The Royal Trials (Last Gate of the Emperor #2)

The Royal Trials (Last Gate of the Emperor #2)
Author: Kwame Mbalia
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 194
Release: 2022-07-19
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1338665960

From Kwame Mbalia and Prince Joel David Makonnen comes an Afrofuturist adventure about a mythical Ethiopian empire. Sci-fi and fantasy combine in this epic journey to the stars. Yared has traveled a long way to find his place in the universe. Light years, even. Though the battle of Addis Prime is over, the spacefaring Axum Empire is still fractured. The kingdom once gave their technology away free of charge, to better humankind. Now, having been missing for over a decade, they’re returning to the planet where their galaxy-spanning civilization began—Earth. But they find the planet in disarray. Old Earth’s atmosphere is a mess of junked shuttles and satellites. This is especially true of Debris Town, an orbital flotilla where poor spacefarers—left to rot by the Intergalactic Union that rose up in Axum’s place—have taken to piracy to survive. Yared is set to speak at the opening of the Royal Trials, a competition of the best exo pilots in the Sol System. But on the day of his speech, the pirates launch an attack! The siege sets off a chain of events that will lead Yared into the depths of Old Earth—and the jaws of a cruel betrayal. There’s more to the pirates—and Debris Town—than anyone saw coming.

Last Gate of the Emperor

Last Gate of the Emperor
Author: Kwame Mbalia
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 218
Release: 2021-05-04
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1338665871

From Kwame Mbalia and Prince Joel David Makonnen comes an Afrofuturist adventure about a mythical Ethiopian empire. Sci-fi and fantasy combine in this epic journey to the stars. Yared Heywat lives an isolated life in Addis Prime -- a hardscrabble city with rundown tech, lots of rules, and not much to do. His worrywart Uncle Moti and bionic lioness Besa are his only family... and his only friends. Often in trouble for his thrill-seeking antics and wisecracking sense of humor, those same qualities make Yared a star player of the underground augmented reality game, The Hunt for Kaleb's Obelisk. But when a change in the game rules prompts Yared to log in with his real name, it triggers an attack that rocks the city. In the chaos, Uncle Moti disappears. Suddenly, all the stories Yared's uncle told him as a young boy are coming to life, of kingdoms in the sky and city-razing monsters. And somehow Yared is at the center of them. Together with Besa and the Ibis -- a game rival turned reluctant ally -- Yared must search for his uncle... and answers to his place in a forgotten, galaxy-spanning war.

The Prince Problem

The Prince Problem
Author: Vivian Vande Velde
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 154
Release: 2018-11-27
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1338121758

A bright and hilarious romp from Vivian Vande Velde, the award-winning author of The Princess Imposter. Telmund is a prince who loves fables. But when a hasty witch mistakes him for bully in need of paranormal punishment, he's cursed to transform into a new animal every time he falls asleep. With his shape constantly changing, Telmund discovers that actually living in a fairy tale has its drawbacks. Amelia is a practical princess with a wide range of skills, none of which are helpful for escaping the ball her parents have thrown to select her future husband. But then the unthinkable happens: Amelia is kidnapped by the dangerous Prince Sheridan, setting off a plot that will throw the realm into chaos. As their stories become intertwined, the dreamer prince and no-nonsense princess must work together to rescue each other. Otherwise there will be no happy endings for either of their kingdoms.From Vivian Vande Velde--master of the magical romp--comes an enchanted tale of princes, fairies, and the transformative power of stories.

Tristan Strong Keeps Punching

Tristan Strong Keeps Punching
Author: Kwame Mbalia
Publisher: Disney Electronic Content
Total Pages: 337
Release: 2021-10-05
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1368065996

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 Alexander After 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. Complete your middle grade fantasy collection with these best-selling fan favorites: Rick Riordan Presents: Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse Rick Riordan Presents: City of the Plague God by Sarwat Chadda Rick Riordan Presents: Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee Rick Riordan Presents: Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan

Tristan Strong Destroys the World

Tristan Strong Destroys the World
Author: Kwame Mbalia
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2020
Genre:
ISBN:

Seventh-grader Tristan must return to Alke and enlist the help of African gods and black folktale heroes when Nana is abducted from the Strong family farm in Alabama.

Igraine the Brave

Igraine the Brave
Author: Cornelia Funke
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 228
Release: 2011-10-01
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0545406188

The New York Times–bestselling author of Inkheart and Dragon Rider delivers an “inventive re-imagining of the knight-in-shining-armor story” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). Igraine dreams of becoming a famous knight just like her great grandfather, but the truth is, life at the family castle is rather boring. Until the nephew of the baroness-next-door shows up. He’s got a dastardly plan to capture the castle and claim as his own the wonderful singing spell books that belong to Igraine’s magician parents. To make matters worse, at the very moment of the siege, her mom and dad botch a spell, turning themselves into pigs! Aided by a Gentle Giant and a Sorrowful Knight, it’s up to Igraine to be brave and save the day—and the books! “Illustrated with pen-and-ink sketches of Igraine in action, plus many tiny tomes sporting stubby limbs and animated faces, this engaging read, or read-aloud, is ‘joust’ the ticket for all young fans of non-gender-specific knightly valor.” —Kirkus Reviews

Mark of the Thief (Free Preview Edition)

Mark of the Thief (Free Preview Edition)
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 12
Release: 2014-10-03
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0545837340

A sneak peek at an electrifying tale of greed and power, magic and destiny, and one boy's courage at the heart of it all, from Jennifer A. Nielsen, the New York Times bestselling author of the Ascendance Trilogy. When Nic, a slave in the mines outside of Rome, is forced to enter a sealed cavern containing the lost treasures of Julius Caesar, he finds much more than gold and gemstones: He discovers an ancient bulla, an amulet that belonged to the great Caesar and is filled with a magic once reserved for the Gods -- magic some Romans would kill for. Now, with the deadly power of the bulla pulsing through his veins, Nic is determined to become free. But instead, he finds himself at the center of a ruthless conspiracy to overthrow the emperor and spark the Praetor War, a battle to destroy Rome from within. Traitors and spies lurk at every turn, each more desperate than the next to use Nic's newfound powers for their own dark purposes. In a quest to stop the rebellion, save Rome, and secure his own freedom, Nic must harness the magic within himself and defeat the empire's most powerful and savage leaders.

Barakah Beats

Barakah Beats
Author: Maleeha Siddiqui
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 175
Release: 2021-10-19
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1338702076

"This book about friendship and faith absolutely sings." -- Buzzfeed Perfect for fans of The First Rule of Punk or Save Me a Seat, this is a sweet, powerful, and joyous novel about a girl who finds her voice on her own terms. Twelve-year-old Nimra Sharif has spent her whole life in Islamic school, but now it's time to go to "real school." Nimra's nervous, but as long as she has Jenna, her best friend who already goes to the public school, she figures she can take on just about anything. Unfortunately, middle school is hard. The teachers are mean, the schedule is confusing, and Jenna starts giving hijab-wearing Nimra the cold shoulder around the other kids. Desperate to fit in and get back in Jenna's good graces, Nimra accepts an unlikely invitation to join the school's popular 8th grade boy band, Barakah Beats. The only problem is, Nimra was taught that music isn't allowed in Islam, and she knows her parents would be disappointed if they found out. So she devises a simple plan: join the band, win Jenna back, then quietly drop out before her parents find out. But dropping out of the band proves harder than expected. Not only is her plan to get Jenna back working, but Nimra really likes hanging out with the band—they value her contributions and respect how important her faith is to her. Then Barakah Beats signs up for a talent show to benefit refugees, and Nimra's lies start to unravel. With the show only a few weeks away and Jenna's friendship hanging in the balance, Nimra has to decide whether to betray her bandmates—or herself.

The Emperor

The Emperor
Author: Ryszard Kapuscinski
Publisher: HMH
Total Pages: 177
Release: 1983-03-01
Genre: History
ISBN: 0547539215

This account of the rise and fall of Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie is “an unforgettable, fiercely comic, and finally compassionate book” (Salman Rushdie, Man Booker Prize–winning author). After Haile Selassie was deposed in 1974, Ryszard Kapuściński—Poland’s top foreign correspondent—went to Ethiopia to piece together a firsthand account of how the emperor governed his country, and why he finally fell from power. At great risk to himself, Kapuściński interviewed members of the imperial circle who had gone into hiding. The result is this remarkable book, in which Selassie’s servants and closest associates share accounts—humorous, frightening, sad, grotesque—of a man living amidst nearly unimaginable pomp and luxury while his people teetered between hunger and starvation. It is a classic portrait of authoritarianism, and a fascinating story of a forty-four-year reign that ended with a coup d’état in 1974.

I Am Slappy's Evil Twin

I Am Slappy's Evil Twin
Author: R.L. Stine
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 136
Release: 2017-09-26
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1338068458

In this spinoff to the New York Times–bestselling Goosebumps series, two mannequin dolls, props from a horror movie, come to life and terrify a tween boy. Luke Harrison’s dad makes horror films. It’s very fun to be around such scary stuff-especially when you have your own monster museum at home. But when two ventriloquist dummies join the collection, things get real creepy. Real-life creepy! Slappy and Snappy can walk and talk on their own. And they can make you scream on their own. They have a plan to make everyone’s lives miserable. Will Luke be able to stop this terrible twin twosome?