Middle“Fast-paced, action-packed, and empowering.” —A. F. Steadman, New York Times bestselling author of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief on Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun

Black Panther meets X-Men in this middle grade adventure trilogy about a British Nigerian girl who learns that her Afro hair has psychokinetic powers—all three books now available together in one paperback boxed set!

Onyeka has a lot of hair­—the kind that makes strangers stop in the street and her peers whisper behind her back. At least she has Cheyenne, her best friend, who couldn’t care less what other people think. Still, Onyeka has always felt insecure about her vibrant curls…until the day Cheyenne almost drowns and Onyeka’s hair takes on a life of its own, inexplicably pulling Cheyenne from the water.

At home, Onyeka’s mother tells her the shocking truth: Onyeka’s psychokinetic powers make her a Solari, one of a secret group of people with superpowers unique to Nigeria. Her mother quickly whisks her off to the Academy of the Sun, a school in Nigeria where Solari are trained. But Onyeka and her new friends at the academy soon have to put their powers to the test as they find themselves embroiled in a momentous battle between truth and lies…

This action-packed paperback boxed set contains:
Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun
Onyeka and the Rise of the Rebels
Onyeka and the Heroes of the Dawn

An action-packed superhero story from New York Times bestselling author Tracey Baptiste
 

Win “Coal” Keegan has just landed in his latest foster home, with a big, noisy, slightly nosy family named the McKays. They seem eager to welcome Coal, but he’s wary of trusting them. So, he doesn’t tell them that he went for a walk with chalk in his pocket to cover a nearby street with his art. He doesn’t tell them that a neighbor found Coal drawing, pulled a gun on him, and fired it. He doesn’t tell them the police chased him. And he definitely doesn’t tell them that when everything went down, Coal somehow turned invisible. 
 

But he did. 

Now he has to figure out how. Is he a superhero? Some kind of mutant? A science experiment? Is that why he has no family of his own? As Coal searches for answers and slowly learns to control his invisibility, he turns to the McKay kids and friends both new and old for help. But they soon discover they’re not the only ones looking for a Black boy with superpowers, and the situation is far stranger—and more dangerous—than they ever could have expected.

Young readers will learn the basics of beekeeping with this vibrantly illustrated book that takes place on the Sankofa Farms apiary.

Told from Akeem's perspective, Akeem Keeps Bees! begins with the arrival and installation of a package of bees and follows Akeem and his Dad throughout the year as they inspect the hive, find the queen, deal with a swarm, harvest honey, and prepare for winter. 

Every part of the process is illustrated for young readers, teaching them the special role that bees play on a farm. The author, Kamal Bell, is a leading voice among Black farmers educating and inspiring Black youth about farming and beekeeping. Perfect for children ages 6 through 10.

Black Panther meets X-Men in this action-packed and empowering middle grade adventure about a British Nigerian girl who learns that her Afro hair has psychokinetic powers—perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers!

Onyeka has a lot of hair­—the kind that makes strangers stop in the street and her peers whisper behind her back. At least she has Cheyenne, her best friend, who couldn’t care less what other people think. Still, Onyeka has always felt uncomfortable with her vibrant curls…until the day Cheyenne almost drowns and Onyeka’s hair takes on a life of its own, inexplicably pulling Cheyenne from the water.

At home, Onyeka’s mother tells her the shocking truth: Onyeka’s psycho-kinetic powers make her a Solari, one of a secret group of people with super powers unique to Nigeria. Her mother quickly whisks her off to the Academy of the Sun, a school in Nigeria where Solari are trained. But Onyeka and her new friends at the academy soon have to put their powers to the test as they find themselves embroiled in a momentous battle between truth and lies…

*ships in 7 - 10 days*

Ages 13-16

Congressman John Lewis, an American icon and one of the key figures of the civil rights movement, continues his award-winning graphic novel trilogy with co-writer Andrew Aydin and artist Nate Powell, inspired by a 1950s comic book that helped prepare his own generation to join the struggle. Now, March brings the lessons of history to vivid life for a new generation, urgently relevant for today’s world. After the success of the Nashville sit-in campaign, John Lewis is more committed than ever to changing the world through nonviolence - but as he and his fellow Freedom Riders board a bus into the vicious heart of the deep south, they will be tested like never before. Faced with beatings, police brutality, imprisonment, arson, and even murder, the movement’s young activists place their lives on the line while internal conflicts threaten to tear them apart.

But their courage will attract the notice of powerful allies, from Martin Luther King, Jr. to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy…and once Lewis is elected chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, this 23-year-old will be thrust into the national spotlight, becoming one of the “Big Six” leaders of the civil rights movement and a central figure in the landmark 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

It’s Nikki Maxwell’s birthday!! Will it be a blast or a bust? Find out in Nikki’s newest diary, the thirteenth installment in the #1 New York Times blockbuster bestselling Dork Diaries series!

Nikki and her BFFs Chloe and Zoey have been planning a birthday party of epic proportions! There’s just one problem—Nikki’s mom says no way to the budget they need to make it happen. Nikki’s ready to call the whole thing off, but some surprising twists might take that decision out of her hands, and help comes from the person Nikki would least expect. One way or another, this will be a birthday that Nikki will never forget!

Race through Jason Reynolds’s New York Times bestselling Track series, now in a complete boxed set.

Ghost. Patina. Sunny. Lu. A fast but fiery group of kids from wildly different backgrounds, chosen to compete on an elite track team. They all have a lot to lose, but they also have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves. Discover each of their stories in this complete collection of Jason Reynolds’s explosive New York Times bestselling Track series.

This collection includes:
Ghost
Patina
Sunny
Lu

E.T. meets Stranger Things in this middle-grade novel series from author and award-winning filmmaker Nick Brooks. With crossover appeal, this fun, engaging series has plenty of nostalgia nods for adults to appreciate as well as young readers. 

Something cool happening in Ferrous City? Not a chance. Until one day . . . when self-proclaimed genius inventor Ethan Fairmont runs into an abandoned car factory to avoid a local bully and accidentally stumbles across his ex–best friend Kareem, new kid Juan Carlos, and an extraterrestrial visitor. Cheese (the alien) is stuck on Earth and in need of some serious repairs, spicy snacks—and absolute, total secrecy. That’s easier said than done when mysterious agents descend on Ferrous City to search for Cheese. With time running out and their family and friends in potential danger, can Ethan, Kareem, and Juan Carlos pull off an intergalactic rescue before they’re all found out?

Weaving issues of racial profiling, community struggles, and everyday life in a fast-paced science fiction adventure, Brooks’s debut middle-grade series is destined to be a favorite out-of-this-world adventure for kids 9–12. A timely—and timeless—sci-fi epic for fans of Tristen Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky and the Artemis Fowl series.

A vibrant, heartwarming collection of 15 middle grade stories and poems that celebrates the joy, strength, and experience of Black girlhood, including stories from Ibi Zoboi, Sharon M. Draper, and Leah Johnson, as well as cover art from Caldecott winner Vashti Harrison.

Black girl power is…

Bringing your favorite stuffed animal to your first real sleepover. . .
Escaping an eerie dollhouse that’s got you trapped inside. . .
Making new friends one magical baked good at a time. . .
Finding the courage to dance to the beat of your own drum. . .

And more! From 15 legendary Black women authors comes a dazzling collection of stories and poems about the power we find in the everyday and the beauty of Black girlhood.

Contributors include: Amerie, Kalynn Bayron, Roseanne A. Brown, Elise Bryant, Dhonielle Clayton, Natasha Diaz, Sharon M. Draper, Sharon Flake, Leah Johnson, Kekla Magoon, Janae Marks, Tolá Okogwu, Karen Strong, Renée Watson, and Ibi Zoboi

Two everyday superheroes set out to save the world—starting with their school—in an exciting new middle-grade graphic series from two award-winning authors and a debut illustrator.

When cousins Riley Halfmoon and Maya Dawn move to Urbanopolis to live with their activist grandma, they get off to a rocky start. Outgoing Riley misses her Muscogee cousins but is sure that she and Maya will be instant BFFs. Meanwhile, introvert Maya misses her parents, on active duty in Japan, and just wants some space to herself. At school, Maya joins Robotics Club and Riley bonds with fellow gymnasts. Just when they start to feel at home, their school culture is threatened by an influential foe in disguise. Joining student council feels like a way to help, so both cousins toss their hats in the ring for sixth-grade class president. But when they realize what they’re up against—money, power, and lies—they quickly shift from competition to cooperation, joining forces as superheroes. Riley is savvy with people; Maya is a whiz with gadgets. In no time, this dazzling duo is off to save the day! Relatable and rich in themes of family, community, and compromise, the Blue Stars series will entertain and empower, inspiring readers to be the stars they are.

From critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Jerry Craft comes a new special box set that includes all three books in his award-winning collection of graphic novels.

In New Kid, winner of the Newbery Medal, the Coretta Scott King Author Award, and the Kirkus Prize, you’ll meet twelve-year-old Jordan Banks as he starts seventh grade at the prestigious Riverdale Academy Day School—where diversity is low and expectations are high.

In Class Act, Jordan’s friends Drew and Liam have their own struggles as they enter their eighth grade year. Can two kids who are really so different still be friends? 

And the saga soars to new heights in School Trip, where Jordan, Drew, Liam, and the rest of their friends all feel like the “new kid” as they spend an entire week in Paris.

Middle school is hard enough without being the new kid…

A heartwarming graphic novel about being the new kid in middle school, making new friends, and learning to trust yourself through the power of horseback riding—perfect for fans of Victoria Jamieson's Roller Girl.

“Readers will fall in love with Nora and her quirky crew, the world of Creaky Acres, and all the horses . . . and cows . . . and possums!” —Varian Johnson, award-winning author of Twins

Nora is a prize-winning horseback rider in a suburban area, with a tight-knit circle of best friends. But when her mom gets a prestigious new job in a poor, rural area, she has to adjust to a lot of change: to being the only Black kid in a new class and to a new barn called Creaky Acres, where her beloved horse, Hay Fever, will make his new home.

It’s there she meets sweet and geeky Laura, goofy and fun-loving Wilson, and fearless Dolores (aka Dizzy). With her ragtag team of equestrians, Nora learns it’s okay to stand out and steps into her power as a leader, realizing that being a rider isn’t just about winning—or maybe that winning just might look different than what she’d thought.

*ships/ready for pick-up in 7-10 business days*

New York Times bestselling author J. Elle continues her magical middle grade series with our favorite witches from Park Row Magick Academy! While the new Magick Academy is under construction, an invitation to Enrichment Week arrives! Before the students leave Park Row, Kyana is grabbed by an Available and, even after she slips from the spirit's grasp, can't stop either laughing or crying. Ashley thinks whatever it is, Dr. Minzy, a famous teacher at the camp, will know what to do. But when the portal to the retreat suddenly collapses, trapping everyone, Ash realizes: Availables are involved. With Kyana acting weird and Russ live-casting everything to the Magick World, Ash must choose: say something to the directors (even though she isn't sure she's right) or mind her business and trust that Dr. Minzy will fix it? In this adventurous sequel to A Taste of Magic, perfect for fans of The Marvellers, can Ashely, Kyana, and Russ figure out what the spirits are up to and save the day?

*ships in 7 - 10 business days*

Perfect for fans of the Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur series, this novelization helps readers understand how Moon Girl manages her life: junior high school student by day; crime-fighting Super Hero by night--not to mention the guardian of a 10-ton red dinosaur who lives in her secret lab.

This paperback novelization follows the 13-year-old Marvel Super Hero around her Lower East Side of Manhattan neighborhood, where her family owns and runs a roller-skating rink. As Moon Girl explores the cause of so many unexplained neighborhood power blackouts lately, readers will  learn how Moon Girl came to be, meet her sidekick, a giant red T-Rex, and follow them on their first adventure fighting against the evil villain who is bringing darkness to her beloved community.

If you like this book, you might also like: 

• Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur: Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
• The Unstoppable Wasp
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of theTen Rings: Who Guards My Sleep
• Gravity Falls Journal 3
• Descendants 3 Novelization
• Gabby Duran Alien Babysitting Adventures

*ships in 7 -10 business days*

A beautiful first guide to African elephants, part of an exciting new series of animal books.

Head on safari to the grasslands of Africa to study African elephants in this beautiful nonfiction field guide for kids.

You might know that African elephants are the largest land animals on Earth, but there’s so much more to learn about these tusked creatures. Turn the pages to find out why the grandmother is in charge of an elephant family, and why big ears help elephants cool down! Meet a baby elephant as it takes its first steps, and discover how to tell the difference between an African elephant and an Asian elephant. The book also looks at the conservation challenges these iconic animals face due to climate change and ivory poaching.

A Geisel Award Honor Book– winning series! Join Ty on an imaginative adventure to the North Pole in this My First ICR featuring rhythmic text by Kelly Starling Lyons and joyful, bright art by Nina Mata.

Experience the magic of Ty’s big imagination! After seeing the North Pole in his snow globe, Ty and Momma embark on a wonderful trip to the North Pole. Ty sees amazing things like a sparkling Christmas tree, waving snowmen, and even a singing polar bear. Will Ty’s wish to see Santa come true? Beginning readers will enjoy this irresistible, charming My First winter wonderland adventure. Readers who loved Ty's Travels: All Aboard! and Ty's Travels: Beach Day! will be excited to dive back into Ty’s limitless imagination for the holiday season.

Ty’s Travels: Winter Wonderland, a My First I Can Read! book, is carefully crafted using basic language, word repetition, sight words, and sweet illustrations—which means it's perfect for shared reading with emergent readers.

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents best-selling YA author Roseanne A. Brown's middle grade debut about a pre-teen vampire slayer with a strong helping of Ghanaian folklore.

For most kids, catching fireflies is a fun summer activity. For twelve-year-old Serwa Boateng, it's a matter of life and death.

That's because Serwa knows that some fireflies are really adze, shapeshifting vampires from the forests of Southeastern Ghana. Adze prey on the blood of innocents, possessing their minds and turning them into hulking monsters, and for generations, slayers like Serwa and her parents have protected an unknowing public from their threats.

Serwa is the best adze slayer her age, and she knew how to use a crossbow before she could even ride a bike. But when an obayifo (witch) destroys her childhood home while searching for a drum, do Serwa's parents take her with them on their quest to defeat her? No. Instead, they dump Serwa with her hippie aunt and cryptic-obsessed cousin in the middle of Nowheresville, Maryland "for her own safety." Now, instead of crossbows and battle armor, she's dealing with mean girls and algebra, and for the first time in her life she doesn't have to carry a staff everywhere she goes, which is . . . kind of nice, actually.

Just as Serwa starts to get the hang of this whole normal girl who doesn't punch vampires every day thing, an adze infiltrates her school. It's up to her to whip some of her classmates into monster-fighting shape before all of them become firefly food. And when she uncovers a secret that upends everything she thought she knew about her family's role in the slayer vs. adze war, Serwa will have to decide which side of herself--normal girl or slayer--is the right one.

After all, seventh grade is hard enough without adding vampires to the mix.

*ships in 7-10 business days

Stealing a baby dragon was easy! Hiding it is a little more complicated, in this second book in the critically acclaimed Dragons in a Bag series.

Jaxon had just one job--to return three baby dragons to the realm of magic. But when he got there, only two dragons were left in the bag. His best friend's sister, Kavita, is a dragon thief!

Kavita only wanted what was best for the baby dragon. But now every time she feeds it, the dragon grows and grows! How can she possibly keep it secret? Even worse, stealing it has upset the balance between the worlds. The gates to the other realm have shut tight! Jaxon needs all the help he can get to find Kavita, outsmart a trickster named Blue, and return the baby dragon to its true home.
 
Dragons in a Bag continues! Don't miss the next book in the series, The Witch's Apprentice.

In this new Legendary Alston Boys adventure from Edgar-nominated author Lamar Giles, Otto and Sheed must embark on their most dangerous journey yet, bringing a fugitive to justice in a world that mirrors their own but has its own rules to play by.

Unlike the majority of Logan County's residents, Missus Nedraw of the Rorrim Mirror Emporium remembers the time freeze from The Last Last-Day-of-Summer, and how Otto and Sheed took her mirrors without permission in order to fix their mess. Usually that’s an unforgivable offense, punishable by a million-year sentence. However, she’s willing to overlook the cousins’ misdeeds if they help her with a problem of her own. One of her worst prisoners has escaped, and only the Legendary Alston Boys of Logan County can help bring the fugitive to justice.

This funny and off-the-wall adventure is perfect for readers of Jonathan Auxier and Lemony Snicket.

*Ships in 7-10 business day*

Rita Williams-Garcia’s Newbery Honor Book, Coretta Scott King Award winner, and New York Times bestseller One Crazy Summer tells the moving story of three sisters who travel to turbulent Oakland, California, in 1968 in search of the mother who abandoned them.
 
Eleven-year-old Delphine has it together. Even though her mother, Cecile, abandoned her and her younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern, seven years ago. And even though Delphine must look after her sisters during a summer trip to California to visit Cecile. When they arrive on the West Coast, their mother decides that they will attend a day camp run by the Black Panthers. Unexpectedly, the three sisters learn much about their family, their country, and themselves.

Acclaimed author Rita Williams-Garcia writes with insight and humor about family and identity in this brilliant, award-winning middle grade novel. This book won the Coretta Scott King Award and the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, and was a Newbery Honor Book and a National Book Award Finalist.
 
EXTRAS will include a portion of Rita Williams-Garcia's Coretta Scott King Award acceptance speech, a deleted chapter, and more!

*ships in 7-10 business days

In Charlestown Prison, Malcolm Little struggles with the weight of his past. Plagued by nightmares, he drifts through days unsure of his future. Slowly, he befriends other prisoners and writes to his family. He reads all the books in the prison library, joins the debate team and the Nation of Islam. Malcolm grapples with race, politics, religion, and justice in the 1940s. And as his time in jail comes to an end, he begins to awaken--emerging from prison more than just Malcolm Little: Now, he is Malcolm X.

Nikki Maxwell’s summer is packed with drama in this fourteenth installment of the #1 New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries series!

Nikki and her bandmates are looking forward to an AWESOME summer on tour as the opening act for the world famous Bad Boyz! Nikki is a little worried when her frenemy, MacKenzie Hollister, weasels her way into a social media intern position with the tour. But she has a total MELTDOWN when she learns that MacKenzie is her new roommate! Will Nikki survive her dream tour as it quickly goes from AWESOME to AWFUL?!

Una novela gráfica de grado medio sobre Marlene, una joven que deja de alisarse el pelo y acepta sus rizos naturales.

Marlene ama tres cosas: el arte, a su adorada tía Ruby y pasar el tiempo con Camilla, su mejor amiga. Pero su mamá piensa que se debería enfocar solamente en sus estudios y en madurar; y esto último implica alisarse el pelo todos los fines de semana para que se vea “presentable” y “bueno”. Pero Marlene odia ir al salón y no entiende por qué nadie a su alrededor piensa que sus rizos naturales son bonitos. Después de algunos desafíos y momentos vergonzosos, además de la ayuda imprescindible de Camilla y tía Ruby, poco a poco Marlene emprende el camino de aprender a apreciar su pelo rizo y llevarlo con orgullo.
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A middle grade graphic novel about Marlene, a young girl who stops straightening her hair and embraces her natural curls.

Marlene loves three things: books, her cool Tía Ruby and hanging out with her best friend Camila. But according to her mother, Paola, the only thing she needs to focus on is school and "growing up." That means straightening her hair every weekend so she could have "presentable", "good hair".

But Marlene hates being in the salon and doesn't understand why her curls are not considered pretty by those around her. With a few hiccups, a dash of embarrassment, and the much-needed help of Camila and Tia Ruby―she slowly starts a journey to learn to appreciate and proudly wear her curly hair.

Meet Max Crumbly in this series from #1 New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries author Rachel René e Russell!

Max Crumbly is about to face the scariest place he’s ever been: South Ridge Middle School.

There’s a lot that’s great about his new school, but there’s also one big problem—Doug, the school bully whose hobby is stuffing Max in his locker. If only Max could be like the hero in his favorite comics. Unfortunately, Max’s uncanny, almost superhuman ability to smell pizza from a block away won’t exactly save any lives or foil bad guys.

But that doesn’t mean Max won’t do his best to be the hero his school needs!

Malcolm X grew to be one of America’s most influential figures. But first, he was a boy named Malcolm Little. Written by his daughter, this inspiring picture book biography celebrates a vision of freedom and justice.

Bolstered by the love and wisdom of his large, warm family, young Malcolm Little was a natural born leader. But when confronted with intolerance and a series of tragedies, Malcolm’s optimism and faith were threatened. He had to learn how to be strong and how to hold on to his individuality. He had to learn self-reliance.

Together with acclaimed illustrator AG Ford, Ilyasah Shabazz gives us a unique glimpse into the childhood of her father, Malcolm X, with a lyrical story that carries a message that resonates still today—that we must all strive to live to our highest potential.

Max Crumbly faces the music in this second book in the series from #1 New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries author Rachel René e Russell!

When we last left our hero, Max Crumbly, he had crash-landed on top of a Mighty Meat Monster pizza after taking a late night tumble through the vents at South Ridge Middle School—and he was completely surrounded by three ruthless criminals!

Will Max be shredded to bits like mozzarella cheese on the hard and crunchy pizza crust of doom?

Can his friend and sidekick, computer whiz Erin, help get him out of this sticky situation alive?

Step aside for a fresh and funny new voice in middle-grade graphic novels.

Nansi has never lost a race … until snobby Tania beats her in an unofficial event. Surely it’s Tania’s flashy shoes that gave her the edge. Nansi has to get a pair before the track tryouts! But how will she kick up $338?

Incorporating Jamaican culture and the West African trickster character, Anansi, debut author Carl Brundtland has created an endearingly self-absorbed heroine who always goes the distance – even if it’s the wrong way. With award-winning illustrator Claudia Dávila’s expressive art, Way Off Track hits the ground running with humor, hijinks and a whole lot of heart.

New school, new country, but only half a family?! Embark on a coming of age journey with a middle school teen navigating their parent’s divorce while moving to a new country in this stunning graphic novel.

Ave thought moving to Kansas would be boring and flat after enjoying the mountains and trails in Mexico, but at least they would have their family with them. Unfortunately, while Ave, their mom, and their younger brother are relocating to the US, Ave's father and older sister will be staying in Mexico...permanently. Their parents are getting a divorce.

As if learning a whole new language wasn't hard enough, and now a Middle-Schooler has to figure out a new family dynamic...and what this means for them as they start middle school with no friends.

Jose Pimienta's stunningly illustrated and thought provoking middle graphic novel is about exploring identity, understanding family, making friends with a language barrier, and above all else, learning what truly makes a place a home.

A friendship hypothesis—and one failed experiment—leads one girl to investigate the science of middle school friendship makeups and breakups in this hopeful and heartwarming story from Tanita S. Davis, author of Partly Cloudy and Serena Says.

Rylee Swanson is beginning eighth grade with zero friends.

A humiliating moment at the end-of-seventh-grade pool party involving a cannonball, a waterlogged updo, and some disappearing clothes has Rylee halfway convinced she’s better off without any friends—at least friends like those.

The one question Rylee can’t shake is . . . why?

When a group assignment in journalism pairs Rylee with science geek DeNia Alonso, DeNia’s annoyingly know-it-all, nerdy personality is both frustration and fuel to Rylee’s search for answers. Together they conduct research, run surveys, and write their way toward even more questions about what makes friendships—and breaks them. Between her shaky new partnership with DeNia, an annoying brother, and a friend from the past, Rylee’s got a lot to think about. But the more she learns, the more Rylee wonders: Could there be a science to friendship? And can it keep her from losing friends ever again?

With warmth, heart, and resonance, Tanita S. Davis’s deep dive into middle school friendships is perfect for fans of Dear Friends, Let's Pretend We Never Met, and The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl.