December is here. Take a break from the year-end rush and curl up with some fun December New Releases. (They all pair well with some hot cocoa, a couple of cookies, and a cozy blanket).
Asterwood by Jacquelyn Stolos
Family secrets, friendship, and magic burst from the seams of this thrilling fantasy adventure that follows a ten-year-old girl as she discovers a new world behind her home in desperate need of her help and within it, her own troubling family legacy.
Madelyn has always been satisfied with her life of cozy meals, great books, and adventures with her father in the woods behind their farmhouse.
But when a mysterious child appears and invites her down a forbidden trail and into a new world, Madelyn realizes that there’s far more to life than she ever allowed herself to realize.
This new world, Asterwood, is wider, wilder, and more magical than she could ever imagine. And somehow, it’s people know who she is—and desperately need her help.
Accompanied by new friends—one who can speak the language of the trees and one with a mind as sharp as her daggers—and her calico cat, Dots, Madelyn embarks on an epic quest across a strange and sprawling forest world whose secrets just might help her save her own.
At the Speed of Gus by Richard Scrimger
A smartly funny and sympathetic story about being different and understanding that there is more than one way to see the world.This new novel from middle grade master Richard Scrimger will reach so many kids who need to see that their brains are a gift.
Augustus (Gus) Constantine’s brain moves fast, and not necessarily on a straight track. His mind (and mouth) operates at a different speed than everyone else he knows. This might have something to do with the fact that Gus has ADHD. Sometimes it feels like the best thing about him, and sometimes it lands him in a load of trouble.
For example, one morning, Gus takes morning announcements wildly off script. Even though he hears nothing but laughter from fellow students at Pendrell Elementary, he’s finally pushed Miss Funn (who’s anything but) and Principal Gorby (who’s getting tired of Gus’s endless jokes and unfiltered stream of consciousness) to the limit.
Now he’s suspended for two whole days. With nothing else to do, Gus takes up his sister’s invitation to take the ferry to meet her at her college. But on the ferry, Gus’s thoughts begin to race. He’s having trouble concentrating and can’t calm down. At the speed of Gus’s brain, the ride gets wilder and wilder, until it’s hard to tell what’s real from what’s imagined. But despite the convoluted road he takes, can he still find a way to get to his destination?
Fast-paced, funny and deeply sympathetic, At the Speed of Gus is about not always fitting, but figuring out how to find your own way.
The Stolen Songbird by Judith Eagle (Author) and Jo Rioux (Illustrated by)
When Caro finds a stolen masterpiece in her missing mother’s suitcase, she’s thrust into a thrilling art-heist caper in 1950s London.
When Caro Monday’s mother disappears on one of her jaunts across the globe, Caro is forced to stay with her miserable great-aunt all the way across town. To make matters worse, Caro’s beloved rabbit, His Nibs, isn’t allowed to come with her. Of course, Caro sneaks him into her aunt’s strict household anyway. Although Caro’s wild behavior exasperates her dour aunt, she never dreamed of the trouble she finds herself in when she discovers a small painting of a thrush hidden in the lining of her suitcase—a stolen masterwork that some dangerous art thieves are desperately searching for! Catapulted into a caper with more twists and turns than the alleys of London, Caro and her friends, including budding fashion designer Horace, expert knitter Albie, and a wise “gentleman of the road”—not to mention His Nibs himself—must unravel a decades-old mystery and return the purloined picture before the thieves hunt them down. Plenty of surprises and a diverse cast of memorable characters await in this rousing art-themed adventure.
Talons of Power: A Graphic Novel (Wings of Fire Graphic Novel #9) by Tui T. Sutherland (Author) and Mike Holmes (Illustrated by)
The graphic novel adaptations of the #1 New York Times bestselling Wings of Fire series continue to set the world on fire!
For every villain, there is a hero …
Turtle isn’t one of the heroes he reads about in stories. If he were, he’d use his animus powers to help Pyrrhia — instead of keeping his abilities a secret, even from his own sister. Now that Darkstalker, the sinister and impossibly old dragon from Pyrrhia’s most notorious legends, has returned, Turtle knows his own role is simple: hide. And stay hidden.
The more he watches Darkstalker from the shadows, the more Turtle knows that someone needs to stop the powerful dragon. A real hero. But Turtle is running out of time to find one, which means … he might have to try to save the day himself.
Outer Space by Ken Jennings (Author) and Mike Lowery (Illustrated by)
Blast off into outer space with this interactive trivia book from Jeopardy! host and champion and New York Times bestselling author Ken Jennings—featuring updated facts!
Take one giant leap into space with Ken Jennings to become a Junior Genius! In this book about outer space, you’ll discover Mars’s massive volcanoes, witness the birth of stars like our sun, explore black holes, and more! With stellar illustrations, cosmic facts, and out-of-this-world activities, this Junior Genius Guide will have you reaching for the stars!
Red & Blue: Monster Hunters by Sara Soler (Author), Silvia Perea Labayen (Translated by), and Joamette Gil (Illustrated by)
When Red and Blue started out on the road to being professional heroes, they didn’t expect it to be so…well, difficult.
Written and drawn by celebrated comics creator Sara Soler (Us, Season of the Bruja), with English translation by Silvia Perea Labayen and letters by Joamette Gil, Red & Blue: Monster Hunters is a stand alone, action packed graphic novel full of humor and heartfelt adventure!
While Blue is feeling disheartened by what seems to be a dead-end internship, Red is struggling to find jobs that actually pay in cash. But all this could change when they get sucked into a hidden crime ring that might help them get their dream jobs…if they’re willing to compromise their heroic morals and fall in line.
After waiting months and months to get their shot at being real heroes, Red and Blue join an excursion to take down a dragon that’s been terrorizing local inhabitants. But when they enter the creature’s mountain stronghold, they discover the truth behind the operation’s purpose: the head of the hero corporation Slayer, Inc. is out to capture a valuable and highly endangered giant chicken that lays golden eggs.
Red and Blue have to choose between doing what’s right in trying to save the chicken and her baby, and following orders to secure their places among the ranks of professional heroes.
Originally published in Spanish, Red & Blue: Monster Hunters is translated to English for the first time!
Vortex of the Chaos Dragon: A Branches Book (Dragon Masters #30) by Tracey West (Author) and Graham Howells (Illustrated by)
Drake and Worm face off against the evil wizard Maldred with the help of the mysterious Chaos Dragon in the latest action-packed installment of this New York Times bestselling series perfect for newly independent readers!
Pick a book. Grow a Reader! This series is part of Scholastic’s early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!
The evil wizard Maldred has been turned into one hundred mini-Maldreds! Dragon Masters around the world are battling them, and it’s up to Drake, Worm, and their friends to stop Maldred once and for all. Drake, Rori, Bo, Ana, and their dragons travel to Goryeo to meet the Chaos Dragon Seong-Min and her Dragon Master Ji-Min. Seong-Min is the only dragon powerful enough to stop the chaos the Maldreds are causing! But Ji-Min warns that the Chaos Dragon is very difficult to control, even for her. Will Drake and his friends convince Ji-Min to help them defeat the Maldreds? What will happen when the Chaos Dragon uses his powers?
With engaging black-and-white artwork on every page, kids won’t be able to put down this page-turning adventure!
Any of our December New Releases catch your fancy? Let us know in the comments.
Three dragons. One unavoidable, unpredictable destiny. This is the beginning … of the end.
On her twelfth birthday, Farrah Noorzad found out her father was one of the seven jinn kings. One epic quest and a whole lot of adventure later, she hasn’t seen her father since she saved him from a cursed ring. And her place in the jinn world as a forbidden half-human is still more up in the air than a cloud. Not to mention, she’s moved away from her best friend, Arzu, when her mother decided they needed a fresh start.
Insyirah’s calm, orderly world falls into chaos when her proud nenek (grandmother) has a bad fall, and Insyirah and her mother must move back to Malaysia to take care of her.
After defeating the Shadow King, Chiri and Dai are settling into their new lives in the magical land of Puddin’. However, there is always more evil to fight against, and this time, the evil is coming to them.
The celebration comes to a halt for our heroes in Dog Man: Big Jim Believes when the mischievous Space Cuties From Space return. Our caped crusaders — Dog Man (aka Scarlet Shedder), Commander Cupcake, and Sprinkles — along with Mecha Molly discover that the city has changed, and nothing is how it should be.
Juniper and her loyal flying reindeer Skära are the first ever Guardians of Cedar Wood. With Juniper’s mentor Niko back in the North Pole, they’re entrusted with protecting the magical forest hidden in the middle of London because there’s a teeny-tiny chance that he left behind a few sparks of magic. Hopefully, not enough to attract any dangerous magical creatures.
Butterbean is in a funk. After watching a documentary of famous dogs in history, she wants to be a real dog. Real dogs have jobs. Real dogs are heroes. But Butterbean is nothing but a house pet. Never mind that she and her friends have been super spies, ghost hunters, and part of an International Crime Syndicate. There’s nothing to spy on and no more ghosts to hunt.
Two podcasting sleuths help their neighbor solve a cold case—one that’s literally etched into the walls of their Brooklyn apartment building—in this cozy, twisty-turny middle grade whodunnit.
It’s tiring for Casey to always be the new kid at school. Now, for the first time in his life, he finally feels settled—that is until his dad’s job at the library is threatened.
