The start of a thrilling, highly illustrated series about a boy who finds a portal to a legendary world in his local barbershop . . . and learns he’s the hero they’ve been waiting for. For younger fans of Black Panther and Last Gate of the Emperor!Jarell has never quite known where he belongs. He’s ignored at home and teased at school for wanting to draw instead of playing sports with the other boys. The only place he’s ever felt truly at ease is his local barbershop where the owner hangs Jarell’s art up on the walls.When Jarell discovers a hidden portal in the barbershop, he’s transported to a magical world that’s unlike anything he’s seen before. But it’s not just the powerful gods and dangerous creatures that makes this world different―it’s that everyone believes Jarell is the hero they’ve been waiting for. Read more

A young boy and his father save the town that ostracized them from a hungry giant in this picture book adaptation of a South African lullaby and folk story.In a small town, one young boy loves walking around playing the ukulele, but the people get tired of the clink, clunk, clonk and beg him to stop while covering their ears! The boy’s father has a magic wand he uses to make things disappear, like a playing card or a glass of water—or a chair just as someone’s about to sit. The townspeople have had quite enough of the boy’s noise and the father’s tricks and drive them from the town. But then the giant called Abiyoyo comes to town and starts gobbling up everything in sight. If they work together, can the magician and his son make this very big problem disappear? Read more

These stories include the great myths - of Amen-Ra, who created all the creatures in the world; of Isis, seaching the waters for her dead husband Osiris; of the Bennu Bird and the Book of Thoth. But there are also tales told for pleasure about magic, treasure and adventure - even the first ever Cinderella story. Read more

A Caldecott Honor and Reading Rainbow book, this memorable retelling of Cinderella is perfect for introducing children to the fairy tale as well as the history, culture, and geography of the African nation of Zimbabwe.Inspired by a traditional African folktale, this is the story of Mufaro, who is proud of his two beautiful daughters. Nyasha is kind and considerate, but everyone—except Mufaro—knows that Manyara is selfish and bad-tempered.When the Great King decides to take a wife and invites the most worthy and beautiful daughters in the land to appear before him, Mufaro brings both of his daughters—but only one can be queen. Who will the king choose?Award-winning artist John Steptoe’s rich cultural imagery of Africa earned him the Coretta Scott King Award for Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters. The book also went on to win the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. This stunning story is a timeless treasure that readers will enjoy for generations.Coretta Scott King Award for IllustrationCaledcott HonorReading Rainbow BookBoston Globe-Horn Book Read more

A classic trickster folktale told with humor and charm, this is a perfect read along book both parents and children will love.  When Anansi the Spider finds a strange moss-covered rock in the forest, he uses it to trick all his animal friends. But Little Bush Deer is onto Anansi's scheme, and hatches a plan to beat him at his own game. Based on tales originating in West Africa and familiar in Caribbean culture, the five-book Anansi the Trickster series is full of slapstick humor and mischief. Eric A. Kimmel’s imaginative energy combined with Janet Stevens’ expressive illustrations create the perfect silly stories for fun-loving kids. Read more

When a prince sets out to find a princess to marry, he soon discovers this is not a simple task. There is no shortage of so-called princesses, but how can he tell whether or not they are what they claim to be? Then one night a great storm rages, there comes a knock on the palace gate, and the prince's life is never the same . . . Read more

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Unlock your inner hero!Jarell has accepted his destiny as the savior of Ulfrika. But when he's summoned back to the kingdom through the magical portal in his cousin's barbershop, he finds it in even greater danger than when he left. A powerful god has put the inhabitants of Ulfrika in peril, and the only way to stop him is to solve a mysterious riddle and break a powerful curse.Will Jarell and his warrior companion, Kimisi, find a way to help their friends? Or will the sorcerer manage to banish Jarell from Ulfrika and conquer the kingdom forever? Read more

The Epaminondas character is a young black boy, and the stories are based on folk tales from the Southern states of the U.S., similar to Helen Bannerman's The Story of Little Black Sambo, which was originally written about a boy from Southern India but was later illustrated in many printings with characterizations of African Americans.The stories' texts focus on and derive their humor from the problem of miscommunication between adults and children. This same concept of ridiculous/comical scenarios due to simple misunderstandings is also the basis for the famous Amelia Bedelia book series. Read more

Calling all adventurers! A world of mythical creatures lies within these pages!Merlin the Magician has spent the last few hundred years tracking down the world’s most elusive mythical creatures. Now he is ready to share every wing, wart, and whisker of these creatures with you! This fully-illustrated guide features 50 creatures, each with its own detailed description, history, danger rating, confrontation tips, and connections to other creatures. There are even a few messages from the creatures themselves! From dragons and mermaids to centaurs and gorgons to kappas and yeti, creatures from every corner of the world (and time) are present. Exploring them is like having a map of the human imagination!Kids 8-12 will love this book’s combination of information and imagination.Beautiful full-color illustrationsAn index of creaturesJokes, wit, and humorSix categories of creaturesThe facts behind the mythsAppreciation for world culturesAbout the Author Merlin is a famed wizard, turned adventurer. After retiring as King Arthur’s court magician, he pursued his lifelong dream of discovering the world’s most elusive mythical creatures. When he’s not traveling across time and space, he enjoys spending time in his woodland cottage with Singe, his miniature thornback dragon.About the Other Author/Illustrator Zachary Hamby is a teacher in rural Missouri and the author of many books about mythology and folklore for kids including The Hero’s Guidebook, Greek Mythology for Kids, and Introduction to Mythology for Kids. When he’s not teaching, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Rachel, his daughter, Jane, and his son, Luke, who also helped him with the illustrations for this book. Read more

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The second book in the hit Young Prince series from Ronald L. Smith, recipient of the 2016 Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award. I'm T'Challa. The Prince of Wakanda. Son of T'Chaka. And one day, I will wear the mantle. Thirteen-year-old T'Challa can't wait to go back to America to visit his friends Sheila and Zeke, who are staying with Sheila's grandmother in Beaumont, a small Alabama town, over their summer break. He's thrilled to be on vacation away from his duties as the Prince of Wakanda for a few weeks, and he's taking full advantage of his access to the amazing food and the South's rich history. But as T'Challa continues to explore the town, he finds that a man who goes by the ordinary name of Bob happens to be everywhere he is―and T'Challa begins to think it's no coincidence. When residents of the town begin flocking to Bob's strange message, and a prominent citizen disappears, the Young Prince has no choice but to intervene. T'Challa and his friends start to do their own sleuthing, and before long, the three teens find themselves caught in a plot involving a rare ancient book and a man who's not as he seems. Swept up in a fight against an unexpected and evil villain, T'Challa, Sheila, and Zeke must band together to save the people of Beaumont . . . before it's too late. Complete your middle grade collection with these best-selling fan favorites:Black Panther: The Young Prince (Book 1 in The Young Prince Series) by Ronald L. SmithThe Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World by Shannon and Dean HaleThe Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: 2 Fuzzy, 2 Furious by Shannon and Dean HaleTristan Strong series by Kwame MbaliaPercy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer Read more

Unearth the mythology of ancient Egypt—stories of gods and goddesses for kids 8 to 12 From the rising of the morning sun to the summer flooding of the Nile River, the ancient Egyptians believed powerful gods and goddesses ruled over every aspect of their daily lives. This Egyptian mythology guide takes you on a trip through the sands of time to explore the world of pharaohs and sphinxes—ancient Egypt! Featuring illustrated myths of incredible Egyptian gods and goddesses, these stories describe the magic each deity performed along the Nile. You'll also learn about how Egyptian mythology was a key part of ancient Egyptian culture, like pyramid building, the mummification process, and even the worshiping of cats. This Egyptian mythology collection includes: Narratives from the Nile—Explore the gods and goddesses of Egyptian mythology, from the familiar to the lesser-known, through 20 easy-to-follow myths.Amazing artwork—Take a look at the gods, goddesses, and artifacts of the long-extinct ancient Egyptian empire with captivating illustrations and photos.Fast pharaoh facts—Dig into ancient Egyptian mythology and culture with plenty of awesome facts on everything from hieroglyphs to the popular board game, Senet. Explore the legendary lives of ancient gods and goddesses with this rich treasury of Egyptian mythology. Read more

When the other animals laugh at his messy house, Anansi the Spider is embarrassed.  He wants to fix the problem . . . as long as he doesn't have to work too hard.   Stomping off in a huff, Anansi stumbles into an amazing secret—Hyena has a magic stick that follows his orders. If he steals it, the spider thinks, he'll have the neatest home in town and he'll never have to work again.   But the magic might be more than Anansi bargained for...   Based on tales originating in West Africa and familiar in Caribbean culture, the five-book Anansi the Trickster series is full of slapstick humor and mischief. Eric A. Kimmel’s imaginative retellings  combined with Janet Stevens’ expressive illustrations create the perfect silly stories for fun-loving kids. Read more

An NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEARAn AMAZON BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK OF 2020 Nnedi Okorafor's acclaimed first novel for middle grade readers introduces a boy who can access super powers with the help of the magical Ikenga.Nnamdi's father was a good chief of police, perhaps the best Kalaria had ever had. He was determined to root out the criminals that had invaded the town. But then he was murdered, and most people believed the Chief of Chiefs, most powerful of the criminals, was responsible. Nnamdi has vowed to avenge his father, but he wonders what a twelve-year-old boy can do. Until a mysterious nighttime meeting, the gift of a magical object that enables super powers, and a charge to use those powers for good changes his life forever. How can he fulfill his mission? How will he learn to control his newfound powers?Award-winning Nnedi Okorafor, acclaimed for her Akata novels, introduces a new and engaging hero in her first novel for middle grade readers set against a richly textured background of contemporary Nigeria. Read more

Black Panther meets X-Men in this “fast-paced, action-packed, and empowering” (A. F. Steadman, New York Times bestselling author of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief) middle grade adventure about a British Nigerian girl who learns that her Afro hair has psychokinetic powers—perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers, The Marvellers, and Rick Riordan!Onyeka has a lot of hair­—the kind that makes strangers stop in the street and her peers whisper behind her back. At least she has Cheyenne, her best friend, who couldn’t care less what other people think. Still, Onyeka has always felt insecure about her vibrant curls…until the day Cheyenne almost drowns and Onyeka’s hair takes on a life of its own, inexplicably pulling Cheyenne from the water. At home, Onyeka’s mother tells her the shocking truth: Onyeka’s psychokinetic powers make her a Solari, one of a secret group of people with superpowers unique to Nigeria. Her mother quickly whisks her off to the Academy of the Sun, a school in Nigeria where Solari are trained. But Onyeka and her new friends at the academy soon have to put their powers to the test as they find themselves embroiled in a momentous battle between truth and lies… Read more

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Immerse your child in the enchanting world of Disney's Magical Mickey and Minnie Mouse Bedtime Story. This heartwarming collection is filled with delightful tales featuring your favorite characters, Mickey and Minnie. Join them on whimsical adventures that will captivate young minds and make bedtime an unforgettable journey into the realm of imagination and dreams. Share the magic of Disney with your little ones and create cherished bedtime memories with these timeless stories. Read more

Your Grandparents are Zombies! by Anson Montgomery takes YOU on an unexpected adventure with your grandparents. Your 6-8 year old reader will make a zombie potion for Grandma and Grandpa, enter them in a scary costume competition, and go to the movies, the fair, and fishing!Choose Your Own Adventure Your Grandparents are Zombies! is an interactive gamebook in which YOU decide what happens next. Do you rescue Zombie Grandma from the ball pit? Or venture into the Haunted House with Zombie Grandpa? What if Grandpa eats the worms? For readers that enjoyed other titles from the Choose Your Own Adventure Dragonlark series including: Your Grandparents Are Spies by Anson Montgomery, Your Grandparents Are Ninjas by Anson Montgomery, and Your Very Own Robot by R. A. Montgomery. Read more

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents the finale of Kwame Mbalia's trilogy, in which Tristan Strong faces off with his archenemy, King Cotton, once and for all."Imagine if you combined Anansi the Spider, John Henry, and Marvel into, like, one book."--New York Times best-selling author and Newbery Medalist Kwame AlexanderAfter reuniting with Ayanna, who is now in his world, Tristan travels up the Mississippi in pursuit of his archenemy, King Cotton. Along the way they encounter new haints who are dead set on preventing their progress north to Tristan's hometown of Chicago. It's going to take many Alkean friends, including the gods themselves, the black flames of the afokena gloves, and all of Tristan's inner strength to deliver justice once and for all. Shocking twists, glorious triumphs, and a cast of unforgettable characters make this series conclusion as satisfying as it is entertaining.Endorsed by Rick Riordan, author of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, soon to be a series on Disney+.Complete your middle grade fantasy collection with these best-selling fan favorites:Rick Riordan Presents: Race to the Sun by Rebecca RoanhorseRick Riordan Presents: City of the Plague God by Sarwat ChaddaRick Riordan Presents: Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha LeeRick Riordan Presents: Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos HernandezThe Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan Read more