

Rebecca Mahoney - The Memory Eater - Published by Razorbill (March 14, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593524602 - Hardback - Age: 11+ 

“An eerie tale offering equal measures of fright, angst, and emotional catharsis.” —Kirkus, starred review

A teenage girl must save her town from a memory-devouring monster in this piercing exploration of grief, trauma, and memory, from the author of The Valley and the Flood.

For generations, a monster called the Memory Eater has lived in the caves of Whistler Beach, Maine, surviving off the unhappy memories of those who want to forget. And for generations, the Harlows have been in charge of keeping her locked up—and keeping her fed.

After her grandmother dies, seventeen-year-old Alana Harlow inherits the family business. But there’s something Alana doesn’t know: the strange gaps in her memory aren’t from an accident. Her memories have been taken—eaten. And with them, she’s lost the knowledge of how to keep the monster contained.

Now the Memory Eater is loose. Alana’s mistake could cost Whistler Beach everything—unless she can figure out how to retrieve her memories and recapture the monster. But as Alana delves deeper into her family’s magic and the history of her town, she discovers a shocking secret at the center of the Harlow family business and learns that tampering with memories always comes at a price.

Cayla Fay - Ravensong - Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (March 14, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1665905299 - Hardback - Age: 12+

A demi-god who refuses to cohabitate with humans accidentally falls in love with one in the first book of a pulse-pounding teen duology that’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Celtic mythology.

Neve has spent lifetimes defending the mortal world against the legions of hell with her two sisters. 

Unfortunately for Neve, in this lifetime, she is the only one of the Morrigan—a triad of Irish war gods—still stuck in high school and still without her full power. She’s been counting down the days until her eighteenth birthday, when she finally gets to shed the pretenses of humanity and grow into her divine power.

But then she meets Alexandria. And Alexandria is as determined to force Neve into some semblance of teenage normalcy as she is haunted by her own demons—both figurative and literal.

As they grow closer, Neve decides that humanity—and, perhaps, love—isn’t so detestable after all. This makes it all the more dangerous when she realizes that something in Hell wants Alexandria, and it’s up to Neve and her sisters to save her before Alexandria’s past catches up to all of them.

Chica Umino - March Comes in Like a Lion (Volume 1) - Published by ‎DENPA BOOKS (March 28, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1634428125 - Paperback - Age: 12+ 
Rei Kiriyama is a child prodigy. Rei Kiriyama is also an orphan who lives alone in an empty apartment. Rei Kiriyama is a teen working in an adult's world. Life is complicated for Rei. He's an up-and-coming shogi (Japanese chess) player on the verge of turning pro but he has no homelife or much of a life period outside his board game but thankfully with the help of some life-long friends he has an opportunity start all over again.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Children's Book Picks UK - March 2023

J. J. Arcanjo - Crookhaven: The School for Thieves - Published by Hodder Children's Books (2 Mar. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1444965735 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

"So this is really a school for criminals." It was meant as a question, though it came out more as an accusation.

"We are so much more than that," Caspian said, sitting in a plush leather chair and gesturing for Gabriel to sit in a similar one across the table. "We are a home for the forgotten, a sanctuary for the lost and ... yes, a training ground for the greatest crooks of the future."

13-year-old Gabriel is a brilliant pickpocket, a skill which he uses to keep his often empty belly not quite so empty. And then one day, he's caught.

But instead of being arrested, he is invited by the mysterious Caspian Crook to attend Crookhaven - a school for thieves. At Crookhaven, students are trained in lock-picking, forgery and 'crim-nastics', all with the intention of doing good out in the world, by conning the bad and giving back to the innocent.

But ... can you ever really trust a thief?

With a school-wide competition to be crowned Top Crook and many mysteries to uncover, Gabriel's first year at Crookhaven will be one to remember... 

Peter Bunzl (Author), Lia Visirin (Illustrator) - Dragonracers - Published by Barrington Stoke (2 Mar. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1800901780 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

Twins Kitty and Harris Hawk have grown up at the airfield where their father works as an engineer. Kitty in particular is obsessed with the idea of becoming an aeronaut but her father thinks children should stay firmly on the ground. When the twins discover a strange and unusually large egg from which a dragon hatches, little do they imagine that this is the first step on a journey that will see them taking to the skies and competing in the first long-distance air race. Can they win the huge prize that’s at stake and will their daring adventure lead their father to change his mind about Kitty’s future?

Samuel Sattin (Adapted), Tomm Moore (Creator) - Song of the Sea: The Graphic Novel - Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (7 Mar. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316438810 - Hardback/Paperback - Age:7+ 

A lush graphic novel about a family adrift and the magical adventure that brings them together. Based on the award-winning film, this gorgeous adaptation includes a bonus story from the film's creator.

Many years after the disappearance of their mother, siblings Ben and Saoirse are still drowning in grief, as is their lighthouse-keeper father. Ben blames his little sister for the loss of their mother, and despite being six years old, Saoirse has yet to speak. When the kids discover that Saoirse is a selkie and the magical world that their mother told stories about is real, they dive into an adventure to keep the spirit world from disappearing forever. Based on the award-winning film Song of the Sea, this graphic novel is a wonder of magical storytelling and visual splendor that is destined to become a classic. 

Includes an 18-page bonus story written and illustrated by film creator Tomm Moore and a Gaelic glossary. 

Song of the Sea (along with Wolfwalkers and The Secret of Kells) is part of Cartoon Saloon's Irish Folklore Trilogy which celebrates magic, fantasy, and Celtic mythology. 

Anna Goodall - Maggie Blue and the White Crow - Published by Guppy Books (2 Mar. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1913101817 - Hardback - Age: 9+ 

Maggie Blue is adjusting to a quieter life, back living with her aunt Esme and hanging out with friends Ida and Will as well as her beloved Hoagy the cat. She tries to forget about the events of the previous year - but she's being watched, and one day a small white bird appears. Where has the white crow come from, and why won't it leave Maggie alone? Little does she know that the Dark World is waiting for her to return... and when Cynthia her mum is kidnapped and taken there, Maggie only has no choice but to go back. With the help of Hoagy and some new friends by her side, Maggie must go back to the place that she never wished to see again, if she's ever to see her mum - or gain control of her own life - again.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Children's Book Picks Feb 2023 - US Published Post

 

Beth Lincoln (Author), Claire Powell (Illustrator) - The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels - Published by  Dutton Books for Young Readers (February 7, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593533239 - Hardback - Age: 7+

On the day they are born, every Swift child is brought before the sacred Family Dictionary. They are given a name, and a definition. A definition it is assumed they will grow up to match. 
Meet Shenanigan Swift: Little sister. Risk-taker. Mischief-maker.

Shenanigan is getting ready for the big Swift Family Reunion and plotting her next great scheme: hunting for Grand-Uncle Vile’s long-lost treasure. She’s excited to finally meet her arriving relatives—until one of them gives Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude a deadly shove down the stairs.

So what if everyone thinks she’ll never be more than a troublemaker, just because of her name? Shenanigan knows she can become whatever she wants, even a detective. And she’s determined to follow the twisty clues and catch the killer.

Deliciously suspenseful and delightfully clever, The Swifts is a remarkable debut that is both brilliantly contemporary and instantly classic. A celebration of words and individuality, it's packed with games, wordplay, and lots and lots of mischief as Shenanigan sets out to save her family and define herself in a world where definitions are so important.

• Jonathan Starrett - The Architect - Published by Tyndale House Publishers (February 7, 2023) - 
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496466600 - Harback - Age: 8+ 
• There’s a golden rule in Phantom City: “No one about when the Zeppelin is out.” But one night, twelve-year-old Charlie Crane comes face-to-face with the Zeppelin, and instead of finding trouble, she is awakened.
  
  Determined to find the truth in a city plagued with lies, Charlie, along with a quirky band of unlikely heroes, works to free the people of Phantom City from the clutches of a shadowy, evil villain. Helped by a mysterious Architect who only communicates over radio and telephone, Charlie wrestles with two big questions: Can she trust a guide she can't see? And is the truth actually worth the trouble?
  
  Filled with sinister schemes, bumbling superheroes, unexpected friendships, and plenty of humor and plot twists, The Architect keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Boys and girls alike will be fascinated by the unique world of Phantom City, with its steampunk and Gotham City–type elements and will quickly find themselves cheering for our heroes in their fight against evil.

Miya T. Beck - The Pearl Hunter - Published by Balzer + Bray (February 7, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0063238190 - Hardback - Age: 8+

Set in a world inspired by pre-Shogun era Japan, this is a stunning debut fantasy in the vein of Grace Lin about how a young pearl diver goes to the ends of the earth to rescue her twin sister, who has been stolen by a ghost whale.

Kai and Kishi share the same futon, the same face, and the same talent for pearl diving. But Kishi is the obedient daughter, while Kai tries to push the rules, and sometimes they fight. Still, when Kishi is stolen and killed by the legendary Ghost Whale, nothing will stop Kai from searching for her, deep in the ocean, hoping for a way to bring her back to life.

But such a rescue is beyond the power of an ordinary mortal. Kai strikes a deal with the gods: she’ll steal a magic pearl in exchange for her sister’s soul. As she journeys across treacherous landscape, Kai must navigate encounters with scheming bandits, a power-hungry warlord, and a legion of conniving fox spirits.  And when a new friendship becomes something almost as powerful as her love for her sister, Kai must make impossible choices and risk everything just to get home again.

Woven through with Japanese culture and legends, this many-layered story will grip readers of all ages.

Misa Sugiura - Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind - Published by Labyrinth Road (February 28, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593564066 - Hardback - Age 7+ 

All Momo wants for her twelfth birthday is an ordinary life—like everyone else's. At home, she has to take care of her absentminded widowed mother. At school, kids ridicule her for mixing up reality with the magical stories her mother used to tell her.

But then Momo’s mother falls gravely ill, and a death hag straight out of those childhood stories attacks Momo at the mall, where she’s rescued by a talking fox . . . and “ordinary” goes out the window. It turns out that Momo's mother is a banished Shinto goddess who used to protect a long-forgotten passageway to Yomi—a.k.a. the land of the dead. That passageway is now under attack, and countless evil spirits threaten to escape and wreak havoc across the earth.

Joined by Niko the fox and Danny—her former best friend turned popular jerk, whom she never planned to speak to again, much less save the world with—Momo must embrace her (definitely not "ordinary") identity as half human, half goddess to unlock her divine powers, save her mother’s life, and force the demons back to Yomi.