Archives de catégorie : Middle Grade

RUNELESS de Bill Masuku

In a world in which magical runes determine a person’s fate, runeless best friends find themselves on opposite sides of an epic fight for justice. For fans of Amulet and Avatar: The Last Airbender, a sweeping tale of friendship and power set in an Africa-inspired fantasy world.

RUNELESS
created by Bill Masuku
illustrated by Daniel Quartey, Mario Cau & Barlo Moreira
Kugali Ink/Disney, Fall 2025
(via Writers House)

In the wealthy city of Dura, a person’s fate is determined by the magical runes they’re born with. And Fungai and Ngoni, both born without runes, have nothing—except each other. 

But when a mysterious, hooded figure known as the Vagabond offers to magically grant them runes, the boys see their chance for a normal life . . . though it comes at a terrible cost. For the first time ever, Fungai and Ngoni disagree—and their choices change everything, pitting them against each other in a bitter fight for justice. 

Full of action and emotion, RUNELESS is the epic story of friends torn apart—and, against all odds, reunited—in an adventure that transforms their world.

Bill Masuku is an Award-winning Zimbabwean comic book artist and writer currently creating Runeless for Disney Hyperion through the Kugali Ink imprint while self-publishing Captain South Africa and Tokoloshe Hunters. Masuku has worked as a storyboard artist for Triggerfish on a Netflix project and Disney x Kugali’s animated series Iwájú. In 2022, Masuku was featured in Forbes Africa Under 30. He has been a guest speaker at events such as MCM London Comic Con, FanCon Cape Town, Comic Con Africa, Afro Comic Con, and Harare Literature Festival. He was selected as the British Council’s Design Futures Africa Storyteller for Zimbabwe, a project centered around sustainable development, the green future, and the informal economy. Masuku was spotlighted as an up-and-coming artist during DC Comics’s global event DC Fandome. His comic book artwork has been exhibited in Mozambique for Maputo Fast Forward Banda Desinhada Exhibition and in the University of Johannesburg’s Art Gallery for their African Hero exhibition in 2024.

Illustrator: Daniel Quartey & Mario Vitor Gouveia Cau, with colors by Barlo Moreira

Daniel Quartey (penciller) is a comic book artist and 2D animator from Ghana, whose work is primarily inspired by Japanese manga. He has been active in both fields since 2020, freelancing for companies such as AnimaxFYB, Leti Arts, VX Animation, Kugali Limited, and more.

Mario Vitor Gouveia Cau (inker) is a Brazilian graphic novelist, illustrator and teacher passionate about the language of the Sequential Art. His stories cover different genres, always bringing an introspective and poetic look at the characters’ emotions and relationships and inviting the reader to reflect upon the little pieces of life’s puzzle, with inventive page layouts and a range of styles that evoke visually the emotional journeys of the characters. Active in the scene since the beginning of the 2000s, he has published dozens of original titles and participated in several anthologies. Among his main works, the series Pieces, Therapy, and Monsterverse stand out; and the comic book adaptations of Dom Casmurro and Anne of Green Gables. For some of his work he has won the HQMIX, Jabuti, and Angelo Agostini awards. He also makes videos for his YouTube channel and mentors students on editorial and creative projects.

Barlo Moreira (colorist) is a comic book artist and colorist based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, renowned for his vibrant and captivating color work. Specializing in a diverse range of color styles, Bario is celebrated for his ability to breathe life into artwork, collaborating with indie publishers and authors from around the globe. His unique talent enhances narratives, making him an outstanding colorist in the comic book industry. Some of his recent works are Histórias Cósmicas (Cosmic Stories) and A Balada dos Guascas Mascarados (Masked Guascas’ Ballad).

About Kugali: With authenticity and creativity at its heart, Kugali is an African-owned and operated storytelling collective spearheading Africa’s modern emergence into the AAA media landscape. Founded in 2017 by Tolu Olowofoyeku, Olufikayo Adeola and Hamid Ibrahim with the purpose of taking African stories to the world, Kugali Media has paved the way for a generation of new African storytellers to find their voices in graphic novels. Their most notable achievements include record-breaking crowdfunding campaigns, a slew of award-winning graphic novels and their Disney+ series in collaboration with Disney Animation, Iwájú. You can read more about them on their website: https://kugali.com/.

SONG OF THE YELLOW DRAGON de Ying Ping Low

Two children search for a legendary dragon’s magic in this enchanting fantasy, perfect for readers ages 9-13.

SONG OF THE YELLOW DRAGON
by Ying Ping Low
G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, May 2026
(via Park, Fine & Brower)

There is a secret that every child knows: Magic is real. But by the time children turn thirteen, they forget that magic is anything but make-believe.

Mengyao wants to remember. Born in a village nestled in a secluded vale, Mengyao wants to hold on to magic and become a Divine Healer. But with her thirteenth birthday fast approaching, she is losing hope.

Young emperor Kai is on the run from traitorous advisors. He’s searching for the fabled Dragon’s Pulse, a magic capable of defeating his enemies. On the brink of his thirteenth birthday, Kai doesn’t have much longer. So when he meets Mengyao—the girl whose name is mentioned in his legend—he forces aside his instinctual distrust and recruits her to help him on his quest.

On their perilous journey, Kai and Mengyao find aid in unexpected forms like a jade hare, a moon goddess, and a handful of promises. But as enemies close in and time runs out, secrets that will reshape the fate of their kingdom forever come to light.

Ying Ping Low has published multiple middle grade novels in Singapore. Her novels have won the Singapore Book Award and been shortlisted for the Hedwig Anuar Children’s Book Award and the Popular Readers’ Choice Award. While she has also received acclaim for her poems and short stories, novels are her preferred form of writing. Song of the Yellow Dragon will be her first novel published into the US market. Ying Ping lives in Singapore, where she picked up crocheting just before the pandemic and has never stopped since.

THE PROPHECYMAKERS de Julie Abe

If you’re unremarkable… How will you leave your mark on the world? Abe’s unique combination of magic, humor, and imagination dazzles in this modern classic.

THE PROPHECYMAKERS #1
by Julie Abe
Bloomsbury Children’s Books, Winter 2026
(via Sterling Lord Literistic)

Lyra is Extremely Unremarkable. It’s even printed on her birth certificate. Her prophecy is the absolute worst rank in the realm. Lyra is also an orphan, shuttling from Guild to Guild, and looking for someone to take her in as one of their own. As soon as they find out about her fate, she’s shoved out the door, ragged suitcase in hand. If she doesn’t get into a Guild Registry before she turns twelve years old, she’ll be banished from the realm.

Her last chance is Waterfall Way. It’s a mysterious, beautiful village rumored to be rife with bad luck. Still, she’s determined to prove her worth. When her eccentric guardian requests she sort out Waterfall Way’s waterlogged, neglected magical library, she jumps at the seemingly impossible task. But, as she battles the bookdragons and makes friends with the villagers, she finds clues that hint that the prophecies that the realm relies on might not be exactly what they seem. Lyra may have an Extremely Unremarkable past, but she’s determined to fight fate for a future all her own.

THE PROPHECYMAKERS is a young middle grade fantasy where the heartwarming whimsy of Anne of Green Gables meets the sweeping adventures of Wilderlore, with a hint of A Wish in the Dark.

Julie Abe has lived in Silicon Valley, spent many humid summers in Japan, and currently basks in the sunshine of Southern California with never enough books or tea, where she creates stories about magical adventures. Her debut novel Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch received a starred review from Kirkus: “Bewitching… a must-read for fantasy lovers,” and was also listed as a Best Middle Grade Book by Kirkus Reviews, New York Public Library, Bank Street College of Education, and Book Riot. Julie is also the author of Eva Evergreen and the Cursed Witch; Alliana, Girl of Dragons; and Tessa Miyata is No Hero, as well as the young adult novels The Charmed List and Our Cursed Love.

BEASTIES de Peter Lerangis

In this all-new adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of the Seven Wonders series, Peter Lerangis, four kids discover an alien artifact in Central Park that turns them into animals. The clock is ticking for them to find a cure—before the park’s predators find them first!

BEASTIES #1
by Peter Lerangis
HarperCollins, April 2025
(via Sterling Lord Literistic)

On a field trip to Central Park, Riley and his classmates accidentally encounter a supernatural artifact that looks a lot like, well, honestly… a piece of poop. But one of them gets too close, there’s a blinding flash and suddenly the five friends are turned into various critters. Riley’s sister’s a hawk, the school bully’s a raccoon, and Riley? He’s transformed into everyone’s least favorite animal, a New York City rat.

Their once-dull morning quickly turns into a fight for survival. The kids have stay alive long enough find a way to turn themselves back to normal. But as it turns out, they’re not the only humans-turned-into-animals on the loose in Central Park…

As it turns out, Riley and his friends have accidentally thrust themselves into the center of a dangerous Manhattan-wide plot. And now they must use all their animal abilities to stop the bad guys, find the cure, and get back home without, you know, getting eaten on the way. It’s a wild adventure of a lifetime—because if they fail, these beasties will stay beasts forever.

Peter Lerangis is the author of more than one hundred and seventy books, which have sold more than six-and-a-half million copies and been translated into thirty-five different languages. These include the five books in the New York Times bestselling Seven Wonders series, The Colossus Rises, Lost in Babylon, The Tomb of Shadows, The Curse of the King, and The Legend of the Rift; two books in the 39 Clues series; and the Max Tilt and Throwback trilogies. He lives in New York City with his family.

FINDERS KEEPERS de Jeff Strand

A scavenger hunt takes a sinister turn in the third novel in the Eek! series, tales to scare you silly!

FINDERS KEEPERS
by Jeff Strand
Sourcebooks, April 2025

In the small town of Farlow, mysterious advertisements appear for a summer scavenger hunt. Twelve-year-old Maggie and her friends can’t wait. They have their team, and more than bragging rights, they want that huge cash prize.

On the big day, a strange man welcomes everybody to the game. The first items are ridiculously easy (« An egg? Seriously? »), but they quickly grow more difficult. When getting one of the items requires an actual crime―breaking into the school after dark―Maggie loses one of her teammates. But the others manage to steal Mr. Kramer’s favorite mug.

A bone from the cemetery seems like it’s as dark as the game can get, but when they’re asked to bring back a human head, nobody wants to play anymore. But it’s too late to quit…

Jeff Strand is the Bram-Stoker Award-winning author of more than sixty books, which is a pretty good number but not as many as R.L. Stine. Cemetery Dance magazine said, “No author working today comes close to Jeff Strand’s perfect mixture of comedy and terror.” He loves barbecue, sugary drinks, sushi, and spooky stuff. You can visit his Gleefully Macabre website at www.jeffstrand.com. .