Little Tiger New Children's Book Titles January 2026 - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Guardians of the New Moon: The Year of the Tiger
By Eric Huang, illustrated by Phùng Nguyên Quang
ISBN: 9781788957571 / PB / £6.99

The Heavenly Palace is in uproar! Biao the tiger has gone missing and there's no Year of the Tiger without her. Ming and Miaow are sent to find her - but bringing her back might just be their most difficult mission. Focused and stubborn, Biao hasn't got time for silly things like the lunar new year. The forest she calls home is dying and she's determined to save it. But she can't do it alone and her hot temper keeps getting in the way of finding friends. With time running out, can the Guardians help Biao save her home - and the Year of the Tiger - before it's too late?

Exciting, funny and jam-packed with action, GUARDIANS OF THE NEW MOON is perfect for fans of YOMI AND THE FURY OF NINKI NANKA, TIGER WARRIOR, Laura Ellen Anderson and SPELLCASTERS.

Clem Fatale Has Been Upstaged
By Eve Wersocki-Morris, illustrated by Honie Beam
ISBN: 9781788957625 / PB / £7.99

London, Summer 1951: Clem Fatale, the youngest crook in the city, and her best friend Gilbert are going to see their favourite musical double act, the Wade Sisters, perform at the London Palladium! But then one half of the duo - Betty Wade - disappears.

Her sister Judy hires Clem and Gilbert to find Betty. The pair are soon pulled into the dark side of the theatre scene, and into the orbit of a notorious criminal mastermind.

lifetime?

A rollicking middle grade series full of madcap escapades, fast-talking dames and unlikely heroes, perfect for fans of MURDER MOST UNLADYLIKE, ENOLA HOLMES, ADVENTURES ON TRAINS and Katherine Woodfine.

Star Friends: Charm Breaker
By Linda Chapman, illustrated by Kim Barnes
ISBN: 9781788957670 / PB / £6.99

Do you believe in magic?
Maddie and her friends do! And when they meet the Star Animals, a whole world of adventure unfolds.
After a village charity run, many of the adults in Westcombe (including most of the Star Friends' parents) start to become very energetic and throw caution to the wind when it comes to their responsibilities.

Maddie's mum seems unaffected, but the other Star Friends' parents are suddenly making random online purchases and arranging spontaneous trips out. Maddie is a little jealous at first, but as the adults become more reckless, she realises that dark magic is at work - where is it coming from?

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Favourite Children's/kids Book Picks - OCTOBER 2025

 

• Author: Dominique Valente
• Title: Witchlight (Witchspark)
• Publisher ‏: Usborne Publishing Ltd
• Publication Date: 9 Oct. 2025
• ISBN-13 ‏: ‎978-1805316800 - Paperback
• Reading Age ‏: ‎ 9 - 12 years

Return to the magical world of witches, royalty and curses in this spellbinding sequel to Witchspark. 

Miss Hegotty's Secret Society of Witches has a lot of work to do. The Department of Isle-Spark Regulation is up to no good.

For Princess Victoria at the palace, this means possibly losing her powers forever. And for Eglantine Bury, her magical home can't stop sneezing, causing total chaos with each "ACHOO!".

As if that wasn't enough to worry about, Eglantine's house isn't the only magical being falling mysteriously ill. With dragons and gargoyles getting sicker and sicker, the witches will have to use time travel, disguise spells and genie wishes to uncover the truth...before it's too late.

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10860/9781805316800

• Author: Phil Hickes 
• Illustrator: Oriol Vidal
• Title: The Last Day of October
• Publisher ‏: ‎Barrington Stoke
• Publication Date ‏ : ‎ 9 Oct. 2025
• ISBN-13 ‏: ‎978-0008748517
• Reading Age ‏: ‎9 years and up

• A spine-tingling middle-grade horror perfect for Halloween! (Dyslexia-friendly)

Bored with trick-or-treating, three friends venture into the woods on Halloween night to hunt for the haunted McBride House in this spine-tingling horror story from Phil Hickes.

If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a nasty surprise …

Seeking creepy thrills instead of candy, Cody and his friends set out on Halloween to search for the ruins of the haunted McBride House in the woods near his home in Oregon.

The house has taken on a sinister legendary status after it burned down a hundred years ago with tragic consequences, and it’s said that the ghosts of the family who lived there return each year on the last day of October.

But when they find the house, the truth of what is happening on this eerie autumn night is more terrifying than the three teenagers could ever have imagined …

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10860/9780008748517

• Author: Frank J. Camacho 
• Title: The Monsters They Made Us (The Heirs of Driftmoor) BK 1 
• Publisher: FJC Books
• Publication Date ‏: ‎1 Oct. 2025
• ISBN-13 ‏: ‎979-8998781810
• Reading Age ‏: ‎15 - 18 years

For fans of supernatural dramas and dark academia comes a new tale of salt-soaked secrets, blood-bound legacies, and a coastal town where every wave carries the weight of centuries-old curses.

Some monsters are born. Others are made. But the worst are inherited.

Long before Driftmoor was a town, it was a threshold where the veil between the natural and supernatural ran thin. Where wicked bargains were struck in the dark. Bargains that cursed four bloodlines forever.

Dorothy arrives at Driftmoor Academy hoping to leave her past behind and become someone new. But after a car crash leaves her teetering between life and death, dark abilities awaken inside her. Whispers through the halls. Nightmares claw at her sleep. And death follows wherever she goes.

As Dorothy is pulled into the gilded world of Driftmoor’s elite, pieces of a forgotten legacy begin to surface—along with a power she doesn’t understand and a past someone tried to erase. And she’s not the only one marked by what came before.

There’s the boy touched by the sea, who’s drawn to a song no one else can hear. The socialite carved from gold and expectation, clinging to perfection before it shatters. And the son born in shadows, raised by a family that never intended to keep him.

Linked by the bargains of their ancestors, the heirs of Driftmoor must each decide: will they surrender to their curses, harness the power they’ve inherited, or let it destroy them?

• 
  
• Author: Katherine Child
• Title: The Notted Island 
• Publisher: ‎Flying Eye Books
• Publication Date ‏ : ‎ 9 Oct. 2025
• ISBN-13 ‏: ‎978-1913123147 - Hardback
• Reading Age ‏: ‎ 9 - 11 years

Before 1861, the world was black and white. As Colour reached the end of his job, world-weary he stopped to rest on Last Island: the last uncoloured place. The people of the island are believed to be the reason for this and seek to better themselves, in the hope that Colour will recognise their efforts and bring colour to the island. To make matters worse, the islands Nott - a deity responsible for drawing the curtain of night - begins to make more and more mistakes. As the islanders grow restless, they send a letter threatening Nott. However, when the letter finds itself in the hands of Tisky, a young islander with pockets full of cake, she tasks herself with bringing unity back to Last Island.

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10860/9781913123147

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Favourite Children's Book Picks - MARCH 2025 UK

 

Jessie Burton - Hidden Treasure - Published by Bloomsbury Children's Books (13 Mar. 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1526604569 - Hardback - Age: 8+

For the people who live on the banks of the Thames, the river is a living, breathing thing. It can take your treasures. It can hide your treasures. And, sometimes, it can give them back.

Bo and Billy are two children who have never met. Billy is an orphan. Bo's dad died when she was small and now her brother is off to war. Both children are poor, but they have each found half of a priceless treasure, given up by the river. A treasure which - when the pieces are reunited - holds the power to give back to one of them the most precious thing they have ever lost.

But should the treasure be put back together again? And why has the river given it up now?

For fans of Katherine Rundell and Philip Pullman's The Ruby in the Smoke, Hidden Treasure is a classic in the making, with a rip-roaring plot, spine-tingling twists and an unforgettable cast of characters.

Pádraig Kenny - AFTER - Published by Walker Books (6 Mar. 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1529517804 - Paperback - Age: 9+ 

The Last of Us meets Wall-E in this post-apocalyptic tale of family, hope and survival from a multi-award-winning author

Jen and her father are making their way across a deserted world after a technological collapse brought civilization as people knew it to an end. The Flood took out all all technology, but also many people who were connected to a central information hive. Those who are left behind must find each other and build a new life. But Jen's father isn't related to her by blood – he is a human-appearing AI, a glitch in the system, and a secret that must be kept, even from those she wishes she could trust...

Exploring themes of what it means to be human, the value of every individual and where true danger lies – in our technological creations, or the ones who create them – this is a powerful and hopeful dystopian adventure for readers age 9+

Humza Arshad & Henry White, Aleksei Bitskoff (Illustrator) - Little Badman and the Game of Nightmares - Published by Puffin (13 Mar. 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0241509302 - Paperback - Age: 7+ 

Virtual reality takes on a new meaning in the next laugh-out-loud Little Badman adventure. Perfect for fans of Tom Gates and Planet Omar.

Humza’s life finally feels . . . normal. Aliens aren’t trying to kill him, zombies aren’t trying to eat him, there are no crazy spy missions on the horizon and certainly no mutant hamsters. So why does he still feel stressed? Enter Aisha Mariam Shah a.k.a the girl Humza is desperate to impress.

To get Aisha’s attention, Humza enters the science fair with his friends Wendy and Umer, and it soon looks like they have a real shot at winning. But Alan, their jealous classmate, has other ideas. He has his eyes on Aisha and the science fair prize too, and he’s determined to halt his nemeses in their tracks.

Using his invention, Alan traps the friends in a simulation. The only way to escape? Through a series of nightmare video game challenges. Luckily Humza is an expert gamer . . . or so he thought. Might teamwork hold the answer this time?

M . A . Willows - The Wolf Hunter and The Snap - Published by Independently published (3 Mar. 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8312864045 - Paperback - Age: 12+ 

The Wolf Hunter and The Snap – A Haunting Tale of Survival and Horror

Something is wrong with Oliver.

It started the night he and his friends—Alissa and Tim—broke into The House, a crumbling ruin wrapped in town legend. At first, it was just unease, shadows shifting in the corners of his vision. But then came the hunger. The blackouts. The sensation of something inside him, waiting.

He’s not sick. He’s changing.

As Alissa digs into the town’s history, she discovers records missing, dates erased, people forgotten. And lurking at the edges of it all is Lee Lambert, a man who seems to know exactly what’s happening to Oliver—because it once happened to him. The House wasn’t an accident. It was a trap. A way to continue the cycle.

But Oliver won’t go quietly.

As the transformation tightens its grip, he, Alissa, and Tim must fight to break free before he becomes the next vessel for something ancient and insatiable.

🔪 A gripping blend of psychological horror and supernatural terror, The Wolf Hunter and The Snap is a chilling story of survival, buried trauma, and the monsters that walk among us.

Fans of dark, unsettling horror won’t be able to look away.

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

Isaac Rundansky - Georgie Summers and the Scribes of Scatterplot - Published by Greenleaf Book Group (February 4, 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8886453164 - Hardback - Age: 9+

Exciting CRACK THE CODE adventure inside! Each and every reader who deciphers the hidden clue in each chapter will be entered to win incredible prizes and giveaways! 

In a world where fiction is a crime, young Georgie Summers must write a story to save everyone he loves …

When twelve-year-old Georgie Summers isn’t cooking dinner for his sick dad or trying to survive middle school bullies, you’ll find him in his backyard, slingshot in hand, nailing soda cans from 200 feet out … probably the only sixth grader who could pull off a shot like that.

Sure, life for Georgie was a little lonely, but at least it made sense.

That is, until a terrifying man—a man dressed in shiny black boots and bugs crawling out of a hole in his neck—climbs through a portal in midair and kidnaps Georgie’s father. Where did this man come from? Why was he looking for an ancient fountain pen? What secrets has Georgie’s father been keeping from him?

Completely alone and not to mention scared out of his wits, Georgie quickly teams up with two unlikely allies: Apurva Aluwhalia, an aspiring astronomer and just about the prettiest girl in school (in all of New York as far as Georgie is concerned), and Roscoe Harris, a self-proclaimed YouTube sensation with a whopping fourteen bored subscribers. But hey, big dreams, right?

Together, they stumble into Scatterplot, a hidden realm where mysterious Scribes record the memories of everyone on Earth. Without the Scribes, people would forget everything … they’d lose their minds. Literally.

As the adventure grows increasingly dangerous, Georgie uncovers the evil Flint Eldritch’s plan to destroy those very memories, erasing everyone Georgie has ever loved.

Armed with nothing but courage, friendship, and a magical but extremely dangerous pen, Georgie must race against time to save not just his dad … but the minds of everyone on Earth.

… including yours.

In this exhilarating middle-grade debut, perfect for fans of Percy Jackson and Harry Potter, author Isaac Rudansky spins a heart-pounding adventure of courage, hope, and the power of friendship to lift you from the depths of loneliness and despair.

You’ll be on the edge of your seat … just hope you’ll be able to remember it all when it’s over.

I.M. Dehd (Author), B. Sabo (Illustrator) - Terror from Beyond the Mirror - Published by Raintree (13 Feb. 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1398259171 - Hardback - Age: 8+ 

Mac has always been a loner. After all, it’s hard to make friends when you’re constantly moving. Why would this year be any different? At her new school, though, there’s a rumour that a mirror in the old second-floor toilets will grant any wish you whisper to it. Believing it to be a cruel prank, Mac is skeptical. But she tries anyway. She wishes for a friend. Unfortunately, the legend is no joke and the thing that lies beyond the mirror wants nothing more than for others to join it in its nightmarish home, forever and ever . . . Will Mac be taken in by the terror or can she find something to bring her back to reality? Prepared to be scared in this chilling chapter book for young readers by the master of misery and fright, I.M. Dehd.

Rosanne Parry (Author), Mónica Armiño (Illustrator) - A Wolf Called Fire - Published by Greenwillow Books (February 4, 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0063415133 - Hardback - Age: 7+ 

The stand-alone companion to Rosanne Parry’s New York Times bestseller A Wolf Called Wander tells the wilderness survival story of the wolf pup known as Warm and is illustrated in black and white throughout. This Voice of the Wilderness Novel features informational backmatter, including a map.

Warm is the smallest pup, the one his father calls the heart of the pack. But all Warm sees is his bigger brothers Sharp and Swift, and even his sisters Pounce and Wag, winning all the wrestling matches. Just as Warm is finding his place, enemy wolves destroy and scatter the pack. Warm helps lead the pups away from the fight, only to find himself alone with four pups to defend and feed. Can he be both the heart and the head of a new pack? Does he have to choose the aggressive leadership style of his father and brothers? Or is there another way?

Carina Finn - The Last Great Heir - Published by Sourcebooks Young Readers (4 Feb. 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1728298337 - Hardback - Age: 8+

The female heirs of two opposing families must duel for guardianship of the land in this stunning fantasy adventure debut!

Merriment Feast's life is one constant party, complete with dazzling gowns and delicious pastries. Well, except for her aunt's physically grueling training. Merri believes it's her responsibility to protect her family's traditions and the power they've held for generations.

Rue Famine knows that only Feasts benefit from Feast rule. As the heir of House Famine, she spends her days studying potion-making in an enormous, dusty library and learning how to use her magic to help others.

Custom dictates that the heirs of Feast and Famine must duel on their thirteenth birthday. Only one family can rule the land of Fauret, and Merri and Rue have been raised as rivals.

But as the contest draws near and dangers escalate, their true enemy may be a shared one…

The Best Children's Book Picks FEB 2025 - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Kieran Larwood (Author), Joe Todd Stanton (Illustrator) - Dungeon Runners: Sky Battles - Published by Nosy Crow Ltd (13 Feb. 2025) -ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1839945212 - Paperback - Age: 7

An action-packed new adventure series from Blue Peter Award-winning author Kieran Larwood and Waterstones Children's Book Prize winner Joe Todd Stanton. Young readers will love discovering the world of the Dungeon Runners!

ARE YOU READY FOR THE CHALLENGE? It's time to fight or take flight!

"Highly illustrated, humorous and immediately enthralling" - The Guardian

Kit can hardly believe he's now a professional Dungeon Runner. With his teammates Sandy and Thorn, they set off to a city in the clouds to compete.

But with new dangers at every turn, Kit and his friends will need their wits and bravery to take on enemies as well as monsters. Are they ready for the big leagues? There's only one way to find out!

Have you got what it takes to survive the Dungeon? Now is your chance to prove it!

Helen Fairley - The Soul Collector - Published by The Book Guild Ltd (28 Feb. 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1835741320 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

When siblings Sam and Jude are forced to leave London for a quiet village in the countryside due to their mother's illness, they expect boredom and isolation. But the village isn’t as peaceful as it seems. Next to their new home is an old graveyard with dark secrets.

One night, Sam sees strange flashing lights in the graveyard. He realises the village has mysteries waiting to be solved. Sam and Jude team up to uncover a mystery that has haunted the village for centuries.

Can they help the spirits that wander the village? Can they stop the monster who’s collecting souls?

With time running out, Sam, Jude, and their friends must act quickly to solve the puzzle before the Soul Collector claims his next victim.

Lucy Strange (Author), Rohan Eason (Illustrator) -  The Boy At The Window - Published by Barrington Stoke (13 Feb. 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0008712785 - Paperback - Age: 9+ 

A spine-tingling ghost story from bestselling author Lucy Strange

Folk say the fog plays tricks – that it shapes itself into little hands and frightened faces that press at people’s doors and windows, desperate to come inside. But Hugo is convinced the ghost he has seen at the window is no trick of the fog. The boy’s hollow eyes are haunting him. What would happen if Hugo were to open the door and let him in? Brace yourselves for a chilling, wintery ghost story …

Particularly suitable for readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 8.

Sam Sedgman - The Forbidden Atlas (Isaac Turner Investigates) - Published by Bloomsbury Children's Books (27 Feb. 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1526665430 - Paperback - Age: 8+

The exhilarating sequel to The Clockwork Conspiracy, Isaac Turner is back for another action-packed mystery adventure.

Isaac and Hattie have been invited to a high-profile event at the French National Archives in Paris to finally celebrate their achievement in saving time. But as Isaac prepares to make his speech, the lights go out and a single shot is fired.

The police think it was an assassination attempt on the infamous businessman Balthazar Blaise, but Isaac and Hattie realise that something very different is going on when they discover a boy taking something from the archives before vanishing without a trace.

As they investigate, Isaac and Hattie are pulled into an underground world, searching secret and forgotten places for a stolen letter, a missing sister and a map that will unearth a long buried secret ...

M. G. Leonard (Author), Manuel Šumberac (Illustrator) - Hunt for the Golden Scarab (Time Keys, 1) - Book Review - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

M.G. Leonard's latest offering, Hunt for the Golden Scarab, is the first book in a new series called Time Keys. The book will be published late January 2025 by Macmillan Children's Books. It has been amazingly illustrated by the super talented artist Manuel Šumberac with black and white illustrations. 

The narrative is a delightful and immersive journey through time that masterfully intertwines music, adventure, and the rich history of Ancient Egypt. As part of her new series, the author invites readers to explore the enchanting idea that music can unlock doors to different epochs, making it a key and the idea for time travel.

At the heart of the story is twelve-year-old Sim Lockier, a relatable and spirited protagonist who, along with his friends, is on a quest to uncover the secrets of Nefertiti’s lost tomb. The excitement builds as he fights against the sinister Council, who wish to control the mystical powers that can open time doors. The author's vivid descriptions transport readers to the Valley of the Kings, where the ancient past springs to life through well-researched details and magical plot moments. Sir John Soane's connection with the book had me hooked. I would have loved to have seen him feature more but, hopefully, the connection will continue through the rest of the series. 

The author's passion for music and history shines through her writing. Her background in the arts adds depth and authenticity, making the adventures feel both educational and entertaining. The narrative is steeped with a sense of wonder, encouraging readers to appreciate the present while exploring the mysteries of the past.

In Hunt for the Golden Scarab, M.G. Leonard has created a tale that is not just about adventure, but also about friendship, courage, and the power of curiosity. It's a perfect read for young adventurers and history buffs alike, leaving them eagerly anticipating the next installment of the Time Keys series. Highly entertaining and very much recommended!

The Best Children's Book Picks July 2024 US Post - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Christopher Lincoln - The Night Librarian - Published by Dial Books (July 30, 2024) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593617663 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

Night at the Museum meets The Land of Stories in this thrilling new graphic novel adventure series in which two siblings, a mysterious Night Librarian, and a motley cast of book characters try to save the New York Public Library

Twins Page and Turner know about the magic a library holds—they’ve been going to their beloved New York City public library for years, especially since their parents are always traveling for work.

But a secret mission involving their dad’s rare and valuable edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula uncovers a world they’ve never known, featuring a mysterious Night Librarian, famous heroes (and villains) that have broken free from classic books, and an epic battle to save the library from total destruction.

William David Thomas - Hum - Published by Charlesbridge Moves (July 16, 2024) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1732213722 - Hardback - Age: 9+

A chance encounter with an old llama astonishingly reveals a language Allen didn’t know he could speak in this captivating and one-of-a-kind middle-grade novel.

Eleven-year-old Allen has a recurring nightmare, a persistent habit of humming, and difficulty connecting with other people. Making a fresh start, he and his grandmother move to a small village in northern New York. But when he meets an old llama at a winter festival, the encounter reveals a language he didn’t know he could speak and unveils repressed memories that contradict what he has long believed about his earliest years and his parents’ deaths.

When the llama’s life is threatened, Allen vows to free it. Together they begin a desperate trek through a snowy wilderness, a journey on which Allen must wrestle with lies about his past while struggling against the elements to survive.

Sarah Tolcser - Majestica - Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers (July 2, 2024) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-059369654 - Hardback - Age: 7+

Jurassic Park meets Skandar and the Unicorn Thief in this page-turning middle-grade fantasy adventure set at a nature preserve for magical beasts, where two girls find themselves on a wilderness expedition gone disastrously wrong.

Hattie Swift is a maid-in-training at Majestica, a resort and nature preserve where visitors come face-to-face with rare magical flora and fauna. She’s thrilled to be invited along on the park’s famous wilderness train excursion for the first time, but there’s a catch: She has to accompany Evelyn Ridgewell, the hotel owner’s haughty niece, who wants nothing to do with her.

Soon after embarking, Evelyn overhears a man who aims to hunt the park’s creatures for sport, and Hattie meets Jacob Threadborne, an apprentice magician sent by a foreign government on a top-secret mission. Then the magical fences keeping guests safe stop working, and the train breaks down in the most treacherous part of the jungle. Faced with poachers, man-eating trees, and a dragon on the loose, Hattie, Evelyn, and Jacob must stick together to figure out what’s gone wrong at Majestica . . . that is, if they want to make it out alive.

Features a richly illustrated map of the expansive nature preserve, as well as a bestiary with all the magical—and dangerous—creatures at Majestica.

R. L. Stine - Shark Night - Published by Blackstone Publishing (July 2, 2024) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8874712341 - Hardback - Age: 8+

From bestselling and award-winning author R. L. Stine, Shark Night is a terrifying seafaring adventure that will leave readers gasping for more.

After an accident with the original diver, Carlo finds himself alone in a giant water tank holding a camera. A twenty-foot-long hammerhead shark is about to be lowered into the tank with him ...

Carlo is helping his mom film a documentary for the Danger Channel. A twelve-year-old battling a shark! It'll be a sensation! But don't worry, the hammerhead is the gentlest of sharks, and this one is old and nearly toothless, so he should be fine.

But Carlo is still paralyzed with fear, and as the shark is lowered into the tank he realizes something isn't right ...

They sent down the WRONG shark!