Each month, our children's book specialist, Kelly will pick a magical and adventurous middle-grade title for kids ranging in ages 8-12. For the month that it's featured, each book will simply be 20% off-- no subscription or commitment required! Every Kid Pick will range in theme to appeal to every type of kid reader out there: whether it be mystery, fantasy, science-fiction, goofy or geeky, every pick will be compelling, readable, and fun for the well-seasoned and reluctant reader alike!
Kelly's Kid Picks is currently on hold as bookseller and store manager Kelly works on her thesis for her masters degree! We take pride in reading books closely, with attention and passion for what we're reading and we never want to chose books merely for the sake of choosing one. Kelly's Kid Picks will return shortly, when she has more time to read all the books! Thank you for understanding! <3
Kid Pick for February!
20% off this title for the month of February 2018
Kid Pick for December 2017!
Kelly Kid Pick for September 2017!
This book is 20% off the month of September!
Growing up in his small town, Prosper Redding always knew one thing: that among the illustrious and famous Redding family, he was extraordinarily unexceptional. That is, until he finds out that a 400 year old demon set out to curse his family is actually living inside him. NBD. Now Prosper has to find a way to rid himself of the fiend without hurting himself in the process or caving into the fiend’s incessant demands to strike a deal for his soul. But as he teams up with a young witch and as his relationship with the demon Alastor grows, Prosper begins to realize that things in the demon underworld might be circling out of control. Between its Autumn setting, ancient family curses, witchy friends, and sarcastic demons, The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding is perfect Halloween reading. I ADORED this books!
Kid Pick for August!
“Arianwyn is an apprentice witch, which means she can cast magic by reading glyphs, symbols to harness and control magic. But when she fails the test to become a professional witch, she is sent to the boring town of Lull, where nothing interesting happens. But Lull isn’t exactly what it seems.
Something mysterious and dark is haunting the town and Arianwyn – apprentice though she be – might be the only one who can stop it. This book is brimming with broom-flying, spell-casting, demon-hunting, and pure magic. Crisp writing and rich world-building makes this perfect for anyone who loved Harry Potter.”
Kid Pick for June!
This book is 20% off the whole month of June!
DEAR FELLOW HUMANS: Do you like robots? Do you like adventures space? Do you like to laugh? Then this book is for you! Robot OS-78 narrates the story of an ordinary girl named Holly Farb who gets swept away in galactic adventure when a group of aliens mistake her for the Princess of the Galaxy. Featuring space pirates, bounty hunters, holograms, not to mention laugh out loud interjections from Robot OS-78 throughout! I had so much fun reading this book!
Kid Pick for May!
Kid Pick for April 2017!
Bill Nye and Gregory Mone teaming up to write a middle grade book about adventure and science is a dream come true! Jack, Ava, and Matt are three orphans who live on their own; but they are no ordinary orphans—they are geniuses! When they enter a science competition and travel to Antarctica, they not only come across fascinating inventions and science, but uncover a deep mystery of a missing scientist. Told through the perspective of Jack, who is not quite as scientific as his foster siblings, readers of all kinds can enjoy solving the mystery. Nye and Mone have written a story full of adventure, science and heart, complete with scientific facts, explanations, and experiments in the back of the book!
Kid Pick for March 2017!
New York. 1941. It’s the day of the Pearl Harbor attack, and four young teenagers collide in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. When the museum’s curator shows them pages of a hidden Arthurian manuscript, they slowly discover that these pages may just hold the secrets to preventing another attack like Pearl Harbor. As they read through the history of King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, Guinevere, and Merlin, the past and present collide and a series of new adventures—and magic—unfolds. Goodman delivers a diverse cast of characters who, through the power of history, storytelling, and a little magic, discover a unique friendship. Arthurian motifs like loyalty, betrayal, and most importantly equality, set against the backdrop of an America in fear, make this book an important and topical story for young readers today.
Kid Pick for Febuary 2017!
Welcome to the world of Lundinor, a strange and wonderful marketplace hidden beneath London where uncommon items hold extraordinary magic. Here there are candles that make you invisible, yo-yos that turn into weapons, belts that enable you to fly…the more uncommon, the more magical! When young Ivy and her brother Seb find themselves in this mysterious world, they must use uncommon objects of the everyday world to fight off those who are after them. Along the way they must navigate their own relationship and a slew of long held family secrets. Jennifer Bell, a children’s bookseller in London herself, has written a charming and imaginative book, perfect for early fans of Neil Gaiman and lovers of magic!
Kid Pick for January!
Long ago the doorway between worlds opened and quickly closed, creating a Second World called Raftworld, so named after the fact that its inhabitants mostly live on rafts roaming the seas. Young Pip and his sister Kinchen live in this Second World and soon get captured by the Raft King who incessantly wanders the seas determined to find a way into the First World. Yet Pip and Kichen are just two characters in a sweeping narrative of how the Second World came to be. Soon, we learn about two other pairs of siblings who, at different points in time, have in one way or another come face to face with the magical portal. An invigorating novel that interweaves three stories into one magical book that is both fantasy and historical fiction, told in beautiful prose throughout.
Kid Pick for November!
Life is pretty ordinary for Alfie—that is, until a mysterious letter shows up informing him that he has inherited a castle. But the castle is no ordinary castle and Alfie quickly realizes that he is no ordinary boy. Alfie is tied to Hexbridge castle in both magic and time, and as he uncovers the mysteries and secrets of the castle, he must also work to protect it from those that would see it harmed. An imaginative, quirky novel with heartfelt narration and a cast of charming characters! – Kelly
Kid Pick for October!
The year is 1242. The place, a dark inn in France. It’s a perfect night for a story. Slowly, travelers at the inn begin to unravel the tale behind three mysterious, magical children who are quickly becoming legends across Medieval France. Who are these children? Are they magical or are they saints? And is the dog that travels with them truly a holy dog brought back to life? Echoing the great medieval classic, The Canterbury Tales, various narrators each tell their own tale, but along the way they unravel the bigger story of William, Jeanne, and Jacob. Gidwitz paints a vivid image of medieval France (the book itself is illustrated like a medieval manuscript!), and his mix of heart and humor make this book an utterly magical read. Who else could weave a tale of acceptance, love, and hope, complete with farting dragons?
Kid Pick for September!
Enter Farenwood, a world where magic is color and color is talent. Young Alice somehow lacks all three things. Yet with undeterred resolution, she knows--with or without magic--she must try to find her father who disappeared three years ago. When Oliver, a young boy whose magical talent is deceiving and lying decides to help her, they enter Futhermore, an upside-down world of reckless magic and absurdities. In Furthermore nothing is quite what it seems and Alice’s journey goes well beyond finding her father. When characters collide and worlds unravel, Alice’s story ultimately becomes one of what it takes to trust, find, and love yourself for everything you are and more. A book that will stay with young readers long after they turn the last page.
Kid Pick for July!
As a child, Brine Seaborne was found alone in a rowboat. Now she is 12 years old, working under an irritable magician. When the opportunity strikes to run away and join a band of pirates searching for a magical land, Brine takes it. A full, imaginative world, and a book of pure fun!
Kid Pick for June!
In this medieval world where magic is everywhere, Grayling and her mother are healers, using magical herbs and potions to help those in their town in need. But someone--or something--is hunting down all those who use magic, stealing their grimoires, and cursing them to slowly transform into tree. It is up to Grayling to find out how to save not only her mother, but all magic users. Bursting with rich language, themes of independence & persistence, and with magic reminiscent of classical mythology, this is a short but powerful book. Perfect for young readers who enjoy soft, subtle magic, strong characters, and journeys in the wild.