In the thrilling finale to the epic fantasy series filled with gods and monsters of Shinto mythology, a twelve-year-old girl with divine heritage risks everything to save her family—and the world—from the vengeful goddess of the underworld.Momo Arashima is half goddess and half human—torn between two worlds. But with her friends Danny, Ryleigh, Jin and Niko by her side, she’s finally starting to find a place where she belongs. Too bad none of that matters when Izanami, the treacherous goddess of death, threatens the life of someone Momo loves and forces her into a terrible bargain.Izanami is after the Jewel of the Heart, an artifact that will help her finally escape the land of the dead…and she wants Momo to get it for her. Along with her friends, Momo must face fire demons, fanged mermaids, and spiders as big as horses. But even if they succeed, what will Momo do? Sacrifice the person most precious to her, or hand over the Jewel and unleash Izanami on the world?

An unforgettable collection of twenty dramatic tales of Persian deities and heroes, both mortal and immortal, fighting in the name of goodness, chaos, beauty, love, and evil. You’ve heard of mythological characters like Theseus, Medusa, and Thor, but have you heard about Anahita, Jamshid, and Rostam? In this engrossing anthology of twenty stories, middle grade readers will be introduced to the strongest heroes, most legendary creatures, and most vicious demons of Persian mythology. From Atar, the god of fire, going head-to-head with the three-headed demon-dragon Azhi Dahaka, to Anahita, the goddess of war and water, rescuing mortals from monstrous divs, Persian Mythology retells some of the most intense sagas that served as the foundation of early Persian religion, passed down from one generation to the next in the form of oral traditions. Persia is the area in West Asia known today as modern Iran. Author Ryan Bani Tahmaseb and award-winning illustrator Reza Dalvand celebrate the rich history and incredible tradition of Persian storytelling in this epic collection.

Fourteen-year-old Kimathi has a comfortable life in the suburbs of western Kenya—until a contentious election explodes into violence. His father is killed, his house is destroyed, and he and his mother and sister must flee. They find themselves in a camp for internally displaced persons, who’ve been driven from their homes but haven’t left their country. Kim struggles to adapt to his new reality: living in a tent, facing prejudice at the local school, and struggling to get basic supplies. His family even has to buy water by the jug, paying high prices controlled by a ruthless gang of water sellers. Gradually, Kim makes friends at the camp and starts to rebuild his life. Together, he and the other kids hatch a plan to get the camp a reliable water supply―along with some hope.

A laugh-out-loud, edge-of-your-seat time-travel adventure perfect for fans of The Last Last-Day-of-Summer and City Spies from New York Times bestseller, Krystal Sutherland.Twins Pearl and Patrick are no ordinary twelve-year-olds. They’re geniuses, hiding in plain sight, who pull heists all over the world to further their scientific and historical research. Their criminal activity, including grand theft auto and espionage, has made them a regular nuisance to both the CIA and MI5. But it’s all been worth it. They’ve finally achieved their greatest triumph: time travel. Pearl’s Chrono-Loop can take the twins anywhere in time! Their first stop: ancient Egypt, where they even get to see King Tut!But when they return home, they’re arrested by TIME—The Interdimensional Misconduct Enquiry—a secret organization charged with maintaining the timeline. Turns out Pearl and Patrick didn’t invent time travel, after all—that happened two hundred years ago! And what Pearl did in ancient Egypt—killing a mosquito—could have rewritten history as we know it if not for TIME agents stepping in.Punishment for disrupting the timeline is 100 years in the Eternal Abyss. But TIME, impressed by the pair, offers them a chance to become agents. Unfortunately, they fail their entrance exam and instead are banned from ever attempting time travel again. Pearl is furious, and when she’s offered another chance at time travel by a rival organization, she takes it! Too late, she realizes she’s been tricked and unwittingly plays a part in replacing the timeline they know with a nightmarish scenario.Now Pearl and Patrick must clean up the mess they’ve made. But to restore the timeline, they have to go back to the beginning—to Lion Rock—to convince the real inventor of time travel to help them save time and the world.In this electric time travel adventure steeped in unexplored Sri Lankan history, these whiz kids use their book smarts and a healthy dose of girl power to fight the ultimate villain.

Winner of the Coretta Scott King John Steptoe New Talent Award Discover a stunning middle grade fantasy about a boy hurled into the Ghanaian underworld to help his grandmother save humanity, perfect for fans of Tristan Strong and Amari and the Night Brothers.Twelve-year-old Kwame Powell isn’t ready to deal with losing his grandmother, even as he and his family head to Ghana for her celebration of life. He’s definitely not ready when he’s sucked into a magical whirlpool that leads straight to Asamando, the Ghanaian underworld. There, he comes face to face with his grandmother, who is very much alive, and somehow still…a kid? Together with his best friend, Autumn, and a talkative aboatia named Woo, Kwame must battle angry nature gods, and stop the underworld from destroying the land of the living.But there’s an even bigger problem: Only living souls can leave Asamando. In order to save the mortal world and return home, Kwame will need to find the courage to do the bravest thing of all — learn how to say goodbye.***Praise for Kwame Crashes the Underworld:A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the YearA Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year★ “A grand tale, funny and terrifying in turns, steeped in Ghanaian spirituality and folklore, and wrapped around themes of identity, obligation, true friendship, and devastating loss.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review★ “This swashbuckling, supernatural adventure into the land of Ghanian mythology will have all readers (and especially fans of Rick Riordan Presents titles) craving more. Highly recommended.” — School Library Journal, starred review”Brimming with laughter, joy, and beautiful messages about grief, hope, lost loved ones, identity, and the ancestors, Kwame Crashes the Underworld rattles the spirit. Kwame Powell is a much-welcomed hero to the canon of children’s books.” — Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times-bestselling author of The Marvellers and The Memory Thieves“Craig Kofi Farmer brings to life the myths of Ghana with heart, humor, and cinematic flair. I wish this book had existed when I was a child. I dare readers not to let Kwame Powell into their hearts.” — Roseanne A. Brown, New York Times-bestselling author of Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting

Food, family, love, and laughter make for the perfect recipe in this sweet picture book from acclaimed author Shauntay Grant.Taking place over the course of a summer day, we follow a young girl as she and her family gather at her nana’s house for a get-together where lessons are shared, food is prepared, and lifelong memories are created. Told in African proverbs, Where There Is Love explores the importance of familial bonds and their lasting impact while presenting proverbs to inspire readers long after the story ends. Throughout the book, Nana’s house provides a safe space for our protagonist to make mistakes, learn lessons, and most importantly, find and feel love. This gorgeous picture book provides that same comforting space for readers page after page.

A young Syrian American girl remembers the beauty and joy of her home in a gorgeous picture book that is perfect for fans of Watercress. I come from the City of Jasmine, where delicate blossoms spill from homes, balconies. Sweet scents dance in the wind, filling air, calming hearts. Inspired by her own childhood in Damascus, Syria, Nadine Presley’s lyrical picture book offers a sincere view of the city and is brought to life with breathtaking illustrations by Heather Brockman Lee, which brim with wonder and love.

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief meets One Thousand and One Nights in this “action-packed, fantastically imaginative” (BCCB) middle grade fantasy from Rick Riordan Presents author Sarwat Chadda about a girl with the magical power to control the elements with her song.In a land ruled by fierce winged warriors known as eagle garudas, twelve-year-old Nargis is just a poor, lowly human, a Worm who hates the garudas that killed her parents. But even though she can’t fly—and her childhood attempt left her walking with a crutch—she is far from powerless. Nargis is a spirit singer: able to coax small bits of wind, water, fire, and earth to do her bidding through song…well, sometimes. When Nargis loses control of her power in a high-stakes kite fight, she is exiled. Cast into the desert, she discovers Mistral, an injured boy who turns out to be an eagle garuda, the prince of her enemies! He’s on a mission to take back his throne from a terrible vulture garuda. In spite of their mutual distrust, the two have no choice but to forge an unlikely alliance if they want to escape the desert alive. And as Nargis and Mistral battle dangerous assassins, befriend crafty sky pirates, and sneak into the mysterious sky castle of Alamut, Nargis discovers she carries a family secret, one that could bring Monsoon’s rains back to the desert, but only if she’s willing to risk her life in the bargain…

From Ezra Jack Keats Award honoree author Zahra Marwan, a picture book about the magic power of art to connect us to the past and to each other.* “A powerful story.” -School Library Journal, starred review* “Begs multiple viewings.” -Horn Book, starred review* “Worth visiting time and time again.” -BookPage, starred review“Stunningly illustrated.” -Kirkus ReviewsWhen a sandstorm descends upon the city, Sakina and her mama forego their plans to visit the beach and head to the local museum instead. While Sakina yawns and scowls at the boring old relics, her mama’s eyes keep filling with tears, moved by the details she recognizes.But when it’s finally time to leave the museum, Sakina returns home with something unexpected . . . Can three uninvited guests help Sakina see the museum through her mama’s eyes? This gorgeous, sweeping picture book illuminates the incredible power of art: it humanizes our ancestors, connects us to the past and to each other, and reflects the essential, universal human need to be understood and remembered.Discover another deeply moving story from Zahra Marwan, the critically acclaimed creator of the New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Book Where Butterflies Fill the Sky.

An elite female fighter and her found family of sisters battle gods and monsters for their existence in this “action-packed” (Kirkus Reviews) West African–inspired young adult fantasy sequel to Daughters of Oduma, perfect for fans of The Gilded Ones and Legendborn.Eat. Dance. Fight for your life. The girls in the Mud Fam are used to fighting hard—it’s the only way to win in their elite, all-female sport of Bowing. Thanks to her legendary performance at the last tournament, Dirt has helped their ranks swell with a bevy of new recruits. She has finally achieved her lifelong dream of restoring glory to the Mud Fam, and she’s more than ready to win the upcoming tournament. But everything changes when a man washes up on shore. There are no adults on the Isle, not since the long-ago days when the gods walked the earth. Yet here is a mysterious man who calls himself Mister Odo and claims to come from the land of the gods. He declares a tournament to find the best Bower. Though wary of the secretive Mister Odo, Dirt is prepared to battle as a proud, fat Bower should—that is, until the competitors are attacked by monsters. The only thing that can save the girls is the gods-given magic that Dirt can channel…and even that might not be enough.