Whether it’s humor or history, fantasy or food, wizards or warriors, November has a book for you. Take a look and let us know in the comments section which ones you’re looking forward to. And don’t forget to click on the titles for links to Bookshop.org.
Serena Says
By Tanita S. Davis
JC shines like a 4th of July sparkler. She has the best ideas, the biggest, funniest laugh, and the party starts when she arrives. Serena St. John is proud to be known as her best friend.
Everything changes when JC returns from the hospital with a new kidney — and a new best friend. Out of the spotlight of JC’s friendship, suddenly things aren’t quite so sparkly in Serena’s world.
Lonely Serena works on perfecting her vlogs, hoping to earn a shot at becoming a classroom reporter. If she can be smart and funny on video, why can’t she manage that in real life? If only she could always pause, edit, or delete conversations. It would be so much easier to say the right thing at the right time . . . instead of not saying what she should, or, even worse, blurting out a secret that wasn’t hers to share. Life doesn’t have a pause button — but as Serena discovers her voice through vlogging, she learns that she’s not just there to reflect JC’s light — she’s fully capable of shining on her own.
The Ickabog
By J.K. Rowling
Once upon a time there was a tiny kingdom called Cornucopia, as rich in happiness as it was in gold, and famous for its food. From the delicate cream cheeses of Kurdsburg to the Hopes-of-Heaven pastries of Chouxville, each was so delicious that people wept with joy as they ate them.
But even in this happy kingdom, a monster lurks. Legend tells of a fearsome creature living far to the north in the Marshlands . . . the Ickabog. Some say it breathes fire, spits poison, and roars through the mist as it carries off wayward sheep and children alike. Some say it’s just a myth. And when that myth takes on a life of its own, casting a shadow over the kingdom, two children – best friends Bert and Daisy – embark on a great adventure to untangle the truth and find out where the real monster lies, bringing hope and happiness to Cornucopia once more.
Unlocked: Book 8.5 Keeper of the Lost Cities
By Shannon Messenger
In this extra special installment of the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, the story picks up right from Legacy’s particularly devastating cliffhanger. But chapters alternate between Sophie and Keefe’s perspectives to give readers deeper insights into both beloved characters. New powers will be discovered. Hard truths from the past will come to light. And all of your favorite characters will find themselves tested in ways they never imagined. And that’s not all!
Unlocked also includes a comprehensive guide to the world of the Lost Cities, featuring new character and world details that have never been revealed before — plus fun bonuses like Keeper-themed recipes, a detailed map of the Lost Cities, gorgeous full-color illustrations, and so much more!
The Wizards of Once: Never and Forever (The Wizards of Once #4)
By Cressida Cowell
Xar and Wish are on the final leg of their journey — first stop: The Mine of Happiness. Here, starvation is never far away for the Magical creatures who toil in its horrible depths. Xar and Wish must escape and fast; Xar needs to take control of his ever-growing Witchstain, and Wish must achieve her Destiny. But the Tazzelwurm is in their way, a grotesque monster who threatens to block every entrance.
Time is not on their side, but the forests are calling them. Will their combined strength be enough for the biggest quest so far: to defeat the Kingwitch once and for all?
Warriors: Darkness Within (The Broken Code #4)
By Erin Hunter
Exiled after a battle that left all five Clans devastated, ThunderClan’s loyal deputy, Squirrelflight, must bring to light an earth-shattering truth: the identity of the cat ruling ThunderClan while wearing Bramblestar’s face.
While the fate of his body hangs in the balance, the real Bramblestar’s spirit has vanished. Even Rootspring is powerless to reach him—and with tensions among the Clans at a breaking point, Squirrelflight may not be able to ensure Bramblestar has a body to return to. If he returns at all.
Packed with action and intrigue, this sixth Warriors series is the perfect introduction for readers new to the Warriors world, while dedicated fans will be thrilled to discover the new adventures that unfold after the events of A Vision of Shadows.
The Royal Ranger: The Missing Prince (Ranger’s Apprentice)
By John F. Flanagan
Will Treaty and his apprentice, Maddie, have been urgently summoned to Castle Araluen. When they arrive, they learn a shocking truth: the Prince of Gallica is missing – and the King of Gallica has asked for help. All reports suggest that the young prince has been taken prisoner by the dangerous and powerful Baron Joubert de Lassigny. King Duncan knows that sending troops to Gallica to rescue the prince could start a war, as could openly helping Gallica resolve internal convict. But there’s another way to save the prince: the Ranger Corps.
Soon, Will and Maddie are on the road to rescue the missing prince, disguised as father and daughter jongleurs. Maddie will have to use her knife-throwing skills to keep up her disguise, and her ranger’s apprentice training to complete the mission. But going undercover is dangerous – and the road presents its own hazards. Can she and Will use all their talents to save the prince, or will the arrogant Baron uncover their plans and put their lives, and their kingdom, at risk?
Dog Diaries: Curse of the Mystery Mutt – A Middle School Story (Dog Diaries #4)
By James Patterson and Steven Butler, illus. Richard Watson
Junior is loving his life with the Khatchadorian family. But his idyllic life soon turns to terror when a mysterious individual begins to make trouble in the neighborhood. It starts with a mysterious howling in the night. And when Junior’s pooch pals realize their favorite toys are missing, things get serious.
Junior thinks he knows what is happening. He’s heard of a mysterious creature called the Howly Wiener that visits town once a year and fills the street with monsters. With only a few days until the Night of the Howly Wiener, can Junior come up with a plan to protect himself and his pooch pals and stop the mischief for good?
Blades of Freedom: A Tale of Haiti, Napoleon, and the Louisiana Purchase (Hazardous Tales #10)
By Nathan Hale
The Louisiana Purchase (1803) is today seen as one of history’s greatest bargains. But why did Napoleon Bonaparte sell this seemingly prosperous territory? At the time, France controlled Haiti, and there, enslaved Africans were used to harvest sugar. But in 1791, Toussaint Louverture led the largest uprising of enslaved people in human history, the Haitian Revolution (1791–1804). Napoleon had originally wanted to use Louisiana for trade, but with Haiti out of his control, Napoleon’s dream of making a French empire in North America seemed doomed. So when Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe tried to buy New Orleans, Napoleon sold them the whole Louisiana Territory.
Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales are graphic novels that tell the thrilling, shocking, gruesome, and TRUE stories of American history. Read them all – if you dare!
Kid in the Kitchen: 100 Recipes and Tips for Young Home Cooks
By Melissa Clark and Daniel Gercke
In Kid in the Kitchen, Melissa Clark, who has been cooking with her own kid for years, takes you step-by-step through how to understand and create each dish. These recipes are fun, insanely delicious, and will help you become a confident cook. There are tons of tips and tweaks, too, so you can cook what you want with what you have. Make amped-up breakfasts, sandwiches that slay, noodles and pasta for every craving, plus sheet pan dinners, mix and match grain bowls and salads, one-pot meals, party classics, and the richest, gooiest desserts. This is the fun, easy way to awesome food.
Recipes include: Fresh Custardy French Toast • OMG, I Smell Bacon! (spicy and candied, too) • Granola Bar Remix, feat. Cranberry and Ginger • The. Last. Guacamole. Recipe. Ever. • Fast Pho • Garlicky, Crumb-y Pasta • Classic Caesar Salad with Unclassic Cheesy Croutons • Crispy Pork Carnitas Tacos • Mexican Chicken Soup & Chips • Shrimp Scampi Skillet Dinner • Korean Scallion and Veggie Pancakes (Pajeon) • Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits Put a Spell on You • Rise & Dine Cinnamon Raisin Bread • Buttery Mashed Potato Cloud • Deep Dark Fudgy Brownies • Think Pink Lemonade Bars
Melissa will explain the most helpful kitchen tools and tips, from the proper way to hold a chef’s knife to why you need a Microplane grater right now. She’ll even clue you in on which recipe rules you can break and how to snap amazing food photos to share!
This Is Your Time
By Ruby Bridges
Written as a letter from civil rights activist and icon Ruby Bridges to the reader, This Is Your Time is both a recounting of Ruby’s experience as a child who had no choice but to be escorted to class by federal marshals when she was chosen as one of the first black students to integrate New Orleans’ all-white public school system and an appeal to generations to come to effect change.
This beautifully designed volume features historical photographs from the 1960s and from today, as well as stunning jacket art from The Problem We All Live With, the 1964 painting by Norman Rockwell of Ruby’s walk to school.
Ruby’s honest and impassioned words, imbued with love and grace, serve as a moving reminder that “what can inspire tomorrow often lies in our past.” This Is Your Time will electrify people of all ages as the struggle for liberty and justice for all continues, and the powerful legacy of Ruby Bridges endures.
The Lemon Tree : An Arab, A Jew and the Heart of the Middle East (Young Readers’ Edition)
By Sandy Tolan
In 1967, a twenty-five-year-old refugee named Bashir Khairi traveled from the Palestinian hill town of Ramallah to Ramla, Israel, with a goal: to see the beloved stone house with the lemon tree in its backyard that he and his family had been forced to leave nineteen years earlier. When he arrived, he was greeted by one of its new residents: Dalia Eshkenazi Landau, a nineteen-year-old Israeli college student whose family had fled Europe following the Holocaust. She had lived in that house since she was eleven months old.
On the stoop of this shared house, Dalia and Bashir began a surprising friendship, forged in the aftermath of war and later tested as political tensions ran high and Israelis and Palestinians each asserted their own right to live on this land. Adapted from the award-winning adult book and based on Sandy Tolan’s extensive research and reporting, The Lemon Tree is a deeply personal story of two people seeking hope, transformation, and home.
7 Good Reasons Not to Grow Up
By Jimmy Gownley
To the students at exclusive Greycliff Academy, Kirby seems to have it all: charm, brains, and a lucky streak that won’t quit. He’s also the notorious mastermind behind the snarky videos, “7 Good Reasons Not to Grow Up,” which expose how being an adult isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Why would any kid want to become one of them?
But there’s also a mystery about Kirby. And when his best friend, Raja, finds out that Kirby isn’t the person he’s pretending to be, Kirby, Raja, and their friends may be forced to grow up sooner than they think and face the world head-on.
Homecoming Tales: 15 Inspiring Stories from Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary
By Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary and Tama Fortner
Meet Mack, Dog Bowl contestant and social media star; Marco, a scary tough dog—until someone gave him a second chance; Shaq, a gentle giant who is learning to leave his fears behind; Prince, a laid back dude who doesn’t let being blind steal his sunshine; and JuneBug, a spunky sweetheart who just wants to cuddle and keep you safe from the vacuum cleaner. Each chapter in Homecoming Tales focuses on one canine companion from the Tennessee-based dog rescue, with fun facts about his or her breed, stories of silly antics, and the meaningful tale of how this canine companion found a forever family. This delightful middle grade book entertains, teaches, and inspires and will be a favorite for fans of A Dog’s Purpose and the Puppy Tales series.
In this lighthearted, nonfiction chapter book, you’ll find
- the true stories of how 15 dogs found a loving home
- line drawing illustrations of each featured dog and a full-color photo insert
- doggy stats, fun facts, and recipes for your own canine friend
- information on adopting and owning pets, caring for aging animals, ideas for helping a pet with special needs, and ways kids can get involved with their local animal shelter or rescue
Homecoming Tales is a great gift for any eight to twelve-year-old who loves animals, enjoys volunteer work, or simply appreciates heartwarming stories. With information about care for older dogs, this educational book is also a helpful read for families who are interested in adopting a senior dog.
(And since it’s November, what better month to take another look at History Smashers: The Mayflower, by Kate Messner, for some little-known details behind the legends of the Mayflower and the first Thanksgiving.)
Happy Reading!
I recently went on an impromptu trip to Colorado that changed the way I think of the word “adventure.”
A buddy of mine has had a rough summer full of the kind of life that starts to get to you after a while, and really wanted to head out to the mountains and spend a few days recuperating in the great outdoors. So we packed up a couple tents, a few sleeping bags, and headed out. And while we were out there hiking backwoods and swinging in hammocks and sitting around campfires, I started thinking about the whole genre of middle grade adventure. How it’s like that unplanned, unexpected trip into the unknown, and what makes that special. Why the books I remember so fondly from my youth books contained stories of expansive journeys and daring-dos, and why, after all these years, I came back to take kids on similar adventures.
On our little excursion, I too had some things niggling at the back of my mind, coloring the world around me. Questions about how to handle things of life, worries about what to do in situations that were waiting for me back home. But it was the color of those lenses that affected my thinking, my experience. This was true of my friend, as well. The new experiences of our short adventure—though far more limited in scope than the stories of, say, Fablehaven, Keeper of the Lost Cities, or Peasprout Chen—helped me process and make decisions I was avoiding. It was clarifying, and made our trip all the sweeter.
This is the power of fiction: to take us on an unexpected, uncertain journey, to change our hearts and introduce us to new friends. Kids need those adventures. And middle grade fiction is specially positioned to 