Fifteen years ago, I circulated a lot of fantasy. This school year, even Harry Potter didn't circulate. I invested heavily in the multicultural fantasies of the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, and since so many fantasy books have very lengthy series, I'm not in the position to buy too much more fantasy until my students start reading it again. Here are some books that would do well in libraries with a strong contingent of fantasy fans.
June 4, 2024 by Penguin Workshop
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
After her adventures in Lei and the Fire Goddess, Lei is back. Her guardian Kaipo is struggling since Pele and her evil hawk Io have taken Lia's pendant, and Lei consults Kaukahi to try to borrow hers. She still has a lot of support from her Tutu, but with only two weeks of her vacation left, it's imperative that she get her pendant back so that Kaipo doesn't remain a human. I was suprised to see a sequel, but it has all of the action, adventures, and details of Hawaiian life of the first.
June 4, 2024 by Random House Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Netgalley
This was intriguing but a little young, since Beatrice is ten. I'm all for hardening one's heart to deal with a death, but the doll and the eight cats put this into the realm of elementary fantasy. Also, reading about grief is just not all that appealing to middle grade students, who oddly never ask for this type of books even thought there are dozens and dozens of them.
From the publisher:
All that stands between ten-year-old Beatrice and an amazing life are five wishes…and she’s got a plan to make them all come true! A magical and heartfelt adventure about grief, hope, and the power of human connection.
Beatrice Corwell has a crooked haircut, eight well-trained cats, and a she’s turning herself into a Tin Man. Once her heart is made of metal, she’ll no longer miss her beloved dead grandma, her absent dad, or her recently moved-away best friend.
While Beatrice awaits her transformation, she keeps vigil with a special doll and a handful of wishes she’s determined to make come true. With her encyclopedic knowledge, there must be a way to grant her heart’s deepest desires.
When an unusual boy named Caleb moves to town and mentions his granny’s interest in magic, Beatrice decides to enlist their help. She quickly learns, however, that spells don’t always go as planned, and witches can’t be trusted.
With the arrival of an unexpected visitor and a series of otherworldly messages, Beatrice’s plans begin to falter. Will her heart turn into metal? Will any of her wishes come true?
Beatrice Corwell has a crooked haircut, eight well-trained cats, and a she’s turning herself into a Tin Man. Once her heart is made of metal, she’ll no longer miss her beloved dead grandma, her absent dad, or her recently moved-away best friend.
While Beatrice awaits her transformation, she keeps vigil with a special doll and a handful of wishes she’s determined to make come true. With her encyclopedic knowledge, there must be a way to grant her heart’s deepest desires.
When an unusual boy named Caleb moves to town and mentions his granny’s interest in magic, Beatrice decides to enlist their help. She quickly learns, however, that spells don’t always go as planned, and witches can’t be trusted.
With the arrival of an unexpected visitor and a series of otherworldly messages, Beatrice’s plans begin to falter. Will her heart turn into metal? Will any of her wishes come true?
June 18, 2024 by Quill Tree
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Graudin usually writes YA, so maybe isn't aware that magic is often illegal in #MGLit books, and it's only the tweens who can save the world. This is well done if you have readers who want this kind of tale, but they are a hard sell at my school.
From the publishers:
Wizard West was dead for nearly an entire day before he noticed. And it is up to Faye, the daughter of West’s groundskeeper, to inform the wizard that he is a ghost who has lost all of his magical powers. (But not before the wizard tries transforming her into a cat!) To make matters worse, the enchanted castle of Celurdur—the only home that Faye has ever known—will fall apart at the next full moon if its foundation spells can’t be renewed.
After (sort of) accepting his demise, West decides to host a competition to choose his successor. Faye finds herself fighting to keep the tournament running smoothly behind the scenes: putting out kitchen fires, feeding the compost dragon, and making sure competitors stay away from the cockatrice pen.
But killer roosters soon become the least of her worries. A servant of the evil Shadow Queen has sabotaged the contest—set on destroying not just Celurdur but the entire kingdom of Solum. It is up to Faye to stop him, but she’ll need more than a mop. Will a maid’s magic be enough to save everything she loves from utter destruction?
Wizard West was dead for nearly an entire day before he noticed. And it is up to Faye, the daughter of West’s groundskeeper, to inform the wizard that he is a ghost who has lost all of his magical powers. (But not before the wizard tries transforming her into a cat!) To make matters worse, the enchanted castle of Celurdur—the only home that Faye has ever known—will fall apart at the next full moon if its foundation spells can’t be renewed.
After (sort of) accepting his demise, West decides to host a competition to choose his successor. Faye finds herself fighting to keep the tournament running smoothly behind the scenes: putting out kitchen fires, feeding the compost dragon, and making sure competitors stay away from the cockatrice pen.
But killer roosters soon become the least of her worries. A servant of the evil Shadow Queen has sabotaged the contest—set on destroying not just Celurdur but the entire kingdom of Solum. It is up to Faye to stop him, but she’ll need more than a mop. Will a maid’s magic be enough to save everything she loves from utter destruction?
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