The Amazing Alexander

Alex loves magic. Since he was a little tyke, his grandfather amazed him with card tricks, magic coloring books, floating fireballs, disappearing bottle-caps, and magic crystal balls - and now its time for Alex to go to his first magic show. He is excited! Maybe he will even be chosen to come up on stage. When he arrives, however, a pair of mysterious eyes seem to be watching him from back stage and he nervously changes his mind; but fate steps in and takes him on a magical adventure with twists and turns and white tigers and gleaming, razor sharp blades designed to cut the victim in half - not quite what Alex had in mind!

This is no ordinary picture book series. This is an extraordinary adventure that teaches the art and ethics of magic. Each book includes a wonderful magic trick that the reader can do! The new trick Alex learns in each book, the reader will also learn. There are instructions in a secret section of this book, where Alex learns - and so does the reader - how to magically transform two one-dollar bills into a million-dollar bill.

Adults as well as youth will love this wonderful book series, illustrated with original art, which combines an exciting childhood adventure with the joy of learning and performing truly mystifying magic.

Click here to see a very cool trailer.

Click here for The Amazing Alexander website.

Monster Slayers

For as long as Evin can remember, he has dreamed of being a real hero. And when his entire village is kidnapped by evil monsters, he finally gets his wish. With the help of his friend Jorick, a young elf wizard named Betilivatis, and an ancient guidebook of magical beasts called A Practical Guide to Monsters, Evin treks through ancient ruins and faces all kinds of strange and terrible creatures on his quest to find his family.

But soon, Evin realizes that not everything is as it seems. Why is Betilivatis sneaking off to report their every move to someone only she can see? Why can’t Evin remember anything before the day of the kidnapping? Why does it seem as if someone—or something—is controlling the monsters and drawing the three friends deeper into a battle they might never win?

Click here for Monster Slayers

Diary of a Wimpy Kid book FIVE!

HOT OF THE PRESS: The fifth volume in Jeff Kinney’s bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series will be on sale nationwide Tuesday, November 9, 2010. The cover will be purple, which follows the red, blue, green, and yellow of the first four installments.

“I feel like everything in the series has been leading up to the fifth book, which is about change and the different ways Greg and his best friend, Rowley, deal with it,” said Jeff Kinney. “To me, this book is the lynchpin in the series, and I’m excited to be writing it.”

A Place for Delta

A Place for Delta is a wonderful story written by Melissa Walker. When eleven-year-old Joseph Morse is invited to visit his aunt Kate in the northern most town in the US, Barrow, Alaska, he’s thrilled. But the real icing on the cake is the polar bear cub named Delta that he will be taking care of while there!

After arriving, Joseph adjusts to his new surroundings and falls into a pattern of care for Delta. He even makes a new friend, an Eskimo girl named Ada. Joseph and Ada soon find a murdered polar bear. They're determined to help solve the mystery and save Delta, who they know is also in danger. Joseph's adventure sets him off on an epic journey.

This is a great story for both boys and girls. Click here to learn more about Saving Delta.

Melissa Walker has been a Professor of English at the University of New Orleans and Mercer University and a Fellow in Women’s Studies at Emory University. She’s a vocal advocate for civil rights and for wilderness. Her previous books include Reading the Environment (W.W.Norton, 1994) and Living on Wilderness Time: 200 Days Alone in America’s Wild Places (Univ. of Va. Press, 2002). She lives with her husband Jerome in Atlanta and spends much of the summer in Alaska.

All Star

Nothing announces the beginning of spring like baseball. Jane Yolen has knocked the cover of the ball with her new Honus Wagner book. Wagner was known as the Flying Dutchman, and was famous for hitting, stealing bases, and speed. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.

Written by award-winning children's author Jane Yolen, All Star! is the story of a hatchet-faced boy from a poor mining town who somehow became one of the greatest shortstops in history. Boy's will love this book and will be thrilled to learn that Wagner's baseball card sold for almost three million dollars. It's a heartwarming story that comes to life with beautiful retro illustrations that perfectly capture the era.

Click here to learn more about Jane's cool baseball book.

Real Guns

Dr. David P Reiter, a multi-award winning author and publisher living in Brisbane, Australia has published an interesting book called Real Guns. Dr. Reiter's book confronts the topical issues of gun control and the effects of war—past and present—on returning soldiers and their families. Jon, like many young boys, is fascinated by guns. He finds a loaded pistol hidden under his parents’ bed, with nearly tragic consequences.

The close call prompts his father to explain to Jon why he needs to keep the gun, forging a much closer bond between father and son, and emphasising the need for parents to talk to their children about issues affecting their safety.

Patrick Murphy’s stunning illustrations are a perfect complement to Reiter’s timeless story, allowing younger readers to better understand why guns are at once a necessary part of contemporary life but also a danger when they get into the wrong hands.

To learn more about Real Guns, click here. The book can be purchased in the US by clicking here.

Morpheus Road

Marshall Seaver is being haunted. In The Light, the first installment of this chillingly compelling trilogy, sixteen-year-old Marshall discovers that something beyond our world is after him. The eerie clues pile up quickly, and when people start dying, it's clear whatever this is--it's huge.

Marshall has no idea what's happening to him, but he's soon convinced that it has something to do with his best friend Cooper, who's been missing for over a week. Together with Coop's sister, Marsh searches for the truth about what happened to his friend, ultimately uncovering something bigger than he could ever have imagined.

D.J. MacHale is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Pendragon series. He has written, directed and produced many television series and movies for young people including ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK. His work has been seen on Nickelodeon, The Disney Channel, HBO, Showtime, PBS, Discovery Kids and the broadcast networks. D.J. lives with his family in Southern California.

To win a signed copy of The Light, send us an email and we'll enter your name in our FREE book drawing.

Click here for Morpheus Road's movie trailer.

Click here for MacHale's website.