March 3, 2026 by Random House Books for Young Readers
ARC provided by the publisher
Aku (a nickname using his initials) and his friends Benji and Trae like to play the video game Star Tribute, which is put out by astronaut Nash Altair's company. It takes Aku's mind off the fact that his grandfather went on a work trip and has been missing for a while. His mother, a high school nurse, and his father, an electrical contractor, are struggling with this, as is Aku. When he finds a space helmet in the basement, he is astonished when it telelports him away to the planet Ibra in the Void Galaxy. The helmet tells him that his grandfather is alive on the planet, so Aku wants to find him. He sees the Avalunas, small creatures who take care of the Lunaberry trees, but also is chased by Floratron Crunchers and is pulled back to Earth. The next time he travels, he takes Benji and Tae with him. They find out that the Lunaberries are crucial to the survival of the planet, and after an Avaluna steals the helmet, the kids travel to the city and find that Nash Altair has set this up and is drawing power from the berries. Aku's grandfather is most likely being held in the Retention Tower. I'm trying to escape Nash's men, the kids meet the Avaluna Queen Orax, and learn that his grandfather was trying to save Ibra from the devastation Nash is wreaking. They also meet Bizzy, an Avaluna who is an inventor and helps them. He has come up with a planetary shield that might save the day, but needs the helmet to scan the grandfather's retinas to put the shield up. With his helmet returned, and Benji and Tae fitted out with an AstroBeat and Holospecs, the group heads to the Retention Tower to try to free Grandpa Underwood. Will Aku and his friends be able to save his grandfather, capture Nash, and make sure that the Avalunas and the Lunaberry trees can survive?
Strengths: Aku's journey was a fast paced, exciting adventure on a troubled planet, and his desire to rescue his grandfather will resonate with young readers. Ibra is an interesting planet, and the Lunaberries reminded me a little of the Truffala trees in Seuss' The Lorax! It's great to see that Aku is interesting in inventing and science, and that Trae is a good computer hacker. While we don't see a lot of Aku's home life, what we do see is very supportive, and there's a nice thread about his father wanting to spend more time with him even though he is sad about the grandfather being missing. It was fun to see the family dinners. Making Nash Altair the villain was a good twist, and I loved that the kids stopped playing the video games put out by his company after their adventures. The teleporting technology of the helmet was very cool, and the end of the book makes it look like there could be more adventures in space. The author was motivated to create Aku after he heard a boy asking his mother if there could be Black astronauts, and he has worked to encourage young people to follow their dreams, which is certainly a positive message.
Weaknesses: I'm a little conflicted about this title, since Aku started out as an NFT. I rarely buy books based on video games or YouTube channels, but NFTs are definitely new to the world of children's literature. There are a couple of instances of product placement in the story, when Aku's father is reading Time magazine, which featured Aku on the cover. Mr. Johnson is a baseball player, and I certainly have bought sports books written by sports stars. The writing is fine, although there are a lot of plot holes that younger readers will skip right over. (E.G. How do we know that ALL of the Lunaberry trees on the entire planet have been destroyed? And would Aku's few seeds really be able to revitalize Ibra?) I'm very curious to see what other readers think of this book.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed science fiction adventures like Richter's The Star of Moon Village, Smith's Project Mercury, Cervantes' Anomalies 53: Into the Shadows, or Brooks' Nothing Interesting Ever Happens to Ethan Fairmont.
Strengths: Aku's journey was a fast paced, exciting adventure on a troubled planet, and his desire to rescue his grandfather will resonate with young readers. Ibra is an interesting planet, and the Lunaberries reminded me a little of the Truffala trees in Seuss' The Lorax! It's great to see that Aku is interesting in inventing and science, and that Trae is a good computer hacker. While we don't see a lot of Aku's home life, what we do see is very supportive, and there's a nice thread about his father wanting to spend more time with him even though he is sad about the grandfather being missing. It was fun to see the family dinners. Making Nash Altair the villain was a good twist, and I loved that the kids stopped playing the video games put out by his company after their adventures. The teleporting technology of the helmet was very cool, and the end of the book makes it look like there could be more adventures in space. The author was motivated to create Aku after he heard a boy asking his mother if there could be Black astronauts, and he has worked to encourage young people to follow their dreams, which is certainly a positive message.
Weaknesses: I'm a little conflicted about this title, since Aku started out as an NFT. I rarely buy books based on video games or YouTube channels, but NFTs are definitely new to the world of children's literature. There are a couple of instances of product placement in the story, when Aku's father is reading Time magazine, which featured Aku on the cover. Mr. Johnson is a baseball player, and I certainly have bought sports books written by sports stars. The writing is fine, although there are a lot of plot holes that younger readers will skip right over. (E.G. How do we know that ALL of the Lunaberry trees on the entire planet have been destroyed? And would Aku's few seeds really be able to revitalize Ibra?) I'm very curious to see what other readers think of this book.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed science fiction adventures like Richter's The Star of Moon Village, Smith's Project Mercury, Cervantes' Anomalies 53: Into the Shadows, or Brooks' Nothing Interesting Ever Happens to Ethan Fairmont.
Here are some other recent fantasy titles middle grade libraries may want to consider.
February 24, 2026 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
The first book has circulated well, so I will buy this sequel.
From the publisher:
The thrilling sequel to Boy 2.0 , from New York Times bestselling author Tracey Baptiste, perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers and Into the Spiderverse.
Win “Coal” Keegan is starting to get the hang of his new life. He’s come to love his foster family, the McKays, and is getting more confident with his invisibility powers. Almost too much confident. At first, he uses his abilities for small favors. But soon, favors snowball into bigger asks and messier pranks. And when rumors surface about a “ghost” in the neighborhood, Coal realizes it might be best to keep his talents under wraps.
But that gets harder when Coal starts to suspect that someone—or something—might be tracking him. And as the evidence stacks up, Coal realizes he’s not the only one with powers. Is his pursuer friend or foe? What would it be like to meet someone just like him?
As the stakes rise and Coal finds allies and enemies in unexpected places, he’ll have to channel a new level of bravery to protect himself, his family, and his world. Packed with real-world themes of technology, race, and justice, this exhilarating follow-up to Boy 2.0 returns readers to the world of their new favorite superhero.
Roubique, Christopher. Mythspeaker
The thrilling sequel to Boy 2.0 , from New York Times bestselling author Tracey Baptiste, perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers and Into the Spiderverse.
Win “Coal” Keegan is starting to get the hang of his new life. He’s come to love his foster family, the McKays, and is getting more confident with his invisibility powers. Almost too much confident. At first, he uses his abilities for small favors. But soon, favors snowball into bigger asks and messier pranks. And when rumors surface about a “ghost” in the neighborhood, Coal realizes it might be best to keep his talents under wraps.
But that gets harder when Coal starts to suspect that someone—or something—might be tracking him. And as the evidence stacks up, Coal realizes he’s not the only one with powers. Is his pursuer friend or foe? What would it be like to meet someone just like him?
As the stakes rise and Coal finds allies and enemies in unexpected places, he’ll have to channel a new level of bravery to protect himself, his family, and his world. Packed with real-world themes of technology, race, and justice, this exhilarating follow-up to Boy 2.0 returns readers to the world of their new favorite superhero.
February 24, 2026 by Viking Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
This longer middle grade fantasy had a lot of Indigenous and Cajun folklore that might need a little more explanation for some readers. The cover is great, and it's a good choice for readers who want an action packed adventure fantasy like Marsh's Rougarou Magic, Hobson's The Storyteller, Young's Healers of the Water Monster, or Smith's On a Wing and a Tear.
For fans of Race to the Sun and the Aru Shah series, this epic fantasy adventure inspired by Indigenous American mythology follows a band of misfit children who must pull off an impossible heist in order to save the world!
Thanks to a prophecy revealed when he was little, thirteen-year-old Kyta always knew that he was destined to save the world. But waiting for that moment has kept him on edge his whole childhood, preventing him from having fun like other kids in his tribe. So when the ground quakes and the trees whisper that something is wrong, Kyta leaps into action, desperate to fulfill his destiny.
He is horrified to find that the precious Egg of the World Turtle, on whose vast shell everyone and everything lives, has been stolen by invaders. The Turtle is angry and grief-stricken, threatening to upend the very land under their feet. The invaders refuse to heed the warning of the tribes and return the Egg . . . so Kyta comes up with a plan to steal it back!
It's risky and dangerous . . . but abandoning the Egg is certain doom. Kyta assembles other kids who could sneak into the invaders' fortress and pull off the heist, but getting four very different personalities to work together is harder than he thought. And when they discover that the Egg is being guarded by an evil collector, his savage ogres, and a beast so terrible that it defies description, their odds seem all but impossible! Will Kyta be able to fulfill his destiny, or did he set himself up to fail . . . and the world to fall?
Inspired by the Indigenous American folktales, this thrilling and heartwarming fantasy shows the importance of teamwork, respect for nature, and believing in yourself.
Questlove, Cosby, S.A. and Akpan, Godwin (illus.)
Thanks to a prophecy revealed when he was little, thirteen-year-old Kyta always knew that he was destined to save the world. But waiting for that moment has kept him on edge his whole childhood, preventing him from having fun like other kids in his tribe. So when the ground quakes and the trees whisper that something is wrong, Kyta leaps into action, desperate to fulfill his destiny.
He is horrified to find that the precious Egg of the World Turtle, on whose vast shell everyone and everything lives, has been stolen by invaders. The Turtle is angry and grief-stricken, threatening to upend the very land under their feet. The invaders refuse to heed the warning of the tribes and return the Egg . . . so Kyta comes up with a plan to steal it back!
It's risky and dangerous . . . but abandoning the Egg is certain doom. Kyta assembles other kids who could sneak into the invaders' fortress and pull off the heist, but getting four very different personalities to work together is harder than he thought. And when they discover that the Egg is being guarded by an evil collector, his savage ogres, and a beast so terrible that it defies description, their odds seem all but impossible! Will Kyta be able to fulfill his destiny, or did he set himself up to fail . . . and the world to fall?
Inspired by the Indigenous American folktales, this thrilling and heartwarming fantasy shows the importance of teamwork, respect for nature, and believing in yourself.
Time for a Change (The Rhythm of Time #2)
February 17, 2026 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
As much as I love a good STEM oriented fantasy with some time travel elements, they are a hard sell to my students, so I will sadly pass on this one.
From the publisher: Book 2 in the electrifying middle-grade sci-fi trilogy.
On the heels of their thrilling appearance in Rhythm of Time, best friends Rahim and Kasia are back traveling through time in Time for a Change. Last time around, they were on their own—now they are working with Aevum, a mysterious organization from the future that tasks them with averting disaster and safeguarding the flow of history.
The first assignment sends Rahim to Hawaii to recover a rock that Aevum insists is key to stabilizing the future. But things take a dramatic turn when he inadvertently jeopardizes the mission, thrusting him and Kasia into a web of intrigue populated by a diverse cast of time-travelers with their own enigmatic motives. There are doppelgängers from parallel dimensions. There are robots who may be allies but may be enemies. As Rahim and Kasia move like pinballs through time, they must navigate a treacherous path to unveil the truth and avert a devastating future across multiple realities.
On the heels of their thrilling appearance in Rhythm of Time, best friends Rahim and Kasia are back traveling through time in Time for a Change. Last time around, they were on their own—now they are working with Aevum, a mysterious organization from the future that tasks them with averting disaster and safeguarding the flow of history.
The first assignment sends Rahim to Hawaii to recover a rock that Aevum insists is key to stabilizing the future. But things take a dramatic turn when he inadvertently jeopardizes the mission, thrusting him and Kasia into a web of intrigue populated by a diverse cast of time-travelers with their own enigmatic motives. There are doppelgängers from parallel dimensions. There are robots who may be allies but may be enemies. As Rahim and Kasia move like pinballs through time, they must navigate a treacherous path to unveil the truth and avert a devastating future across multiple realities.
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus
When Amari and the Night Brothers came out in 2021, I had high hopes for this series and even bought two copies of the first book. Sadly, my students now don't want to read ONE 400 page book, much less commit to a series of them. Since there is probably at least one more book in this series, I'm torn. I feel like I should buy a copy, but I'm not convinced anyone will ever check it out. (Looking at you, Duane's Games Wizards Play (2016) that has maybe been checked out once.)
From the Publisher:
The gripping fourth book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Supernatural Investigations series that began with Amari and the Night Brothers!
Perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and Nevermoor.
In the wake of the extreme losses to the Bureau during the war with Dylan Van Helsing and the magicians, Amari has stepped back from being a Junior Agent to spend the school year as a normal kid. But as she prepares to graduate eighth grade, she's faced with a decision: Return to the Bureau and join the elite new Junior Special Agent Program, or retire for good—which would mean safety, but also losing her memories of the supernatural world.
But soon she finds that she may not have a choice. A deadly new curse is threatening both the supernatural and mortal worlds as, beneath their skin, people are slowly becoming machines—and losing their very humanity. And it's somehow related to the First Magician.
Hundreds of cases have been cropping up, with no cure in sight. And when the curse hits someone close to Amari, it's up to her to get to the bottom of this deadly mystery—even if it means trusting an old enemy.
Perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and Nevermoor.
In the wake of the extreme losses to the Bureau during the war with Dylan Van Helsing and the magicians, Amari has stepped back from being a Junior Agent to spend the school year as a normal kid. But as she prepares to graduate eighth grade, she's faced with a decision: Return to the Bureau and join the elite new Junior Special Agent Program, or retire for good—which would mean safety, but also losing her memories of the supernatural world.
But soon she finds that she may not have a choice. A deadly new curse is threatening both the supernatural and mortal worlds as, beneath their skin, people are slowly becoming machines—and losing their very humanity. And it's somehow related to the First Magician.
Hundreds of cases have been cropping up, with no cure in sight. And when the curse hits someone close to Amari, it's up to her to get to the bottom of this deadly mystery—even if it means trusting an old enemy.
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