A major middle-grade graphic novel series that follows the adventures of an ordinary kid in a world where superheroes are common, who has to call upon his power of common sense to save the day when the rest of the school becomes obsessed with a game that might be more sinister than it first appears.
LEON THE EXTRAORDINARY #1
by Jamar Nicholas
Scholastic, Spring 2022
In Leon’s world, superheroes are common as teachers or dentists—at Leon’s school, they come to Career Day alongside comic book artists and chefs! But being a superhero is anything but ordinary for kids like Leon, without powers. Surprise ambushes from villains can ruin a school trip, and superhero kids have a pretty unfair advantage in gym class. Though Leon’s keen common sense is practically a power unto itself, it’s not always effective against super-bullies… Until kids at school suddenly become obsessed with a new game. Even some of the super-kids seem trapped by flashing lights on their phone. As Leon swings into action, figuring out what’s taking over the school and his town, his common sense – and a few secrets he’ll discover hiding in plain sight – may become more powerful than he ever imagined.
Jamar Nicholas is an award-winning artist and educator, who dedicates his career to helping young people realize the power of visual narrative. Jamar aims to bring awareness to anti-bullying, healing, and positive images of people of color with the idea that everyone can be a hero. He is a columnist for DRAW! and hosts the Pencil To Pencil Podcast with industry legends Mike Manley and Bret Blevins.
Plum Winter has always come in second to her sister, the unbelievably cool, famous influencer Peach Winter. And when Peach is invited to an all-expenses paid trip to a luxurious art and music festival for influencers on a private island in the Caribbean, Plum decides to intercept the invite. This time, she’s going to have some fun. She convinces her two best friends Antonia and Marlowe to come with her—’cause hey, they were planning on a spring break trip anyway, right? But when Plum and her friends get to the island, it’s not anything like it seemed in the invite. The island is run-down, creepy, and there doesn’t even seem to be a festival—it’s just seven other quasi-celebrities and influencers. And then people start to die… Plum and her friends soon realize that someone has lured each of them to the « festival » to kill them. Someone has a vendetta against every person on the island–and no one is supposed to leave the island alive. So, together, Plum, Antonia, and Marlowe will do whatever it takes to unravel the mystery of the killer, and fight to save themselves and as many influencers as they can, before it’s too late.
Magic is harder than it looks. Now that Moth has discovered the secret family history at the heart of Founder’s Bluff, it’s time to adjust to her life as a beginner-level witch. She gets more and more fed-up with her basement-low middle school status and the daily mocking that comes with it, until she discovers a powerful charm that can basically turn her “cool.” And it works! But there’s a catch. An ancient, demonic catch. The charm releases a cool, but wicked and tricky Shadow Moth who only wants to take over Moth’s life. With the help of the Shadow, Moth acquires new, cool friends, totally owns her bullies, and gets a chance at the coveted Founderella crown, the ultimate symbol of Founder’s Bluff popularity. Will Moth get everything she thought she ever wanted? Or will Shadow Moth eat her first?
Once upon a time, a girl named Sophie rode into the forest with the queen’s huntsman. Her lips were the color of ripe cherries, her skin as soft as new-fallen snow, her hair as dark as midnight. When they stopped to rest, the huntsman took out his knife . . . and took Sophie’s heart. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Sophie had heard the rumors, the whispers. They said she was too kind and foolish to rule — a waste of a princess. A disaster of a future queen. And Sophie believed them. She believed everything she’d heard about herself, the poisonous words people use to keep girls like Sophie from becoming too powerful, too strong . . . With the help of seven mysterious strangers, Sophie manages to survive. But when she realizes that the jealous queen might not be to blame, Sophie must find the courage to face an even more terrifying enemy, proving that even the darkest magic can’t extinguish the fire burning inside every girl, and that kindness is the ultimate form of strength.