Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's & Young Adult Book Picks US - June 2020 - Post Two

Nicky Drayden - The Hero of Numbani (Overwatch #1) - Published by Scholastic Inc. (June 2, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1338575972 - Paperback - Age: 12+

This action-packed novel features the fan-favorite characters Efi, Orisa, Doomfist, and Lúcio in an all-new, original story straight from the minds of the Overwatch game team and critically acclaimed author Nicky Drayden!
In the technologically advanced African city of Numbani, in the not-so-distant future, humans live in harmony with humanoid robots known as omnics. But when a terrorist tries to shatter that unity, a hero named Efi Oladele rises! 

Efi has been making robots since she was little -- machines to better her community and improve people's lives. But after she witnesses Doomfist's catastrophic attack on the city's OR15 security bots, Efi feels the call to build something greater: a true guardian of Numbani.

While Doomfist sows discord between humans and omnics, Efi engineers an intelligent and compassionate robot, Orisa, named after the powerful spirits who guide her people. Orisa has a lot to learn before she's ready to defeat Doomfist, but Efi has some learning to do, too, especially when it comes to building -- and being -- a hero. With Doomfist rallying his forces, and the military powerless to stop him, can Efi mold Orisa into the hero of Numbani before it's too late?

Jenny Elder Moke - Hood - Published by Disney-Hyperion (June 9, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1368047456 - Hardback - Age: 12+ 
You have the blood of kings and rebels within you, love. Let it rise to meet the call.

Isabelle of Kirklees has only ever known a quiet life inside the sheltered walls of the convent, where she lives with her mother, Marien. But after she is arrested by royal soldiers for defending innocent villagers, Isabelle becomes the target of the Wolf, King John's ruthless right hand. Desperate to keep her daughter safe, Marien helps Isabelle escape and sends her on a mission to find the one person who can help: Isabelle's father, Robin Hood. 

As Isabelle races to stay out of the Wolf's clutches and find the father she's never known, she is thrust into a world of thieves and mercenaries, handsome young outlaws, new enemies with old grudges, and a king who wants her entire family dead. As she joins forces with Robin and his Merry Men in a final battle against the Wolf, will Isabelle find the strength to defy the crown and save the lives of everyone she holds dear?

Svetlana Chmakova - The Weirn Books, Vol. 1: Be Wary of the Silent Woods - Published by JY (June 16, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1975311223 - Paperback Age: 7+

• In the Night Realm, vampires, shifters, weirns, and other night things passing for human prowl the streets... but they still have to go to school! Ailis and Na'ya are pretty average students (NOT losers), but when a shadow starts looming and a classmate gets all weird, they are the first to notice. It gets personal, though, when Na'ya's little brother D'esh disappears-It's time to confront the secrets of the forbidden mansion in the Silent Woods!
  
  
  Join the acclaimed author of Awkward, Svetlana Chmakova, for an outing into her favorite fantastical world full of magic and adventure!
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  Zoraida Córdova - The Way to Rio Luna -  Published by Scholastic Inc. (June 2, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1338239546 - Hardback - Age: 8+

  Eleven-year-old Danny Monteverde believes in magic. He knows that pixie dust is real, that wardrobes act as portals, and that rabbit holes lead to Wonderland. Most of all, he believes that his older sister, Pili, is waiting for him somewhere in Rio Luna, the enchanted land in their favorite book of fairy tales. 
  
  Danny doesn't care what the adults say. He knows that Pili isn't another teen runaway. When the siblings were placed in separate foster homes, she promised that she'd come back for him, and they'd build a new life together in Rio Luna.
  
  Yet as the years pass, Danny's faith begins to dim. But just when he thinks it might be time to put foolish fairy tales behind him, he finds a mysterious book in the library. It's a collection of stories that contain hints about how to reach another world. A map to Rio Luna . . . and to Pili. 
  
  As his adventure takes him from New York to Ecuador to Brazil, Danny learns that meeting your favorite characters isn't always a dream come true. But nothing will stop him from finding his sister . . . even if it means standing up to the greatest threat the magical realm has ever known.

Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's & Young Adult Book Picks US - June 2020 - Post One

Alex Aster - Curse of the Night Witch (Emblem Island) - Published by Sourcebooks Young Readers (June 9, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1492697206 - Hardback - Age: 7+

A fast-paced series starter, perfect for fans of Aru Shah and the End of Time and filled with adventure, mythology, and an unforgettable trio of friends.

On Emblem Island all are born knowing their fate. Their lifelines show the course of their life and an emblem dictates how they will spend it.

Twelve-year-old Tor Luna was born with a leadership emblem, just like his mother. But he hates his mark and is determined to choose a different path for himself. So, on the annual New Year's Eve celebration, where Emblemites throw their wishes into a bonfire in the hopes of having them granted, Tor wishes for a different power.

The next morning Tor wakes up to discover a new marking on his skin...the symbol of a curse that has shortened his lifeline, giving him only a week before an untimely death. There is only one way to break the curse, and it requires a trip to the notorious Night Witch.

With only his village's terrifying, ancient stories as a guide, and his two friends Engle and Melda by his side, Tor must travel across unpredictable Emblem Island, filled with wicked creatures he only knows through myths, in a race against his dwindling lifeline.

"Debut author Aster takes inspiration from Colombian folklore to craft a rousing series opener that's both fast-paced and thrilling. As her protagonists face off against a host of horrors, they learn the value of friendship and explore the possibility of changing one's fate in a world where destiny is predetermined.

Erin Bowman - The Girl and the Witch's Garden - Published by Simon & Schuster Books (June 23, 2020)  - ISBN-13: 978-1534461581 - Hardback - Age: 8+

The Secret Garden meets Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children in this rich, charming middle-grade adventure about a girl determined to infiltrate her grandmother’s enchanted garden with the help of some magically gifted friends.
Mallory Estate is the last place twelve-year-old Piper Peavey wants to spend her summer vacation. The grounds are always cold, the garden out back is dead, a mysterious group of children call the property home, and there’s a rumor that Melena M. Mallory—the owner of the estate and Piper’s wealthy grandmother—is a witch.

But when Piper’s father falls ill, Mallory Estate is exactly where she finds herself.

The grand house and its garden hold many secrets—some of which may even save her father—and Piper will need to believe in herself, her new friends, and magic if she wants to unlock them before it’s too late.

J . C. Lucas - Sword of Light (The Four Keys) - Published by J.C. Lucas - Author (June 15, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1735076409 - Paperback - Age: 8+

"You must find the four Keys to keep our worlds from burning..."Andie didn't expect to be orphaned, and she doesn't want to leave the only house she ever lived in. No parents, no Nan, no one but Anne, a weird woman who carries on conversations with old books and empty purses.

When Anne drops her off at her new home in a small town in The Middle of Nowhere, Texas, Andie is at a loss. Her new guardian, Celeste, claims to have been a lifelong friend of her nan, and is one eccentric figure among many others who live in the small town, all of whom seem to know something that Andie doesn't...

One evening, when the woods behind Celeste's house spirit her away, Andie discovers a secret so incredible she can scarcely believe it: she's half-Fae, half-Witch, and it's her destiny to find the four Keys that will save the Tuatha De Danann from annihilation. 

Worlds collide when two of her new friends from school, the sweet, helpful Teagan and the rude bad boy Hunter, join her on her journey to reach the mysterious place known only as Finias. There; they'll find the first Key: the Sword of Light.

As they flee the wicked Fomorians and do battle with the Witch Freya, Andie and the boys forge new alliances and make some more adversaries. Will Andie and her friends rise to the challenge, or is the magical realm as good as gone already?

A . J. Hartley - Cathedrals of Glass: Valkrys Wakes - Published by To the Stars (June 23, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1943272365 - Hardback - Age: 11+ ( Foreword by Tom DeLonge )

Teenagers fight for survival on an icy planet in this dystopian science fiction thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Steeplejack.

Second in the Cathedrals of Glass series.

The struggle is far from over for the deviant passengers of the Phetteron…

Since their ship crash-landed on frozen Valkrys, life for Sola and her companions has been harsh. The deserted, unknown planet has awakened troublesome psychic powers within them. Meanwhile, a malevolent parasite used their minds to turn them against one another. Then what they thought was a rescue team was actually a group of soldiers sent to eradicate them.

Months later, those who survived seem to have settled into a quiet routine. Instead of the protein bars and nutra drinks they once consumed back home, they now eat what small birds and furry animals they can catch. They’ve also traded server towers and chat rooms for the cobalt blue crystal underground caves and ancient cities that block out their psychic powers and allow them to disconnect from each other.

Sola, however, tires of this life and is desperate to leave this world behind. She believes the ancient crystal ruins hold the solution. What she discovers may help everyone escape Valkrys—if they can still trust each other. Otherwise, the icy planet may be their final resting place…

Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's & Young Adult Book Picks US - May 2020

Celesta Rimington - The Elephant's Girl - Published by Crown Books for Young Readers (May 19, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-0593121221 - Hardback - Age: 8+

An elephant never forgets, but Lexington Willow can't remember what happened before a tornado swept her away when she was a toddler. All she knows is that it landed her near an enclosure in a Nebraska zoo, and there an elephant named Nyah protected her from the storm. With no trace of her birth family, Lex grew up at the zoo with Nyah and her elephant family; her foster father, Roger; her best friend, Fisher; and the wind whispering in her ear.

Now that she's twelve, Lex is finally old enough to help with the elephants. But during their first training session, Nyah sends her a telepathic image of the woods outside the zoo. Despite the wind's protests, Lex decides to investigate Nyah's message and gets wrapped up in an adventure involving ghosts, lost treasure, and a puzzle that might be the key to finding her family. As she hunts for answers, Lex must summon the courage to leave the secure borders of her zoo to discover who she really is--and why the tornado brought her here all those years ago.

Mari Mancusi - Dragon Ops - Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (May 12, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1368040907 - Hardback - Age: 8+

One wrong move, and it's game over.

Welcome to DRAGON OPS, the world's first augmented-reality video-game theme park. Set on a once-deserted island, our three beta players-classic gamer geek Ian; his adventure-seeking sister, Lily; and their too-cool-for-gaming cousin, Derek-have been lucky enough to score an invite to play before the fully immersive experience opens to the public.

But once inside, they find themselves trapped in a game taken over by a rogue AI dragon called Atreus, and suddenly the stakes go beyond the virtual world. With no cheat codes, guidebooks, save points, or do-overs, they'll need all their cunning and video-game hacks to beat the game? and survive in real life.

Action-packed and unputdownable, Dragon Ops will thrill gamers and reluctant readers alike with high-tech adventure and electrifying twists and turns.

Peter Lerangis - Throwback: The Chaos Loop - Published by HarperCollins (May 5, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-0062406415 - Hardback - Age: 7+

Peter Lerangis, the New York Times bestselling author of the Seven Wonders and Max Tilt series, returns with the second installment of his electrifying trilogy about a boy who discovers that he alone can alter the course of history.

Ever since Corey Fletcher found out that he’s the world’s first “throwback,” with the power to not only visit history but change it, he’s been spending as much time in the past as possible. Corey loves using his skills to fix problems and help his friends and family. But as Corey becomes more and more addicted to rewriting history, he learns that time travel might change him in ways he may never be able to reverse. 

Aware now that he can’t keep going into the past forever, Corey decides to use the trips he still has to change history in the most meaningful way he can imagine: by stopping Adolf Hitler. But when Corey travels back to World War II-era Germany, he quickly learns that the forces of history are strong and that it’s going to take a lot more than his good intentions to turn back the tides of evil—or even to survive them.  

Get ready for a time-warping adventure with a historical twist in the second book of the Throwback trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Peter Lerangis, whose books have sold over five and a half million copies worldwide.

Kevin Emerson - Lost in Space: Infinity's Edge (Lost in Space (2)) - Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (May 19, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-0316425971 - Hardback - Age: 8+

The second thrilling, original novel based on Netflix's smash hit Lost in Space! This all-new story focuses on twelve-year-old Will Robinson and his closest friend and greatest protector--a mysterious Robot with a dangerous past.

The Robinsons--Will, his two teenage sisters, and their parents--are members of a colonist group who had been traveling across the galaxy to establish a new home, only to have had their ship attached and stranded on an alien planet. Just when they had finally managed to get off-world, the Robinsons were thrown off course yet again and were sent drifting toward an unknown location.

Now, six months later, the Robinsons are stuck on an inhospitable water planet with no contact from their fellow colonists or from Will's beloved Robot. The twelve-year-old doesn't have any friends in his new home until he discovers a mysterious girl...from the future. Her name is Clare, and she desperately needs Will's help to save her family. Will is eager to bond with his new friend, but--little does he know--something sinister lurks just beneath her surface. Can Will find a way to help Clare while keeping his own family safe?

Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's & Young Adult Book Picks US - Post Two - April 2020

Welcome readers... Here are our children's book picks for April 2020 which have all been published this month in the US.  If you don't live in the US you could probably get them shipped. So take a look and support the authors below in these difficult times. Happy reading - I hope there is a sparkle of magic on this list to add to your reading pile, wherever you are. Stay safe and happy reading.

Sandra Fernandez Rhoads - Mortal Sight (The Colliding Line) - Enclave Publishing (April 14, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1621841203 - Hardback - Age:| 13+
When Worlds Collide, Shadow Wrestles Light
Seventeen-year-old Cera Marlowe wants a normal life; one where she and her mom can stop skipping town every time a disturbing vision strikes. But when a girl she knows is murdered by a monster she can't explain, Cera's world turns upside down.

Suddenly thrown into an ancient supernatural battle, Cera discovers she's not alone in her gifting and vows to use her visions to save lives. But why does John Milton's poem Paradise Lost keep interrupting her thoughts?

In a race against time and a war against unearthly creatures, will decoding messages embedded in the works of classic literature be enough to stop the bloodshed and protect those she loves? 

Christian McKay Heidicker  - Thieves of Weirdwood - Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (April 7, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1250302885 - Hardback - Age: 8+

For fans of Brandon Mull and Rick Riordan comes William Shivering and Newbery Honor winner Christian McKay Heidicker's Thieves of Weirdwood, a brand-new illustrated fantasy series about two kid thieves who are plunged into a battle between the Real and Imaginary worlds! 

Twelve-year-old thieves Arthur and Wally are determined to steal their way up the ranks of the notorious Black Feathers gang. With loan sharks chasing after Arthur’s father and Wally’s brother’s hospital bill due, they’re in need of serious cash. Fast.

When Arthur spots some wealthy strangers exiting a seemingly deserted mansion, he smells an opportunity for a big score. Little do the boys realize, they’ve stumbled upon Weirdwood Manor, the headquarters of a magical order who protect the Balance between the Real and Imaginary worlds. When Kingsport is besieged by nightmarish creatures, it’s up to a pair of thieves to save their city. 

Filled with giant tentacle monsters and heroes literally ripped from the pages of adventure stories, this imagination-bending series is perfect for fans of Keeper of the Lost Cities, Aru Shah, and Nevermoor.

                                
               Cover design by Nicole Hower, Cover art by Jana Heidersdorf
Juliana Brandt: When you look at the cover, I hope you notice all the pieces I’d hoped it would include: the sisters, the wolf, the ocean waves, the lighthouse, and the night sky. But included too are pieces I never would have considered: the ocean foam, the bright beam from the lighthouse, the incredible font with the water swirling through, the snow on the edges of the cape setting, the magic that seems to live inside the wolf’s fur. All of these parts add up to create an atmosphere that speaks directly to the book I wrote. Full Post HERE

Juliana Brandt - The Wolf of Cape Fen - Published by Sourcebooks Young Readers (April 7, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1728209616 - Hardback - Age: 7+

Beyond the Bright, Sea meets Echo in this story of a young girl who must break a magical bargain before an enchanted wolf steals her sister away.

First Frost has touched Cape Fen, and that means Baron Dire has returned. For as long as anyone can remember, Baron Dire has haunted the town come winter, striking magical bargains and demanding unjust payment in return. The Serling sisters know better than to bargain, lest they find themselves hunted by the Baron's companion, the Wolf.

And then the Wolf attacks Eliza's sister Winnie. They manage to escape, but they know the Wolf will be back. Because Winnie would never bargain, so that must mean that someone has struck a deal with Winnie as the price.

Eliza refuses to lose her sister and embarks on a journey to save her. If Eliza can learn the truth, she might be able to protect her sister, but the truth behind the bargain could put her own life in danger. 

Stephenie  Wilson Peterson - Grace's Ghosts - Published by Immortal Works LLC (April 28, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1734386622 - Paperback - Age|: 9+

• 
  

Twelve-year-old Grace and her feline best friend, Midnight, have a secret: Midnight is a ghost. But then again, so are the rest of Graces' friends. Since she's the only person in hundreds of years with the ability to see them, the many ghosts of Tansy have flocked to Grace since birth. She doesn't mind. She prefers the company of the dead to that of the cliquey kids at school. 

Grace is happy with her strange life, until one day, the ghosts tell her about the secret her town has hidden for centuries. There's a reason there are more ghosts than living people in Tansy. Three-hundred years ago, a lonely witch cast a spell that mistakenly trapped the soul of every person to ever set foot in the tiny town. So when the spirits beg her to find a way to break the curse, Grace is eager to help.

As she searches for answers, Grace makes discoveries about the secret her family hid for generations and a world of magic hidden in her own backyard. Grace soon realizes that if she succeeds in breaking the curse, she'll lose Midnight and all of her ghost friends, but if she fails, everyone living in Tansy will face the same fate. Can Grace break the curse before it's too late?

Check out Grace’s Ghosts on Goodreads! 

Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's & Young Adult Book Picks US - April 2020

Welcome readers... Here are our children's book picks for April 2020 which have all been published this month in the US.  If you don't live in the US you could probably get them shipped. All you need is some time, imagination and a little bit of money. So take a look and support the authors below in these difficult times. Happy reading - I hope there is a sparkle of magic on this list to add to your reading pile, wherever you are. Stay safe and happy reading - armchair adventures are out there for us all. 

Sally Gardner (Author), Nick Maland (Illustrator) - Mr. Tiger, Betsy, and the Blue Moon - Published by Penguin Workshop (April 7, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-0593095164 - Hardback - Age: 7+

Award-winning author Sally Gardner delivers a whimsical tale about the daughter of a mermaid and an ice cream maker, a mysterious talking tiger, and a challenge as big as the moon.

From a magical world of well-dressed animals, talking toads, and bossy princesses comes a timeless story about Mr. Tiger and his troupe of acrobats, and Betsy K. Glory, the daughter of a mermaid and an ice cream maker. Together they must figure out how to turn the moon blue, appease a grumpy giant, and make the best-tasting and rarest ice cream in the world--Gongalong Berry Ice Cream. Told with beautiful one-color illustrations throughout, this modern fairy tale teaches us that happiness is sometimes big enough to solve even the toughest problems.

Sarah S Reida - All Sales Final - Published by Warrior Press (April 3, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1734817010 - ISBN-13: 978-1734817010 - Paperback - Age: 9+ 

What price would you pay for everything you've ever wanted? 11-year-old Anna has always wanted to be extraordinary, but she feels as ordinary as her sleepy Midwestern town of Longford. Then a secondhand shop opens in Longford – a shop full of magic that only Anna can see. When the shop’s owner, Ruth, offers Anna a job not just anyone can perform, Anna feels that her dream is finally coming true. Proudly, she spreads the news of the shop, charming others into visiting and helping match each person to the perfect item. Then Anna sees what Ruth's bargains take away from her customers. Ruth's magic is darker than she let on, and so is the life she's offered, Anna. Even worse, if Anna doesn't stop Ruth, Longford will be doomed. But what chance does one ordinary girl have against someone like Ruth?

Jordan Thompson - What Lurks Below - Published by Monster Ivy Publishing (April 7, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1948095549 - Hardback - Age:?

At Colony, no one knows where the children came from. No one talks about how they were babies when they were ripped from their parents to be raised in the Tin Can.

No one knows, that is, except Amelia. At thirteen, Amelia remembers a mother who loved her. She remembers fresh peaches and ice cream--not the calorically rationed food that tastes like stagnant swamp water and chemicals.

Desperate to hold on to her memories, Amelia shares her past with her younger brother, Alex. She teaches him about the reality of The Garden and its power to provide safety and love. 

Soon, Alex learns that life at Colony is more dangerous than he thought. He spies an enormous, black ... something ... lurking in the water, while no one seems to notice it at all.

Fear of the creature has Alex thrashing his sheets in bed. His marks drop, and Council insists on Amelia telling them what is wrong. Amelia tries to keep up appearances, but Council refuses to believe her and locks her up.

If Amelia isn't willing to forgo the love she felt and the life she had back Then, Council will throw her in the water to meet whatever it is that lurks below the Tin Can.

For fans of The Giver, this dystopian-charged fantasy will show readers the valiance of holding on to one's beliefs and the value of true sibling love.

Jenn Reese - A Game of Fox & Squirrels - Published by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (April 14, 2020) - ISBN-13: 978-1250243010 - Hardback - Age: 9+

After an incident shatters their family, eleven-year-old Samantha and her older sister Caitlin are sent to live in rural Oregon with an aunt they've never met. Sam wants nothing more than to go back to the way things were… before she spoke up about their father's anger.

When Aunt Vicky gives Sam a mysterious card game called "A Game of Fox & Squirrels," Sam falls in love with the animal characters, especially the charming trickster fox, Ashander. Then one-day Ashander shows up in Sam’s room and offers her an adventure and a promise: find the Golden Acorn, and Sam can have anything she desires. 

But the fox is hiding rules that Sam isn't prepared for, and her new home feels more tempting than she'd ever expected. As Sam is swept up in the dangerous quest, the line between magic and reality grows thin. If she makes the wrong move, she'll lose far more than just a game.

Perfect for fans of Barbara O'Connor, Lauren Wolk, and Ali Benjamin, A Game of Fox and Squirrels is a stunning, heartbreaking novel about a girl who finds the light in the darkness... and ultimately discovers the true meaning of home.

Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books: Young Adult/Teen Book Picks US - March 2020

• 
  
• Author: Joe Simonds
• Book Title: The Chair: Daniel and the Twin Fountains of Alcazar
• Paperback: 203 Pages
• Age Range: 10+
• Publisher: Independently Published 
• Date: March 5, 2020
• ISBN-13: 978-1707404285

In this amazing new fantasy story, America is caught in a cyber-war with an evil underground civilization, which is attempting to shut down the United States power grid. Daniel Ruhlin, a teenager in a wheelchair, turns out to be the only one who can save the world... He has never walked or talked a day in his life. Daniel's severe cerebral palsy has left him confined to a wheelchair under the care of his widowed father. He has never had any real friends, played a sport or musical instrument, attended a party, or done anything that most teenagers would take for granted. He spends his days in the library learning how to hack into computers for fun. However, all of that is about to change when he discovers a magical fountain near an old, abandoned hotel. This fountain leads him into a mystical new world known as Alcazar. During his perilous journey through the underground, he develops friendships, discovers who he is, and uncovers a family secret, which has been hidden for decades. He learns of the fountain of youth, which gives him the ability to walk and talk again. Little does he know, he has been selected to thwart a plot to take over America by an evil, underground empire. Everyone from the citizens of Alcazar to the President of the United States is counting on him to save both worlds, but he will have to face his biggest fears in order to defeat these evil forces... 

Author: James Ponti
Book Title: City Spies (1)

• Age Range: 8 - 12 years
• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin
• Date: March 10, 2020
• ISBN-13: 978-1534414914
• 
  

Sara Martinez is a hacker. She recently broke into the New York City foster care system to expose her foster parents as cheats and lawbreakers. However, instead of being hailed as a hero, Sara finds herself facing years in a juvenile detention facility and banned from using computers for the same stretch of time. Enter Mother, a British spy who not only gets Sara released from jail but also offers her a chance to make a home for herself within a secret MI6 agency.

Operating out of a base in Scotland, the City Spies are five kids from various parts of the world. When they’re not attending the local boarding school, they’re honing their unique skills, such as sleight of hand, breaking and entering, observation, and explosives. All of these allow them to go places in the world of espionage where adults can’t.

Before she knows what she’s doing, Sarah is heading to Paris for an international youth summit, hacking into a rival school’s computer to prevent them from winning a million euros, dangling thirty feet off the side of a building, and trying to stop a villain…all while navigating the complex dynamics of her new team.

No one said saving the world was easy…

• 
  
• Author: Kenneth Oppel
• Book Title: Bloom (The Overthrow)
• Age Range: 10 and up 
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers 
• Date: March 10, 2020
• ISBN-13: 978-1524773007

The first book in a can't-put-it-down, can't-read-it-fast-enough action-thriller trilogy that's part Hatchet, part Alien!
The invasion begins--but not as you'd expect. It begins with rain. Rain that carries seeds. Seeds that sprout--overnight, everywhere. These new plants take over crop fields, twine up houses, and burrow below streets. They bloom--and release toxic pollens. They bloom--and form Venus flytrap-like pods that swallow animals and people. They bloom--everywhere, unstoppable. 

Or are they? Three kids on a remote island seem immune to the toxic plants. Anaya, Petra, Seth. They each have strange allergies--and yet not to these plants. What's their secret? Can they somehow be the key to beating back this invasion? They'd better figure it out fast, because it's starting to rain again....

• 
  
• Author: Kaela Noel
• Book Title: Coo
• Age Range: 8 - 12 years
• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books
• Date: March 3, 2020
• ISBN-13: 978-0062955975

• 
  
  In this exceptional debut, one young girl’s determination to save the flock she calls family creates a lasting impact on her community and in her heart. Gorgeous and literary, this is an unforgettable animal story about friendship, family, home, and belonging. For readers who love books by Kate DiCamillo and Katherine Applegate.
  Ten years ago, an impossible thing happened: a flock of pigeons picked up a human baby who had been abandoned in an empty lot and carried her, bundled in blankets, to their roof. Coo has lived her entire life on the rooftop with the pigeons who saved her. It’s the only home she’s ever known. But then a hungry hawk nearly kills Burr, the pigeon she loves most, and leaves him gravely hurt.
  Coo must make a perilous trip to the ground for the first time to find Tully, a retired postal worker who occasionally feeds Coo’s flock, and who can heal injured birds. Tully mends Burr’s broken wing and coaxes Coo from her isolated life. Living with Tully, Coo experiences warmth, safety, and human relationships for the first time. But just as Coo is beginning to blossom, she learns the human world is infinitely more complex―and cruel―than she could have imagined. 

Jennifer Killick - Crater Lake - Book Review - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

Dear Reader,

We warmly welcome you to this year's epic trip to CRATER LAKE, a brand new activity center built in an old volcanic crater, miles from anywhere. Please pack appropriately and be aware that you'll need to be prepared to run for your life. Please take plenty of rations as the food is pretty awful and the service is beyond belief. It is rated with no stars on Trip Advisor as no one has ever come out alive. Whatever you do, DONT. EVER. FALL. ASLEEP!

This thrilling preface is for Jennifer Killick's latest book CRATER LAKE.  It's a contemporary horror story aimed at middle-grade readers due to be published on the 19th March 2020 by Firefly Press. As you turn the bloodied pages, you'll need to strap yourselves in for a bumpy ride as a mysterious bloodstained man tries to stop the coach. This is the start of a rollercoaster adventure that is entertainingly bonkers full of wit and humour.  

Strange things happen to the children. No one turns up to meet them, and then a strange man serves them all only TOMATO SOUP for their tea. Something is definitely not RIGHT. As night arrives, things get much stranger and the nervous tension can be felt buzzing in the air. This is the year six school trip where your first day could be your last ...

The deeper you travel into the plotline, the more you become engrossed in a bizarre and surreal world where kids are fighting for survival against a strange swarm of enemies. The characters are all very well written. They each have secrets of their own especially the main character, Lance, who I thought was brilliant. The book explores the relationships and emotions between different characters in a fast-paced action horror story. It certainly glues the narrative together with human empathy in the face of fear and the unknown. It produces a very captivating and relatable story as they each work through this unusual situation. However, after some messing around and eating an abundance of sweets, the sugar levels get going and the kids become wise.

This is a book in which readers will sit up all night to read in one sitting. Mysteriously edgy, warm-hearted and full of many bouts of crazy action and eventful moments, it certainly keeps the reader on their scary toes as flying PHLEGM hits you full-on in the face. Remember the only way to survive is DON'T EVER FALL ASLEEP. So, pick up this book and give it a read; it might just save your life. I fully recommend it as it's pure fantasy OXYGEN.