April 2026 list by K. Pearson |
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Amari and the Metalwork Menace
by B. B. Alston
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.
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Bunny and Clyde on the Lam
by Megan McDonald
Thornton's shiny new coin has vanished into thin air! Did someone steal it? All eyes fall on Bunny and Clyde, two bad bunnies at the scene of the crime. But wait! They're not bad bunnies. For one thing, Clyde is a chipmunk. For another thing, every time they've tried to be bad, they somehow came out looking as good as gold. Now, when they really are I-N-N-O-C-E-N-T, everyone decides they're guilty?
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Bad Guys TV Chapter Book #1: Best of the Worst
by Maria S. Barbo
Join the Bad Guys on the heist that began all heists based on the Netflix animated show Mr. Wolf has finally recruited the perfect crew: Mr. Snake, Mr. Shark, Ms. Tarantula, and Mr. Piranha. He's got an expert safe-cracker, a tech wizard, a dynamic getaway driver, and a master of disguise. So what's the problem? Well... they still have to make a name for themselves as the best Bad Guys around. How tough can it be to make it on the Best of the Worst criminals list?
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Birdy
by N. West Moss
After losing her mother to cancer and moving in with unfamiliar relatives for the summer, cautious Birdy struggles to adjust while her younger brother, Mouse, quickly grows attached to their new home, until Birdy's fears lead her to make a mistake that could threaten their future.
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The Case of the Scarlet Snakebite
by Christyne Morrell
A twelve-year-old obsessed with Agatha Christie suspects every guest at her mother's bed-and-breakfast of hiding secrets. That is until a real crime rocks the quaint B&B, and her mother is framed for it. When the wealthy Willoughby family checks into her mother's bed-and-breakfast for the weekend, Amber Adler is certain a crime is going to be committed right under their roof. And she should know - she's read every Agatha Christie novel in the library and her father is a world-famous detective. Sure, Amber has made a few false accusations (and once got the SWAT team sent to her math teacher's house), but this time, she's positive that one of their guests is up to no good.
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The Catastrophic Friendship Fails of Lottie Brooks
by Katie Kirby
Dear diary, I’m back! Sorry it’s been SO long but I look forward to filling you in on all my exciting adventures . . . or I guess embarrassing adventures if we are being honest, which is our thing, right?
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Each and Every Spark
by Claire Swinarski
A modern girl and a WWII teen are linked by a long‑hidden painting. Penny, lonely in present‑day Paris, discovers a resurfaced artwork that leads her into the story of Marie, a 1943 French girl drawn into the Resistance after her father is taken. As Penny follows the painting’s clues, she uncovers what became of Marie.
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Europa
by James Ponti
When Umbra threatens to attack multiple high-level targets across Europe unless Le Fantãome is released from prison, the City Spies have to split up and race across the continent solving codes and chasing clues in hopes that they can thwart the attacks and keep Le Fantãome from going free.
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Forever Rogue (The Forgotten Five, Book #7)
by Lisa McMann
In their latest mission battling the forces of a corrupt president, a group of supernatural kids work to restore the minds of the brainwashed citizens and reveal the truth about the stolen election.
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Goodbye, French Fry
by Rin-rin Yu
Ping-Ping feels caught between cultures—too American for some, not Chinese enough for others—and now a classmate keeps teasing her while her family might move to Kenya for her dad’s job. Worried about losing her home and best friend, she turns to taekwondo, where she learns to channel her frustration and push back against the assumptions people make about her.
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Hocus and Pocus and the Snow Day Sorcery
by A. R. Capetta
At Inkwell’s Winter Solstice party, magical puppies Hocus and Pocus wish for snow when none appears—only to unleash too much of it after visiting a mysterious sorcerer’s tent. With the town buried in their overexcited wish, the community uses cozy magic of their own to save the celebration and warm the shivering pups.
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Mayowa and the Sea of Words
by Chibundu Onuzo
Ten-year-old Mayowa discovers she can book jump—leap into a book and channel its emotions into real people—just like her eccentric Grandpa Edward. When she sees a chance to use this rare power to help endangered refugees, she’s eager to try. But other book jumpers exist, and not all of them intend to use the magic for good.
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Mythspeaker
by Christopher Roubique
Thirteen-year-old Kyta, long told he’s destined to save the world, discovers the Egg of the World Turtle has been stolen—putting all life in danger. To get it back, he recruits a mismatched team of kids for an impossible heist into the invaders’ fortress, where an evil collector and terrifying creatures guard the Egg. Inspired by Indigenous American mythology, the adventure tests their teamwork, courage, and belief in themselves.
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Nightmare on Nightmare Street
by R. L. Stine
Twelve-year-olds Joe and Shawn each move into a house filled with eerie sights—tombstones, strange noises, a creepy doll—and soon their realities start to twist. Joe’s nightmares feel real, while Shawn’s school is full of masked teachers and a “mother” who insists he has no sister. As the bizarre events escalate, the boys must figure out what’s real and what’s a nightmare before they’re trapped in it.
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The Nowhere Beast
by Leslie Vedder
Ix Tatterfall, gifted with Darklight and able to navigate the deadly Labyrinth of Souls, faces a new threat: the Nowhere Beast, a shadow creature only she can sense. When ancient protections at her magical school begin to fail, Ix and her friends must undergo the Reckoning to keep Nightmare creatures at bay. But the ritual becomes a race to stop the spreading darkness—one tied to Ix’s own fears and the shadows within her.
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Pirate Academy: New Kid on Deck
by Justin Somper
In the year 2507, students Jacoby Blunt and Jasmine Peacock train at the elite Pirate Academy, where classes range from sailing to combat under the guidance of legendary pirates. But when a mysterious new student arrives with a dangerous secret, real threats invade the school. Jacoby, Jasmine, and the rest of Barracuda class must face a ruthless new enemy—and prove their training is more than just lessons—before time runs out.
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Selena the Sunflower (Dragon Girls): Vol. 19
by Maddy Mara
Selena and her friends Charlotte and Layla learn they’re Flower Dragons, called to the Magic Forest to break the Fury Queen’s spell. As a Sunflower Dragon, Selena leads the quest to gather ingredients for a magical perfume that can wake the forest’s sleeping animals, determined to guide her friends and save their enchanted home.
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Some of Us Are Brave
by Saadia Faruqi
In Houston during Hurricane Harvey, Yasir, Mona, and Cody are dealing with their own fears—bullying, nightmares, and tension at home—when the storm hits. Though barely friends, the rising floodwaters force them to rely on one another. As Harvey upends their lives, the three kids must face their deepest worries and work together to survive.
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A Surprise for Willow
by Bea Jackson
Lily the fairy wants to help her human friend Willow overcome stage fright before a big school performance. With fellow fairies Sky and Jasmine, she plans a surprise visit to cheer Willow on—but sneaking tiny fairies into a human school might be more dangerous than they expect.
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Sweet, Tart
by Kara Thom
After witnessing a racehorse’s death, eleven‑year‑old Halle struggles with grief as she starts sixth grade at a new school. Visiting the stables where the horse once lived, she bonds with Rocky, the pony left behind. Caring for him helps them both heal—until the stables face being sold, threatening Rocky’s future and Halle’s connection to Carver’s memory. Through loss and new beginnings, Halle learns how love and hope can grow even in the hardest moments.
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Unsettling Salad!
by Aaron Reynolds
Thadeus Badger and his best friend, Oliver Possum, love eating hamburgers, but in an attempt to be healthy, they make a deal to eat a whole salad, only to find themselves in a showdown with something far more sinister than vegetables.
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