November 2025 list by K. Pearson |
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Alkrem: Magic Wasn't Just His Birthright, It Was His Destiny
by Marta Palazzesi
Just as Theo is about to turn thirteen, everything he knows is turned upside down. At the stroke of midnight, he awaits his Apto―the animal guide meant to mark his future as an Archemist. But instead, a fire fox appears: the rare, fierce, and fiercely loyal companion of the Alkrem.
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Busted
by Dan Gemeinhart
Twelve-year-old's Oscar and Natasha assist an ex-mobster retiree bust out of his retirement community in exchange for money to help Oscar and his grandfather to stay in their home.
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Dragonborn
by Struan Murray
After 12-year-old Alex Evans awakens with a fiery roar, she's sent to Skralla, one of the last surviving dragon havens, where she trains alongside other young, wild and untamed dragons, and must unlock her dormant power as dark factions rise.
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Finding Lost
by Holly Goldberg Sloan
A stray dog helps a girl cope with the loss of her father and leads her to meet something new and special.
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The Free State of Jax
by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Tired of living with his neglectful and bullying relatives, twelve-year-old Jax finds solace on a nearby lake where he creates his own micronation, only to find himself entangled in a mystery that threatens his newfound freedom and forces him to confront family secrets.
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Holding On For Dear Life
by Dusti Bowling
Canyon loves bull riding, the one thing he and his dad connect on since his mom died, but doctors have warned him about concussions and when he's chosen for a music competition, a new dream forms.
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I Survived the Dust Bowl, 1935
by Lauren Tarshis
When a drought turns the farmland of the Texas Panhandle into a dry wasteland, eleven-year-old Ray's world begins to crumble. Fierce dust storms blacken the sky and destroy everything in their path. Ray and his best friend, Dolly, do their chores and go to school. But there's nothing they can do to save their struggling town or the thousands of people who are sick from the filthy air.
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The Invincible List of Lani Li
by Veeda Bybee
When thirteen-year-old Lani Li's elite performance band is chosen to perform in London, she finds inspiration from her brother and the Eight Invincible Brothers from Chinese fables, and creates a list of challenges to help her overcome her fears and find her own inner strength.
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Kidnapped From Ukraine: Standoff
by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
12-year-old twin sisters Rada and Dariia Popkova couldn’t be more different. Dariia is outgoing and chatty while Rada is quieter and artsy. But what they have in common is their love for each other and their home. The family lives in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which is attacked by the Russians on Feb 24th, 2022. The attack separates the family -- Dariia is with her mom and Rada with her dad.
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Miss Sherman is Determined!
by Dan Gutman
Ella Mentry School is welcoming a new student teacher, Miss Sherman, and she's the coolest person that A.J. and his friends have ever met! But Miss Sherman is obsessed with getting likes, clicks, and followers on social media. When a video that Miss Sherman recorded of A.J. goofing off goes viral overnight, the kids want to help her keep their sudden fame going.
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Ms. Pennypickle's Puzzle Quest
by Chris Grabenstein
Twelve-year-old Ben and his polar opposite, eighteen-year-old brother Ethan, embark on a road trip race across Route 66 for a chance to win a million-dollar prize as they solve puzzles and bond with each other.
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Outside
by Jennifer L. Holm
Razzi's friend Ollie was curious about Outside... and it led to his death. So Razzi is trying to be on her best behavior. She is the oldest kid left, the one the younger kids look up to. She has to follow the rules. But Outside has a way of getting in, and Razzi, guided by a dog she has a strangely close connection with, wonders what it’s like to run free beyond the walls.
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The Planet, the Portal, and a Pizza
by Wendy Mass
Told in alternate voices, twelve-year-old Piper discovers her parents are in jeopardy, while budding scientists Raisa and Lev find themselves stuck in the wrong universe, and the key to saving them lies with each other.
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The Rise of Neptune
by Scott Reintgen
As Neptune's ships launch a surprise attack on Mars, Lunar and his Dread Knights must uncover the mysterious truths behind their divided enemy before those secrets lead to Mars' destruction.
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Spy School Blackout
by Stuart Gibbs
Superspy middle schooler Ben Ripley and his friends go off the grid to eliminate a cybersecurity threat.
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The Teacher of Nomad Land A World War II Story
by Daniel Nayeri
1941. The German armies are storming across Europe. Iran is a neutral country occupied by British forces on one side, Soviet forces on another. Soldiers fill the teahouses of Isfahan. Nazi spies roam the alleyways. Babak and his little sister have just lost their father. Now orphans, fearing they will be separated, the two devise a plan.
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War Games
by Alan Gratz
Twelve-year-old Evie travels to Berlin for the 1936 Olympics where she witnesses Hitler's terror on the German people and plans to steal from a Nazi bank with two fellow Olympic athletes.
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Wildlife Rescue: How to Save an Owl
by Kate Messner
Siblings Ivy and Ezra couldn't be more different, but they have one thing in common: a love of animals. Their family volunteers for the local wildlife hospital as "critter couriers", helping transport injured and orphaned animals so they can get medical help.
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