Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's Book Picks US - December 2019

Ben Guterson (Author), Chloe Bristol (Illustrator) - The Winterhouse Mysteries - Published by Henry Holt and Co (December 31, 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1250123923 - Hardback 

Danger, intrigue, and the power of family combine in The Winterhouse Mysteries, the fast-paced conclusion to Ben Guterson and Chloe Bristol's illustrated, enchanting Winterhouse middle-grade trilogy.

Its springtime at Winterhouse and Elizabeth is settling into the joyful chaos of her new home. But it isn’t long before she and Freddy are drawn into an ominous new mystery. Guests at the hotel start behaving oddly, and Elizabeth’s powers manifest in thrilling―sometimes frightening―new ways. As unnatural tremors shake the foundations of Winterhouse, Elizabeth hears cries for help from Gracella Winters, a villain she’d thought dead and gone for good. 

Elizabeth’s discovery of a rare book containing secrets of an ancient ritual leads to a tragic realization: someone at the hotel is trying to help Gracella rise again. Can Elizabeth and Freddy banish these threats and protect the future of Winterhouse once and for all?

Terry Lynn Johnson - Dog Driven - Published by HMH Books for Young Readers (December 3, 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1328551597 - Hardback 

From the author of Ice Dogs comes a riveting adventure about a musher who sets out to prove her impaired vision won't hold her back from competing in a rigorous sled race through the Canadian wilderness. Perfect for fans of Gary Paulsen.

McKenna Barney is trying to hide her worsening eyesight and has been isolating herself for the last year. But at the request of her little sister, she signs up for a commemorative mail run race in the Canadian wilderness—a race she doesn’t know if she can even see to run. 
 
Winning would mean getting her disease—and her sister’s—national media coverage, but it would also pit McKenna and her team of eight sled dogs against racers from across the globe for three days of shifting lake ice, sudden owl attacks, snow squalls, and bitterly cold nights.

 A page-turning adventure about living with disability and surviving the wilderness, Dog Driven is the story of one girl’s self-determination and the courage it takes to trust in others.

Kate Davies - The Crims at Sea - Published by HarperCollins Children's  (December 10, 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-0062494160 - Hardback 

The hapless Crim family sets sail on their final adventure in the zaniest installment of the Crims series, perfect for fans of Lemony Snicket and Caroline Carlson!

Imogen Crim has been terribly bored since she returned to Blandington. So when her nemesis-turned-best friend Ava Kruk offers to swing by the Crims’ dreadful beach vacation in Dullport and rescue her in her stolen submarine, Imogen quickly agrees. A real heist with a real villain—this is the excitement Imogen has been looking for.

But before Imogen and Ava can accomplish their mission, the entire Crim family catches up to them, dressed in their pirate-y finest. And what starts as an innocent (well, for a boat full of criminals) quest for buried treasure is about to become a stand-off with an up-and-coming super-villain called The Gull.

If Imogen has any hope of saving her family from his claws—and returning to her vacation—she’ll have to trust a Kruk with her life.

Romily Bernard - The Monster Hypothesis - Published by Disney-Hyperion (December 10, 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1368028554 - Hardback 

Welcome to Bohring-home to 453 people, 2,053 alligators, and one monster curse. Correction: home to 454 people, now that Kick Winter is living in the swamp Hollows with her Grandma Missouri, the town (fake) psychic. Bohring is anything but boring for Kick who has already blown a hole through the kitchen floor, befriended a chicken-eating gator, and discovered that the town's hundred-year curse is upon them.

It's the Bohring curse and all the kids are about to become monsters-or so the legend goes. People are worried-except for Kick. She knows there's a scientific explanation for everything, especially curses and monsters. But Kick is the new kid in school and she's determined to make a name for herself . . . by pretending to be psychic.

According to her calculations: one teeny-tiny life + (fake) psychic skills = popularity. But when kids start disappearing and glowing creatures start showing up, Kick's theory quickly evaporates in a puff of foul-smelling swamp gas. Can Kick use her (real) science smarts to prove the curse is a hoax? Or is it just-maybe-sort of-somehow possible the curse is here?

Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books: US Kids/Young Adult Book Picks - November 2019

Alex Bell (Author), Tomislav Tomic - The Forbidden Expedition (2) (The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club) - Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (November 12, 2019) -  ISBN-13: 978-1534406490 - Hardback

Stella and the gang travel to Witch Mountain to save Felix and what they find along the way could change the course of their adventures forever in this second novel in the whimsical Polar Bear Explorers’ Club series.

Stella Starflake Pearl has been eagerly awaiting her next adventure, ever since she and Felix returned from the Snowy Icelands. She fears, however, that she might never be sent on another expedition, especially since the president of the Polar Bear Explorers’ Club himself is afraid of her ice princess powers. But when disaster strikes and Felix is snatched by a fearsome witch, Stella and the rest of the junior explorers—including a reluctant new ally from the Jungle Cat Explorers’ Club—must set off into the unknown on a forbidden journey to the top of Witch Mountain.

What awaits them there is a mystery. The only thing they know is this: No one ever returns from Witch Mountain.

In the second installment of Alex Bell’s magical The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club series, Stella and the gang face villainous vultures, terrifying witch wolves, flying sharks, and eerie picnicking teddy bears on their daring quest to save one of their own.

Jeremiah Franklin - Dark Tomorrow II: Cult of the Crow - Published by Month9Books (November 12, 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1948671958 - Paperback 

Kill or be killed is the new normal for Sawyer, Sara, and the survivors of the deadly virus that has all but annihilated the human race. With the death of Sara’s father and the disappearance of the strange boy known as Mason, the teens are left reeling, but alongside the enigmatic ex-Marine, Edward, they soon forge an alliance with a collection of young survivors led by the sage and charismatic Kai. Nevertheless, when their new companions begin to mysteriously disappear, the group is once again thrown into a desperate struggle for survival, where only the most cunning and relentless will prevail. Ultimately, among whispers of top-secret military bunkers, lost gold, and a shadowy group known as the Cult of the Crow, Sawyer, and Sara must face the grim realization that death and betrayal lurks in every corner, and when it comes to the end of the world--nothing is what it seems.

 Amélie Wen Zhao - Blood Heir - Published by Delacorte Press (November 19, 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-0525707790 - Hardback 

This hot debut, perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone and An Ember in the Ashes, is the first book in an epic new series about a princess hiding a dark secret and the con man she must trust to clear her name for her father's murder. 

 
In the Cyrilian Empire, Affinites are reviled. Their varied gifts to control the world around them are unnatural—dangerous. And Anastacya Mikhailov, the crown princess, has a terrifying secret. Her deadly Affinity to blood is her curse and the reason she has lived her life hidden behind palace walls. 

When Ana’s father, the emperor, is murdered, her world is shattered. Framed as his killer, Ana must flee the palace to save her life. And to clear her name, she must find her father’s murderer on her own. But the Cyrilia beyond the palace walls is far different from the one she thought she knew. Corruption rules the land, and a greater conspiracy is at work—one that threatens the very balance of her world. And there is only one person corrupt enough to help Ana get to its core: Ramson Quicktongue.

A cunning crime lord of the Cyrilian underworld, Ramson has sinister plans—though he might have met his match in Ana. Because in this story, the princess might be the most dangerous player of all.

Matthew Swanson (Author), Illustrator (Robbi Behr) - The Real McCoys: Wonder Undercover - Published by Imprint (November 5, 2019) - 

• ISBN-13: 978-1250307828 - Hardback 
• In the third book in the critically acclaimed middle-grade series about mystery-solving siblings, Moxie McCoy, fourth-grade detective, goes undercover. 
  Moxie joins the Wonder Scouts to investigate a suspected saboteur in the badge competition. She’s never liked the Wonder Scouts, but once she joins the group, Moxie becomes enchanted with earning badges herself! 
  Meanwhile, someone has broken into Tiddlywhump’s Local House of History, and it’s up to Moxie’s little brother, Milton, to begin his own investigation. 
  Can this irrepressible detective duo crack two different cases? 
  Richly illustrated and laugh-out-loud funny Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr’s Wonder Undercover is a must-have for young readers. 
  There are more mysteries in The Real McCoys series:
  The Real McCoys 
  The Real McCoys: Two’s a Crowd 
  The Real McCoys: Wonder Undercover

Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books: US Kids/Young Adult Book Picks - October 2019

Cassie Beasley - The Bootlace Magician - Published by Dial Books (October 1, 2019) - Hardback - ISBN-13: 978-0525552635 - Age: 9+

Welcome back to Circus Mirandus . . . a place with magic so wondrous, you need to believe it to see it. Micah Tuttle--magician in training--lives and works at Circus Mirandus alongside his guardian, the ancient and powerful Lightbender. The circus is a place filled with dazzling fire shows, stubborn unicorns, and magicians from every corner of the world. And Micah is doing everything he can to prove he belongs there. When a dangerous enemy from the past threatens his new home, Micah will have to untangle the mystery of his own potent magic, and he'll have to do it fast. With trouble this deadly on its way, every magician will need to be ready to fight. Even the youngest.

Jake Burt - The Tornado: A Novel - Published by Feiwel & Friends (October 1, 2019) -  Hardback - ISBN-13: 978-1250168641 - Age: 10+

 

Bell Kirby is an expert at systems, whether he’s designing the world’s most elaborate habitat for his pet chinchilla, re-creating Leonardo da Vinci’s greatest inventions in his garage, or avoiding Parker Hellickson, the most diabolical bully Village Green Elementary has ever seen.

Since third grade, Parker has tormented Bell, who’s spent two long years devising a finely tuned system that keeps him out of Parker’s way. Sure, it means that Bell can’t get a drink when he wants to, can’t play with his best friend on the playground, and can’t tell his parents about his day, but at least he’s safe.

Until Daelynn Gower touches down in his classroom like a tornado.

Bell’s not sure why the new girl, with her rainbow hair, wild clothes, and strange habits, is drawn to him, but he knows one thing--she means trouble. It’s bad enough that she disrupts Bell’s secret system, but when Daelynn becomes the bully’s new target, Bell is forced to make an impossible decision: Finally stand up to Parker. . . 

Or join him.

Liesl Shurtliff - Time Castaways #2: The Obsidian Compass - Published by Katherine Tegen Books (October 15, 2019) -  Hardback - ISBN-13: 978-0062568182 - Age: 8+

Mateo, Ruby, and Corey Hudson have lost their friend Jia to the villainous Captain Vincent’s clutches, and now they’re determined to bring her back to safety. But the Hudson kids don’t have a way to time-travel without the Obsidian Compass, until Mateo figures out the secret component to get his own homemade compass working. 

Soon the whole family—plus their wacky neighbor, Chuck, and his rusty orange bus, Blossom—are swept up in another epic journey. 

With their own time-traveling vehicle and some help from history’s most famous young markswoman, Annie Oakley, the Hudsons think they’re prepared to sneak onto the Vermillion. Unbeknownst to them, Captain Vincent already knows they’re coming. In fact, he’s counting on it…

Peter Lerangis - Throwback - Published by HarperCollins (October 1, 2019) - Hardback - ISBN-13: 978-0062406385 - Age: 7+

Corey Fletcher has an active imagination. He sees things no one else does. Cracks jokes no one else gets. And goes places few would ever dare go. Like the past.

All he needs is a metal artifact from a point in time, and Corey can go there. Although hundreds of time travelers live in secret throughout the world, including Corey's own grandfather, none has the ability to change past events.

But when Corey accidentally saves a life while time traveling, he realizes that he is the first-ever “Throwback,” with the power to alter life as we know it. Which means his own life is now in all sorts of danger.

This is the first book in a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat adventure series from New York Times bestselling author Peter Lerangis, whose books have sold over five and a half million copies worldwide.

Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books: US Kids/Young Adult Book Picks - September 2019

Erin Entrada Kelly - Lalani of the Distant Sea - Published by Greenwillow Books (September 3, 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-0062747273 - Hardback - Age: 8+

Newbery Medalist Erin Entrada Kelly’s debut fantasy novel is a gorgeous, literary adventure about bravery, friendship, self-reliance, and the choice between accepting fate or forging your own path.

When Lalani Sarita’s mother falls ill with an incurable disease, Lalani embarks on a dangerous journey across the sea in the hope of safeguarding her own future. Inspired by Filipino folklore, this engrossing fantasy is for readers who loved Grace Lin’s Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Disney’s Moana. 

Life is difficult on the island of Sanlagita. To the west looms a vengeful mountain, one that threatens to collapse and bury the village at any moment. To the north, a dangerous fog swallows sailors who dare to venture out, looking for a more hospitable land. And what does the future hold for young girls? Chores and more chores. 

When Lalani Sarita’s mother falls gravely ill, twelve-year-old Lalani faces an impossible task—she must leave Sanlagita and find the riches of the legendary Mount Isa, which towers on an island to the north. But generations of men and boys have died on the same quest—how can an ordinary girl survive the epic tests of the archipelago? And how will she manage without Veyda, her best friend?

Margaret Peterson Haddix - Remarkables - Published by Katherine Tegen Books (September 24, 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-0062838469 - Hardback - Age: 8+

One minute they’re there: laughing and having fun at the house next door. The next minute, the teens are gone. Like magic. Marin can’t believe her eyes. Who are they? Can anyone else see them? What makes them so happy?

Marin is lonely in this new town of hers and eager to figure out more. Then she meets Charley, who reveals that he knows about them, too.

He calls them the “Remarkables.” Charley warns her to stay away from the Remarkables—and him. Charley and Marin both have painful secrets they’re holding on to, but could solving the mystery of the Remarkables help them both?

In addition to building an intriguing world filled with mystery, Haddix also grounds the story with real issues that many children face. Characters deal with the complexities of bullying, the guilt children experience when parents have addiction issues, and the uplifting power found in strong families of all shapes and sizes.

Melissa Grey - Rated - Published by Scholastic Press (September 3, 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1338283570 - Hardback - Age: 12+

The ratings are real. One number, 0 to 100, determines your place in society. Earn a high rating, and the world is yours for the taking. But fall to zero, and you may as well cease to exist.

Societies thrive on order, and the Rating System is the ultimate symbol of organized social mobility. 

The higher it soars, the more valued you are. The lower it plummets, the harder you must work to improve yourself. For the students at the prestigious Maplethorpe Academy, every single thing they do is reflected in their ratings, updated daily and available for all to see.

But when an act of vandalism sullies the front doors of the school, it sets off a chain reaction that will shake the lives of six special students -- and the world beyond.

A . M .Robin - Hidden Scales (Merrows) - Published by A.M. Robin (September 1, 2019) -  ISBN-13: 978-0578490014 - Paperback - Age: 8+ (www.amrobin.com)

Merrows are supposed to be extinct. No one has seen the water-breathing creatures in over a century. 
That's all eleven-year-old Mira has time to think as she stares at the silver scales that have spread over her foot before she accidentally triggers a curse that will change her world forever. She and her best friend, Peter, are forced to embark on a journey across the kingdom, escaping from ruthless spies who will stop at nothing to capture them before anyone else learns Mira's secret. 

With the help of a runaway scholar and a familiar young boy who reveals that he, too, has just discovered that he is a merrow, the children begin to train to beat the spies at their own game. Before they can truly find safety, Mira must learn to use the mysterious powers of her people, or else she and her friends may never be able to return home again.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Top Four Teens/Young Adult Book Picks April 2019

This April Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books has read some of the best Young-Adult Fiction books this year. All my personal favourites are published this month, which is amazing. You'll find some links to the book reviews below if you would like to find out more. YA books do not get much better than this - check them all out. Have a good week. 

Scarlett Thomas - Galloglass: Worldquake Sequence Book 3 - Published Canongate Books (4 April 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1782119333 - Hardback 

EVERYTHING IS MADE OF MAGIC . . .

Effie Truelove and her school-friends Lexy, Wolf, Maximilian and Raven must use their magical skills to defeat the Diberi, a corrupt organisation intent on destroying the worlds at Midwinter.

But during a visit to the Otherworld, Effie is mistaken and imprisoned for being a galloglass - a dangerous, selfish islander. Meanwhile, Lexy is threatened by the vile professor Jupiter Peacock and Wolf embarks on a perilous journey to find his missing sister.

And back at school, Neptune the cat is bored. He's used to lording it over the other stray cats, but they've all mysteriously vanished. Where could they be - and how will he find them?

Can Effie and her friends reunite before total destruction is wreaked upon the universe?

Bex Hogan - Viper: Book 1 (Isles of Storm and Sorrow) - Published by Orion Children's Books (18 April 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1510105836 - Paperback - See Book Review HERE

Marianne has been training to be the Viper for her entire life - to serve and protect the King and the citizens of The Twelve Isles - but to become the Viper and protect the islands she loves she must find the strength to defeat her father. A new fantasy trilogy perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas.

He will make me a killer.
Or he will have me killed.
That is my destiny.

Seventeen-year-old Marianne is fated to one day become the Viper, defender of the Twelve Isles.

But the reigning Viper stands in her way. Corrupt and merciless, he prowls the seas in his warship, killing with impunity, leaving only pain and suffering in his wake.

He's the most dangerous man on the ocean . . . and he is Marianne's father.

She was born to protect the islands. But can she fight for them if it means losing her family, her home, the boy she loves - and perhaps even her life?

A brave heroine. An impossible dilemma. An epic new fantasy trilogy set on the high seas.

Charlie Pike - Jacob's Ladder - Prepare to be Born Anew - Published by The O'Brien Press (1 April 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1788490405 - Paperback - See Book Review HERE

We have heard your call You no longer need to fear. You will receive five messages, of which this is the first. The last message will inform you of the time and place of your salvation. Two hundred years from now, the earth is dying, scorched by powerful flares from the sun. A series of messages from an alien civilization sent to humanity over two centuries promise rescue to those strong enough to survive on their planet. Initiate Leon is a member of the True Path warrior culture and preparing for his Rising. But when his test comes - to kill in cold blood - he cannot do it. To redeem himself, he must journey to find the earth's fifth and final message from the Saviours, with the help of his resourceful servant, Martha. Out in the wild, Leon discovers alarming changes in his body - he can drink water through his skin, and has poison barbs buried deep in his flesh. Martha reveals to him the secret that the True Path have kept from him all this time: Jacob's Ladder, an adaptation for life on the alien planet, has lain dormant in his genes and is now being activated. He is part alien and part human, and he is in grave danger from those who wish to take what is in his body. An ambitious YA novel for fans of Patrick Ness, Rick Yancey and James Dashner.

Kesia Lupo - We Are Blood And Thunder - Published by Bloomsbury YA (4 April 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1408898055 - Paperback - See Book Review HERE

A stunning and original YA fantasy from a fantastic new talent. 

In a city where magic is feared and the dead are worshipped, life is overshadowed by a powerful and devastating storm cloud. 

One young woman is running for her life. Another is trying to return home. Both are looking for a place where they belong. 

But what Lena and Constance don't realise is that the storm cloud binds them. Without it, neither can get what she desires.

New Children's & Young Adult Book Picks March 2019 - Post One - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

David Almond (Author), Dave McKean (Illustrator) - Joe Quinn's Poltergeist - Published by Walker Books (7 Mar. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1406363197 - Hardback 

A dark, powerful and moving short story from the internationally acclaimed author of Skellig.

Joe Quinn tells everyone about the poltergeist in his house, but no one believes him. No one that is, except for Davey. He’s felt the inexplicable presence in the rooms, he’s seen random objects fly through the air. And there’s something else … a memory of his beloved sister, and a feeling deep down that somehow it might be possible for ghosts to exist.

 Steven Butler (Author), Steven Lenton (Illustrator) - Sea-ing is Believing! (Nothing to see Here Hotel) - Published by  Simon & Schuster Children's UK (21 Mar. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1471178733 - Paperback 

Welcome to The Nothing to See Here Hotel! A hotel for magical creatures run by Frankie Banister and his parents.
Frankie Banister and his family are preparing to celebrate Grandad Abraham’s 175th birthday – an occasion that’s going to be even more HONKHUMPTIOUS now that Abe’s ghost has showed up!
 
When the unexpected spook reveals a secret UNDERWATER wing of the hotel that’s been hidden away for years, the Banister’s decide there’s only one thing for it … a whopping welcome home bash in the spectacular BRINY BALLROOM.
 
But memories aren’t the only things waiting at the bottom of the ocean. Secrets and sea monsters are lurking in the shadows, and is everything as it seems with Grandad Abraham’s ghost? Or is there something fishy going on?

 Paul Stewart (Author), Chris Riddell (Author) - The Edge Chronicles 13: The Descenders: Third Book of Cade - Published by Doubleday Children's (7 Mar. 2019) - Hardback

Cade Quarter has spent the last few years of his life running from an enemy he’s never even met – the ruthless and power-hungry High Professor of Flight, Quove Lentis. But Quove’s deadly agenda has finally caught up with Cade, and now he must leave his home and flee once more, this time to the legendary floating city of New Sanctaphrax. But even reuniting with his uncle, Nate Quarter, isn’t the end of Cade’s troubles – and now, more than ever, he must find the courage to defy his enemies, unite his friends, and unlock the secrets of descending. 

The Descenders is the third and final book in the Cade trilogy - the fifth and final saga in Stewart and Riddell’s internationally bestselling series, The Edge Chronicles, which has featured on the Times and New York Times bestseller lists and sold more than 3 million copies. 2018 marks twenty years of the series, now complete with thirteen titles across five separate but interlinking sagas.

Fleur Hitchcock - The Boy Who Flew - Published by Nosy Crow Ltd (7 Mar. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1788004381 - Paperback - See Book Review Here

Athan Wilde dreams of flight. When his friend, Mr Chen, is murdered, Athan must rescue the flying machine they were building together and stop it falling into the wrong hands. But keeping the machine safe puts his family in terrible danger. What will Athan choose – flight or family?

From the acclaimed author of Murder In Midwinter, Fleur Hitchcock’s The Boy Who Flew is a thrilling, murderous tale set among the steep rooftops and slippery characters of Athan’s intricately imagined world. Perfect for fans of Philip Pullman, Peter Bunzl and Philip Reeve.

Here’s an exclusive early look inside the book: https://issuu.com/nosycrow/docs/repro_theboywhoflew_prelims_hi-res

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Favourite Children's Book Picks UK Published November 2016

Patricia Elliott - The Connie Carew Mysteries: The Ship of Spectres: Book 2 - Published by Hodder Children's Books (3 Nov. 2016)

A brilliant new heroine with a nose for mystery and adventure - for all fans of Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow and Murder Most Unladylike.

After solving a case of potential identity theft, Connie Carew is back in her second mystery. This time, it takes place aboard a luxury ocean liner, bound for New York. Only, there's trouble at sea. Someone is trying to harm the passengers. Why? Who has a grudge against whom? 

It's up to Connie to investigate the secrets of all the passengers as, mile by nautical mile, the ship sails closer towards disaster.

Connie is a clever, witty and opinionated young detective, living at an exciting time - the early part of the 20th century when women were beginning to carve careers and lives of their own. Patricia Elliott has been widely praised for her historical fiction. This is Patricia writing at her very best.

C. R. Grey - Song of the Sword (Animas) - Published by Hot Key Books (3 Nov. 2016)

After her defeat at the Progress Fair, Viviana is determined to return, and this time, she's building an army. With the Dominae strengthening, Tremelo, Bailey and the rest of their friends work feverishly to develop a device that could overpower Dominance once and for all. But when Tremelo is kidnapped, Bailey must take the lead in the fight to protect the bond.

As they prepare for battle, Bailey uncovers a legend: a sword with the power to defeat Viviana is hidden somewhere in the kingdom. On an epic journey across Aldermere in search of the sword, the friends unravel startling secrets about the bond, Bailey's past, and each other.

In this thrilling conclusion to the Animas trilogy, Bailey and his friends must risk everything to save the bond they treasure and restore the rightful king to the throne of Aldermere.

Ruth Hatfield - The Book of Shadows (The Book of Storms) - Published by Hot Key Books (17 Nov. 2016)

Strange shadows are appearing over Danny's town. Where they land, people are drained of all colour and hope. Cars crash; people stand, directionless.

Fleeing from the shadows, Danny knows Sammael is behind this horror. Danny knows the world must be saved; he knows that to do that, Sammael must be destroyed. Once again, Danny must overcome his belief that he's not brave, and face his greatest fears. Danny needs Cath. But first he must rescue her from underneath the shadows. 

Their only hope might be the mysterious Book of Shadows - but they will have to make it first. And is Danny doing the right thing? Can Sammael really be destroyed?

The thrilling conclusion to The Book of Storms trilogy

Peter Jay Black - Shockwave (Urban Outlaws) - Published by Bloomsbury Children's (3 Nov. 2016)

The Urban Outlaws have been infected! Hector Del Sarto used them to spread the deadly Medusa virus and now the whole of London is in lockdown. Only Hector and his father have the antidote. Can Jack, Charlie, Obi, Slink and Wren work together to bring down the Del Sartos once and for all? The whole city depends on them!

The Urban Outlaws face their toughest challenge yet in the final book of this high-octane adventure series for fans of Robert Muchamore, Anthony Horowitz and Alex Scarrow. 

urbanoutlawsbunker.com

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Favourite Children's Book Picks US Published October 2016 - Post Two

Michael Dante DiMartino - Rebel Genius (Rebel Geniuses) - Published by Roaring Brook Press (October 4, 2016)

A new fantasy-adventure series from the co-creator of the hit animated shows Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra!

In twelve-year-old Giacomo's Renaissance-inspired world, art is powerful, dangerous, and outlawed. A few artists possess Geniuses, birdlike creatures that are the living embodiment of an artist's creative spirit. Those caught with one face a punishment akin to death, so when Giacomo discovers he has a Genius, he knows he's in serious trouble. 

Luckily, he finds safety in a secret studio where young artists and their Geniuses train in sacred geometry to channel their creative energies as weapons. But when a murderous artist goes after the three Sacred Tools--objects that would allow him to destroy the world and everyone in his path―Giacomo and his friends must risk their lives to stop him.

Rachel Hawkins - Journey's End - Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers (October 25, 2016) 

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins brings us a riveting middle grade fantasy-adventure, perfect for fans of Lisa Graff.

The town of Journey's End may not literally be at the end of the world, but it sure feels like it to Nolie Stanhope. Spending the summer with her scientist father in the tiny Scottish village isn't exactly Nolie's idea of a good time, but she soon finds a friend: native Journey's Ender Bel McKissick. 

While Nolie's father came to Journey's End to study the Boundary--a mysterious fog bank offshore--Bel's family  can’t afford to consider it a threat.  The McKissick’s livelihood depends on the tourists drawn by legends of a curse. Still, whether you believe in magic or science, going into the Boundary means you'll never come back. 

…Unless you do. Albert Etheridge, a boy who disappeared into the Boundary in 1914, suddenly returns--without having aged a day and with no memory of the past hundred years. Then the Boundary starts creeping closer to the town, threatening to consume everyone within.

While Nolie's father wants to have the village evacuated, Bel's parents lead the charge to stay in Journey's End. Meanwhile, Albert and the girls look for ways to stop the encroaching boundary, coming across an ancient Scottish spell that requires magic, a quest, and a sacrifice.

Ron McGee -  Ryan Quinn and the Rebel's Escape - Published by HarperCollins (October 25, 2016)

Ryan Quinn and the Rebel’s Escape is the first fast-paced, sensational novel in a trilogy about a New York City teenager who could give James Bond and Jason Bourne a run for their money. Fans of Alex Rider and the Spy School series will be completely enthralled.

Ryan Quinn hopes his traveling days are over. The son of a United Nations worker, he’s grown up in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa—everywhere but home. He’s finally settled at a great school in New York and is making friends when, suddenly, his world is turned upside down.

Ryan is blindsided when his father disappears and his mother is abducted. Left with nothing but questions, he soon discovers his parents have been leading a double life. They actually work with the Emergency Rescue Committee, an underground organisation that has performed dangerous rescue missions since World War II, and they’ve been secretly training Ryan to follow in their footsteps.

With his parents’ lives in the balance and more at stake than he knows, Ryan dives into a mission of international intrigue that sends him around the globe. To survive, he must trust his training and perform his own daring rescue mission in a thrilling race for freedom.

Don't miss this first book in Ron McGee’s high-stakes trilogy about Ryan Quinn.

Dan Jolley - Five Elements #1: The Emerald Tablet - Published by HarperCollins (October 18, 2016)

Five elements. Four friends. One city—and its sinister shadow. This epic new middle grade series is filled with awesome elemental powers, nightmarish creatures, and nonstop adventure that will thrill fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Rick Riordan, and Brandon Mull.

When Gabe Conway and his friends find a strange old map in his uncle’s office and follow it to a crumbling secret chamber beneath San Francisco, they think they’re just having one last adventure before Gabe moves away. 

They don’t expect to end up bound to the magic of the elements, or to set off a chain of events that none of them can explain. But they’re about to get more of an adventure than they bargained for.

For the last century, a power-hungry cult has been plotting to merge our world with a twisted parallel realm. Gabe’s bloodline holds the key to the barrier between the worlds—and now it’s up to Gabe, his friends, and their new elemental powers to save San Francisco from utter destruction.