THE TOP 100 GREATEST GAMING CHARACTERS

Explore the coolest records across the most popular consoles, developers and games through a brand-new list from the ultimate authority on record breaking.

From Lara Croft to Link and the crew of Mass Effect to the Creepers of Minecraft, see where the biggest and best characters ranked. Do you agree and did your favourites make the list? 

Plus!
· Get the lowdown on the most popular Roblox games
· Count down the coolest and rarest Fortnite skins
· Check out the most played Mobile Games from Pokémon GO to Brawl Stars
· Discover the origins of games like Batman, Spider-Man and Midnight Suns in the Comics and Videogames feature
· Trace the history of recording-breaking Sports Games with amazing facts on gaming versions of F1, American Football, soccer and more
· Learn how Videogame Voice Actors use different skills and inspirations to bring your favourite characters to life[AB1] 
· Have fun and relax with Cosy Gaming – whether professional cleaning, cute kitties, or idyllic farms are your thing

Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection.

A young boy learns about the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival from his grandfather when he attends his first dragon boat race.

The Chinese Dragon Boat Festival takes place on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, ushering in the start of summer. On the night before the Dragon Boat Festival, a young boy asks his grandfather how the dragon boat races first began. His grandfather tells him that legend has it that the races started in the ancient time of the Dragon King, when every lake and river had a guardian dragon. Dragons symbolize good luck, and have great power, especially over water and weather.

On race day at the harbor, all the boats have a carved dragon head on their bows. As a final touch, to wake up their team's boat, the boy paints in the dragon's eye. But once the race is underway, their team's dragon boat is in last place. How can they wake their dragon?

A Zibby's Most Anticipated Book of Fall 2025!



From New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Mitchard comes a page-turning drama that explores the beauty of female friendship; the relationship between money, power, and sex; and the very human desire to protect the ones we love most.



When she is convicted of a double murder, Felicity Wild, a brilliant grad student turned high-priced escort, declares, "I may not be innocent, but I'm innocent of this."



Reenie Bigelow never doubted it. A jury may have given Felicity a life sentence, but Reenie knows that her childhood best friend is not capable of murder. And so Reenie, a journalist, decides to use her deep connections to Felicity's past to unravel the truth.



The more she uncovers, the more Reenie is convinced that the story the prosecution told is wrong, despite the puzzling fact that Felicity said not one single word in her own defense. But there's one thing Reenie knows for certain: Felicity would never lie.

 

What happens in the group chat stays in the group chat... until it doesn't.

Virginia Vaughn just wants to fit in with her super-popular friend group. That means she doesn't let them know how much she loves the library, she never speaks a word about her massive crush on tragically unpopular Grayson, and she says nasty things she doesn't actually mean. But only in the group chat, so it's harmless, right?

But when she has a blowout fight with her clique--specifically, with the Queen Bee herself--her mean texts are posted online for the entire school to see! And, suddenly, Virginia has no one but her cat to talk to.

Cue "Knight Errant," a mystery boy at school who texts Virginia by accident--and who quickly becomes her closest confidante. Though they send messages back and forth for hours every night, Virginia doesn't want him to know which classmate she is (because then he'll connect her to the mean texts ALL OVER THE INTERNET). She likes him, but she really likes Grayson, too. Can she find the strength to tell Knight who she really is? And will Grayson--who has become her only ally at school--give up on her when the awful things she's said about him are finally posted?

Confessions from the Group Chat is the second middle-grade romcom from New York Times bestselling author Jodi Meadow (Bye Forever, I Guess; My Lady Jane, now a streaming series). Sweet, funny, and authentically messy, this is an ultra-cute story about middle-school misbehavior, innocent first love, and the inner life of a repentant mean girl.

A Kirkus Reviews Best Middle-Grade Book of the Year
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Don't miss out on the stunning DELUXE LIMITED EDITION while supplies last. This breathtaking collectible is only available on a limited first print run in the U.S. and Canada only, a must-have for any book lover.

Now optioned for film by Amazon MGM Studios!

The moment you see a dragon is usually your last...

Since the dragons emerged–along with the scourge that ravaged our lands and people–there’s only one human city that remains standing: Vinguard.

But the hellfire from above is nothing compared to the threat from within. For there is no worse fate than being dragon cursed. Slowly and excruciatingly, you’ll be transformed into a mindless beast who destroys everything–and everyone–you love.

Any of us could be tainted. Any of us could be lying. Any of us could be caught and killed by the authorities.

And I’m terrified that I might be next.

There’s only one other person who might suspect my secret. He’s like my shadow, following me wherever I go. Part protector, part tormentor, fully annoying. Sometimes I think I am just one of the million unfathomable secrets he keeps hidden.

Because Lucan definitely knows something.

And if I’m dragon cursed, death might be the only mercy I get.

This thrilling addition to the bestselling Private series transports readers inside the halls of the Vatican itself when a priest is murdered--and the new lead agent at Private is the number one suspect. 



Jack Morgan, ex-Marine helicopter pilot and CIA agent, is in Italy to open the latest outpost of his international private investigation firm. Its wealthy client base demands maximum force and maximum discretion. 

But when a priest is murdered at the firm's opening party, Morgan and Matteo Ricci--a decorated former Rome police inspector, now Morgan's newly appointed deputy--come under intense scrutiny. As Morgan and Ricci work the case, they discover that eight priests have died, all under watch of the Swiss Guard and the Vatican Police. 

Private relies on the world's most advanced forensic tools to make and break cases. This one rests on breaking the secret hold of the Holy See's all-powerful, all knowing inner circle.

An enchanting and beautifully illustrated memoir of grief, hope, and love, alongside the joy of exploring ancient landscapes, which uncovers the wonder of Britain's ancient megaliths.

Journeying across Britain, from West Penwith and Avebury to the Lake District and Orkney, Stone Lands uncovers the magic and rich history of Britain's incredible prehistoric standing stones. It conveys the delight that lies in tracking them down, as well as the solace these ancient places offer in times of darkness.

A few months after discovering that her beloved husband, Stephen, had incurable cancer, Fiona Robertson began to write this book. A long-time megalith enthusiast, she found the ancient stones resonated with her more profoundly than ever as she faced the prospect of losing him. Set upright thousands of years ago, the megaliths are symbols of endurance and survival, standing in contrast to our ephemeral human lives. Infused with folklore, legend and mystery, these standing stones enchant the landscape and bring magic to our modern world.

This enthralling memoir is woven delicately around great grief but is ultimately about embracing life, joy and ancient wonder—a luminous reminder of what it means to exist on this earth.

One of our leading experts on the brain and #1 New York Times bestselling author explores how chronic physical and emotional pain are both rooted in your brain's wiring, leaving you stuck in the doom loop and how you can break free to heal from the "doom loop" and reclaim a vibrant, pain-free life.

In the United States alone, one in five adults experiences chronic pain. For too long, when a doctor couldn't find the source of frequent pain, the patient was dismissively told "it's all in your head." Today, we know that our somatic responses to trauma, anxiety, and depression create real suffering, and that physical pain can lead to trauma, anxiety, and depression. Dr. Daniel Amen calls this "the doom loop"--the dance between physical and emotional pain. These doom loops interfere with our ability to live our lives. But we can shift the doom loop into a healing loop, and in this vital book, he shows us how.

Dr. Amen has been researching a new brain-based approach to pain. In Change Your Brain, Change Your Pain he draws on those studies to reveal:

• Pain producing versus pain soothing thought patterns
• Muscle tension and trauma vs calmness and clarity
• The use of medical and nutraceuticals to help calm the pathways
• The effects of diet, exercise, meditation, breath to help pain

Our current approach to understanding and treating physical and emotional pain is misguided. Change Your Brain, Change Your Pain offers a healthier way, one that involves less medication, less surgery, and better outcomes. Just like the human heart, the human brain is an organ, and that to be free of emotional or physical pain, it is critical to get the brain as healthy as it can be--not just physically, but emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually, as well.

How Not To Die: Revised and Updated is an empowering guide featuring the latest scientific discoveries on nutrition and longevity. Discover the foods, exercise, and lifestyle habits that prevent the fifteen leading causes of disease-related death.

Doctors are good at treating acute illnesses, but bad at preventing chronic disease. The fifteen diseases that lead to the most deaths in America claim the lives of 1.6 million annually. This doesn't have to be the case. For the most part, these diseases and illnesses are preventable. In this revised and updated edition of the bestselling classic, Dr. Michael Greger shares groundbreaking scientific discoveries in nutrition and longevity. With updates from all of the most recent studies, HOW NOT TO DIE is a guide to the methods proven to keep the reaper off our backs, detailing the foods we should eat and the lifestyle changes we can make to live longer.

Internationally-renowned as a nutrition expert, physician, and founder of NutritionFacts.org, Dr. Greger examines the fifteen diseases that are the leading causes of death in America—heart disease, various cancers, Alzheimer's, diabetes, Parkinson's, and more—and explains how nutritional and lifestyle interventions can often surpass the modern medical approach, freeing us to live longer, healthier lives.

Full of practical, actionable advice and surprising, cutting edge nutritional science, these doctor's orders offer the best chance for living healthy well-beyond our expiration dates.

Dr. Mindy Pelz, noted women's health advocate and the bestselling author of Fast Like a Girl and Eat Like a Girl, redefines menopause as a powerful biological upgrade—offering science-backed strategies to help women thrive, reclaim their health, and step into their most vibrant, authentic selves.

“What I discovered—and what I hope you’ll see woven through every page—is that the neurochemical shift at menopause offers a mirror. One that reveals a more authentic version of who we are—and invites us to change what no longer serves.”
—Dr. Mindy Pelz

If you’re feeling foggy, overwhelmed, burned out, or like a stranger in your own mind and body, Age Like a Girl will help you understand why—and show you what’s possible on the other side.

Bestselling author and women’s health expert Dr. Mindy Pelz reveals the groundbreaking science behind how menopause rewires your brain—and how this transformation is happening for you, not to you. What most women mistake as “the begin­ning of the end” is actually a biologically designed brain and identity reset—one that can deliver greater confidence, clarity, and energy than you’ve felt in years.

You’re not falling apart. You’re being rebuilt— from the inside out. With science, compassion, and lived wisdom, Dr. Mindy helps you make sense of what’s happening—and what’s possible next.

Inside you’ll discover how to:
 

• Understand the brain changes behind mood swings, fatigue, and brain fog
• Reclaim your emotional resilience, motivation, and focus
• Support your hormones and nervous system naturally
• Redesign your life using simple lifestyle tools backed by neuroscience
• Embrace your next chapter with power, vitality, and peace

Menopause isn’t the end of your story. It’s the turning point.
Come home to your clarity.
Come home to your confidence.
Come home to yourself.

A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice · A Washington Post Notable Nonfiction Book of 2025 · A People Best Book of November 2025 · An NPR Most Anticipated Book of Fall 2025

A revealing exploration of a quarter century of cultural stagnation, examining the commercial and technological forces that have come to dominate contemporary culture—from music and fashion to art, film, TV, and beyond

Over the past twenty-five years, pop culture has suffered from a perplexing lack of reinvention. We’ve entered a cultural “blank space”—an era when reboots, rehashes, and fads flourish, while bold artistic experimentation struggles to gain recognition. Why is risk no longer rewarded, and how did playing it safe become the formula for success? Acclaimed cultural historian W. David Marx sets out to uncover the answers.

In this ambitious cultural history, Marx guides us through the blur of the twenty-first century so far, from the Obama era to the rise of K-pop, from Paris Hilton to the Marvel cinematic universe, from Beyoncé and Taylor Swift to . . . Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, whose enduring influence highlights both their adaptability and the broader shifts in pop culture. Combining sociological, economic, and political insights with a deep dive into art, street culture, fashion, and technology, Blank Space dissects the rise of profit-driven, formulaic trends and the shifting cultural norms that often prioritize going viral over innovation. He reveals how backlash against indie snobbery and nineties counterculture gave rise to a “counter-counterculture”—one marked by antiliberal sentiment, the celebration of business heroes, and the increasing influence of industry plants and the elite class. In a world of crypto bros, nepo babies, and AI-driven art, Marx offers readers a much-needed dose of clarity and context.

Vibrantly narrated and sharply argued, Blank Space is an essential guide for anyone looking to understand the chaos of the twenty-first century, the trends, tastemakers, and icons who shaped it, and how we might push our culture forward over the next quarter century—through renewed emphasis on creativity, community, and the values that transcend mere profit.

Stop, in the Name of God: Why Honoring the Sabbath Will Transform Your Life will help you discover how observing the Sabbath isn't a rejection of modern life but a rebellion against busyness and a pathway to genuine connection, peace, and presence. Through Stop in the Name of God, bestselling author Charlie Kirk guides you on how to unplug, recharge, and reconnect with God, family, and yourself in a way that nurtures your soul. In a world dominated by screens and constant noise, Stop in the Name of God presents the Sabbath as a radical act of resistance. Packed with practical insights and spiritual wisdom, Charlie Kirk demonstrates how honoring the Sabbath restores balance, reduces anxiety, and nourishes your soul. It's not just a day of rest-it's a lifeline to reclaiming what truly matters.

Comedian Rob Riggle's frank, funny, and inspirational memoir about how the lessons he learned while serving in the US Marines prepared him for life, especially when it came to pursuing his comedy dreams.

Before he graced movie screens in films like The Hangover and television in shows like The Daily Show, Rob Riggle served his country as a Marine for twenty-three years. He helped liberate an embassy in Liberia, served at a refugee camp in Albania before going into Kosovo, did search and rescue at Ground Zero, and was deployed to Afghanistan twice. He learned the hard way that you need to embrace the suck and never give up if you want to get anywhere in life. And those lessons came in handy, especially when he faced tough crowds as he tried to establish his comedy career. He's been heckled (by idiots), shot at (by bigger idiots), rejected for roles, and flopped more often than a European soccer player in the World Cup. But no matter what he was doing, every time Riggle wanted to throw in the towel, he channeled his inner Marine and kicked his ass in gear.

GRIT, SPIT, AND NEVER QUIT has action, tear‑jerker scenes, side‑splitting laughs, and plenty of bumper sticker moments. He's jumped out of planes, he's become one of the most recognizable comedians in the country-but at his core, Rob is a regular guy from Kansas with grit, spit, and the will to never quit.

Award-winning Colombian author Laura Restrepo weaves contemporary themes and ancient myth in this story of star-crossed lovers in a world on the brink of collapse.

Retelling the mythical love story between the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon in the refugee camps of the present day, Song of Ancient Lovers is a sublime ode to love and desire as forces shaping human history, with power that rivals forces of destruction.

Ethereal in its weaving of the real and the mythical, the contemporary and the ancient, this is the story of Bos Mutas, a young writer traveling from South America to northern Africa in search of traces of his obsession. His research unveils the Queen of Sheba as unyielding and committed to her independence, with remarkable influence both in her time--over Solomon and all the subjects in her expansive kingdom--and on thinkers and artists across the centuries, from Thomas Aquinas to Gérard de Nerval, Frida Kahlo to Patti Smith. He also finds traces of her influence in the magic made of devastating circumstances by women he meets on his journey, especially Zahra Bayda, a Somali midwife who has taken it upon herself to show him around.

Stunning and evocative, Song of Ancient Lovers is a triumph of imagination and reverence for the spirit that connects us across boundaries of time and geography.

Translated from the Spanish by Caro De Robertis

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

In this enchanting novel set at Cedar Cove's cozy Rose Harbor Inn, Debbie Macomber celebrates the power of love--and a well-timed love letter--to inspire hope and mend a broken heart.
 
Summer is a busy season at the inn, so proprietor Jo Marie Rose and handyman Mark Taylor have spent a lot of time together keeping the property running. Despite some folks' good-natured claims to the contrary, Jo Marie insists that Mark is only a friend. However, she seems to be thinking about this particular friend a great deal lately. Jo Marie knows surprisingly little about Mark's life, due in no small part to his refusal to discuss it. She's determined to learn more about his past, but first she must face her own--and welcome three visitors who, like her, are setting out on new paths.
 
Twenty-three-year-old Ellie Reynolds is taking a leap of faith. She's come to Cedar Cove to meet Tom, a man she's been corresponding with for months, and with whom she might even be falling in love. Ellie's overprotective mother disapproves of her trip, but Ellie is determined to spread her wings.
 
Maggie and Roy Porter are next to arrive at the inn. They are taking their first vacation alone since their children were born. In the wake of past mistakes, they hope to rekindle the spark in their marriage--and to win back each other's trust. But Maggie must make one last confession that could forever tear them apart.
 
For each of these characters, it will ultimately be a moment when someone wore their heart on their sleeve--and took pen to paper--that makes all the difference. Debbie Macomber's moving novel reveals the courage it takes to be vulnerable, accepting, and open to love.

Praise for Love Letters
 
"[Debbie] Macomber's mastery of women's fiction is evident in her latest. . . . [She] breathes life into each plotline, carefully intertwining her characters' stories to ensure that none of them overshadow the others. Yet it is her ability to capture different facets of emotion which will entrance fans and newcomers alike."--Publishers Weekly
 
"Romance and a little mystery abound in this third installment of Macomber's series set at Cedar Cove's Rose Harbor Inn. . . . Readers of Robyn Carr and Sherryl Woods will enjoy Macomber's latest, which will have them flipping pages until the end and eagerly anticipating the next installment."--Library Journal (starred review)
 
"Uplifting . . . a cliffhanger ending for Jo Marie begs for a swift resolution in the next book."--Kirkus Reviews
 
"Mending a broken heart is not always easy to do, but Macomber succeeds at this beautifully in Love Letters. . . . Quite simply, this is a refreshing take on most love stories--there are twists and turns in the plot that keep readers on their toes--and the author shares up slices of realism, allowing her audience to feel right at home as they follow a cast of familiar characters living in the small coastal town of Cedar Cove, where life is interesting, to say the least."--Bookreporter
 
"Love Letters is another wonderful story in the Rose Harbor series. Genuine life struggles with heartwarming endings for the three couples in this book make it special. Readers won't be able to get enough of Macomber's gentle storytelling. Fans already know what a charming place Rose Harbor is and new readers will love discovering it as well."--RT Book Reviews (4-1/2 stars)

This wry, big-hearted noir brings 1950s New York to life, from the tenements of Hell’s Kitchen to the mansions of Riverdale, from Sing Sing to City Hall, with a gripping murder mystery laying bare the explosive conflicts between its big wheels, its working stiffs, its gangsters, and its dreamers.

July 1950: Mick Mulligan has just hung out his shingle as a private investigator in New York’s sweaty Hell’s Kitchen. A former Hollywood cartoonist who was blacklisted during a communist witch hunt, Mick is broke, divorced, and in need of a paying gig to make his child support payments. But maybe not this gig. First off, it’s impossible. Worse, it’s liable to get him killed.

Last year, universally reviled cab company owner Irwin Johnson was murdered. One of his drivers, an African American Communist Party member named Harold Williams, was arrested, tried, and found guilty, despite scant evidence. Now his execution date is two weeks away. New York City labor leader Duke Rogowski asks Mick to find fresh evidence that might buy Harold a stay of execution.

Lots of people might have wanted Irwin Johnson dead—anyone from his betrayed wife to his jilted mistresses’ jealous husbands to the mafiosi he was stealing business from. But no one has any reason to help Mick exonerate Harold Williams, and some of Irwin’s former associates are happy to take a blunt object to the head of anyone asking awkward questions. Yet Mick can’t abandon a potentially innocent man to the electric chair. Can he pull off a miracle?

The next pulse-pounding Michael Gannon thriller by the #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of James Patterson's Michael Bennett series

It's springtime in Key West, and Michael Gannon is busy supporting his son's dreams of making it in minor league baseball. But a late-night encounter with a seemingly harmless Australian at a dive bar turns deadly when Gannon unwittingly becomes the prime suspect in a convenience store shoot-out.

Seeking the mysterious Australian to clear his name, Gannon uncovers a deadly conspiracy involving a global banker on the run from a shadow paramilitary force that will go to any lengths to stop him. 

From the Florida Keys to Wall Street, Gannon's quest for answers takes him deep into the middle of a deadly game of power where one wrong move could be his last.

Closing Time is Michael Gannon's most pulse-pounding and audacious adventure yet.

"Urban fantasy, unexpected romance, and mythology all collide in King's latest. A must for V.E. Schwab and Katee Robert fans." -Booklist



In this stunning contemporary fantasy novel for fans of V. E. Schwab and Kaliane Bradley, a historian's dream job in Italy takes a dark turn when she discovers her employers aren't exactly human...



After losing her book deal and her academic position, historian Aida Reale needs a new career, and fast. After all, she and her fiancé, Graham, have a wedding to pay for. So when a friend recommends her for an extremely high-paying position at a company called MODA, it feels like the perfect stroke of luck. And with a move to Italy and a breathtaking palazzo included, how could she say no? 



Aside from a snooty assistant, a daunting NDA and some very stringent rules about the use of personal technology, working for MODA is a dream come true--at least at first. But the more research Aida conducts for this elusive company, the more things feel off. Not only does her relationship with Graham suffer, but it seems like every site she visits either vanishes or is struck by tragedy soon after she's been there.



It's only after a mysterious woman approaches Aida and Luciano, her devastatingly handsome and equally concerned MODA colleague, that they learn the truth--they are just mortal pawns in a game between gods. Now Aida must find answers to the question she's been avoiding: What's really happening to all the happiness she's been collecting...and can she stop the gods' plans before it's too late?

 

The twistiest murder mystery you are ever likely to read? A story about a family that does the unthinkable?

Both? Or something else altogether?

You think it will never happen to you.

The doorbell. The policeman. The words that turn your world inside out: I'm afraid there's been an incident...

For Sally Lambert, those words mean only one thing--danger. Not just for her family, but for Champ, their loyal and beloved dog. A single accusation, a neighbor's grudge, and suddenly the Lamberts are trapped in a nightmare with no escape.

Unless they make one.

Most people would never run. Most people would never leave behind everything they know to protect an animal who can't defend himself. But for Sally, Champ is more than a dog--he's one of her children. And most people aren't the Lamberts.

No one has ever done this before. No one has ever gone this far. But the Lamberts have never been quite like any other family...

New York Times bestselling author Sophie Hannah spins an unexpected tale of suspense in No One Would Do What the Lamberts Have Done, an unsettling reflection on how far we'll go for those we love.

Jinwoo Sung, S-class hunter and Shadow Monarch, has saved the world from the destructive otherworldly creatures--but that's a story that no longer exists...right? Thanks to Jinwoo turning back time and securing his victory against the Dragon Monarch, earth is now a normal place without any gates or magic beasts or hunters. Unfortunately, with danger lurking around every corner, Jinwoo will have to do everything in his power to keep it that way...

"An introduction to bison, this beginning reader features eye-catching photographs, humorous captions, and basic life science facts about these prairie animals. Includes a labeled image guide, glossary, and further resources"--

More than half the people in the world live in a city. Some cities have existed for thousands of years. Others are brand new. Find out what it's like to live in a city, from living in a skyscraper to traveling on underground trains!

As news of Titanic's tragic ending spread, so too did miraculous stories of survival. From the brave crew members that stayed aboard the sinking ship to the passengers who made it off the before it was too late, follow the harrowing tales of those who experience Titanic's final hours. Dynamic graphic art illustrates the true stories while nonfiction back matter highlights the decisions that made tragedy even more deadly and features more tales of survival and loss.

Ever wondered the difference between a Bee and a Wasp? This title will help readers understand the difference between the two insects and how their differences help them survive in different ways. Complete with exciting imagery, glossary, and index. This title is written at a Level 1 and is specifically for beginning readers. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Dash! is an imprint of Abdo Zoom, a division of ABDO.

There are many habitats in Earth's oceans! Some animals are found in the freezing waters found in a polar habitat while other animals prefer warmer or even shallow waters. There are many ocean animals that are just found around coastlines and rarely venture deeper into the ocean. On this exploration into the ocean's habitats, readers will learn the basics of the largest ocean habitats. Explore the deepest depths of the oceans, the bright colors of the coral reefs, and smaller rock pools where life can still be found.

Get to know the knights of the Middle Ages! This book introduces readers to the duties, training, and lifestyle of medieval knights through easy-to-read text and colorful historical images. With a glossary and index included, readers will be transported back in time to the Middle Ages. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Abdo Kids Jumbo is an imprint of Abdo Kids, a division of ABDO.

The woodland critters outside of DeSales Elementary School would love to go in and play. They want to learn, just like the kids they watch each day. This curious crew takes turns breaking into the school and exploring the different rooms. But they are in for a wild ride! Obstacles stand in their way, and they'll have to use their smarts and strengths to get home safe. This adorable picture book is sure to delight young readers as they learn important social and emotional learning skills such as recognizing one's strengths and working together.

The mad scramble to save Seoul from a series of disasters continues. Thankfully, Dokja is not alone. In addition to his unlikely alliance with Suyeong, he is reunited one of his companions. However, the person he's known since before the apocalypse seems to have completely changed! Just what could have happened to Sangah during the short time she was separated from Dokja?

In this twisty thriller from New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a frustrated author looks for her muse in a remote hideaway, but what she finds defies all expectations...and reality.

Her words used to set the page on fire. But a viral backlash over her latest film adaptation forced Petra Rose to take a hiatus, resulting in missed deadlines and an overdue mortgage. Branded a fraud and fame-hungry opportunist, she learned the hard way what happens when the internet turns on you. And she's been uninspired to write ever since.

Now, with her next suspense novel outlined and savings nearly gone, she retreats to a secluded lakeside cabin, hoping to find inspiration. It's Petra's last-ditch attempt to save her career--and herself.

Then he shows up.

Detective Nathaniel Saint arrives with disturbing news, his presence igniting a creativity in her she thought long since burned out. Petra's words return in a rush, and her fictional cop character begins to mirror the very real cop who's becoming her muse.

Their "research" sessions blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Each glance, every touch pulls Petra deeper into a world she thought she'd never lose herself in again. She's never felt more alive. But inspiration this powerful comes at a cost.

When Saint starts taking his role in her career a little too seriously, Petra's forced to confront the chaos she created. But doing so could cost her more than the reputation she's been trying to salvage. The reputation the world wrote for her--the reputation only she can reclaim.

In this irresistible story, Kasie West explores the timeless question of what to do when you fall for the person you least expect. Witty and romantic, this paperback original from a fan favorite is perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins and Morgan Matson.

Autumn Collins doesn't let anyone get close.

She can't tell anyone about her anxiety, especially not Jeff--he'd never be her boyfriend if he knew.

But then she gets trapped in the library, instead of making it up the mountain to a bonfire with Jeff and her friends.

And she isn't alone: Dax Miller got locked in, too.

With tattoos and a juvie record and a constant scowl, Dax isn't exactly helping Autumn feel any better. She's sure Jeff will realize that he left her behind and come racing back to rescue her, any minute now.

Only he doesn't come. No one does--instead, a snowstorm blows into town and the temperature plummets. Autumn tries to stay calm. As she and Dax trade secrets, forage for vending machine food, and huddle together for warmth, Autumn realizes she may not survive the weekend if she doesn't let Dax get close. And to her surprise, she may want him to.

The author of Free returns with an extraordinary inquiry into historical injustice, dignity, truth, and imagination. 

When Lea Ypi discovers a photo of her grandmother, Leman, honeymooning in the Alps in 1941 posted by a stranger on social media, she is faced with unsettling questions. Growing up, she was told all records of her grandmother’s youth were destroyed in the early days of communism in Albania. But there Leman was with her husband, Asllan Ypi: glamorous newlyweds while World War II raged. 

What follows is a thrilling reimagining of the past, spanning the vanished world of Ottoman aristocracy, the making of modern Greece and Albania, a global financial crisis, and the horrors of war and the dawn of communism in the Balkans. While investigating the truth about her family, Ypi grapples with uncertainty. Who is the real Leman Ypi? What made her move to Tirana as a young woman and meet a socialist who sympathized with the Popular Front while his father led a collaborationist government? And, above all, why was she smiling in the winter of 1941? 

By turns epic and intimate, profound and gripping, Indignity shows what it is like to make choices against the tide of history—and reveals the fragility of truth, collective and personal. Through secret police reports of communist spies, court depositions, and Ypi’s memories of her grandmother, we move between present and past, archive and imagination. With what moral authority do we judge the acts of previous generations? And what do we really know about the people closest to us?

"[Frostlines weaves] together natural history, indigenous perspective, and environmental transformation in the Arctic. The book helps bring a human story to the science of climate change."--Parade

A sweeping exploration of the Arctic--and how it's being transformed by climate change--from National Geographic writer Neil Shea

As warming reshapes our planet, the Arctic--a region that once seemed unchangeable, beyond the reach of modern problems--is quickly coming undone. While the old cold world can still be glimpsed in the movements of caribou, the hidden lives of wolves, and the hunting skill of an Iñupiaq elder, look closer and you'll find a new Arctic appearing in its place.
In Frostlines, Neil Shea blends natural history, anthropology, and travel writing to explore how the beauty, chaos, and power of change in the far north are reflected in the lives of people and animals. He sojourns with a wolf pack on Canada's Ellesmere Island and travels with Indigenous hunters in Alaska, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories. He tracks dwindling caribou herds across the top of North America, searches for vanished Vikings in Greenland, and visits the front line of the new Cold War rising between Russia and Europe. What Shea finds is not one Arctic but many--all still linked by shattering cold, seasons of darkness, and a pure, inimitable light.
Written with masterful prose and a spark of adventure, Frostlines is an expansive yet intimate revelation of the Arctic during a time of transformation, and a journey along the threshold of a stunning and sometimes frightening world that's emerging right before our eyes.
 

From bestselling and award-winning author and professor Elizabeth McCracken comes an irresistible look at the art of writing.

Writing can feel like an endless series of decisions. How does one face the blank page? Move a character around a room? Deal with time? Undertake revision? The good and bad news is that in fiction writing, there are no definitive answers to such questions: writers must come up with their own. Elizabeth McCracken, author of bestselling novels, National Book Award long-listed story collections, and a highly praised memoir, has been teaching for more than thirty-five years, guiding her many students through their own answers.

In A Long Game, she shares insights gleaned along the way, offering practical tips and incisive thoughts about her own work as an artist. The book covers:

 

• Understanding and developing characters
• Plot, and what to do if it eludes you
• Her thoughts on common writing "rules"
• And of course, the Butter Cow Lady of the Iowa State Fair and her work as it relates to revision

Writing "is a long game," she notes. "What matters is that you learn to get work done in the way that is possible for you, through consistency or panic. Through self-recrimination or self-delusion or self-forgiveness: every life needs all three."

As much a book about the life of a working artist as it is a guide to thinking about fiction, A Long Game is a revelatory and indispensable resource for any writer.
 

An entertaining, heartwarming memoir detailing the adventures and valuable life lessons learned from the author’s four decades of friendship with Ozzy Osbourne and the Osbourne family. 

Stephen Rea was born in Northern Ireland in 1969, the same year “The Troubles” began. Violence was everywhere. His grandmother was nearly killed when gunmen opened fire on the wrong house, leaving young Stephen to pick at the bullet holes in the walls. He found refuge from this turmoil in heavy metal—especially the music of Ozzy Osbourne. As a pre-internet teenager, he hunted down dozens of live concert bootlegs—corresponding by mail with collectors around the world—and devoured every music magazine he could find.

In late 1984, when Stephen was fifteen, he read about a huge festival in Rio de Janeiro that January called “Rock In Rio” whose bill included AC/DC, Queen, and Osbourne. As a lark, he mentioned it to his dad, and was stunned when he said they should go. He was even more shocked when his mother, looking for information about how to get tickets, began a correspondence with Osbourne’s secretary, who scored the family VIP passes and introduced them to Osbourne in Brazil. Thus began a friendship with Ozzy, his wife Sharon and the rest of the Osbourne family that has continued for decades.

While traveling on tour in the mid-nineties, Ozzy gifted Stephen a pair of fancy leather notebooks and told him to keep a record of their adventures and conversations. The result is Ozzy & Me: a beautiful behind-the-scenes memoir that proves the life-affirming, soul-nourishing power of music—and disproves the notion that you should never meet your heroes.

A soldier and a pacifist make the unlikeliest of pairs, but when passion sparks, there’s nothing that can prevent their love from igniting.

Winifred Cunningham, the adopted daughter of a portrait painter, hopes that her new close friend, Owen Ware, will soon ask for her hand in marriage. But when Owen introduces Winifred to his elder brother Nicholas, the late Earl of Stratton’s second son, the slow burn between them begins.

Nicholas is a cavalry colonel—a hardened soldier whom Winifred at first despises. She finds him intimidating and cruel-looking, while he finds her strange and startlingly forthright. During a summer at Ravenswood, however, Nicholas and Winifred are unwillingly thrown together on several occasions, until they realize the passion that drives their disagreements is not due to dislike—it is because of attraction.

Winifred still awaits Owen’s proposal, and Nicholas has made his intention to marry his commanding officer’s daughter quite clear. With allegiances to other marriage prospects and brotherly bonds at risk, not to mention the age difference between them, Nicholas and Winifred know it would be wholly improper to pursue a romance...

And yet, romance is irresistible. Perhaps even inevitable.

HURRICANE SEASON CAN BE MURDER • A January 2026 Indie Next Pick • "This gripping page-turner feels like it was ripped from the juiciest headlines." —People • "Sexy and full of surprises...an ideal curl-up-by-the-fire read." —Real Simple 

St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama is famous for three things: the deadly hurricanes that regularly sweep into town, the Rosalie Inn, a century-old hotel that’s survived every one of those storms, and Lo Bailey, the local girl infamously accused of the murder of her lover, political scion Landon Fitzroy, during Hurricane Marie in 1984.

When Geneva Corliss, the current owner of the Rosalie Inn, hears a writer is coming to town to research the crime that put St. Medard’s Bay on the map, she’s less interested in solving a whodunnit than in how a successful true crime book might help the struggling inn’s bottom line. But to her surprise, August Fletcher doesn’t come to St. Medard’s Bay alone. With him is none other than Lo Bailey herself. Lo says she’s returned to her hometown to clear her name once and for all, but the closer Geneva gets to both Lo and August, the more she wonders if Lo is actually back to settle old scores.

As the summer heats up and another monster storm begins twisting its way towards St. Medard’s Bay, Geneva learns that some people can be just as destructive—and as deadly—as any hurricane, and that the truth of what happened to Landon Fitzroy may not be the only secret Lo is keeping...

In this cutting-edge installment of the acclaimed thriller series, New York Times bestselling author Eric Van Lustbader thrusts readers into a world where power is being redefined by a revolutionary communication program that renders modern encryption obsolete, one that will topple global power structures and give rise to technology-driven totalitarian states. 

Evan Ryder races against time in a landscape where secrets can no longer hide behind digital walls. Ilona Shokova, the elusive, deadly assassin White Wolf, holds the key to mastering this unhackable method. 

Two powerful, deadly women, one quest. Will either one of them survive?

In this pulse-pounding thriller, the future isn't just written in code - it's locked behind it.

Strap in for Lustbader's next explosive novel in the Evan Ryder series; an action-packed rollercoaster that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

A detour. A chance encounter. Two women who alter the pages of each other’s story.

Juliet Nightingale is lucky to be alive. Months after a freak accident involving lightning, she’s fully recovered but is left feeling that something is missing from her life. Something big. Impulsively, she decides to take a solo summer road trip, hoping that the journey will lead her down a path that will help her discover exactly what it is that she’s searching for. 

Newly single mom Tallulah Byrd Mayfield is hanging by a thread after her neat, tidy world was completely undone when her husband decided that their marriage was over. In the aftermath of the breakup, she and her two daughters move in with her eighty-year-old grandfather. Tallulah starts a new job at the Forget-Me-Not Library, where old, treasured memories can be found within the books—and where Lu must learn to adapt to the many changes thrown her way. 

When a road detour leads Juliet to Forget-Me-Not, Alabama, and straight into Tallulah’s life, the two women soon discover there’s magic in between the pages of where you’ve been and where you still need to go. And that happiness, even when lost, can always be found again.

#1 New York Times Bestseller! Get thousands of facts at your fingertips with this essential resource: sports, pop culture, science and technology, U.S. history and government, world geography, business, and so much more.

The World Almanac® is America’s bestselling reference book of all time, with more than 83 million copies sold. For more than 150 years, this compendium of information has been the authoritative source for school, library, business, and home. The 2026 edition of The World Almanac reviews the biggest events of 2025 and will be your go-to source for questions on any topic in the upcoming year. Praised as a “treasure trove of political, economic, scientific and educational statistics and information” by The Wall Street Journal, The World Almanac and Book of Facts will answer all of your trivia needs effortlessly.

Features include:
 

• 2025—Top 10 News Topics: The editors of The World Almanac list the top stories that held the world's attention in 2025.
• 2025—Year in Sports: Hundreds of pages of trivia and statistics that are essential for any sports fan, featuring complete coverage of the 2025 World Series and a 2026 Winter Olympic Preview.
• 2025—Year in Pictures: Striking full-color images from around the world in 2025, covering news, entertainment, science, and sports.
• 2025—Offbeat News Stories: The World Almanac editors found some of the strangest news stories of the year.
• World Almanac Editors' Picks: Time Capsule: The World Almanac lists the items that most came to symbolize the year 2025––including but not limited to Labubus.
• The World at a Glance: This annual feature of The World Almanac provides a quick look at the surprising stats and curious facts that define the changing world.
• Statistical Spotlight: Data visualizations that bring everyday statistics to life, covering everything from current vaccination rates and long-term trends in alcohol consumption to how Americans get their news and use Chat GPT. 
• Trump Administration: All the essential details about Pres. Donald Trump's unprecedented second term, including the political appointees taking over leadership of executive departments and federal agencies.
• Other Highlights: More new data to help understand the world, including housing costs, immigration and forced removal statistics, public schools and test scores, streaming TV and movie ratings, and much more.

Your Passport to the World’s Most Beloved Teas

Join four of the world’s foremost tea experts on an unforgettable journey to expand your palate, deepen your understanding, and experience 101 of the most essential teas on the planet. From traditional teas that shaped history and rare treasures savored by devoted connoisseurs to budget-friendly favorites you can pick up at your local grocery store, this thoughtfully curated collection brings you a treasure trove of trusted recommendations.

Each tea profile highlights what makes it remarkable, with clear steeping instructions, expert buying tips, and detailed tasting notes. Plus, with 12 creative recipes for tea-infused mocktails, cocktails, lattes, and more, this guide equips you to embark on your own sensory adventure through the vibrant world of tea.

This book embraces the modern evolution of the breakfast bowl, with 55 grain-based recipes for sweet and savory, hot and cold variations, there is a grain bowl for every taste, every time of day, and every season.

Here you will find the blueprint for creating a nutrient-dense grain-based meal in one bowl—the kind you look forward to eating when you get out of bed in the morning or for a comforting and restorative evening meal. Nutrition and wellness expert Leah Vanderveldt brings you inventive recipes including some with eggs and dairy but plenty of vegan and vegetarian options too. The book begins with an introductory section with tips and tricks for making the perfect base and an ingredient directory for superfood add-ons and protein boosts. This is followed by essential easy recipes for nut and plant-based milks and nut butters which are used throughout the book. A chapter on creative toppings gives you plenty of options for mixing and matching to customize your bowl. Go to the Sweet & Warming chapter for more familiar breakfast recipes, with flavor combinations that take advantage of seasonal fruit and spices for natural sweetness, and nuts and seeds to add texture. Next up are Savory & Cozy ideas for a healthy and sustaining meal any time of the day, ranging from Asian congee and black rice bowls to and Italian risotto and polenta. The final chapter, Cold & Make Ahead, is full of quick fixes for warm days. Bircher muesli, chia pudding, and fruit blends make this refreshing chapter the key to enjoying nutritious grain bowls all year around.

Every piece must go with this practical guide to quilt making by using even the tiniest pieces of scrap fabric from your stash.

No piece is too small when you follow author Emily Bailey's advice on how to turn all your fabric crumbs, strips and string scraps into beautiful patchwork quilts and quilted projects.

• Includes step-by-step instructions for how to turn fabric scraps into pieces of patch-worked fabric to use in quilted projects.
• Author Emily Bailey explains how to use modern cutting techniques like the AccuQuilt cutter to make scrap quilting quicker and easier.
• Includes 15 patterns for quilted projects including full-size bed quilts, through to smaller projects for quicker makes.

This is the ultimate zero waste guide to patchwork and quilting, designed to get you raiding your stash and turning your scraps into beautiful finished makes.

Sexy small town contemporary romance from USA Today bestselling author A.J. Pine, perfect for readers of Sarah Adams' Practice Makes Perfect and Lucy Score's Rock Bottom Girl. When Haddie Martin discovers her new roommate is the man she almost hooked up with for a one-night stand, she knows her life just got very complicated.

Craving a fresh start, Haddie Martin trades life in Chicago for a teaching gig in the quirky small town of Summertown, IL. But when she stops in a hotel to rest for the night, she locks eyes with a painfully handsome, nameless stranger who would make the perfect one-night stand. Only...she chickens out at the last minute and disappears.

Never expecting to see the man again, Haddie leaves her embarrassing exit in the rear view and drives straight to her new home. She arrives only to find out, thanks to her new landlord, that her apartment has been double rented, and of course, the other tenant is none other than Levi Rourke, the gorgeous man Haddie bailed on just the other night.

If only an apartment was the only thing they had to share... Little did Haddie know, she'd be working daily with her almost hookup on the school soccer field-him as the coach for the boys team and her for the girls. The spark they both feel might be more than passion. If Levi wasn't set to leave as soon as the school year is up, maybe...it could be love.

A Catskills retreat turns deadly for a group of influencers when a snowstorm cuts them off from their greatest resource—their followers—just as a killer strikes in this irresistible debut thriller.

Sydney Kent is the ultimate It Girl. You want her effortless style, her charisma, her hair. You want to be her; you want to be with her. 

But the trouble with a star is that everyone else looks dull in comparison. 

Despite Caitlyn’s social media cunning, it’s impossible for her to step out from Sydney’s shadow. Even Lucy, Sydney’s best friend since before her fame, can’t escape her role as full-time photographer to the influencer.

When the women are invited to post content for a secluded new retreat in the Catskills, alongside Sydney’s boyfriend Jeff, stylist Nash, and manager Brent, the weekend feels like it will be a fresh start. But an unexpected snowstorm traps the group together with no cell service, no Wi-Fi, and no way out.

Then a killer strikes, and the dream trip becomes a nightmare. Secrets, lies, and scandals are forced to the surface, and the friends can’t help but suspect the murderer might be among them. Worse, the killing has only just begun.

But where there’s danger, there’s juicy, jaw-dropping, name-making content to be created. You know you want to look.

From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes an enthralling contemporary fantasy seeped in horror about a woman trying to escape her past by moving to the remote US desert--only to find herself beholden to the wrath of a vengeful god.

With only a few dollars to her name and her beloved dog Copper by her side, Selena flees her past in the city to claim her late aunt's house in the desert town of Quartz Creek. The scorpions and spiders are better than what she left behind.

Because in Quartz Creek, there's a strange beauty to everything, from the landscape to new friends, and more blue sky than Selena's ever seen. But something lurks beneath the surface. Like the desert gods and spirits lingering outside Selena's house at night, keeping watch. Mostly benevolent, says her neighbor Grandma Billy. That doesn't ease the prickly sense that one of them watches too closely and wants something from Selena she can't begin to imagine. And when Selena's search for answers leads her to journal entries that her aunt left behind, she discovers a sinister truth about her new home: It's the haunting grounds of an ancient god known simply as "Snake-Eater," who her late aunt made a promise to that remains unfulfilled.

Snake-Eater has taken a liking to Selena, an obsession of sorts that turns sinister. And now that Selena is the new owner of his home, he's hell-bent on collecting everything he's owed.

"A compassionate and hilarious must-read. Donalson's trademark wit shines."--Jeneva Rose, #1 New York Times bestselling author

A daughter's escape to the Scottish Highlands becomes a mother's reckoning, a sister's choice, and a grandmother's last chance in this witty, bittersweet novel about first loves, old ghosts, and the courage it takes to change.

When floral designer Deli MacDonald's heart is broken by unrequited love and her best friend's abandonment, she flees to the Scottish Highlands and her estranged aunt Mo's cliffside cottage by the sea. There, embraced by a village of eccentric locals and her aunt's unconditional, unfamiliar love, she finds herself drawn to brooding pub owner Lachlan Scott--whose path once crossed hers twenty years ago on these same heather-strewn hills.

As Deli fights to find her footing in the Highland soil among the wreckage of her life, she wakes family ghosts and accidentally reopens a decades-old rift. And when her mother and grandmother arrive unexpectedly, three generations of women must finally confront the painful patterns of love, lies, and grief that once drove them apart.

Through a tapestry of wildflowers, family secrets, and fierce hearts, Deli must reckon with the truth of how she learned to be loved. But choosing between the familiar ache of her old life and the uncertain promise of a new one means finding the courage to let her family's legacy, and the world she built, burn away completely.

A whimsical queer romance about two mismatched roommates whose fragile—and definitely not romantic at all—balance is upended by an impending family wedding and an otherworldly danger in the nearby enchanted wood.

There are at least 100 things wrong with Meredith Schwarzwelder. In fact, keeping track of these things is the only way David Carew has managed to remain living with him for as long as he has. Meredith is an irredeemable eccentric who flirts with everyone in his path (#3 on the list), cries at anything (#35), makes the worst coffee in the world (#70), and talks to mice, or imagines he does (#50).

It’s bad enough living with such a person on the edge of the Midnight Wood, but when magic starts to seep from the wood and a dark being emerges with a sinister plan involving Meredith, David decides that it’s time to leave the cottage, and his roommate, behind. Then Meredith’s brother gets engaged to the daughter of David’s boss, and David sees an opportunity: If he can insert himself into the festivities, maybe he can advance his career and get himself out of a personal rut.

With wedding bells sounding and the dangers of the Midnight Wood encroaching, David realizes there’s much more hiding beneath the surface of his roommate’s seemingly carefree charm, and that perhaps his own exasperation carries more fondness than he’d like to admit.

Cozy, sharp, steamy, and poignant, Into the Midnight Wood is a contemporary queer fairy tale about the masks we wear, the stories we tell, and the powerful need for true, honest connection to heal old wounds and new.

After several years stuck as a ghost, Sky Flores learns to reconnect with the living again with the help of her handsome neighbor in this lush romance from the USA Today bestselling author of Witch of Wild Things.

Like her sisters, Sage and Teal, Sky Flores has a touch of magic, and it’s caused nothing but heartache. Not only did she disappear into the woods years ago and reappear with no rational explanation, she’s also more comfortable talking to animals than to people. Different and misunderstood, Sky is shunned in the small town of Cranberry.

Sky’s neighbor, Adam Noemi, has his own problems. After being laid off from a prestigious newspaper, Adam, ever the ambitious reporter, needs a big headline to redeem his career. Enter Sky, a girl with a story that news outlets have been chasing for years. Sky agrees to grant Adam an exclusive interview on one condition: that he befriend Sky, in a very public way, to prove to everyone in Cranberry that she’s not an outcast.

As Sky shares her experiences with Adam, something much bigger than a simple agreement begins to grow between them. But for love to take root, Adam will have to take a leap towards a life that defies expectations, and Sky must open her heart – full of flora and fauna and mystical energies – to his curious mind.

A hijacked plane. A pursuing killer. And a K9's instinct to help them make it out alive.

Pop singer Keely Williams's search for her biological mother in Alaska has been painfully unsuccessful. Now she just wants to escape this wild frontier and never look back. But when her plane is hijacked, she's suddenly plunged into a race against not only an Alaskan blizzard but also a killer who's on her tail. 

After a career-ending injury, ex-cop Dawson Mulligan has only one friend--Caspian, the stray dog he adopted. Dawson just wants to figure out how to get his life on track, but during a flight home to Copper Mountain, he spots a downed plane and stops to help. Except, when his not-a-rescue dog runs off into the woods and discovers the trail of a missing survivor, it's up to the former cop to stage a rescue.

But Dawson has no idea he's being pulled into a deadly pursuit, or that Caspian is more than he seems. There might be redemption and second chances waiting for both Dawson and Keely if they have the courage to face their wounded pasts and fight for their future. 

Join master storyteller Susan May Warren for a propulsive ride through the Alaskan wilderness, where love might be the riskiest--and most rewarding--adventure of all. 

Prepare to experience edge-of-your-seat action combined with heart-stirring romance and heroic K9 companions in this exhilarating romantic suspense that will thrill fans of Lynette Eason and Elizabeth Goddard.

The next installment in the bestselling chapter book series featuring everyone's favorite pug, Bub, and his human, Bella!

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!

Bella and Bub and friends Jack and Luna are off to Ye Olde Faire, a festival where people dress up like it's olden times. During a day filled with fairies, knights, and a joust, the friends learn about a magical legend: A real unicorn lives in the woods nearby! Is the story true, or is it a tall tale? Bella and Bub are determined to find out. With Jack and Luna's help, they're off on a magical adventure this pug will never forget!

With full-color artwork throughout, this funny and charming diary-format early chapter book is perfect for anyone who believes a furry pal is the best kind of friend.

In the next installment of this New York Times bestselling early chapter book series, Eva and her friends find and take care of some mysterious eggs!

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!

In this latest story, it's Be a Swooperhero Week at school! Eva and her friends are excited to dress up in their best superhero costumes. At a special picnic, they all play games and eat lots of delicious food. It's the most perfect class outing ever until Eva and Lucy discover twenty-five mysterious eggs. No one seems to be protecting the eggs. So Eva decides that she and her classmates must keep the eggs safe until they hatch! Will they be able to save the day?

With speech bubbles, easy-to-read text, and adorable characters, this New York Times bestselling series is perfect for newly independent readers!

Continue this book series with Eva the Owlet, an Apple TV+ original series!

Perfect for fans of Wednesday and Monster High, the second book of this wickedly funny graphic novel series follows an aspiring witch and her two best friends as they try to have the most epic Halloween ever…while also dealing with pesky do-gooders, escaped monsters, and one harsh curfew.

Halloween is hella fun when you’re a monster! Or at least it used to be, before those junior Helsings got in the way of Gwen and her friends. Now, on top of that, the whole town is in lockdown, with a curfew and everything.

Gwen thinks it’s time to ditch suburbia and finally head to the Hallowlands. But Miles and Sloane are determined to save their “normie” holiday. The vampire and werewolf scramble to fulfill their sacred need to party. The plan: throw the most epic bash this town has ever seen . . . and then scare everyone who shows up!

But Gwen has plans of her own. Fed up with being told no, she decides to use her magic to break into the Hallowlands once and for all. And she quickly discovers it’s as strange as she always dreamed, but also as dangerous as her friends have warned. Luckily, she soon meets a fellow witch who can be her guide through the bizarre land and also help level up her powers. But could it all be too good to be true? The fate of these three best friends’ Halloween night hangs in the balance—but will it end in trick or treat?

In this sequel to McMahon's electrifying series debut, Head Cases, Gardner Camden and the PAR team return to investigate potentially connected cases. 

FBI Agent Gardner Camden is an analytical genius with an affinity for puzzles. He and his squad of brilliant yet quirky agents make up the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit, the FBI’s hidden edge, brought in for cases that no one else can solve.

PAR’s latest case involves a militia group stockpiling weapons. When their confidential informant in the case is killed, it quickly becomes clear that the militia did not kill him.

As the squad looks into the evidence surrounding his murder, an unidentified man is caught on camera with their informant. This mystery man’s picture is connected to another case at the FBI, an unsolved series of murdered women, buried in the ground in north Florida. Could they have uncovered a serial killer? And if so, what is his connection to their C.I.?

As PAR juggles an investigation into both the dead women and the militia, they enroll a new informant, only to find the case escalating in dangerous ways. How will PAR handle a case that increasingly looks like a terrorist plot? And in the serial case, with no puzzles or witnesses, and few leads, how will a group set up to decode riddles be successful?

In this captivating cat-and-mouse thriller, a struggling actress is only just beginning to enjoy the life sheʼs always wanted after inadvertently killing her rival—but now she must contend with the woman who threatens to take it all away.

Struggling actress Dimple Kapoor wouldn’t call herself a murderer, per se—she’d prefer the term “opportunist.” Years ago, she did what had to be done to get herself out of a bad situation. And now, after accidentally killing her Hollywood rival, Irene Singh, at a party, she’s simply seizing the chance to nab her dream leading role and resuscitate her career in the process. Thereʼs only one problem: Someone else at the event witnessed the crime . . . and caught it all on camera.

With everything she’s ever wanted within reach, Dimple will stop at nothing to keep stardom in her grasp. But Irene’s parents have hired Saffi Mirai Iyer, one of the best private investigators in the business. Living up to her reputation, Saffi immediately zeroes in on Dimple, who feels she has no choice but to raise the stakes. Playing along with Dimple’s facade, Saffi invites her on to the case, suggesting she act as bait to draw out the killer—and as the two women’s cat-and-mouse game intensifies, Saffi starts to wonder if she may have finally met her match.

With their careers at risk, both women must fight the potent chemistry drawing them closer together. Dimple needs Saffi dead and for her theories to die with her. And Saffi needs Dimple behind bars, but catching her elusive prey won’t be so easy—especially as emotions begin to cloud her judgment. When ambition and desire collide, only the most cunning will survive.

"The Award begins as a wryly funny satire of thwarted literary ambition, but it quickly evolves into something darker and more disturbing. Matthew Pearl's addictive and propulsive novel has the twisted nightmare logic of a Patricia Highsmith thriller."--Tom Perrotta, New York Times bestselling author of Tracy Flick Can't Win and Mrs. Fletcher

"A propulsive and gripping novel about the literary world, ambition, deception and murder and the twisted corner where they all intersect. Matthew Pearl grabs you from the first sentence and doesn't let go."--Laura Dave, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Night We Lost Him

The author of Save Our Souls and The Dante Club makes his eagerly awaited return to fiction with this irreverent and propulsive novel about a young writer trying to make his way through a cutthroat literary scene that turns deadly.

David Trent is an aspiring novelist in Cambridge, Massachusetts, trying to navigate his ambitions in a place that has writers around every corner.

He lives in an apartment above a Very Famous Author named Silas Hale who, beneath his celebrated image, is a bombastic, vindictive monster who refuses to allow his new neighbor even to make eye contact with him.

Until young David wins a prestigious award for his new book.

Suddenly Silas is interested--if intensely spiteful.

But soon, the administrator of the award comes to David with alarming news, forcing the writer into a desperate set of choices.

Fate intervenes--with shocking consequences. . . .

With the wit and psychological wisdom of The Plot and The Winner, The Award is a timely, razor-sharp, and unputdownable novel about writing groups, publishing, ambition, human foibles, and the dangerous things we will do to get ahead.

A moving multigenerational novel about the enduring power of a mother's love, the ripple effect of secrets, and the strength of family bonds from a Pulitzer Prize-winning author.



In 1919 Spain, Catalina Quintana is the eldest daughter in a family of silkworm farmers on the tiny island of La Palma in the remote Canary Islands. Fiercely independent, Catalina dreams of building a life with her childhood love. But when a devastating fire ruins her family's silkworm farm, she's forced into a loveless marriage and a journey across the sea to Cuba aboard a doomed ocean liner.

A century later, in 2019, journalist Mara Denis travels to La Palma to cover a modern-day disaster near the island. But the trip becomes personal when her mother asks her to find a long-lost birth certificate. Long haunted by the sea and plagued by dreams of a daughter she's never had, Mara begins to uncover a hidden family history that centers on Catalina, her great-grandmother who, she soon discovers, is listed among the dead in the infamous Valbanera shipwreck. As Mara follows Catalina's trail across Spain, Cuba, and Key West, she unearths a story of forbidden love and resilience that echoes through six generations.

Told in a dual narrative that moves seamlessly between past and present, Deeper than the Ocean is a meditation on the strength of women, the enduring power of a mother's love, and the corrosive hold of family secrets across oceans and time.



This sweeping novel is perfect for fans of Isabel Allende, Julia Alvarez, and Kristin Hannah.

"'But who are we, if we forget everything that came before?' Roza wonders in The Jilted Countess. This moving story of one woman finding a new life and new love in the aftermath of WWII answers this question, in the process taking on themes of PTSD, communism, and the plight of being an immigrant in postwar America."--Meg Waite Clayton, internationally bestselling author of Typewriter Beach

In the aftermath of World War II, a young Hungarian émigré jilted by a G.I. persuades a Midwestern newspaper editor to help her find an American husband in this poignant novel, based on a true story, from the author of The French Winemaker's Daughter.

The war stole Roza Meszaros's dreams of becoming a ballerina and her aristocratic family's fortune. But the penniless Hungarian countess's fate takes a hopeful turn when she meets an American soldier named Joe, who promises to marry her and take her to the States. After two years of waiting to obtain the necessary money and paperwork to emigrate, Roza finally arrives in Minnesota--and discovers Joe has married someone else.

Determined to stay in America, Roza turns to popular newspaper columnist Cedric Adams to help her find a suitable husband. Sharing Roza's story and her picture, Adams makes a special plea to his military readers. The response is overwhelming--nearly 1,800 World War II veterans bombard the paper's offices with telegrams, flowers, candy, and cash, "a world-record" for marriage proposals, Adams tells Roza.

Like a 1948 version of The Bachelorette, Roza ultimately chooses Finn Erickson, a former soldier and railroad locomotive engineer. Putting aside her romantic ideals, she and her new husband settle into the small riverside town of Red Wing, Minnesota. But when Roza unexpectedly runs into her former fiancé, things quickly become complicated.

A captivating and unusual tale of love, loss, finding yourself, and creating your destiny, The Jilted Countess examines the meaning of marriage, the American dream, and what it takes to face our demons while searching for happiness.

“A BONFIRE, A BEACON, A BALM, A RALLYING CRY... A beautifully written, mesmerizing horror epic... Magnificent.” – Rachel Harrison, New York Times bestselling author of Play Nice

In this fiercely captivating novel, horror meets historical fiction when a curse bridges generations, binding the fates of three women. Anne Bolton, a healer facing persecution for witchcraft, bargains with a dark entity for protection—but the fire she unleashes will reverberate for centuries. Mary Shephard, a picture-perfect wife in a suffocating community, falls for Sharon and begins a forbidden affair that could destroy them both. And Camilla Burson, the rebellious daughter of a preacher, defies conformist expectations to uncover an ancient power as her father’s flock spirals into crisis.

Three women. Three centuries. One legacy of fury, love, and a power that refuses to die.

“A hauntingly beautiful exploration of revenge, feminine rage, and the secrets that bind women across time... Frightening, subversive, and provocative.” – Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author The Lost Apothecary

Every book tells a story. This one tells a secret.

A young bookbinder begins a hunt for the truth when a confession hidden beneath the binding of a burned book reveals a story of forbidden love, lost fortune, and murder.

Lilian ("Lily") Delaney, apprentice to a master bookbinder in Oxford in 1901, chafes at the confines of her life. She is trapped between the oppressiveness of her father’s failing bookshop and still being an apprentice in a man’s profession. But when she’s given a burned book during a visit to a collector, she finds, hidden beneath the binding, a fifty-year-old letter speaking of love, fortune, and murder.

Lily is pulled into the mystery of the young lovers, a story of forbidden love, and discovers there are more books and more hidden pages telling their story. Lilian becomes obsessed with the story but she is not the only one looking for the remaining books and what began as a diverting intrigue quickly becomes a very dangerous pursuit.

Lily's search leads her from the eccentric booksellers of London to the private libraries of unscrupulous collectors and the dusty archives of society papers, deep into the heart of the mystery. But with sinister forces closing in, willing to do anything for the books, Lilian’s world begins to fall apart and she must decide if uncovering the truth is worth the risk to her own life.

* This stunning edition includes full-color designed endpapers, unique foiled front and back case stamps, and special interior design elements. While supplies last! *

From the award-winning author of Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line comes a “thrilling and profound” (BBC) novel set in nineteenth-century Tibet that follows two outsiders—an Indian schoolteacher spying for the British Empire and an English “lady” explorer—as they venture into a forbidden kingdom.

“A riveting novel that takes on the hubris of exploration, the pursuit of immortality, and the abiding nature of love and friendship.”—Laila Lalami, author of The Dream Hotel

1869. Tibet is closed to Europeans, an infuriating obstruction for the rap­idly expanding British Empire. In response, Britain begins training Indians—permitted to cross borders that white men may not—to undertake illicit, dangerous surveying expeditions into Tibet.

Balram is one such surveyor-spy, an Indian schoolteacher who, for several years, has worked for the British, often alongside his dearest friend, Gyan. But Gyan went missing on his last expedition and is rumored to be imprisoned within Tibet. Desperate to rescue his friend, Balram agrees to guide an English captain on a foolhardy mission: After years of paying others to do the exploring, the captain, disguised as a monk, wants to personally chart a river that runs through southern Tibet. Their path will cross fatefully with that of another Westerner in disguise, fifty-year-old Katherine. Denied a fellowship in the all-male Royal Geographical Society in London, she intends to be the first European woman to reach Lhasa.

As Balram and Katherine make their way into Tibet, they will face storms and bandits, snow leopards and soldiers, fevers and frostbite. What’s more, they will have to battle their own doubts, ambitions, grief, and pasts in order to survive the treacherous landscape.

A polyphonic novel about the various ways humans try to leave a mark on the world—from the enduring nature of family and friendship to the egomania and obsessions of the colonial enterprise—The Last of Earth confirms Deepa Anappara as one of our greatest and most ambitious storytellers.

Explore the incredible world of bugs in this latest addition to Lonely Planet Kids' The Fact Book series.

From giant millipedes to deadly spiders; jewel-like beetles to jungle leaf-insects; come and take a mini safari across the continents to uncover the incredible array of insects, arachnids and myriapods that roam our planet. If it crawls, scuttles, flutters or stings, you'll find it in The Bugs Book.

Inside The Bugs Book:

• Travel across six bug-tastic continents - North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania - and learn about the few bugs found in Antarctica!
• Discover fact-packed bug profiles with fascinating size, habitat and diet stats to wow your friends
• Features stunning macro photography so you can see each of the insects up close
• Detailed illustrations by Daniel Limon bring these amazing minibeasts to life - Daniel has created artwork for numerous nature and animal books including Lonely Planet Kids' The Ocean Book and Ocean Animal Atlas
• Written by Nancy Dickmann, author of Lonely Planet Kids' Amazing Night Sky Atlas, Amazing Ancient History Atlas, and The Rocks Book
• Contents include: North America - Hickory Horned Devil; Black Widow; Monarch Butterfly. South America - Goliath Birdeater Tarantula; Fire Ant; Giant Water Bug. Europe - Hummingbird Hawkmoth; Cuckoo Wasp; Western Honeybee. Africa - Deathstalker Scorpion; Rainbow Shield Bug; Desert Locust. Asia - Giant Stick Insect; Orchid Mantis; Atlas Moth. Oceania - Smurf Bug; Termite; Gumleaf Skelotonizer; and more

Learn all about the minibeasts we share our planet with in this awesome study of creepy-crawlies. This is the perfect gift for curious kids who are fascinated by all things bugs!

In the deepest, darkest depths of night, our planet is transforming and thriving.

At night, magic is all around in the natural world, from bioluminescent seas in the Caribbean to the Northern Lights on Arctic winter nights. Explore the lives of animals who tread a different path under the cover of darkness, including the perilous journey taken by baby turtles in the moonlight and the global migration of bearded pigs. Discover nocturnal plants that have evolved to only bloom in the moonlight and wild mushrooms that depend on their glow-in-the-dark superpower for survival.

Follow the people who wake to work hard through the night in towns and cities, such as doctors, fishing crews, bakers, firefighters, postal workers, and security guards. Learn about our reliance on electric light across the world and the human body clock's vital connection to light and darkness.

Filled with incredible facts and brought to life by Paula Bossio's beautifully quirky illustrations, The World at Night takes readers to the ends of the earth and everywhere in between to uncover the hidden wonders of our nocturnal planet.

Learn all about the life cycle of a frog in this beautiful introduction to the natural world for younger children.

Learn all about the life cycle of a frog! With colourful and engaging illustration and simple explanations split into two levels of reading ability, this is a fun and informative introduction to the natural world. This book will take the reader on a journey through the animal's life cycle, learning about how it eats, its habitat and how it grows and defends itself. A fun and informative introduction to life cycles for children.

Bison are North America's largest land animals.

Some 170,000 wood bison once roamed northern regions, while at least 30 million plains bison trekked across the rest of the continent. Almost driven to extinction in the 1800s by decades of slaughter and hunting, this ecological and cultural keystone species supports biodiversity and strengthens the ecosystems around it. Bison: Community Builders and Grassland Caretakers celebrates the traditions and teachings of Indigenous Peoples and looks at how bison lovers of all backgrounds came together to save these iconic animals. Learn about the places where bison are regaining a hoof-hold and meet some of the young people who are welcoming bison back home.

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Praise for Frances Backhouse:

★"An important book for helping kids see past the sterotypes of terrifying grizzly bears and join the call for conservation."--School Library Journal, starred review for Grizzly Bears

"The impressively comprehensive text is chatty and entertaining...This illuminating avian introduction is sure to make an owl out of anyone."--Booklist, review for Owls

"An engaging book that will leave readers spouting facts about beavers. Students will have a new appreciation for these innovative builders and their significant impact on the landscape and ecosystems of North America."--School Library Journal, review for Beavers

Firefighters have very important jobs; they risk their lives to help us stay safe. With full-color photographs and engaging text, young readers can fight fires right alongside these heroic community helpers.

Black bears and mountain lions clash when they meet in the forest! In this hi/lo book, readers explore the secret weapons of these predators. Vibrant photos and engaging features highlight the size and fighting strengths of each animal. A closing narrative puts readers in the front row of the action. This exciting book is sure to engage readers who wonder which beastly predator will come out on top!

Sand cats are amazing diggers and use their ears to hunt. Fennec foxes can survive on little water, helping them survive in the hot desert. Which desert dweller will win this battle? In this hi-lo book, readers will follow along to learn more about these fierce competitors. Leveled text guides readers through the animals' fighting skills and hunting styles. Fun facts and special features highlight the animals' weapons, habitat and range, and stats. Readers will be on the edge of their seat to find out who wins!

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get his hands on The Ultimate Book of Silly Jokes for Kids, of course!

This 256-page joke book is a real knee-slapper with hundreds of kids jokes, tongue twisters and tricky riddles all in one jam-packed collection. Comedians ages 6 and up will love reading and telling these jokes, making this book perfect to share with the whole family.

The Ultimate Book of Silly Jokes for Kids features:
- over 900 jokes, riddles and tongue twisters
- comical black-and-white cartoons
- relatable topics like animals, space, food and so much more
- humor that supports whole-child development

More than just silly gifts for kids, joke books encourage reading for fun and provide screen-free entertainment for road trips, rainy days and more. Plus, sharing jokes with friends and family is more than just fun; it helps build confidence and social-emotional skills. Wordplay found in joke books for kids will boost young readers’ language skills, too.

Trusted childhood experts, Highlights only publishes clean jokes that parents and teachers can feel comfortable with. Our funny books for kids never include bathroom humor or humor at the expense of others — and that’s no joke!

Children aged 8–12 can see 36 incredible endangered animals up close in the latest entry in the bestselling Magnificent series.

Travel across the world’s wild habitats to encounter the incredible endangered animals that live there.

Each of the 36 double-page spreads showcases its own endangered animal, with a stunning and scientifically accurate illustration bringing each one to life. The artwork is complemented by a series of illuminating facts for inquisitive minds fascinated with the natural world. A mini fact file accompanies each animal, informing curious readers about the habitat, diet, conservation status and more. Children can pinpoint where their favorite animals live by using the map at the back of the book.

Meet pandas and penguins, big cats and tiny bats, blue whales and butterflies. Armed with a newfound knowledge of this rare world, children will find out how hippos make their own swimming goggles, which mammal can nearly climb Mount Everest, and which fish is the size of a small car.

36 ENDANGERED ANIMALS: Learn about dozens of endangered animals from across the world and find out why we need to save them.

BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED: Vibrant, detailed images bring these incredible creatures to life.

FASCINATING FACTS: Includes hundreds of fascinating facts on some of the world’s rarest creatures in an easy-to-read format that will enthrall budding young zoologists.

COLLECT THE SERIES: More beautifully illustrated compendiums for all ages include The Magnificent Book of Butterflies and Moths, The Magnificent Book of Prehistoric Beasts, The Magnificent Book of Sharks, and The Magnificent Book of Creatures of the Abyss.

Sink your fangs into the hidden worlds of these scaly and sensational creatures with leading reptile scientist and National Geographic Explorer Dr. Ruchira Somaweera as your guide.

Meet the coolest cold-blooded animals ever. From lizards to snakes, turtles to crocodiles, something called a tuatara, and even enormous prehistoric reptiles (think real-life sea monsters!), you’ll discover what makes a reptile a reptile; how these creatures live, hunt, hide, and raise their young, and the wild adaptations that make them so unique. Learn which snake is the most venomous on the planet and which are surprisingly gentle creatures, which reptile is born with a highly developed third eye in its forehead, and which one is so tiny it could balance on the tip of your finger—plus loads of super important conservation information and impactful ways to join the fight to save endangered reptile species right from home!

With gorgeous full-color photographs and nail-biting from-the-field stories from Dr. Somaweera—including the time he waded waist-deep into a cave teeming with gigantic crocodiles!—this book takes you up close and personal with wild, weird, and just plain wonderful reptiles.

Complete your collection with The Ultimate Book of Sharks, The Ultimate Book of African Animals, and The Ultimate Book of Big Cats!

"Animals don't really read menus, but what do they have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? This [book] focuses on all kinds of animals and reveals what's on the menu for each one, as well as sharing fascinating information about each animal, the foods they eat, food chains, habitats and geography."--

Spark the love of learning with this picture-packed guide to space for children.

DK's best-selling Eyewonder series is back and has been refreshed for the next generation of young readers aged 5-7.

This picture-led reference guide will take you on a visual tour of what goes on in outer space. Stay-at-home explorers will feel inspired by the dramatic photographs, up-to-date information, fact-packed pages, and a brand-new "eyewonder" feature where knowledge meets real-world application.

Throughout the pages of this newly revised book on space, you can find:

• Fully updated and revised content for children starting to develop a passion for science.
• Eye-catching photographs that grab the attention of young readers and keep them coming back for more.
• Engaging facts, simple explanations, and fun activities throughout the book.

Find out about the vast universe and beyond with Eyewonder Stars & Planets, from blue giants to black holes. Learn about how we fit into our galaxy and how big the Universe really is. Plus, with fun and interactive activities to reinforce learning, your child will be entertained time and time again.

Explore the series!

The Eyewonder series is back and better than ever, with a fresh new look and the latest information. If you liked Eyewonder Stars and Planets, why not dig into Eyewonder Rocks and Minerals, investigate with Human Body, or explore Eyewonder Oceans?

Myths! Lies! Secret mummy curses? Grab your head lamp, the award-winning History Smashers are headed to Ancient Egypt to dig up the truth about this incredible early civilization—and the many myths that will be buried once and for all.

A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

In 1922, explorers opened King Tut's tomb and a nasty hex was placed on everyone present. RIGHT? Not so much. Okay, but aliens did soar in on a space craft and build the Pyramids, right? WRONG!

The discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb taught historians a lot about ancient Egyptian culture. But no one incurred the wrath of a mummy. And this early civilization had the money, power, and smarts to build the Pyramids--along with a host of other impressive structures! 

Join the History Smashers 

Ready to bust new myths? Check out more titles in the History Smashers series:
 

• History Smashers: The Mayflower
• History Smashers: The Titanic
• History Smashers: Pearl Harbor
• History Smashers: Plagues and Pandemics

Six irresistible Curious George stories in one cozy volume, perfect for sharing with curious little ones at bedtime.

Curious little ones will love to cuddle up at bedtime with this padded story collection with sturdy pages. The perfect ending to a long day of play 

Includes six stories: 
Curious George: Are You Curious?
Curious George and the Firefighters
Curious George's Day at the Farm
Curious George Goes to a Bookstore
Curious George Loves to Ride
Good Night, Curious George

An intrepid young man of action, Chase Speedington, is working with his adopted mother, the Queen to search for the truth about his parents when he is confronted once again by the Evil Eisenfaust! This latest encounter sets in motion a series of events that leads Chase to the legend of the Dragon’s Last Breath! Working with the help of friends, Chase finds the clues that might lead to his parents but instead leads to information that Dragons actually once existed on Earth!!! …and that they can be brought back to life??

Learn how to read with decodable and engaging fiction for older readers who are interested in graphic novels and at the early stages of reading.

This graphic novel-style series for 9-12 year-olds features eight decodable stories designed for older readers who can read simple CVC words.

Eight stories bound into one graphic novel format follow the adventures of a diverse group of teenage friends in a skateboarding team called the Sun Cats. Each story practices the initial sounds of the alphabet at CVC-level text.

For example:
Chapter 1: s a t i m
Chapter 2: n o p
Chapter 3: b c g h
Chapter 4: d e f v
Chapter 5: k l r u
Chapter 6: j w z
Chapter 7: x y ff ll ss zz
Chapter 8: All initial sounds, CVC

Sun Cats shares the same phonics progression as Phonic Books Moon Dogs and Phonic Books Moon Dogs Extras Set 1, and can be used in parallel to consolidate phonemic knowledge and reading skills.

This beginner reader series features:

 

• Truly decodable text to allow independent reading, ideal for reluctant readers.
• Reading material aimed at children aged 9-12.
• Common CVC words that are gradually introduced in each book.

This pack of 8 decodable books features:

• 'How to Use This Book' guidance page, including information about the new sounds introduced and important notes on the sound.
• Decodable graphic novel story pages.
• Reading practice word lists and character art.
• Questions for discussion.

What is phonics?

Phonics is a way of teaching children to read by understanding the sounds that individual letters make and blending them to make a word. Children can learn to read using this skill to decode new words. Phonic Books specializes in decodable, systematic books supporting this structured literacy instruction.

Based on the New York Times bestselling picture book sensation The Cool Bean, Jory John and Pete Oswald present: As Cool as It Gets! Includes two sticker sheets, perfect for decorating your own holiday cards and gifts.

When the Cool Bean picks the name of the coolest of the cool beans, Beanadette, out of a hat for the annual gift exchange, he's not feeling very merry or festive--he's feeling pressure! Beanadette is definitely expecting the coolest present of all. Will the Cool Bean find the perfect gift in time for the party?

Find out in this hilarious, charming, and cozy continuation of Jory John and Pete Oswald's bestselling Food Group series.

Check out Jory John and Pete Oswald's funny, bestselling books for kids 4-8 and anyone who wants a laugh:

• The Bad Seed
• The Good Egg
• The Cool Bean
• The Couch Potato
• The Good Egg Presents: The Great Eggscape!
• The Bad Seed Presents: The Good, the Bad, the Spooky!
• The Cool Bean Presents: As Cool as It Gets
• That's What Dinosaurs Do

Celebrate a birthday and some winter fun with three laugh-out-loud stories featuring unlikely friends Earl & Worm—the stars of an irresistible early reader series from Geisel Award-winning author Greg Pizzoli.

It's Earl's birthday! Worm is excited to celebrate with her lifelong friend. But even though Worm has found the perfect present and baked a delicious birthday cake for Earl, she worries that they won't be exactly what he wished for. 

Join this unlikely pair as they spend a special, snowy day together and discover that the best birthday gift anyone could ask for is what they already have: friendship.

With his signature humor and heart, Geisel Award-winning creator Greg Pizzoli delivers three stories that will delight fans of other iconic duos like Elephant and Piggie or Pizza and Taco.

It's nonstop goofy comedy as Two-Headed Chicken invades other books in this third graphic novel adventure from New York Times best-selling creator Tom Angleberger.

Our zany hero, Two-Headed Chicken, has traveled the multiverse using the AstroCap and romped through the chronoverse using the TimeCap. Now they dare to ask: What happens if they use both caps at the same time? Answer: Chaos! Unfortunately, the chaos is so ridiculous that the reader slams their book closed, trapping the double-noggined main character in eternal darkness. But wait! Two-Headed Chicken escapes into the Cosmic Library, which contains every book ever written. Now, still pursued by the chicken-hungry moose Kernel Antlers, Two-Headed Chicken hops their way through a parade of familiar titles, from a hundred-acre wood to a kissy vampire novel, interacting with the befuddled characters and leaving mayhem in their wake. With interactive puzzles and activities and wall-to-wall jokes, Tom Angleberger delivers another absurdist delight in this madcap series.

Meet French nobleman and American Revolutionary War hero the Marquis de Lafayette in author-illustrator Nathan Hale's New York Times bestselling Hazard Tales graphic novel series.

STARRED REVIEW *"Action-packed. . . . A must-buy." --School Library Journal

"These books are, quite simply, brilliant. . . . Thrilling, bloody, action-packed stories from American history." --New York Times

Gilbert du Motier became the Marquis de Lafayette at a young age, but he was not satisfied with the comforts of French nobility. He wanted adventure! A major general by nineteen, he was eager to prove himself in battle. When he heard about the revolution going on in America, he went overseas.

He fought with George Washington and Alexander Hamilton in America's war for independence. Passionate about the American cause--and endearing--Lafayette was accepted into the Continental Army when other French officers were not because of his willingness to learn (and because his wealth meant that he didn't require a salary). General Washington took him under his wing, and Lafayette's loyalty to the commander-in-chief even saved Washington from a plot to remove him from command.

Lafayette would become a legend on both sides of the Atlantic and a symbol of the enduring friendship between America and France.

Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales! Read them all--if you dare!
One Dead Spy: A Revolutionary War Tale (#1)
Big Bad Ironclad!: A Civil War Tale (#2)
Donner Dinner Party: A Pioneer Tale (#3)
Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood: A World War I Tale (#4)
The Underground Abductor: An Abolitionist Tale about Harriet Tubman (#5)
Alamo All-Stars: A Texas Tale (#6)
Raid of No Return: A World War II Tale of the Doolittle Raid (#7)
Lafayette!: A Revolutionary War Tale (#8)
Major Impossible: A Grand Canyon Tale (#9)
Blades of Freedom: A Tale of Haiti, Napoleon, and the Louisiana Purchase (#10)
Cold War Correspondent: A Korean War Tale (#11)
Above the Trenches: A WWI Flying Ace Tale (#12)

From the bestselling author of The Kissing Booth comes a romantic comedy about a girl who joins a book fantasy fandom to win over her crush, only to discover that love is just as complicated online.

When Cerys’ secret crush Jake moves to a new college, she realizes she’s running out of time to take their relationship from platonic to romantic. She’ll do anything to get out of Jake’s friend zone, even if that means finally diving into the huge fantasy fandom he loves so much. Though she absolutely can’t see the appeal in Of Wrath and Rune, if Jake loves it, then Cerys will too.

When Jake introduces Cerys to his shiny new friend Max, who goes to all the fandom conventions—in cosplay (cringe)—Cerys realizes she’ll need to do a lot more to grab Jake’s attention than just read a few fanfics. But Max, with his dimples and dry humor, always seems to be hanging around, getting in the way.

Cerys is determined to become the ultimate fangirl to finally get on Jake’s radar. What she doesn’t expect is that she might actually like Of Wrath and Rune . . . and might like DMing with a suspiciously familiar guy in the fandom even more.

A moody, coming-of-age tale for fans of Miss Peregrine's Home for Pecular Children and Nimona, filled with fairies and ogres and magic galore.

Autumn Ackerman grew up believing in fairies and magic and princesses who defeated dragons, but now that she’s eighteen and facing a future stuck behind the counter of her small town’s coffee shop, she’s starting to wonder if this is all there really is to her life.

But then she meets her childhood imaginary friend, Barnaby, in the alley behind the coffee shop one night. Autumn’s entire world is turned upside down.

Drawn into the strange and mysterious world of the Night Folk, fantastic creatures that inspired all of humanity’s myths about gods and monsters, Autumn is about to discover that there is more to her world than she ever dreamed of as a little girl, and that world is far more dangerous than she could ever have imagined. With the help of Barnaby and Evan Fade, the tragic young boy who inherited the local bookstore, Autumn has to protect herself from the coldly terrifying Mr. Balloon long enough to discover the truth about the Night Folk and her own past.

Jace has been missing, and Simon is unable to enter his home due to his vampiric turn. When Clary discovers Jace in an unexpected place, she's shocked to discover that magic is controlling him...

Gilmore Girls meets Jenny Han in this “delightfully autumnal small-town romance” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) about a city girl stuck in a quaint small town who must confront her future and her old flame while the town prepares for an annual fall festival.

Ellis has a plan: spend her senior fall prepping her application for Columbia, get into their journalism program, and set the foundation for a respectable career. So when her parents announce that not only are they separating, but Ellis has to move with her mom from New York City to Bramble Falls, Connecticut, to live with her aunt and cousin, it couldn’t come at a worse time.

From past summers spent in Connecticut, Ellis knows Bramble Falls is idyllic and charming. But it also seems to be full of distractions. There’s local barista Cooper Barnett, Ellis’s one-time best friend and first kiss who now wants nothing to do with her. And then there’s the Falling Leaves Festival, a local autumnal celebration run by Ellis’s aunt where people from all over come to see Bramble Falls’s beautiful foliage. The house is stuffed with decorations, and every conversation seems to center around the festival.

Dragged to every oh-so-charming event from apple picking to pumpkin carving, Ellis can’t stop bumping into Cooper…or falling for the quaint town and its quirky residents. As her return to Manhattan gets repeatedly delayed, Ellis finds herself caught between two very different places—and the futures they represent.

"It does not go light on the gore!" -Stephen Graham Jones, NYT Bestselling Author of My Heart is a Chainsaw, I Was a Teenage Slasher, and Don't Fear the Reaper

A senior year goodbye morphs into carnival carnage ...

Everyone at Pritchett High wants an invitation to the Senior Scavenge, and this year, Violet Warren and her friends are the lucky ones. Eight girls will break into the Poison Apple Carnival after hours for a scavenger hunt, a school tradition to welcome the best and brightest into their senior year.

But warm welcomes turn into gory goodbyes as those hunting become the hunted. One by one, Violet's friends are viciously murdered by a mysterious masked figure running loose through the carnival grounds.

Can Violet survive this roller coaster ride from hell and unmask the killer in time?

Or will her head end up on a cotton candy pike?

Heathers meets Fear Street in this sickly-sweet, hilariously over the top slasher novel with a killer unmasking you won't see coming.

For fans of:

• Adam Cesare's Clown in a Cornfield
• Unhinged masked killers
• Old school horror movies
• Fierce final girls
• Gruesome rising body counts
• Outrageous kills

In this vivid, brilliantly realized new mystery, a bestselling author entrusts an old friend with finishing his final novel, but when he arrives at the remote Scottish island to hear the final wishes, the writer is found murdered and the manuscript has vanished . . . 

When troubled but talented young author Euan meets decorated novelist Malcolm Furnivall, he feels his luck has finally changed. Malcolm takes Euan as a protégé, vouching for him in the rarefied literary scene in the 1950s. But lately, Malcolm has not been himself. Consumed by his work, he cuts an increasingly isolated figure and has become convinced that something terrible will befall him. He summons his loved ones to his secluded island in the Hebrides and—to everyone's surprise—entrusts Euan with the task of completing his masterpiece.

Malcolm's suspicions soon prove well-founded; he is discovered brutally murdered in his study, and his invaluable unfinished novel has vanished. Cut off from the mainland, with the killer on the loose and the island's inhabitants circling, Euan feels both his mentor's legacy and his only chance at greatness slipping away. He must venture deep into Malcolm's labyrinthine mansion to find the manuscript before it falls into the wrong hands.

But what he doesn't yet know is that the closer he comes to solving the mystery, the tighter he will bind himself to a fate more dangerous than anything he’s yet imagined.

When Lady Luck deals her a roadside diner in small-town Texas, a professional poker player discovers home may be the best win of all in this heartfelt romance by New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown.

Professional poker player Carla Wilson's luck runs dry in Tucson, leaving her with nothing but an SUV running on fumes and a deed to the Tumbleweed Bus Stop and Diner in small-town Texas. Her plan to sell the café and move on seems simple enough--until she meets the motherly cook who rules the kitchen with an iron skillet and the sunny waitress who treats her like a sister.

Then there's Jackson Armstrong. The ex-military heir of a wealthy oil family has green eyes that make Carla forget her cards and a smile that suggests he's playing for keeps. With a pair of matchmaking senior citizens and the café's morning regulars cheering from the sidelines, Carla's wandering soul begins to feel at home.

Now she's discovering everything she never knew she needed--true friendship, a place to belong, and a love worth going all in for. Maybe Lady Luck knew exactly what she was doing from the start.

In this fresh, propulsive take on fame in the tabloid era of the '00s, a former child star struggles to figure out who she is beyond the characters she's played--on television and in relationships.



Former child star Michaela Turner is ready for her next big role--she just doesn't know what it is yet. As someone whose days were once filled with bright lights, never-ending rehearsals, and adoring fans from around the world, Michaela now struggles to define herself beyond the glitz and glamour of her past.

She tries hard to stay out of the tabloids, but fading into the background isn't quite as easy as it sounds. Not when her manipulative momager, Caroline, is dead set on launching her daughter's big comeback, no matter how many old wounds it tears open. And especially not when Michaela's attempts at "normal" relationships fail spectacularly at every turn, from the toxic ex she can't seem to escape to the nice guy she wishes she could see a future with.



As her mother's demands grow more draining and her love life takes hit after hit, she learns a few hard truths about the significance of self-worth and the beauty of letting go. Now, with her ex-boyfriend-turned-best-friend Josh as her only support, Michaela is ready to rebuild herself, one misstep at a time. And maybe, if she's lucky, after all these years of pretending, she'll finally have the chance to discover who she really is.

Two cousins on very different sides of teen girlhood spend a winter together that changes both of their lives forever.

“A searing, unforgettable novel that captures the intense and dangerous alchemy of girlhood.”—Chelsea Bieker, author of Madwoman

And once, after Elna came to stay, I watched a man drown there on Christmas Eve, his body trapped beneath the ice.

Fourteen-year-old Ida was born with a hole in her heart. Forbidden from most physical activities and considered strange by her teachers and peers, she prefers spending time alone, memorizing countries and capitals on her globe and imagining the world outside the tiny logging town of Mineral, Washington.

One afternoon, in walks her cousin Elna, there to stay for a few weeks. Ida hasn’t seen Elna since they were children, and she’s immediately drawn to her older cousin, who’s everything Ida is not: confident, glamorous, charismatic, and daring. Elna lives in San Francisco, a city Ida has seen only as a dot on her globe. She doesn’t treat Ida like she’s a fragile kid whose heart might give out at any moment. She isn’t scared off by Ida’s quirks and fixations. Ida is enraptured.

Then, on Christmas Eve, a man dies out in the woods near Mineral, and the two cousins suddenly share a secret beyond the scope of anything Ida has dealt with before. Fear begins to mix with the reverence Ida feels toward her cousin, especially when she discovers Elna is hiding more than she ever suspected. Brimming with lush prose and careful observation, Needle Lake is an arresting portrait of girlhood and the overwhelming, sometimes dangerous intensity of adolescence.

REAL SIMPLE BEST BOOKS OF 2025 * SPOTIFY BEST DEBUTS OF 2025 * GOODREADS READERS' MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF FALL

"Atmospheric and unforgettable."--People

A masterful debut novel following a spirited young woman's explorations of faith, agency, and love in thirteenth-century Bruges.

Aleys is sixteen years old and unusual: stubborn, bright, and prone to religious visions. She and her only friend, Finn, a young scholar, have been learning Latin together in secret--but just as she thinks their connection might become something more, everything unravels. When her father promises her in marriage to a merchant she doesn't love, she runs away from home, finding shelter among the beguines, a fiercely independent community of religious women who refuse to answer to the Church.

Among these hardworking and strong-willed women, Aleys glimpses for the first time the joys of belonging: a life of song, meaning, and friendship in the markets and along the canals of Bruges. But forces both mystical and political are at work. Illegal translations of scripture, the women's independence, and a sudden rash of miracles all draw the attention of an ambitious bishop--and bring Aleys and those around her into ever-increasing danger, a danger that will push Aleys to a new understanding of love and sacrifice.

Grounded in the little-told stories of medieval women--mystics, saints, anchoresses, and beguines--and introducing a major new talent, Canticle is a luminous work of historical fiction, vividly evoking a world on the verge of transformation.

Retired detective Konrad returns to Reykjavik in The Quiet Mother by Arnaldur Indridason, "one of the most brilliant crime writers of his generation" —The Sunday Times (UK)

A woman is found murdered in her Reykjavík home, her apartment ransacked. On her desk lies a note with retired detective Konrad’s phone number. Days earlier, she had begged him to find the child she gave up nearly fifty years ago. But Konrad, reluctant to reopen old wounds, turned her away. Now, haunted by guilt, he vows to uncover the truth—for her and for himself.

As Konrad digs into her tragic past, he is drawn into a web of secrets, lies, and betrayal. Each revelation points to a hidden life that connects her death to a decades-old murder—and to shadows from Konrad’s own family history.

The Quiet Mother is a masterful blend of human tragedy and relentless suspense, where every discovery comes at a cost. Arnaldur Indridason once again proves why he is the voice of Nordic Noir, delivering a harrowing tale of guilt and redemption.

New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz dives into an enthralling new romantic suspense novel filled with deeply entrenched grudges, psychic dangers, and a conspiracy that threatens not only two families but also the entire paranormal community.

The Harper and the Wells families have regarded each other with deep suspicion for four generations. The Harpers have been known to offer their psychic talents for less-than-legal purposes, and the powerful Wells clan has a reputation for playing both sides of the street. But for all the years of history and distrust between them, there is a mysterious pact binding the two. They share the responsibility for protecting a long-buried and very dangerous secret.

Sophy Harper and Luke Wells are shocked to learn that her aunt and his uncle have been sleeping together—and now they are both missing. Not only that, but the last traces of them are at the scene of a murder soaked in negative paranormal energy. Clearly, someone is willing to kill to obtain the secret their families have been charged with protecting. Despite their mutual distrust, which, as far as Sophy is concerned extends to Luke’s hellhound of a dog, they both know that the terms of the pact must be honored. 

Their investigation uncovers a psychic trail leading to a bizarre desert art colony where nothing is as it seems. But Luke and Sophy are concealing a few secrets, too. By a strange twist of fate, a Harper and a Wells have no choice but to trust each other and the fierce attraction that is binding them as surely as the pact between the families.

A chance encounter draws two old classmates toward an unforgettable reckoning in this "very smart and darkly funny" novel exploring power--and how it tangles with privilege, marriage, motherhood, and midlife--from the acclaimed author of Alys, Always, and Her (Flynn Berry, author of Northern Spy).



"I look. I can't stop looking. That's the deal, isn't it? We all know that's how it works. If someone wants to be seen--and oh, how they want to be seen--then someone has to watch."



Ruth is alone, unnoticed, and at a loss: her marriage has ended, her daughter is leaving home, and her job is leading nowhere.



But luckily Sookie is back in her life-vivid, self-assured Sookie, who never spared the time for Ruth when they were teenagers, but who now seems to want to be friends. But as Ruth is caught up in Sookie's life, she sees that everything is not as Instagrammable as Sookie would have you believe. As the truth about Sookie becomes clearer, so too does the choice Ruth will have to make.



Unputdownable, spiky, and subtle, Other People's Fun is a novel about modern life, from the little lies we tell our neighbors, friends, families, and ourselves to the hall of mirrors that is social media. Filled with Harriet Lane's trademark creeping unease and forensic observation, this page-turner considers how desperately we want others to see us as we are--and what happens when they finally do.



"Sharp. . . . A tale of toxic friendship, with a midlife mean-girl twist." --New York Times Book Review



"This deliciously twisted tale is a one-sitting read steeped in tension and unease." -- Red Magazine (UK)



"Like an influencer's feed, this is hard to look away from." --Publishers Weekly



"If you loved Notes on a Scandal, then this is for you." --Prima (UK)

 

For fans of Christina Baker Kline and Fiona Davis, a coming-of-age story about a young woman discovering love, loss, and the power of her own creativity in World War II San Francisco.

San Francisco in 1944 is a bustling place, a revolving door of soldiers and sailors passing through on their way to the war in the Pacific. Twenty-year-old Irene Cleary, however, is not going anywhere. Although she’d love to travel, the seamstress shop she inherited from her mentor keeps her firmly rooted in the only city she’s ever known. She pours her energy into dressmaking and volunteers for the war effort by dancing with servicemen at the USO.

But Irene’s life is transformed when she designs a gown for Cynthia Burke, the socialite whose new marriage to Max, a handsome Chicago businessman, is the talk of the Nob Hill elite. As Irene is drawn into the Burkes’ glamorous, troubled orbit, and as she becomes absorbed in making costumes for the first American performance of a ballet called The Nutcracker, she finds herself on the threshold of exhilarating, perilous new worlds . . . and the most surprising discoveries of all will be the ones about herself.

Set in a vibrant city during a turbulent time, The World at Home is a coming-of-age story about creativity, loss, and the many lessons we learn from love.

"A uniquely nuanced and engaging perspective on the oddness of Hollywood...Superhero goes inside baseball in all the best ways: unbiased, at times ridiculous, and wonderfully, uncomfortably accurate. It begs to be read because it is so damned good." --Amanda Seyfried

A-list actor Peter Compton and producing partner Marci Levy exist in the rarefied air of Hollywood's elite. Their status as a married power couple is unmatched, their presence in any room transformative and god-like. But as their private jet lands in Atlanta to begin production on a tentpole superhero movie, even their privileged position will come under threat by the massive pressures of such an undertaking.

Compton, a self-educated recovering addict, sees the role of Sparta comics superhero Major Machina as the opportunity to transcend his already stratospheric platform. As director Joel Slavkin, Oscar-winning DP Javier Benavidez, and a crew of hundreds arrive in Atlanta to begin shooting, it doesn't take long for the production to be embroiled in the tension and egos that drive the film. But when video of Peter's disastrous on-set behavior goes viral, Peter and Marci's partnership will be challenged as it never has before. As the stakes grow ever higher, it may just take a superhero to save them.

With his signature wit and razor sharp dialog, Tim Blake Nelson invites the reader to walk alongside him as he enters the closely-guarded world of industrial strength cinema.

The Last Love Song is a compelling story of love and devastating loss set on the rural west coast of Ireland and in glamourous 1960s London, from the internationally bestselling author of The Seven Sisters series, Lucinda Riley.

Sorcha O'Donovan dreams of an exciting life beyond the West Cork coastline where she has grown up. When she encounters the town's strikingly handsome outcast, struggling musician Con Daly, her days will never be the same.

When Con strikes gold with rock band The Fishermen in London, he and Sorcha look set for a rosy future. But their lives change beyond recognition as the dark side of fame rears its head. Death threats follow Con around, and devastating secrets from the past threaten to destroy everything he has worked for.

Twenty years later, and The Fishermen agree to reform for the massive 'Music for Life' charity concert at Wembley stadium. But Con Daly, heartthrob and spokesman for a generation, has been missing for over a decade.

There's only one person who can find out what happened, who has access to the lives, loves and careers of all concerned as The Fishermen rose to worldwide fame. Only one person who knows how vital it is to uncover the truth, because should Con Daly reappear before the facts emerge, then history could repeat itself with even more tragic consequences.

Lucinda Riley wrote The Last Love Song as Lucinda Edmonds, now reworked and revived by Harry Whittaker, Lucinda's son and co-author of Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt and The Hidden Girl.

Two wolf shifters reluctant to love discover there’s no fighting the call of the wild in this steamy romance by USA Today bestselling author Lana Ferguson.

Contractor Tess Covington has spent her entire life as a regular non-shifter human, so after she lands in the Denver ER with flu-like symptoms, it comes as a complete shock to be told that, no, she’s not sick—she’s actually a late-presenting omega wolf shifter. With her family in dire financial straits and a contract for her own television show on the line, she can’t afford not to complete the renovation job she came for. And given that her newly emerged wolf is in danger of going into heat, she’ll just have to do her best to follow the doctor’s advice to keep away from alpha shifters.

Alpha wolf Hunter Barrett has spent most of his adult life living by a routine, and a big part of that involves staying clear of omegas after having one stomp on his heart. So when the tiny contractor shows up at his place smelling like the one thing he’s determined to avoid, he thinks it must be some sort of cosmic joke. But with his lodge on the verge of failing and this sweet-smelling omega his only hope to turn things around . . . he’s left with few other options than to grin and bear it.

Set on avoiding each other as much as possible, they find things unexpectedly starting to heat up between them enough to thaw even the frostiest of hearts. Though even with the pair going head over paws for each other, there’s no changing that their fling has an expiration date. The more time they spend together, the more they realize they’re playing a dangerous game—one where the only thing on the line is their hearts.

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Things We Never Got Over

"This would be a lot easier if you had a sense of humor."

"This would be a lot easier if you were a man."

John Pierce has plans for these two hundred rundown acres. He sees a farm, a family, a future here. He's not about to drag someone in on the ground floor. Not before he's put in the work to turn rubble into a home. But his nosy neighbors have other ideas.

Now, he's saddled with a grad student who was supposed to be a he. But the curvy, opinionated Phoebe is a smart-mouthed woman who seems to do nothing but question his every move. She's ruining his nice, quiet life. And if she doesn't finish her thesis and get out of his guest room soon, he's going to have to scare her off.

Phoebe desperately needs this degree and the money it will bring. What she doesn't need is this stubborn farmer's attitude and his pathological need to avoid her. She's trapped in this tiny hippie town, trying every trick in the book to get the stalwart John to open up. Her future is on the line. Her family needs her. And she's not going to let a stubborn farmer stand in her way.

Author's Note: John and Phoebe's story is a prequel to the Blue Moon series. It follows the heart-warming, hilarious story of how they met, fell in love, and raised their boys together. But do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT read this book first. Read it sometime after book four. I'm protecting your reader experience here. I promise.

When its librarian keeper mysteriously dies, two former classmates must race to locate a rare book from their college years that can foretell your future if you confess a secret from your past--but someone is intent on protecting what's hidden inside.



It can write the story of your future... and hide the secrets of your past



The Library of Fates was designed to show you who you are--and who you could become. Its rarest book, The Book of Dark Nights, holds a secret: when you write an intimate confession on its pages, you'll receive a prediction for your future, penned in your own handwriting.



For Eleanor, whose childhood was defined by a senseless tragedy, the library offers a world where everything makes sense. She's spent most of her life there as an apprentice to the brilliant librarian, showing other people how to find the meaning of their lives in stories.



But when her mentor dies in a freak accident and The Book of Dark Nights goes missing--along with the secrets written inside--Eleanor is pulled out of the library and into a quest to locate it with the last person she expects: the librarian's estranged son, Daniel, who Eleanor once loved.



Together, as they hunt down clues from Harvard to Paris, Eleanor and Daniel grow closer again, regaining each other's trust. But little do they know that they're entangled in a much larger web. Someone else wants the book, and they'll go to dark lengths to get it...

"A delightful tale, full of heart." -Evie Woods, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Bookshop 



Welcome to the Time Hop Coffee Shop, where wishes can come true...



Greta Perks was once the shining star of the iconic Maple Gold coffee commercials, the quintessential TV wife and mom. Now fame has faded, her marriage is on the rocks, her teenage daughter has become distant and Greta's once-glittering career feels like a distant memory.



When Greta stumbles upon a mysterious coffee shop serving a magical brew, she wishes for the perfect life in those past Maple Gold commercials. Next thing she knows, Greta wakes in the idyllic make-believe town of Mapleville, where the sun always shines and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and second chances fill the air. Given the opportunity to live the life she dreamed, Greta is determined to rewrite her own script. But can life ever be like a coffee commercial? And what will happen when Greta has to choose between perfection and real life, with no turning back?