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Skyborn
Lou Anders
Synopsis: For fans of Lloyd Alexander and Brandon Mull comes the epic conclusion to the acclaimed Thrones and Bones fantasy-adventure trilogy that began with Frostborn.
 
Find the Horn. Free the City.
 
The chase continues for the legendary Horns of Osius. Thianna and Karn’s quest to retrieve the horns from those who wish to abuse their power takes them to Thica, an ancient land where two tyrant queens reign supreme and where years earlier Thianna’s mother was labeled a traitor. Soon the two heroes are caught up in an epic battle for control of the kingdom, one that puts their very lives at stake. The only way to overthrow the queens is to beat them at their own game. But with an entire empire against them, how can Karn and Thianna hope to compete—or better yet, survive?
 
The novel includes instructions for playing the board game the Queen’s Champion, a Thican timeline, and King Herakles Hammerfist’s recipe for the Best Spanakopita Ever. Visit ThronesandBones.com for additional games, maps, character profiles, and more!
 
Praise for the Thrones and Bones series
“Future fans of Tolkien and George R. R. Martin can happily cut their serial-fantasy teeth on this first book of an eventual series.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
* “A powerful, fast-paced tale. . . . The setting is rich, the characters well-defined, and the danger ever-paramount.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred
 
“Good pacing, well-drawn characters, and engaging action scenes. And yes, there’s the promise of more to come.” —Booklist 
Publication Date: 09/06/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
The Secret of the Sphinx
Synopsis: Middle Grade Readers: Buckle your seatbelts for a rollercoaster time-travel adventure back to ancient Egypt.

When Jon encounters a sphinx on a class trip to the museum, little does he know that his life is about to change forever. The sphinx whisks Jon away in the dead of night to ancient Egypt, and Jon is thrown into a world of mystery, sorcery, and adventure.

Jon must overcome his fears and battle evil forces to discover the identity of the sorcerer who imprisoned the soul of the king's vizier in the stone sphinx, to remain there forever.

Enter the magical world of ancient Egypt in The Secret of the Sphinx.

Publication Date: 09/06/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
The Pathway to Dragons: Book I: The Portal to Pyranis
Synopsis: The Pathway to Dragons

The Portal to Pyranis


Nine-year-old Billy Jones dreams of having a pet dragon! After finding an odd book in the library titled The Pathway to Dragons, he and his two best friends, Maura and Roy, are off for a summer adventure at his Grandma Meg's beach house. Once there, strange events begin happening, and Billy is reminded that his Grandfather Hugo has been missing for many years. It's a family mystery. While strolling on the beach, the kids discover an underwater stone arch. They decide to swim through it, and...WHOOSH! They are transported to a fantastical forest, with a view of castle ruins on a distant hill! There, they meet young Talia, and Billy learns that a dragon egg belonging to his family is about to hatch. But beware the dragon hunters!

About the Author
Written for children by an author their age, eleven-year-old Hannah Hoffman hopes to inspire other young dreamers. If she's not at the barn, or in Pyranis, you will most likely Find Hannah sitting at her desk, coming up with new adventures for Talia and Billy!
Publication Date: 09/06/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
Brian, the Alchemist & the Silver Dragon
Synopsis: Magic lessons are starting up for Brian: a much-needed distraction from the tragedy over the summer. But the dead rising from their graves is perhaps too much of a distraction. Now Brian and his friends must work out what is happening and why. Does it have something to do with the Stone of Surzaal, a fabled emerald with the power to grant near-immortality? Who is the six-fingered man? And what exactly is the 'silver dragon'?
Publication Date: 08/14/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
Dr. Fell and the Playground of Doom
Synopsis: “Such deliciously creepy fun! I fell in love with Dr. Fell!” —Chris Grabenstein, New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
 
When the mysterious Dr. Fell moves into the abandoned house that had once been the neighborhood kids’ hangout, he immediately builds a playground to win them over. But as the ever-changing play space becomes bigger and more elaborate, the children and their parents fall deeper under the doctor’s spell.
 
Only Jerry, Nancy, and Gail are immune to the lure of his extravagant wonderland. And they alone notice that when the injuries begin to pile up on the jungle gym, somehow Dr. Fell is able to heal each one with miraculous speed. Now the three children must find a way to uncover the doctor’s secret power without being captivated by his trickery.

"Deliciously dark, funny, and foreboding, Neilsen’s first novel delivers with broad appeal." —Booklist

"Recommended for school libraries that need to breathe life into their traditional mystery collections." —School Library Journal
Publication Date: 08/09/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
A Most Magical Girl
Karen Foxlee
Synopsis: From the author of Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy comes the story of a friendship between two girls set in Victorian England, with magical machines, wizards, witches, a mysterious underworld, and a race against time.
 
Annabel Grey is primed for a proper life as a young lady in Victorian England. But when her mother suddenly disappears, she’s put in the care of two eccentric aunts who thrust her into a decidedly un-ladylike life, full of potions and flying broomsticks and wizards who eat nothing but crackers. Magic, indeed! Who ever heard of such a thing?

Before Annabel can assess the most ladylike way to respond to her current predicament, she is swept up in an urgent quest. Annabel is pitted against another young witch, Kitty, to rescue the sacred Moreover Wand from the dangerous underworld that exists beneath London. The two girls outsmart trolls, find passage through a wall of faerie bones, and narrowly escape a dragon, but it doesn’t take long for Annabel to see that the most dangerous part of her journey is her decision to trust this wild, magical girl.

Sparkling with Karen Foxlee’s enchanting writing, this is a bewitching tale of one important wand and two most magical girls.


"[Foxlee's] heroines have grit and heart, and they are willing to get dirty. And they do. Foxlee’s nicely wry tone and moments of incongruous humor break up the tension, while Annabel’s race against time in a harrowing journey deep under London keeps the pages turning. Deliciously complex and convincingly detailed."--Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"Kids who enjoyed Foxlee’s Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy and fans of Hardinge’s Cuckoo Song will find similar otherworldly appeal in this enthralling adventure."--The Bulletin, Starred review

"Memorable for its vivid imagery and stylish, thoughtful prose."--Horn Book Magazine
Publication Date: 08/02/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
The Piranha Jumps at Brunch
Synopsis: Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4th and up

Calypso Blue is no orphan, but she might as well be. When she finds herself on a lush tropical island with two pesky adults who insist they're her parents, she knows they're lying.

For one thing, they (and their five children) have brown hair; Calypso has blond. For another, her real parents would never make her comb her hair. Or demand she dig a latrine. Sure, they all wear the same glasses as Calypso--glasses so thick and geeky they might as well be safety goggles--but that does NOT mean they're related. It means nothing at all.

Obviously, Calypso’s best option is to run away and join a family of parakeets. Or orangutans. Heck, even a den of spitting adders might be nice. But then, Calypso finds a filmstrip where a shadowy man in a hat claims she chose to come to the Island. She answered a want ad--an ad she can’t remember, but that promised constant danger, feelings of utter abandonment, and perhaps … treasure.
Publication Date: 07/25/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
Princess DisGrace: A Royal Disaster
Synopsis: Calling all precocious princesses! This series is sure to be a hit with girls who love a big dose of humor and adventure with their princess fix.
 
Rules for Being a Princess:
 
1.         Your name must be on the Fairy Godmother’s list.
2.         You must always be elegant and graceful.
3.         A unicorn must choose you.
 
When Grace arrives at Tall Towers Princess Academy, her name isn’t on the Fairy Godmother’s list of students. She isn’t elegant at all—not even her curtsy is graceful. And all the other girls are sure she’s headed straight back to her tiny, messy kingdom. But one unicorn knows better. He’s clumsy and dirty and the perfect match for Grace! And together they have tons of fun. But the other princesses aren’t convinced Grace belongs at the academy. Can she prove that being a princess is about more than just being perfect?
Publication Date: 06/21/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
Some Kind of Happiness
Claire Legrand
Synopsis: Reality and fantasy collide in this heartfelt and mysterious novel for fans of Counting by 7s and Bridge to Terabithia, about a girl who must save a magical make-believe world in order to save herself.

Things Finley Hart doesn’t want to talk about:
-Her parents, who are having problems. (But they pretend like they’re not.)
-Being sent to her grandparents’ house for the summer.
-Never having met said grandparents.
-Her blue days—when life feels overwhelming, and it’s hard to keep her head up. (This happens a lot.)

Finley’s only retreat is the Everwood, a forest kingdom that exists in the pages of her notebook. Until she discovers the endless woods behind her grandparents’ house and realizes the Everwood is real—and holds more mysteries than she’d ever imagined, including a family of pirates that she isn’t allowed to talk to, trees covered in ash, and a strange old wizard living in a house made of bones.

With the help of her cousins, Finley sets out on a mission to save the dying Everwood and uncover its secrets. But as the mysteries pile up and the frightening sadness inside her grows, Finley realizes that if she wants to save the Everwood, she’ll first have to save herself.
Publication Date: 05/17/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
The Hidden Oracle
Rick Riordan
Synopsis: How do you punish an immortal?

By making him human.

After angering his father Zeus, the god Apollo is cast down from Olympus. Weak and disoriented, he lands in New York City as a regular teenage boy. Now, without his godly powers, the four-thousand-year-old deity must learn to survive in the modern world until he can somehow find a way to regain Zeus's favor.

But Apollo has many enemies-gods, monsters, and mortals who would love to see the former Olympian permanently destroyed. Apollo needs help, and he can think of only one place to go . . . an enclave of modern demigods known as Camp Half-Blood.
Publication Date: 05/03/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
Fable Nation (series)
Synopsis:

Getting sucked into the latest and greatest video game, FABLE NATION, isn't the worst of Mitch's problems. Realizing there's no way out until he beats all the levels might be.

Battling Montezuma in a Mexican jungle isn't hard when you're doing it from your bedroom, but inside the game is a different story.

Mitch better think fast as he teams up  with a new side-kick and killer pet.

They'll have to work together to defeat headless spirits, ginormous spiders, and even creepy viruses that may also be trying to escape the game. Log in and join their mission, where reality and gaming collide!

Publication Date: 04/25/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
Aurelia and the Library of the Soul
Rob Rice, Gelia Dolcimascolo
Synopsis:

Curl up with this tale of mystery and magic as Aurelia Panade attempts to overcome horrific losses and the curse of Candleborough. Follow her across The Land between Sleep and Awake, where, aided by a mystical guide, she discovers her true legacy. Songs, dances, brews, and recipes — both charmed and wicked — interlace Aurelia’s passage through enchanted realms. Will Aurelia triumph over her inner struggles and the dangers of her worst enemy? How will she reach her destiny?

Publication Date: 04/15/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood
Synopsis: From the New York Times bestselling author of RUMP, comes a spellbinding fairy tale featuring a brave heroine, a wild wolf, plenty of magical misadventures, and more!

Red is not afraid of the big bad wolf. She’s not afraid of anything . . . except magic.
But when Red’s granny falls ill, it seems that only magic can save her, and fearless Red is forced to confront her one weakness.

With the help of a blond, porridge-sampling nuisance called Goldie, Red goes on a quest to cure Granny. Her journey takes her through dwarves’ caverns to a haunted well and a beast’s castle. All the while, Red and Goldie are followed by a wolf and a huntsman—two mortal enemies who seek the girls’ help to defeat each other. And one of them just might have the magical solution Red is looking for. . . .

Liesl Shurtliff weaves a spellbinding tale, shining the spotlight on a beloved character from her award-winning debut, Rump. 

"Red is the most wonder-filled fairy tale of them all!” -- Chris Grabenstein, New York Times Bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library.

"Moving and filled with hope . . . the charm of Shurtliff's retelling is how she imbues the storybook tropes with vibrant humanity."—Shelf Awareness, starred review

And don't miss Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk, "a delightful story of family, perseverance and courage" (Booklist).
Publication Date: 04/12/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
A Dragon's Guide to Making Your Human Smarter
Mary GrandPre, Joanne Ryder, Laurence Yep
Synopsis: For fans of How to Train Your Dragon comes a new tale about dragon Miss Drake and her human pet Winnie, by a two-time Newbery Honor winner, featuring illustrations by Caldecott Honor winner Mary GrandPré.
 
Three-thousand-year-old Miss Drake has arranged to send her dear pet Winnie to The Spriggs Academy, an extraordinary school for humans and magicals alike. Winnie is particularly excited about magic class and having Sir Isaac Newton for science. She’s also making new friends—and frenemies. . . .
 
When a plot to snatch Winnie from her San Francisco home is uncovered, Miss Drake is ready to use all her cunning and magic to thwart it. Not that feisty Winnie needs the help. . . . As a team, the intrepid duo you first met in A Dragon’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans is unstoppable!
 
With equal doses of whimsy and humor, Laurence Yep and Joanne Ryder have crafted an enchanting story about true friendship.

Praise for A Dragon’s Guide to Making Your Human Smarter
•  "Yep and Ryder keep the magic coming with their whimsical fantasy, enhanced by Grandpré's sweet drawings. The story positively vibrates with fun." —Kirkus Reviews
•  " Lighthearted episodes of unusual school lessons and field trips, illustrated by GrandPré’s winsome spot art, are grounded by Miss Drake’s more serious encounters with the goons...a gratifying development as this buoyant, fantastical series continues."—The Horn Book Review 

Praise for A Dragon’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans
•  *“Warm humor, magical mishaps, and the main characters’ budding mutual respect and affection combine to give this opener for a planned series a special shine that will draw readers and leave them impatient for sequels.” —Booklist, Starred
•  “The tale is alternately comical, suspenseful and sometimes sweetly emotional.” —Kirkus Reviews
•  “Miss Drake’s arch narration and the sharp back-and-forth between the characters create an enchanting story, accented by GrandPré’s whimsical black-and-white spot illustrations.” —Publishers Weekly
•  “With a black-and-white spot illustration opening most chapters, an engaging narrator, and a consistently fluid writing style, this title makes a fine dragon choice for readers.” —School Library Journal
Publication Date: 03/15/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
Will Wilder: The Relic of Perilous Falls
Synopsis: Fans of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Peter Lerangis’s Seven Wonders series will embrace this epic adventure in a rollicking new series by a New York Times bestselling author.
 
Will Wilder didn’t mean to unlock his otherworldly gift. But that is exactly what happens when Will “borrows” a sacred relic believed to protect the town of Perilous Falls for nearly a century. Even though his intentions are good, the impulsive twelve-year-old unwittingly awakens an ancient evil endangering all of Perilous Falls.
 
As boats sink and hideous creatures crawl from the rising waters, it is up to Will to confront a nightmarish enemy and set things right before it is too late. Along with his sweet—if lethal—great-aunt Lucille, the curator of a museum of supernatural artifacts, Will proves that the actions of one twelve-year-old boy can change the world.
Publication Date: 03/08/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
The Goblin's Puzzle
Andrew Chilton
Synopsis: Brimming with dragons, goblins, and logic puzzles, this middle-grade fantasy adventure is perfect for readers who enjoyed The Princess Bride or Rump.

THE BOY is a nameless slave on a mission to uncover his true destiny.
THE GOBLIN holds all the answers, but he’s too tricky to be trusted.
PLAIN ALICE is a bookish peasant girl carried off by a confused dragon.
And PRINCESS ALICE is the lucky girl who wasn’t kidnapped.
 
All four are tangled up in a sinister plot to take over the kingdom, and together they must face kind monsters, a cruel magician, and dozens of deathly boring palace bureaucrats. They’re a ragtag bunch, but with strength, courage, and plenty of deductive reasoning, they just might outwit the villains and crack the goblin’s puzzle.

"An adventure bursting with wit and charm. The characters are fresh, the story is thrilling, and the puzzles are downright diabolical. A wonderful book." —Jonathan Auxier, author of The Night Gardener

"Brimming with sarcastic, cheeky, laugh-out-loud humor, this is a smart, original, and completely engaging adventure." —School Library Journal, starred review
Publication Date: 01/19/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy

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