Fantasy
The house in the Cerulean Sea
TJ Klune
SCIENCE FICTION Klune Tj
Fantasy
"A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret. Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages. When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they're likely to bring about the end of days. But the children aren't the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn. An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place-and realizing that family is yours."--
The dragon with a chocolate heart
Stephanie Burgis
jFICTION Burgis Stephani
Fantasy, Adventure
After drinking enchanted hot chocolate, a brave young dragon is transformed into a twelve-year-old human girl with a passion for chocolate.
This series opener is delectable any time of year, but hot chocolate season makes this an especially good winter re-read. We're currently waiting for the second of this series on ebook, The Girl with The Dragon Heart, for bedtime sharing. While we wait, we may circle back around to hear from Aventurine again . -Casey
The Basque dragon
Adam Gidwitz
jREAD-ALONG Gidwitz
Adventure, Fantasy, Kids
"Elliot and Uchenna join Professor Fauna on another adventure--a trip to the Basque country where they have to save a herensuge from the billionaire Schmoke Brothers"--
Added by Anne W
Sasquatch and the Muckleshoot
Adam Gidwitz
jREAD-ALONG Gidwitz
Adventure, Fantasy, Kids
Elliot and his friend Uchenna join Professor Fauna as they travel to the Pacific Northwest and help keep a sasquatch family safe from a pack of journalists and a logging company.
Added by Anne W
The creature of the pines
Adam Gidwitz
jREAD-ALONG Gidwitz
Adventure, Fantasy, Kids
After encountering a Jersey Devil while on a field trip to the Pine Barrens, Elliot and his new friend Uchenna help their weird teacher Professor Fauna rescue the mythological creature from a pair of greedy billionaire brothers.
Added by Anne W
The once and future witches
Alix E. Harrow
eAUDIO
Fantasy
"In the late 1800s, three sisters use witchcraft to change the course of history in Alix E. Harrow's powerful novel of magic and the suffragette movement. In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box. But when the Eastwood sisters -- James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna -- join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote -- and perhaps not even to live -- the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive. There's no such thing as witches. But there will be"--
An engaging tale of three sisters who bring magic and witching back during the time of the women's suffrage movement. A great read for those who enjoy a historical setting, well-developed characters, and a bit of magic. -Becky
Six of Crows
Leigh Bardugo
YOUNG ADULT FICTION Bardugo Leigh
Young Adult, Fantasy
"Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction--if they don't kill each other first"--
Action-packed fantasy story of a genius leader and his fallible but identifiable crew. 14+ -Victoria
The storm runner
Jennifer Cervantes
jFICTION Cervantes, Jennifer
Fantasy
To prevent the Mayan gods from battling each other and destroying the world, thirteen-year-old Zane must unravel an ancient prophecy, stop an evil god, and discover how the physical disability that makes him reliant on a cane also connects him to his father and his ancestry.
Added by Anne W
The Girl Who Drank the Moon
Kelly Barnhill
eBook
Fantasy, Literary Fiction
An epic fantasy about a young girl raised by a witch, a swamp monster, and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, who must unlock the powerful magic buried deep inside her. Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the forest, Xan, is kind and gentle. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster named Glerk and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, Fyrian. Xan rescues the abandoned children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey. One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this enmagicked girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. To keep young Luna safe from her own unwieldy power, Xan locks her magic deep inside her. When Luna approaches her thirteenth birthday, her magic begins to emerge on schedule--but Xan is far away. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Soon, it is up to Luna to protect those who have protected her--even if it means the end of the loving, safe world she's always known. The acclaimed author of The Witch's Boy has created another epic coming-of-age fairy tale destined to become a modern classic--Provided by Publisher
I haven't read this again since right after it won the Newbery Medal. I remember it being absolutely enchanting. -Casey
Baba Yaga's assistant
Marika McCoola
jGRAPHIC NOVEL McCoola
Graphic Novels, Fantasy
"Most children think twice before braving a haunted wood filled with terrifying beasties to match wits with a witch, but not Masha. Her beloved grandma taught her many things: that stories are useful, that magic is fickle, that nothing is too difficult or too dirty to clean. The fearsome witch of folklore needs an assistant, and Masha needs an adventure. She may be clever enough to enter Baba Yaga's house-on-chicken-legs, but within its walls, deceit is the rule. To earn her place, Masha must pass a series of tests, outfox a territorial bear, and make dinner for her host. No easy task, with children on the menu!"--
This retelling of Baba Yaga is so fun, and it's the perfect time of year to pick it up again. -Casey
Added by Brian