A wildly fun adventure about friendship, imagination, and embracing your imperfections. When an ogre poet’s bad ideas come to life, he must go on a quest to save them before his world descends into chaos. For ages 8-12, fans of The Phantom Tollbooth, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz will delight in this wacky and insightful children’s fantasy novel. A bad idea is nothing to worry about… until it knocks on your door. Mulrox the ogre harbors a secret desire to become the world's greatest poet. Unfortunately, all of his ideas are rotten. But when his terrible ideas come to life, Mulrox soon finds himself on a quest to protect the very ideas he loathes, the malcognitos as they call themselves. Accompanied by his sassy pet toad, quirky neighbor, and a hoard of mischievous bad ideas, Mulrox must travel to the malcognitos' realm, uncover the mystery of the beast hunting them, and return home in time to deliver the best poem of his life. If you like prophetic rodents, spellbinding sneezes, and ferocious sheep, you'll love this book. Join Mulrox and his friends for a wild ride full of antics, strange new creatures, and lots of bad poetry.

A Mighty Girl Best Book of 2020! From debut author Sarah Allen comes a pitch-perfect, heartwarming middle grade novel about growing up, finding yourself, and loving people with everything you’re made of. Twelve-year-old Libby Monroe is great at science, being optimistic, and talking to her famous, accomplished friends (okay, maybe that last one is only in her head). She’s not great at playing piano, sitting still, or figuring out how to say the right thing at the right time in real life. Libby was born with Turner Syndrome, and that makes some things hard. But she has lots of people who love her, and that makes her pretty lucky. When her big sister Nonny tells her she’s pregnant, Libby is thrilled—but worried. Nonny and her husband are in a financial black hole, and Libby knows that babies aren’t always born healthy. So she strikes a deal with the universe: She’ll enter a contest with a project about Cecilia Payne, the first person to discover what stars are made of. If she wins the grand prize and gives all that money to Nonny’s family, then the baby will be perfect. Does she have what it takes to care for the sister that has always cared for her? And what will it take for the universe to notice?

⭐️ Gold Recipient, Mom's Choice Awards Honoring Excellence ⭐️ Gold Medal in Children's 4th-6th, 2021 International Readers’ Favorite Awards ⭐️ 1st Place, Gertrude Warner Middle Grade Fiction Awards Siblings John and Sarah barely made it home last time, but in their next time traveling adventure the challenge really heats up. Surrounded by clashing cultures on the ancient Roman frontier, they must fulfill their quest to unite the emperor with his enemy, an Alemanni barbarian, or risk being stuck in time forever. An action-packed fantasy full of sword fights, chariot chases, fearsome wild animals, and high mountain survival. For graduates of the Magic Tree House looking for a thrilling middle grade page-turner, read Sol Invictus, book two of The Eye of Ra series! ***** "Once again, Gartner deftly weaves real-life history into a compelling adventure, offering high-stakes, realistic danger and vivid scene-setting." -Kirkus Reviews ***** "Gartner has a knack for action and creating compelling historical personalities . . . Middle [grade] readers who treasure ancient history with a side of adventure will welcome this fantasy story." -BookLife Reviews by Publishers Weekly ***** "Must read. Middle grade readers with a love of adventure and history are sure to connect with John and Sarah in this dynamic story...Diligently researched, Sol Invictus recounts historical events in a way that is captivating and engaging while simultaneously educating readers of all ages." -Reedsy Discovery ***** "Fans of Ben Gartner's first book will gobble this up!" -Caroline Lawrence, author of 17-book series The Roman Mysteries ***** "I was so excited to read this second book in the Eye of Ra series and was not disappointed! It's a thrilling ride from start to finish as the brother and sister MCs travel back in time again, this time to ancient Rome where they have to accomplish a seemingly impossible task or be stuck in time. With tons of action, humor, excellent character development, and historical details that will make you feel like you've been swept back in time too, this is sure to be a winner for middle grade readers." -Sam Subity, author of The Last Shadow Warrior ***** "Sol Invictus by Ben Gartner is a fantastic follow-up that delivers! Keeping true to the spirit of the first book and its lovable heroes, this sequel to Eye of Ra ramps up the action, character growth, and overall stakes. Sol Invictus delivers a fun, page-turning adventure with sword fights, wolf pups, narrow escapes, and even ancient cheesecake! A fun time-traveling sibling adventure story with heart and heart-pounding action. I can't wait to read what comes next for John and Sarah!" -Kerelyn Smith, author of Mulrox and the Malcognitos ***** "Ben Gartner does it again in this second book! Readers will be turning pages quickly to find out where John and Sarah's adventure takes them in ancient Rome. The story was full of action, mystery and great historical information! My middle grade readers are going to be waiting for a turn to read this!" -Stacy A., 5th grade teacher ***** "Gartner’s narrative voice complements the book’s brisk pacing and heightens its unending action…The book echoes the same adventure-driven narrative of Percy Jackson and the Olympians but with its own Roman twist. However, Gartner skillfully embellishes a narrow glimpse of history that is typically studied for its grander narrative." -BookLife Prize, 2021 *****

Set against the backdrop of Caribbean folklore, Lisa Stringfellow’s spellbinding middle grade debut tells of a grieving girl and a vengeful mermaid and will enchant readers who loved Kacen Callender’s Hurricane Child or Christian McKay Heidicker’s Scary Stories for Young Foxes. Ever since her mother’s death, Kela feels every bit as broken as the shards of glass, known as “mermaid’s tears,” that sparkle on the Caribbean beaches of St. Rita. So when Kela and her friend Lissy stumble across an ancient-looking comb in a coral cave, with all she’s already lost, Kela can’t help but bring home her very own found treasure. Far away, deep in the cold ocean, the mermaid Ophidia can feel that her comb has been taken. And despite her hatred of all humans, her magic requires that she make a bargain: the comb in exchange for a wish. But what Kela wants most is for her mother to be alive. And a wish that big will exact an even bigger price… Don’t miss the novel that Newbery-winning author Kelly Barnhill calls “one of the most promising works of fiction in a long time”!

For anyone who has ever felt like a potato in middle school, this hilarious story about a boy forced to become the dorkiest school mascot ever will have readers cheering! "A grade A, spudtastic (not to mention FUNNY) debut. Arianne Costner sure knows middle school and middle schoolers!" --Chris Grabenstein, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library Ben Hardy believes he's cursed by potatoes. And now he's moved to Idaho, where the school's mascot is Steve the Spud! Yeah, this cannot be good. After accidentally causing the mascot to sprain an ankle, Ben is sentenced to Spud duty for the final basketball games of the year. But if the other kids know he's the Spud, his plans for popularity are likely to be a big dud! Ben doesn't want to let the team down, so he lies to his friends to keep it a secret. No one will know it's him under the potato suit . . . right? Life as a potato is all about not getting mashed! With laugh-out-loud illustrations throughout, hand to fans of James Patterson, Gordan Korman, Jeff Kinney, and Chris Grabenstein! "A hilarious, relatable story for any kid who has ever felt out of place." --Stacy McAnulty, author of The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl

⭐️ Gold Recipient, Mom's Choice Awards Honoring Excellence ⭐️ First Place, Gertrude Warner Middle Grade Awards ⭐️ Bronze Medal, 2022 International Readers’ Favorite Awards The explosive reveal about who John and Sarah really are and why they’re traveling through time, with their most gut-wrenching challenge yet. In the time of the Aztec, a scoundrel named Cortés arrives and the kids are forced to make an extremely difficult decision: If you could change history, should you? For more twists, more danger, and more fun, read the third book in The Eye of Ra series, People of the Sun! “An SF–infused tale that proves both entertaining and educational.” –Kirkus Reviews ***** “Middle-grade readers with a love of high-stakes fantasy will be pleased with this time-crossed historical adventure.” –BookLife Reviews by Publishers Weekly ***** “The epic reveal we've been waiting for with the biggest stakes yet! You'll be breathlessly turning pages until the very end...” –Sam Subity, author of The Last Shadow Warrior ***** “Thought-provoking, compelling, and exquisitely designed, this is a satisfying conclusion to the Eye of Ra series and is a highly recommended addition to libraries for advanced middle grade readers.” –Mary Lanni, book blogger, librarian, and reviewer for School Library Journal. ***** “People of the Sun is an excellent book. This book is a great read for the young and old alike. I highly recommend this series.” –Litercurious book blog ***** “Ben Gartner has done it again! People of the Sun is full of history, adventure, suspense and time travel! Kids will be lining up to read this!” –Stacy Alfano, 5th grade teacher ***** “People of the Sun is an amazing read that keeps you on the edge of your seat! I loved the first two books in the series, and this was my favorite.” –Emmie Enchanted, kid blogger ***** “This is an excellently written, satisfying conclusion to the Eye of Ra series.” –Reedsy Discovery *****

An instant #1 New York Times bestseller! This “timely and compelling” (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade novel about courage, hope, and resilience follows an Asian American boy fighting to keep his family together and stand up to racism during the initial outbreak of the coronavirus. When the coronavirus hits Hong Kong, ten-year-old Knox Wei-Evans’s mom makes the last-minute decision to move him and his siblings back to California, where they think they will be safe. Suddenly, Knox has two days to prepare for an international move—and for leaving his dad, who has to stay for work. At his new school in California, Knox struggles with being the new kid. His classmates think that because he’s from Asia, he must have brought over the virus. At home, Mom just got fired and is panicking over the loss of health insurance, and Dad doesn’t even know when he’ll see them again, since the flights have been cancelled. And everyone struggles with Knox’s blurting-things-out problem. As racism skyrockets during COVID-19, Knox tries to stand up to hate, while finding his place in his new country. Can you belong if you’re feared; can you protect if you’re new? And how do you keep a family together when you’re oceans apart? Sometimes when the world is spinning out of control, the best way to get through it is to embrace our own lovable uniqueness.

"Highly recommended... Perfect for readers of Wonder and Erin Entrada Kelly's Hello, Universe."— Booklist magazine, starred review Etan has stopped speaking since his mother left. His father and grandfather don’t know how to help him. His friends have given up on him. When Etan is asked to deliver a grocery order to the outskirts of town, he realizes he’s at the home of Malia Agbayani, also known as the Creature. Malia stopped going to school when her acute eczema spread to her face, and the bullying became too much. As the two become friends, other kids tease Etan for knowing the Creature. But he believes he might have a cure for Malia’s condition, if only he can convince his family and hers to believe it too. Even if it works, will these two outcasts find where they fit in?

Featuring a failed young wizard and her cleanup crew, this delightfully dysfunctional middle grade fantasy is an imaginative twist on magic school that’s perfect for fans of Nevermoor and The School for Good and Evil. Cara Moone is a wizard—but she’s basically flunked out of wizard school. Now she’s in training to be a MOP, also known as Magical Occurrence Purger, also known as it’s Cara’s job to sweep up the hazardous dust a real wizard’s spells leave behind. A real wizard, that is, like Harlee Wu, the so-called Chosen One destined to save the magical world. But when one of Harlee’s spells goes awry and leaves behind a rift in the fabric of magic itself, it'll take more than magic to clean up the mess. Luckily, messes are kind of Cara’s thing. Magic is messy—and fantastically fun—in this underdog story packed with humor, adventure, and attitude.

Winner of a Sydney Taylor Book Award Honor! A heartfelt novel about a neurodivergent thirteen-year-old navigating changing friendships, a school trip, and expanding horizons for fans of Rain Reign and Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World. Thirteen-year-old Ellen Katz feels most comfortable when her life is well planned out and people fit neatly into her predefined categories. She attends temple with Abba and Mom every Friday and Saturday. Ellen only gets crushes on girls, never boys, and she knows she can always rely on her best-and-only friend, Laurel, to help navigate social situations at their private Georgia middle school. Laurel has always made Ellen feel like being autistic is no big deal. But lately, Laurel has started making more friends, and cancelling more weekend plans with Ellen than she keeps. A school trip to Barcelona seems like the perfect place for Ellen to get their friendship back on track. Except it doesn't. Toss in a new nonbinary classmate whose identity has Ellen questioning her very binary way of seeing the world, homesickness, a scavenger hunt-style team project that takes the students through Barcelona to learn about Spanish culture and this trip is anything but what Ellen planned. Making new friends and letting go of old ones is never easy, but Ellen might just find a comfortable new place for herself if she can learn to embrace the fact that life doesn't always stick to a planned itinerary.