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A Brush with Magic

A heartfelt, magical middle grade adventure—inspired by Korean folklore and set in modern-day Seoul—about sisterhood and belonging, perfect for fans of Tae Keller and Kelly Yang.

It’s finally summer break, and Yumi is headed to Korea with her older sister, Minji for the very first time. She can’t wait to explore the city of Seoul together—but Minji has other plans. The moment they land, Minji ditches Yumi to hang out with their cousins, who are more fashionable, better at soccer, and just all around cooler than Yumi.

Feeling lost and alone, Yumi is stuck at home painting with her grandfather. But when she discovers a magical ink brush in the attic, she accidentally summons a friend straight out of the Korean fairy tales her grandfather is always telling her about. Together with this new friend and the ink brush, which has the power to bring anything Yumi paints to life, Yumi explores everything Seoul has to offer, from bustling street markets and ancient palaces to riding the subway.

But as the consequences of this newfound power come home to roost, Yumi must find the strength to embrace who she is and speak up for herself—before she loses everything and everyone she loves.

Posted by Gaby Iori

We Are Not Alone

Do you want to believe? Explore our fascination with UFOs and extraterrestrial intelligence through exclusive interviews, archival photos, and strange but true stories from history.

After decades of cover-ups and denials, in a June 2021 report, the US government finally admitted what many people already knew: yes, UFOs are real, and no, we don’t know what (or who) they are. Writer and historian Marc Hartzman separates fact from fiction and provides a comprehensive tour through the skies, including:

  • UFO sightings, from the famous to the obscure
  • Alien abductions, including the Betty and Barney Hill abduction and the Pascagoula abduction
  • Ancient aliens, from Biblical astronauts to the alien architects behind the pyramids
  • Scientific evidence, including the “Wow!” radio signal and the interstellar ‘Oumuamua object
  • Cover-ups and conspiracies, including the Roswell Incident and Area 51
  • Governmental and military findings, from Project Blue Book to reports of UFOs at nuclear weapons sites

Deeply researched and highly entertaining, We Are Not Alone will inform and enchant anyone who’s ever doubted that we are really alone in the universe.

Posted by Kim Ismael

Stars, Hide Your Fires

A wanted thief. A murdered emperor. A killer loose on the station. Knives Out goes sci-fi in this gripping YA mystery set in space, perfect for fans of The Darkness Outside Us and Iron Widow.

As an expert thief from a minor moon, Cass knows a good mark when she sees one. The emperor’s ball is her chance to steal a fortune for herself, her ailing father, and her scrappy crew of thieves and market vendors.

Her plan is simple:

  1. Hitch a ride to the planet of Ouris, the dazzling heart of the empire.
  2. Sneak onto the imperial palace station to attend the emperor’s ball.
  3. Steal from the rich, the royal, and the insufferable.

But on the station, things quickly go awry. When the emperor is found dead, everyone in the palace is a suspect—and someone is setting Cass up to take the fall. To clear her name, Cass must work with an unlikely ally: a gorgeous and mysterious rebel with her own reasons for being on the station. Together, they unravel a secret that could change the fate of the empire.

Posted by Christina Schillaci

The United States of Cryptids

Meet the monsters in our midst, from bigfoot to Mothman and beyond!

Welcome to the United States of Cryptids, where mysterious monsters lurk in the dark forests, deep lakes, and sticky swamps of all fifty states. From the infamous Jersey Devil to the obscure Snallygaster, travel writer and chronicler of the strange J. W. Ocker uncovers the bizarre stories of these creatures and investigates the ways in which communities embrace and celebrate their local cryptids. Readers will learn about:

• Batsquatch of Washington, a winged bigfoot that is said to have emerged from the eruption of Mount Saint Helens
• Nain Rouge of Michigan, a fierce red goblin that has been spotted before every major city disaster in Detroit
 Flatwoods Monster of West Virginia, a robotic extraterrestrial that crash-landed in rural Appalachia
• Lizard Man of South Carolina, a reptilian mutant that attacked a teenager in the summer of 1988
• Glocester Ghoul of Rhode Island, a fire-breathing dragon that guards a hoard of pirate treasure
• And many more!

Whether you believe in bigfoot or not, this fully illustrated compendium is a fun, frightening, fascinating tour through American folklore and history, exploring the stories we tell about monsters and what those stories say about us.

Posted by Christina Schillaci

Toil and Trouble

This celebration of forgotten magical women, from Salem to WitchTok, is a fascinating and empowering read for anyone interested in occultism or feminist history.

Meet the mystical women and nonbinary people from US history who found strength through the supernatural—and those who are still forging the way today. From the celebrity spirit mediums of the nineteenth century to contemporary activist witches hexing the patriarchy, women have long used magic and mysticism to seize the power they’re so often denied.

Organized around different approaches women have taken to the occult over the decades—using the supernatural for political gain, seeking fame and fortune as spiritual practitioners, embracing their witchy identities, and more—this book shines a light on underappreciated magical pioneers, including:

• Dion Fortune, who tried to marshal a magical army against Hitler
• Bri Luna, the Hoodwitch, social media star and serious magical practitioner
• Joan Quigley, personal psychic to Nancy Reagan
• Marie Laveau, voodoo queen of New Orleans
• Elvira, queer goth sex symbol who defied the Satanic Panic
• And many more!

Posted by Christina Schillaci

A Rugrats Chanukah

In time for the Rugrats' 30th anniversary, the beloved Chanukah Special is now a delightful picture book for readers of all ages!
 
On the eighth night of Chanukah, Grandma Minka reads aloud a story about the meaning of the holiday to Tommy, Chuckie, Lil, Phil, and Angelica. The babies imagine themselves as the characters in the story, but then Grandma stops reading to make latkes, and the ending is left unknown. 
 
Soon they’re all off to the synagogue, where Grandpa Boris is acting in the Chanukah play. The children, misunderstanding the phrase “the meaning of Chanukah,” believe that an actor in the play is the “meanie of Chanukah” and storm the stage to save Grandpa. How will the Rugrats get out of trouble this time? And will they ever learn the true meaning of Chanukah?
 
This storybook is a perfect blend of silly, sweet, and educational and will make a cherished gift for children, nostalgic millennials, and anyone who’s ever wondered about the true meaning of the holiday.

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