The Best Children's Book Picks: JUNE 2025 US POST Edition - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

Lauren Magaziner - The Incorruptibles - Publisher ‏: Aladdin - Publication date : ‎June 10, 2025 - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎978-1665968669 - Hardback - Age: 9+ 

A girl joins the human resistance against sorcerer tyranny in this “breathless” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) first book in the exciting upper middle grade fantasy series The Incorruptibles that’s Keeper of the Lost Cities meets The Marvellers.

Fiora Barrowling lives in a world where sorcerers rule over humans. After surviving an encounter with The Radiance—the very worst of the sorcerers—she’s whisked away to the incredible Incorruptibles (“Inc”) Academy, a school for resistance fighters in training. But most of the other students think Fiora hasn’t earned her place there, and when things start to go wrong and it seems the sorcerers have a spy in the academy, all eyes are on Fiora. With all odds stacked against her, can Fiora prove that she belongs?

Amber Chen - The Blood Phoenix - Publisher:  Viking Books for Young Readers - Publication date ‏: ‎June 17, 2025 - ISBN-13 ‏: ‎ 978-0593622780 - Hardback - Age: 10+

The sequel to Of Jade and Dragons, a thrilling and epic silkpunk fantasy inspired by the legendary Qing dynasty. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Lim and Xiran Jay Zhao.

Two years after Ying leaves the Engineer’s Guild and the ghost of her father’s unjust death behind, life seems to regain a semblance of normalcy. But the winds of unrest continue to stir within the Nine Isles, and the aftermath of a horrific pirate attack by the mysterious Blood Phoenix fleet forces Ying back into the tense political world of the new High Commander, Ye-yang. And soon, Ying, Ye-yang and her former friends from the guild must work together to find a way to outsmart the cunning pirates who terrorize the straits—and the elusive mastermind who’s controlling them.

Meanwhile, Ying’s sister, Nian, now lives in the capital, awaiting the day she will finally marry the High Commander. While her relationship with Ye-yang remains distant, she finds company in her friendship with the fourteenth prince, Ye-kan, and discovers her unexpected affinity for governance and strategy. But the capital is more dangerous than she expects, and when a dark conspiracy arises, Nian and Ye-kan must unravel the mystery in time to prevent the High Command from collapsing from within.

New dangers arise at every moment, threatening to tear the Nine Isles apart. In order to sail through this storm, Ying and her loved ones must make difficult choices amidst terrible betrayals. With the world on the brink of destruction, will they find a way to defeat their enemies and survive? And will it be worth the cost?

• Rosalyn Ransaw - Smoke & Mirrors Publisher : ‎Amulet Books - Publication date ‏: ‎June 10, 2025 - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎978-1419770135 - Hardback - Age: 8+ 

An exciting and twisty middle-grade debut mystery novel—perfect for fans of From the Desk of Zoe Washington and The Parker Inheritance—about the disappearance of a famous magician, and one boy’s quest to find the truth

Spending the summer with his aunt as the only Black kid in a small Midwestern town was bad enough, but now Andy Carter’s summer has been effectively ruined.

His dad’s parole hearing is postponed, he misses his friends, and—when an old barn burns down—he’s stuck taking the blame. Andy is sentenced with helping the barn’s owner, a cantankerous old man, renovate his crumbling mansion—a mansion that hides a mystery.

It was once owned by the famous magician the Red Knave. In 1954, the Knave was a wanted suspect in the town’s most infamous murder before disappearing without a trace.

The whole town is sure the Red Knave is guilty, but to Andy, things just don’t add up. Investigating a mystery from the ’50s isn’t the same as spending time with his dad, but Andy can’t help but be drawn into the Red Knave’s exciting world of magic and illusion. To solve the Knave’s final vanishing act, Andy teams up with another boy he doesn’t quite trust. Secret by secret, they try to uncover the Red Knave’s identity and learn why his last performance came to such a tragic end.

With a gripping combination of hidden doors, shocking twists, and deep emotional heart, Smoke & Mirrors asks the question: How much of the truth is what you can get people to believe?

Rachel Hartman - Among Ghosts - Publisher ‏: ‎Random House Books for Young Readers - Publication date : June 24, 2025 - ISBN-13 : 978-0593813720 - Hardback - Age: 10+ 

A few things to know about the town of St. Muckle’s: It’s too out-of-the-way to interest greedy lords, and too damp and muddy for marauding dragons to burn. And anyone, from a humble serf to a runaway nun, may earn their freedom by living for a year and a day within the town walls. Seven years ago, Charl and his mother fled to St. Muckle’s and made it their safe-haven, building a new life in this so called Peasant’s Paradise. But when Charl sees something impossible—a ghost—soon the embers of his past are threatening to engulf his world in flame. A tragic accident is quickly followed by murder, a deadly plague, and a mercenary dragon.

Charl manages to escape to an abandoned abbey outside of town, but finds no safety within those ruined walls. A treacherous nun, a chorus of murdered girls, and the fearsome Battle Bishop await, ready to ensnare him in a complex web of history, magic and fate. For some things should never be forgotten, however much they haunt us, and Charl will need all his wisdom and resiliency if he is to fight for the world he knows…and the people he calls home.

Justyn Edwards - The Great Fox Illusion - Author Interview (Q&A) - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books #31

 

The greatest illusion of all is the art of telling a good story; the trick is there is no trick. It's time to dream and let your imagination take hold in this brilliant fantasy adventure with the author, Justyn Edwards. The Great Fox Illusion was published by Walker Books (April 2022). Check this book out as I believe it just might be the READ you are looking for this summer. We hope you enjoy it and see you again soon! 

1. The Great Fox Illusion is your debut book and was published in April 2022. What illusion do you put the readers under and do you think they will enjoy the fantasy experience? 

Stories have a very similar flow, rhythm and structure to a good magic performance. A trick often starts with an everyday object and then surprises you with a vanish or a transformation. Finally, it ends with a crescendo or by returning everything to normal. A good story follows a very similar pattern. Thinking about that made me want to write a story about tricks that was itself a kind of trick. I really hope that others will enjoy the fun in that process. 

2. What do the characters make possible in the plot that would have otherwise been impossible?

I loved writing about Flick and Charlie. When they first meet,Flick isn’t too keen on Charlie – they’re both very different. But the way they combine and learn to work together in this book is something I really enjoyed bringing to life. The personalities those characters have, how contrasting they are, how flawed they are, and yet how they help each other makes the book possible.

3. How did you go about plotting this book and did you have any idea it would become a series? 

Right from the start, I planned this book as the first in a series, and I had the rough shape of what follows from the off. The plot of this book is only an opening skirmish.

4. What do you think you learned when writing this book and will it help you with your next book?

I've learnt a lot. Working with my agent to send this book off to publishers and now working with my editor has been an invaluable experience. They’ve been brilliant at probing the story, getting me to check and cover the details and think through all the angles. Hopefully, I've put these lessons into practice while writing the second book in the series (just finishing this off now), and then it’s time to have another go with the third book, which I need to start writing any day now.

5. You state you are not very good at nuclear physics or DIY (the same applies to me). What would you suggest that you are good at? 

Hmmmmm. Maybe not much! I think my one skill in life is to keep trying. Hopefully, the second book will be better than the first…

6. Does your degree in archaeology help in any way with the next book in the series? Can you share any glimpses of information about it? 

Ha! There’s no archaeology in the second book. What can I tell you about it without giving too much away? The Great Fox Illusion ends with Flick and Charlie thrown into the world of magicians and illusionists, and they’ve made some enemies along the way. Let’s just say, in the second book that the sheer magnitude of what they’re up against becomes apparent – they’ve got the attention of some scary and ruthless people. They have stepped through a door into a new and dangerous world where they discover the true power of the Bell System.

7. Can you share a magical moment that you have had in real life that might inspire us to write or read more books?

I think our imagination is such an important thing. I can’t think of any particular moment that crystalises that, but the process of creative writing and exercising our minds when reading is vital for us all. It makes us more rounded, more empathetic, and more outward-looking people.

8. What one question do you wish you had been asked as part of this Q&A and why? How would one of your characters have responded to this question?

An important question about this book is who designed the stunning cover. Charlie would give you a very long answer to this (as all of his answers tend to go on a bit), but I’ll keep it short. Flavia Sorrentino. She did it, and it looks amazing. I’ve also seen some roughs for her cover for the next book and… Well, you’ll have to wait!

Ross MacKenzie - The Elsewhere Emporium - Book Review (Kelpies) Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Step this way into the land of fantasy with the anticipated sequel to The Nowhere Emporium. This first book was published way back in 2015 and subsequently scooped up the Blue Peter Book Award as well as gaining some fantastic reviews. So what better way to introduce the new sequel, The Elsewhere Emporium, which sports a very similar book cover. I can hear you all CRY, when is this book PUBLISHED? Well, the book will be published on the 13th September 2018 by Floris Books of Edinburgh. Apologies for the early review, but I just couldn't wait to read it! 

Ross MacKenzie is back again with a BOOM. Before I turned the first page the anticipation was truly growing. I remember reading his first book and absolutely loving every moment of it. Therefore, I was hoping that this book would live up to my very high expectations. What do you think, did it?

Welcome one and all to the CARNIVAL of WONDERS.  As you turn the very first page you arrive in Mayfair (London) in 1967, where everything looks ordinary. However, you would be very wrong to think that as you suddenly find yourself walking the tightrope of mystery and fantasy. Each page draws you into a story full of magic and illusion which transports the reader to a place of pure joy and escapism. 

Everything I loved in the first book I found in this story as well. However, the author has gone one better by introducing a new element. A problem-solving mystery to unravel. The book flits between two brilliant narratives of present-day Keswick and a bygone era in Mayfair, London. Without spoiling the story for you and giving too much away, the plot threads really pull together and contort like elastic bands as they weave the storyline back and forth to keep the reader on their fantasy toes. 

Returning to the emporium is like reuniting with a long-lost friend. Each room presented magical delights full of mystery and majesty. It was absolutely thrilling to be back exploring all of the hidden wonders producing pure excitement and anticipation; like the unwrapping of presents on Christmas Day. The feeling you get from reading this book is absolute exhilaration and five star entertainment. 

The search for the lost emporium will capture your heart. However, be aware as the villain will steal your soul and slowly extract your shadow. You can not help but feel the brooding and dark side seep through your bones as the dangerous force attacks the emporium. It gives a scary punch to the adventure and intensifies the danger within. However, with the opportunity to ride on a magic carpet, visit magical bookshops and deserted islands as well as meet a host of magicians and a scary witch, what more could you possibly want?

This is easily one of the best books that I have read this year. I would have just loved for it to be 100+ pages longer so that I could have continued living and breathing in this wonderful place. It needed to permeate and ferment longer within my fantasy head, as I truly devoured this book in just a few hours. It's another showmanship of storytelling that will delight all readers. Now is a fantastic opportunity to read the first book before the sequel is published in September. What are you waiting for?