Hey hey hey,
Welcome back to the Big Kids Book Club, and come join us in the New Book Nook.
A cosy corner of the internet where we look a couple upcoming releases, coming out in the next month.
As there are tons of books released every month, these are just a few of the Middle Grade releases that we here at BKBC are excited for:
Book: Momo Arashima Breaks the Mirror of the Sun
Author: Misa Sugiura
Publisher: Penguin Randomhouse
Release Date: 07/03/2024
Momo Arashima just wants an ordinary life. But she’s about to become legendary . . .
After vanquishing a demon king, saving her mum, and reconnecting with her friend Danny, Momo ought to be living the life she’s always wanted. But lately Danny has been ditching her to hang out with mean-girl Ryleigh – and groups of children have begun vanishing without a trace. So when a whole group from Ryleigh’s exclusive birthday party becomes the latest to disappear, Momo and her friends (including Niko the fox) are left to fight a dangerous new enemy from Shinto legend.
This time they are up against Tamamo-no-mae – beautiful, bloodthirsty and manipulative, she’s the ultimate mean girl of the Kami-verse. To defeat her, Momo must travel to the Sky Kingdom and steal the legendary Mirror of the Sun. But if she’s going to survive monster ambushes, escape giant snakes, and pull off the heist of the millennium, Momo will have to find a way to work with her team (even Ryleigh), and grapple with the growing power that connects her with her storm god grandfather and her greatest foe – Izanami the Destroyer . . .
Book: Pirates of Darksea
Author: Catherine Doyle
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: 14/03/2024
Ruled by the Pirate King, Captain O’Malley, Darksea’s tranquil waters have, of late, been haunted by an invisible and deadly monster – a monster that is eating the once-beautiful islands in gigantic bites.
On the other side of the horizon, at his home in Galway, Max Reid and his family are battling a different monster. His big brother Christopher is in hospital and getting sicker – and his parents have begun to talk of miracles.
Then one night a loud, bright red parrot taps on Max’s bedroom window, carrying an invitation from the pirate king. Captain O’Malley needs a new crew member for a dangerous quest; and the reward is everything Max has been hoping for.
But in Darksea, not everyone is as they seem. When Captain O’Malley’s secret threatens to upend their mission and destroy Max’s chance to help his family, Max realises he’s going to have to navigate much more than he bargained for…
Book: Black Hole Cinema Club
Author: Christopher Edge
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Release Date: 14/03/2024
When Lucas meets his friends at the local cinema – nicknamed ‘The Black Hole’ – they’re excited about the movie marathon ahead. Non-stop action, blockbuster special effects and all the snacks they can eat. But as the lights go down, Lucas, Ash, Maya, Caitlin and Finn watch in disbelief as a jet-black tidal wave comes crashing out of the cinema screen and the five friends find themselves swept into an epic adventure.
Secret hideouts. Prehistoric monsters. Lost cities. Impossible missions. Being the hero of your own film should feel like fun. But as the cliffhanger scenes they’re pitched into become ever more perilous, Lucas and his friends start to wonder if these movies are really make believe. Can they save the day before the end credits roll? The fate of the world might just depend on it…
Book: Tourmaline and the Museum of Marvels
Author: Ruth Lauren
Publisher: Little Tiger Press
Release Date: 14/03/2024
Ever since she fell into the Source of all magic, Tourmaline seems to have developed strange new powers that are causing chaos. She can’t work out how to control them and it’s exhausting hiding them from everyone (except her best friends George and Mai). Then Tourmaline receives a mysterious postcard, promising her solutions and sending her on quests to amazing places. But who has sent Tourmaline the card? And will the adventure be worth the price for answers?
The second book in a fun, feminist fantasy adventure series, with a protagonist that flies off the page and into readers’ imaginations. Perfect for fans of Katherine Rundell, Vashti Hardy and Abi Elphinstone.
Book: Jayben and the Star Glass
Author: Thomas Leeds
Publisher: Hachette Publishing
Release Date: 28/03/2024
The second book in an incredible immersive fantasy series about a boy with no memories and a world that only he can save. Perfect for fans of Francesca Gibbons and The Land of Roar.
Jayben has realised his destiny as the Ninth Dreamer; he is the only one with the power to defeat Null, the villain who has been making everyone in the Elf World forget, but the Golden Torch has been stolen. Without it, Jayben must find another way to harness his power.
When Jayben finds a golden gemstone, he struggles to recall its significance. But a wise captain on board a great ship tells him that it’s an enchanted Star Glass gemstone, which could make Jayben powerful enough to defeat Null’s wickedness once and for all.
But Null is on the way to the sweltering desert of Fellooz, where there is an ancient tomb full of Star Glass gems, which will make Null three times more powerful with a single touch if held under the magical light of the impending solar eclipse.
Can Jayben beat Null to the tomb before the eclipse … and will he harness his powers before Null wipes everyone’s memories for ever?
That’s our picks for the upcoming Middle Grade releases for February 2024.
We can’t wait to dive into these books, and we hope that maybe you’re inspired to pick up one or two of them yourself.
If you do fancy picking them up and helping not only us out, but also independent bookshops, then consider grabbing them through our Bookshop.Org affiliate page: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/bigkidsbookclub
Until next time, take care, stay safe, but most importantly – keep on reading.
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