Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Kids/Young Adult Book Picks - April 2019 - US Published Post

A. M. Morgen- The Inventors and the Lost Island - Published by Little, Brown Young Readers US (2 April 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-0316471534 - Hardback - Age: 7+

Get ready for heart-pounding action, nefarious mysteries, and hijinx galore in the thrilling, clever sequel to The Inventors at No. 8!

As the one-time unluckiest boy in London, George, the 3rd Lord of Devonshire, knows better than to overlook something as suspicious as a secretive new neighbor. And George was right to be wary--this new neighbor turns out to be Don Nadie, the head of the nefarious Society of Nobodies, and a man just as villainous as he is mysterious.

Almost overnight, George finds himself framed for attempting to assassinate the king (a crime he most assuredly did not commit) and once again on the run with his best friend Ada Byron, the future Countess of Lovelace. Together, they must navigate the high seas in Ada's latest invention, a submersible mechanical whale, all while trying to stay one step ahead of Don Nadie and the Society. Because even though George may be a gentleman, there's no way he's going to sit idly by while Don Nadie ruins his family name and takes over the world. 

In this charming and brilliant sequel, author A.M. Morgen raises the stakes and expands a humor and heart-filled world sure to appeal to fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society and The Inquisitor's Tale.

M. M. Vaughan - Slick - Published by Alma Books Ltd (25 April 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1846884597 - Paperback - Age:9+

Eric Young is the first child android to be trialled in society, but he doesn't know that. He does know that he's just moved to Ashland from New York City, so it's important that he makes new friends. Not just any friends, but the right kind, the kind that would be interested in skateboarding and the new Slick trainers his Uncle Martin sends him. He's already growing his social media presence, but he knows it's important to make friends in the real world too. Danny Lazio doesn't have any friends, but he doesn't care about that. He would rather not be friends with someone like Eric, who's had seemingly everything handed to him. But when Eric takes an interest in Land X, Danny's favourite online game, Danny thinks he might have found a real friend... if he can figure out the mystery behind Eric's sudden disappearances and strange lifestyle. As their friendship grows it becomes harder to ignore the weird events that happen around Eric, from weekly 'dentist appointments' to inexplicable medical mishaps. But uncovering the truth is an act that might cost them both as powerful forces soon move in around them.

Quinn Sosna-Spear - The Remarkable Inventions of Walter Mortinson

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (April 2, 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1534420809 - Hardback - Age:7+

In this sweeping and inventive debut novel that’s perfect for fans of Roald Dahl, Neil Gaiman, and Tim Burton, a prodigal inventor flees his home to find his destiny.

In the humdrum town of Moormouth, Walter Mortinson’s unusualinventions cause nothing but trouble. After one of his contraptions throws the town into chaos, Walter’s mother demands he cut the nonsense and join the family mortuary business.

Far off on Flaster Isle, famed inventor Horace Flasterborn plans to take Walter under his wing, just as he did Walter’s genius father decades ago. When a letter arrives by unusual means offering Walter an apprenticeship, it isn’t long before Walter decides to flee Moormouth to meet his destiny.

Walter runs away in the family hearse along with Cordelia, the moody girl next door with one eye and plenty of secrets. Together they journey through a strange landscape of fish-people, giantess miners, and hypnotized honeybees in an adventure that will not only reveal the truth about Walter’s past but direct his future.

Caroline Carlson - The Door at the End of the World - Published by HarperCollins (April 9, 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-0062368300 - Hardback - Age:7+

What begins as a rather unremarkable Tuesday quickly turns to disaster when Lucy, the Gatekeeper's deputy, discovers that her boss has vanished and the door connecting Lucy's world to the next world over is broken—and it all might be Lucy's fault.

To save the Gatekeeper and set things right, Lucy must break the rules for the first time ever and journey with an otherworldly boy, a suspiciously sneaky girl, and a crew of magical bees into the seven worlds beyond her own.

But Lucy isn't the only one breaking the rules. As dangers gather around her, she learns she's up against a sinister force that's playing with the delicate fabric of time and space, no matter what the deadly costs or consequences.

Lucy's never had to save the world before—and now, somehow, she's got to find a way to save eight of them.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Kids Book Picks - March 2019 - US Published Post Two

Colin Meloy - The Whiz Mob and the Grenadine Kid - Published by Balzer & Bray/Harperteen (5 Mar. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-0062342461 - Paperback - Age: 9+

From the creators of the New York Times, bestselling Wildwood Chronicles comes an original, humorous, and fast-paced middle-grade novel about a band of child pickpockets--imagine The Invention of Hugo Cabret meets Oliver Twist.

It is an ordinary Tuesday morning in April when bored, lonely Charlie Fisher witnesses something incredible. Right before his eyes, in a busy square in Marseille, a group of pickpockets pulls off an amazing robbery. As the young bandits appear to melt into the crowd, Charlie realizes with a start that he himself was one of their marks.

Yet Charlie is less alarmed than intrigued. This is the most thrilling thing that's happened to him since he came to France with his father, an American diplomat. So instead of reporting the thieves, Charlie defends one of their cannons, Amir, to the police, under one condition: he teaches Charlie the tricks of the trade.

What starts off as a lesson on pinches, kicks, and chumps soon turns into an invitation for Charlie to join the secret world of the whiz mob, an international band of child thieves who trained at the mysterious School of Seven Bells. The whiz mob are independent and incredibly skilled and make their own way in the world--they are everything Charlie yearns to be. But what at first seemed like a (relatively) harmless new pastime draws him into a dangerous adventure with global stakes greater than he could have ever imagined.

Thomas Lennon (Author), John Hendrix (Illustrator) - Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of Riddles - Published by Amulet Books (5 Mar. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1419734915 -Hardback - Age:10+

Fourteen-year-old Ronan Boyle is the youngest and lowliest recruit to the secret Garda, an Irish police force that handles the misdeeds of numerous magical creatures. Ronan’s parents are in jail, but Ronan is convinced that they were framed by the wee people. So, despite his small size, poor eyesight, and social awkwardness, he’s determined to learn all he can in the Garda in order to prove his parents’ innocence. To show he’s got what it takes, he’ll have to confront a fiery leprechaun, a sinister harpy, and a whole world of monsters hidden in plain sight next to real-life Ireland. Fast-paced, action-packed, and completely hilarious, this is the start to an exciting new middle-grade series by actor and writer Thomas Lennon.

Heather Shumaker - The Griffins of Castle Cary - Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (5 Mar. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1534430884 - Hardback - Age: 7+

A charming, adventure-filled debut novel that's perfect for fans of The Penderwicks series.

Siblings Meg, Will, and Ariel Griffin are off on an adventure! They can't wait to spend a week visiting their eccentric aunt and her giant, tongue-drooling Newfoundland dog in England. But when they finally arrive, they're faced with a few local secrets that stir up more than a little trouble. 

Add in some very peculiar lights, strange new friends, a police chase and some stampeding sheep, and the Griffin kids are in over their heads--literally. Apparently, this town has a ghost problem and the three children must race to solve the mystery before the ghosts take something that doesn't belong to them.

Keith O'Brien - Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History - Published by Houghton Mifflin (5 Mar. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1328618429 - Hardback - Age: 8+

From NPR correspondent Keith O' Brien comes this thrilling Young Readers' edition of the untold story about pioneering women, including Amelia Earhart, who fought to compete against men in the high-stakes national air races of the 1920s and 1930s--and won.

In the years between World War I and World War II, airplane racing was one of the most popular sports in America. Thousands of fans flocked to multi-day events, and the pilots who competed in these races were hailed as heroes. Well, the male pilots were hailed. Women who flew planes were often ridiculed by the press, and initially, they weren't invited to race. Yet a group of women were determined to take to the sky--no matter what. With guts and grit, they overcame incredible odds both on the ground and in the air to pursue their dreams of flying and racing planes.

Fly Girls follows the stories of five remarkable women: Florence Klingensmith, a high-school dropout from North Dakota; Ruth Elder, an Alabama housewife; Amelia Earhart, the most famous, but not necessarily the most skilled; Ruth Nichols, a daughter of Wall Street wealth who longed to live a life of her own; and Louise Thaden, who got her start selling coal in Wichita. Together, they fought for the chance to race against the men--and in 1936 one of them would triumph in the toughest race of all.

Complete with photographs and a glossary, Fly Girls celebrates a little-known slice of history wherein tenacious, trail-blazing women braved all obstacles to achieve greatness.
 

Ruth NicholsCreditCreditThe International Women’s Air and Space Museum, Cleveland, Ohio