Archives de catégorie : Middle Grade

UNICORN ISLAND de Donna Galanti, illustrée par Bethany Stancliffe

Beyond the mist lies a magical secret waiting to be discovered . . . From Epic! Originals, UNICORN ISLAND is a middle-grade illustrated novel series about a young girl who discovers a mysterious island full of mythical beasts and darker dangers!

UNICORN ISLAND
by Donna Galanti and Bethany Stancliffe
Andrews McMeel, 2021 – 2023

Book 1: UNICORN ISLAND (February 2021)

When Sam arrives in Foggy Harbor, population 3,230, all she can see is a small, boring town that’s way too far from home. And knowing that she’s stuck there all summer with her grumpy Uncle Mitch only makes things worse.

But when Sam discovers a hidden trapdoor leading to a room full of strange artifacts, she realizes Foggy Harbor isn’t as sleepy as it seems. With the help of a new friend, Sam discovers an extraordinary secret beyond the fog: an island of unicorns whose fates are intertwined with hers.

Book 2: SECRET BENEATH THE SAND (March 2022)

Sam can’t believe how much her life and luck have changed since she came to Foggy Harbor: First, she discovered that unicorns are real, and now she’s on her way to becoming an actual unicorn protector! With her new friend, Tuck, by her side during Uncle Mitch’s lessons, Sam finally feels like she’s home.

But as the long-buried dangers of Unicorn Island begin to surface and a mysterious scourge spreads throughout the herd, Sam learns the truth behind Aunt Sylvie’s disappearance and her own connection to the island. With determination, courage, and fierce loyalty to one another—and to their code as unicorn protectors—the kids set out to protect the island’s secrecy and the unicorns’ very existence.

Book 3: BEYOND THE PORTAL (April 2023)

For Sam, knowing a little about her mother’s disappearance through the portal is almost worse than knowing nothing at all. Determined to distract herself, she tries to learn everything possible about caring for the herd on Unicorn Island. But when she and her friend Tuck stumble on a coded verse in The Unicorn Protector Creed, they are faced with an even greater task.

With no way of knowing what’s beyond it, Sam, Tuck, and Barloc the unicorn step through the portal and find that not only is Sam’s mother no longer a unicorn protector, she also lives in a world plagued by its own problems—and convinced that the only solution to them rests in the horn on Barloc’s head.

With the portal closing at sundown on the third day, Sam and Tuck are in a race to rescue their friend, reunite their families, and save another world from a terrible fate of its own making!

Donna Galanti wrote her first fantasy about Dodo birds, wizards, and a flying ship––and has been writing fantasy ever since. Donna is the author of the middle-grade fantasy adventure, Joshua and The Lightning Road.

Bethany Jayde Stancliffe is a Central Washington-based artist who grew up in the Rockies, where she spent her time building tree forts, reading fairy tales, and filling up sketchbooks. Having had a spectrum of creative interests since childhood ranging from architecture to animation, she has found a home in illustration, where design and storytelling meet.

HARU de Joe Latham

Haru, a small bird who dreams of flying, and their best friend Yama, a talkative boar, are used to being in the shadows. But when Yama finds a strange artifact that causes sinister effects, the two are swept into an epic journey to destroy the artifact and save the world.

HARU
(Book 1, Spring)
by Joe Latham
Andrews McMeel, March 2024

In The Valley, best friends Haru and Yama both dream of leaving as they’re bullied at school, frustrated at home, and struggling to figure out who they are. One day, a powerful artifact connects itself to Yama, and they discover that they’ll have to journey to The Beacon in search of answers.

Created by artist Joe Latham, this beautifully illustrated graphic novel series is a coming-of-age tale that spans the changing of seasons. Beginning in spring and ending in spring—the cycle complete. A story of heart, growing up, and the sacrifices we make for those we love, Haru is perfect for middle-grade readers.

Joe Latham is a Human Person, based in Bristol (UK). He makes comics, illustrations and designs for other humans. In his own words, he is « a tall nerd » and he plays the drums. He also likes to hang out with his cat.

ENCHANTED FOREST CHRONICLES de Patricia C. Wrede

This delightfully witty fantasy series is about a princess who runs away to find some excitement—and finds plenty!

ENCHANTED FOREST CHRONICLES
by Patricia C. Wrede
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/HarperCollins, 1990 – 1993, Reprint editions 2015

Book 1: DEALING WITH DRAGONS (Reprint edition, 2015)

Meet Princess Cimorene–a princess who refustes to be proper. She is everything a princess is not supposed to be: headstrong, tomobyish smart…
And bored.
So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon. And not just any dragon, but Kazul–one of the most powerful and dangerous dragons arounds. Of course, Cimorene has a way of hooking up with dangerous characters, and soon she’s coping with a witch,a a jinn, a death-dealing talking bird, a stone prince, and some very oily wizards.

If this princess ran away to find some excitement, it looks like she’s found plenty!

Book 2: SEARCHING FOR DRAGONS (Reprint edition, 2015)

As this young adult fantasy series continues, a princess must join forces with the king of the Enchanted Forest to find a missing dragon.
Cimorene, the princess who refuses to be proper, is back—but where is Kazul the dragon? That’s what Cimorene is determined to find out!

 

Book 3: CALLING ON DRAGONS (Reprint edition, 2015)

The magical, young adult fantasy series continues as Cimorene discovers being queen is tougher than it looks as she fights to save her kingdom.
Those wicked wizards are back—and they’ve become very smart. Sort of. They intend to take over the Enchanted Forest once and for all…unless Queen Cimorene finds a way to stop them. And she just might be able to with some help from a dragon king, a witch, a magician, two cats, and a blue, flying donkey-rabbit named Killer.

Book 4: TALKING TO DRAGONS (Reprint edition, 2015)

The humorous young adult fantasy series comes to a close as a young prince begins a heroic quest—he just doesn’t know it yet.
One day, Daystar’s mom, Cimorene, hands him a magic sword and kicks him out of the house. Daystar doesn’t know what he is supposed to do with the magic sword, but knowing Cimorene, he’s sure it must involve a dragon or two!

Patricia C. Wrede has written all four books in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles as well as Sorcery & Cecilia, The Grand Tour, and The Mislaid Magician, co-written with Caroline Stevermer. Ms. Wrede lives and writes in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

ONCE UPON ANOTHER TIME de James Riley

Storybook characters collide in this first book in a new trilogy of twisted fairy tales from New York Times bestselling author James Riley, set in the world of his popular Half Upon a Time series—perfect for fans of Fablehaven and Chris Colfer’s A Tale of Magic series!

ONCE UPON ANOTHER TIME
by James Riley
‎Aladdin, 2022 – 2023
(via Dystel, Goderich & Bourret)

Book 1: ONCE UPON ANOTHER TIME (April 2022)

Five and a half feet might seem pretty tall for a twelve-year-old, but it’s not when your parents are giants. Lena has kept the fact that she’s a tiny giant secret, using magic to grow when out in the giant village. But hiding who she is has always felt wrong, even though she knows the other giants might not accept her. Fortunately, Lena has friends down in the Cursed City who understand that looking different doesn’t make her less of a giant.
Someone who knows not to judge by appearances is Jin, a young genie currently serving one thousand and thirty-eight years of genie training that requires him to fulfill the wish of whoever holds his magical ring. In Jin’s case, it’s the power-hungry Golden King. At least the king only has two wishes left, one of which is for Jin to go to the Cursed City and capture its protector, the Last Knight—one of Lena’s closest friends.
What Lena and Jin don’t know is how close the Golden King’s plans are to coming together, between his dark magic and his horrible Faceless knights. If Jin does find the Last Knight and bring him to the Golden King, why, that could doom the entire fairy-tale world.
…This sounds like it’ll end badly, doesn’t it?

Book 2: TALL TALES (September 2022)

Lena might finally be accepted by the other giants after helping to defeat the Golden King and his faceless army in the Cursed City, but that doesn’t mean life has become any easier for her. The power-hungry Golden King wants revenge and has begun spreading shadow magic out over the kingdoms, taking over the minds of anyone it touches, and instilling fear and hatred as it goes.
The fairy queens, the most magical beings in the kingdoms, say their sacred book, Tales of All Things, claims that there is one person who can defeat the Golden King and his dark spells: Lena. But only if she first proves herself worthy by completing three challenges.
All Lena ever wanted was to prove she is really a giant. Now she has to be so much more. Can she and her genie friend, Jin, save the human world that doesn’t trust them, or will they fall prey to shadow magic, and doom everything?

Book 3: HAPPILY EVER AFTER (May 2023)

Who doesn’t love a good Happily Ever After? The Cursed City is now the Blessed City, with its residents’ curses removed. Lena is now fully human, as are the rest of the giants, and together they live in peace with all the other humans in the city, all their differences now gone. And sure, Jin might have disappeared, but really, genie magic only caused trouble.

At least, that’s what the magic spell in Lena’s head is telling her. But somewhere inside, she knows that this new world isn’t right, that no real Happily Ever After would take her giant heritage from her…and that Jin is in danger.

When things are at their darkest, can a single Spark light the way?

James Riley lives in Virginia. He is the New York Times bestselling author of the Half Upon a Time, Story Thieves, Revenge of Magic, and Once Upon Another Time series.

MOLLY AND BEAR de Bob & Vicki Scott

Based on the beloved comic strip by Bob Scott, the Molly and Bear series by Bob and Vicki Scott is a pitch-perfect, lighthearted, hilarious odd couple graphic novel adventure that’s sure to become a new favorite for middle-grade readers.

MOLLY AND BEAR
by Bob & Vicki Scott
Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, Summer 2024
(via Writers House)

11 year old Molly has an unusual new BFF: an 800 pound scaredy bear! When Bear wanders into Molly’s life, it doesn’t take long for her to figure out she’s just met her new bestie. Loyal, sweet, inquisitive…and terrified of almost everything. . . Bear makes a great new friend. And he’s not scary AT ALL! But try telling that to the rest of the world.
Molly eventually convinces her mom and dad to let Bear stay with them, but convincing everyone else that Bear isn’t dangerous (not to mention convincing Bear that he isn’t in constant danger!) is going to take some work. Lucky for Bear, Molly doesn’t give up easily so she’s up for the challenge.

Bob and Vicki Scott began their careers in animation and have worked on films for Dreamworks and Pixar. Molly and the Bear, which is based on Bob’s syndicated comic strip Bear with Me, is their middle-grade debut.