Archives de catégorie : Middle Grade

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR EVIL ROBOT de Joy McCullough & Eduardo Medeiros

A hilarious and thought-provoking middle-grade graphic novel that uses a tiny would-be villain to explore the promise and pitfalls of artificial intelligence, blending comic book-style fun with big questions about technology, empathy, and what it means to be human, for fans of Adam Rubin and Peter Brown.

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR EVIL ROBOT
by Joy McCullough
illustrated by Eduardo Medeiros
Sourcebooks Explore, July 2026

He’s three inches tall. He has enormous plans. And he’s about to learn a very important lesson.

This is the wildly funny picture book that helps kids make sense of the AI world they’re already living in — without any of the anxiety, and with all of the laughs. One kid, one skeptical dog, and one very overconfident robot walk readers through what AI can do, what it can’t, and why being human is still pretty great.

Perfect for curious kids, savvy parents, and anyone who wants to stay one step ahead of the robots!

The funniest AI book your kid will ever read — a tiny robot with massive ambitions meets his match in one clever kid and their very unimpressed dog
Finally — a way to talk to your kids about AI that’s actually fun, age-appropriate, and doesn’t require a computer science degree
Smart, funny, and wildly timely — covers what AI can do (and what it definitely cannot) in a way that sticks with young kids
Comics-style art and laugh-out-loud storytelling make every page an adventure — even the big ideas feel like play
The must-have gift for the AI age — because every kid is growing up with technology, and this book makes that hilarious instead of scary

Joy McCullough is an award-winning author and a NYT bestseller. She writes books and plays from her home in the Seattle area, where she lives with her husband and two children.

Eduardo Medeiros is a Brazilian author and artist, and has been captivated by storytelling since childhood and has always dreamed of creating comics. Eduardo enjoys quality time with his 4-year-old son, Gabriel, or hitting the road in his beloved vintage car.

THE NEST (GRAPHIC NOVEL) de Kenneth Oppel

Kenneth Oppel has re-imagined his acclaimed novel as a graphic novel with stunning artwork by Susan Kao.

THE NEST: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL
by Kenneth Oppel
Simon & Schuster, April 2027
(via Writers House)

She was very blurry, not at all human looking. There were huge dark eyes, and a kind of mane made of light, and when she spoke, I couldn’t see a mouth moving, but I felt her words, like a breeze against my face, and I understood her completely. “We’ve come because of the baby,” she said. “We’ve come to help.”

For some kids, summer is a sun-soaked season of fun. But for Steve, it’s just another season of worries. Worries about his sick newborn baby brother who is fighting to survive, worries about his parents who are struggling to cope, even worries about the wasp’s nest looming ominously from the eaves.

So when a mysterious wasp queen invades his dreams, offering to “fix” the baby, Steve thinks his prayers have been answered.

All he has to do is say “Yes.” But “yes” is a powerful word. It is also a dangerous one. And once it is uttered, can it be taken back?

A compelling story that explores disability and diversity, fears and dreams, and what ultimately makes a family.

Kenneth Oppel is the author of numerous books for young readers. His award-winning Silverwing trilogy has sold over a million copies worldwide and been adapted as an animated TV series and stage play. Airborn won a Michael L. Printz Honor Book Award and the Canadian Governor General’s Literary Award for children’s literature; its sequel, Skybreaker, was a New York Times bestseller and was named Children’s Novel of the Year by the London Times. He is also the author of Half Brother, This Dark Endeavor, Such Wicked Intent, The Boundless, The Nest, and Inkling. Born on Canada’s Vancouver Island, he has lived in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, Canada; in England and Ireland; and now resides in Toronto with his wife and children.

MILO & THE MONSTROUS BETWIXT de Rebecca Mix

A beautifully written book, filled with heart, and an incredible adventure for fans of the magic and wonder of The Boy & The Heron and Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow.

MILO & THE MONSTROUS BETWIXT
by Rebecca Mix
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, July 2027
(via Dystel, Goderich & Bourret)

Milo Huron is fine. Even though his mom is always gone, and his dad up and walked out years ago. But when Milo and his sister are sucked into a portal world called the Betwixt, a strange land where memories are currency and children transform into monsters once they have no more memories to offer, things become decidedly less fine.

Then a fierce memory-stealing monster called the Magpie captures Milo’s little sister. Now, with the help of a definitely-cursed sword, an annoying Will o Wisp, and a Betwixter girl, Milo has until the next new moon complete seven monstrous trials, reach the Magpie’s lair, and save his sister — or they’ll both be turned into monsters for good.

Rebecca Mix is the New York Times bestselling author of stories about weird magic & hope. Her debut novel, The Ones We Burn, was an instant New York Times & Indiebound bestseller. Her other books include The Mossheart’s Promise, the first in a middle grade fantasy duology out now, and Neopets: The Omelette Faerie, official graphics novel developed in partnership with the game.

TWIX de Jennifer Donnelly & Dave Mottram

Sold in a heated auction, this illustrated middle-grade duology from New York Times bestselling author, Jennifer Donnelly is bursting with heart and adventure!

TWIX
by Jennifer Donnelly
illustrated by Dave Mottram
Balzer + Bray/Macmillan, March 2027
(via Writers House)

Twix is afraid of a LOT of things (including, but not limited to, rat traps, cats, and Brussels sprouts, to name a few), but most of all he’s afraid of disappointing his big brother, Rolo. Rolo is everything Twix is not: cool, smart, and fearless, not to mention one of the best RATSCAR drivers in New York City. So when Rolo disappears, Twix doesn’t believe for a second that his larger than life brother is truly gone. He’s determined to find him, even if it means leaving the cozy comfort of their family’s apartment and venturing onto the mean streets of Manhattan. With the help of his best friends, Wilson and Plum, Twix embarks on the perilous journey.

But the three get more than they bargained for when their search leads them to a mysterious island run by a gang of sinister rats. Dangers abound on the island, and soon Twix discovers that his brother isn’t the only one who has been taken prisoner. Not only that, but the entire colony is controlled by a vicious and power-hungry rat king. What can three little city rats possibly do in the face of such overwhelming odds? Twix must learn to manage his anxiety and embrace his unique talents if he has any hope of rescuing his brother and freeing the imprisoned rats.

Jennifer Donnelly is the author of the adult novels The Tea Rose, The Winter Rose, and The Wild Rose, as well as the young adult novels These Shallow Graves, Revolution, and A Northern Light, winner of Britain’s prestigious Carnegie Medal, the LA Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature, and a Michael L. Printz Honor Book Award. She lives and writes full-time in Upstate New York.

Dave Mottram is a designer and illustrator working in Ohio. He has illustrated Wordy Birdy, Race Car Dreams, Mighty Tug, and Oy Vey! Life in a Shoe. To learn more about Dave’s work, visit him at davemottram.com and follow him on Instagram at @dmott70.

GALAXY BRAIN de Chris Harding

Sold in a rapid US pre-empt, Chris Harding’s graphic novel debut follows a kid who hacks her school’s chatbot to explore the secrets of popularity. Perfect for readers who love Real Friends or The Witches of Brooklyn.

GALAXY BRAIN
by Chris Harding
Balzer + Bray/Macmillan, Spring 2027
(via Writers House)

Cover not final

13-year-old Polly is a clever inventor and a proud nerd—her sister calls her “Galaxy Brain,” and she even built her own robot, Box, which got her into a prestigious school with a strong science and tech focus. So when her best friend Henna becomes popular and leaves Polly behind, Polly uses her skills to hack the school’s AI chatbot to study the popular kids and figure out how to fix things.

Instead of the happy ending Polly was picturing, it’s a complete disaster. Her artificial rise through Dorsey’s social stratosphere reconnects her with Henna, but the cool kids all talk, dress and think differently. (How do they not get that spiders are cute??)

Meanwhile, her nerd friends are wary of this new Polly, her family is bemused, and she may have accidentally created an AI monster. It turns out brilliant tech can’t solve all of life’s problems, and Polly will discover that fitting in doesn’t necessarily equal true friendship, and that the best way to optimize popularity is just by being yourself.

Chris Harding is a writer and illustrator who most recently worked on Netflix’s Emmy-award winning series StoryBots: Answer Time, and whose past jobs include creator of a nationally syndicated comic strip and making art for Hallmark cards. GALAXY BRAIN is his debut novel.