Our Blog

The Secrets of Underhill

An eleven-year-old apprentice fights to save an ancient grove of magical trees that hold the key to her community’s survival in this page-turning fantasy adventure. Perfect for middle grade fans of Kelly Barnhill and Jessica Townsend.

Nick Sixsmith has spent her whole life on the road. The daughter of a traveling arborist, she moves with her mother from town to town, caring for the ironwood groves the communities rely upon. When a dangerous blight takes hold of these magical trees, they must journey to the city of Mistwood—her mother’s hometown—for answers.

Nick can’t wait to explore the prosperous city of Mistwood and all it has to offer: bustling markets and workshops, neighborhoods built under a roaring waterfall, and the vast ancestral grove of ironwood trees. But dark secrets simmer beneath the surface as people start to disappear and tensions rise in the city.

As the mystery grows, Nick and her new friends from Mistwood must follow the trail where it leads them: underground, to a strange, enchanting world called Underhill. Only there, among the roots of the ancestral grove, will Nick find a way to save her new home and the ironwood trees.

This immersive fantasy adventure combines vivid world-building with timely themes of environmentalism, and young readers will be riveted until the final page.

Posted by Christina Schillaci

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

Hunters of the Lost City

Packed with shocking twists, frightening monsters, and dark magic, this is a page-turning fantasy adventure for middle-grade fans of Holly Black and Tamora Pierce.

Twelve-year-old Octavia grew up believing the town of Vittoria was the only one left in the world. The sole survivors of a deadly magical war and plague, the people of Vittoria know there’s no one alive outside the town walls—except the terrible monsters that prowl the forest.

But then the impossible happens: Octavia meets another girl beyond the walls, someone who claims to have traveled from far away. Everything she’s ever believed is thrown into question, and there’s no going back.

In her quest for the truth, Octavia discovers a world full of lies, monsters, and magic. She’ll have to use every scrap of her wits and courage to uncover what’s real about her family, her home, and the rest of the world.

Posted by impart