Happy Autumn! When you get tired of raking leaves, escape with one of these new releases coming out during the month of November. Lots of adventure and mystery.
Chris Makes a Friend by Alex Gino. 240 pp. (November 4, 2025) 
Chris does not want to be spending the summer with her grandparents and her little sister. Her grandparents don’t let her do what she wants to do, which is sit around and read all day. And her sister, Becca, is the opposite, never sitting still and never being quiet.
The good part is that Chris’s grandparents are always telling her to go outside and “get some air.” So she escapes into the woods with a book to get some alone time. Or at least it’s alone time until Mia comes along. Mia is also in town for the summer, and she understands Chris in a way that Chris’s family just can’t.
Soon Chris is sneaking off to spend as much time with her new friend as possible. But is there more to Mia than Mia is saying?
Darkstalker: A Graphic Novel by Tui T. Sutherland. 256 pp. (November 4, 2025)
Three dragons. One unavoidable, unpredictable destiny. This is the beginning … of the end.
In the SeaWing kingdom, a young prince learns he is an animus―capable of wonderful magic that comes with a terrible price.
In the mind of a NightWing dragonet, a thousand futures unfold―and almost all of them, she knows, lead to disaster and destruction.
And under three full moons and the watchful eyes of his NightWing mother and IceWing father, the most powerful dragon Pyrhhia will ever know is clawing his way out of his egg: Darkstalker, the dragon who will change the world forever.
Long before the SandWing war, lifetimes before the Dragonet Prophecy … darkness is born.
Farrah Noorzad and the Realm of Nightmares by Deeba Zargarpur. 320 pp. (November 4, 2025)
On her twelfth birthday, Farrah Noorzad found out her father was one of the seven jinn kings. One epic quest and a whole lot of adventure later, she hasn’t seen her father since she saved him from a cursed ring. And her place in the jinn world as a forbidden half-human is still more up in the air than a cloud. Not to mention, she’s moved away from her best friend, Arzu, when her mother decided they needed a fresh start.
So when Farrah is summoned by the kings after months with no word from her father or her half-brother, Yaseen, she jumps at the chance to return to the floating jinn city and attend the magical Al Qalam Academy for the Exceptional. Farrah has to prove she belongs at her father’s side, and maybe even help a friend uncover his missing memories along the way.
But when the City of Jewels is threatened, fate steps in once again, with a prophecy that claims Farrah might be the one to save the jinn world … or destroy it.
How to Free a Jinn by Raidah Shah Idil. 256 pp. (November 4, 2025)
Insyirah’s calm, orderly world falls into chaos when her proud nenek (grandmother) has a bad fall, and Insyirah and her mother must move back to Malaysia to take care of her.
Her new home holds wild and dangerous mysteries, and while finding her feet, Insyirah discovers a shocking secret: the women in her family can control jinn, powerful, ancient jungle spirits, and one day, she will inherit a jinn of her own. What’s more, her new school is haunted by an evil spirit determined to force her out of Malaysia.
As Insyirah discovers the fascinating ways of the seen and unseen worlds, she finds danger around every corner. And when her family situation grows perilous, she must gather all her resilience to overcome unexpected obstacles and make a life-changing decision.
The Last Kids on Earth and the Destructor’s Lair by Max Brallier. 272 pp. (November 4, 2025) 
Jack and Quint become trapped in the Monster Dimension! Their mission: prevent Rezzoch, the Ancient Destructor of Worlds, from reaching Earth and annihilating civilization. To do this, they must secure an audience with a creature more mysterious than any other.
It’s a race against time—and a race through the monster dimension! But before they can get back home to June and Dirk, Jack will find himself in a confrontation that will change everything. . . .
Rune: Tale of the Obsidian Maze by Carlos Sánchez. 160 pp. (November 4, 2025)
After defeating the Shadow King, Chiri and Dai are settling into their new lives in the magical land of Puddin’. However, there is always more evil to fight against, and this time, the evil is coming to them.
After being invited to the Obsidian Maze to fight the sinister MidKnight, Chiri and Dai are about to encounter the deepest darkness there ever was, and they’re not sure if they’re both going to make it safely back to their friends.
Barker’s Doghouse 2: Leave It! by Maria Bea Alfano. 144 pp. (November 11, 2025) 
The doghouse dogs are NOT happy when they hear that Gio’s mom is taking in a foster puppy. Puppies destroy everything. Their tiny teeth are lethal!
Luckily, Gio has a special power to help Bean feel at home—he can talk to puppies! Pretty soon, Gio’s mom thinks he’s some kind of genius dog trainer. Gio’s sure this means he’ll get everything he wants for his birthday this year, including a special birthday trip back to his old neighborhood.
But what happens when the puppy chews up Gio’s perfect birthday plans?
Dog Man: Big Jim Believes: A Graphic Novel by Dav Pilkey. 224 pp. (November 11, 2025)
The celebration comes to a halt for our heroes in Dog Man: Big Jim Believes when the mischievous Space Cuties From Space return. Our caped crusaders — Dog Man (aka Scarlet Shedder), Commander Cupcake, and Sprinkles — along with Mecha Molly discover that the city has changed, and nothing is how it should be.
Can Big Jim’s positivity and innocence help our heroes? Will Dog Man, Big Jim, Grampa, and Molly have the courage to trust each other and save the day? How does the past help shape the future? And who is the chosen one?
The Firefly Crown by Yxavel Magno Diño. 288 pp. (November 11, 2025) 
In the empire, magic determines your fate. But Yumi is tired of being a failed Cricket. Their magic is lousy and boring. She dreams instead of the sparkling magic of Fireflies, whose powers rival the sun. If only she could harness her talents like other magicians. But, for now, even the crickets who are supposed to follow her spells ignore her.
Then, she gets a chance to prove herself sooner than expected when all sorcerers are summoned for the princess’s coronation. But everything falls apart when someone steals the Firefly Crown, leaving the empire defenseless against the Ghost Swarm, a horde of undead bugs. Worse, blame falls upon Yumi. Suddenly this lowly Cricket is the empire’s most wanted. To clear her name and protect her loved ones, Yumi must find the real thief. But can a Cricket really save the day?
Firefox Moon: A Juniper Lane Adventure by Eoin Colfer. 368 pp. (November 11, 2025)
Juniper and her loyal flying reindeer Skära are the first ever Guardians of Cedar Wood. With Juniper’s mentor Niko back in the North Pole, they’re entrusted with protecting the magical forest hidden in the middle of London because there’s a teeny-tiny chance that he left behind a few sparks of magic. Hopefully, not enough to attract any dangerous magical creatures.
But it turns out Niko left behind a lot of magic, transforming the entire forest into a haven for powerful creatures. A witch wielding a flaming dagger, a cursed queen desperate for a cure, and a pack of wolves out for revenge are all in pursuit of a legendary fox with the power to grant a wish under the midsummer Blood Moon. The very fate of the Cedar Wood, and possibly all of Britain, hangs in the balance. Protecting the forest from these dreadful newcomers will be a lot of work for the thirteen-year-old and her reindeer, but Juniper is determined to save the world.
The First Unicorn Rider: A World of Skandar Story by A.F. Steadman. 256 pp. (November 11, 2025) 
George Penhaligon has only ever wanted adventure. And when he finds himself shipwrecked and alone on a mysterious island, he makes an incredible discovery. Unicorns are real … and they’re bloodthirsty.
Slowly, George gains one unicorn’s trust, and together, they explore the island’s magical secrets. But there is a dark presence lurking in his new home, more deadly than any unicorn.
Can George fulfill his destiny and free the island from a terrible fate?
The Great Puppypalooza (The Great Pet Heist) by Emily Ecton. 288 pp. (November 11, 2025)
Butterbean is in a funk. After watching a documentary of famous dogs in history, she wants to be a real dog. Real dogs have jobs. Real dogs are heroes. But Butterbean is nothing but a house pet. Never mind that she and her friends have been super spies, ghost hunters, and part of an International Crime Syndicate. There’s nothing to spy on and no more ghosts to hunt.
A chance to be a real dog comes when Butterbean rescues a puppy cornered by the nefarious Animal Control Man. But she may have gotten more than she bargained for when that one puppy turns out to be part of a whole pack. Now it’s up to Butterbean and the gang to find these puppies new homes before their owner, Mrs. Food, finds out that they’ve been hiding their new furry friends in the apartment!
Rapunzel and the Sea Witch (or) The Little Mermaid and the Tower (The Princess Swap series) by Kim Bussing. 320 pp. (November 11, 2025) 
All Rapunzel wants is to explore, but she can’t set foot outside her tower without triggering her curse. At least, that’s what her mother tells her, and she has no reason not to listen to her mother, right? But when Rapunzel suddenly winds up in a sea witch’s lair, she wonders if this could be her chance: not only to see the world, but also to break the curse hanging over her.
Princess Hana, meanwhile, has her hands full with this mysterious storm wreaking havoc under the sea. As a mermaid, she’s pretty sure humans are at fault—especially after sailors capture her best friend. But how is Hana supposed to save him when she suddenly finds herself stuck in a very tall tower with no door?
Happily-ever-after couldn’t feel farther away. Can Rapunzel break her curse before it’s triggered? And can Hana escape the tower in time to save her kingdom?
The Treasure of Ocean Parkway by Sarvenaz Tash. 244 pp. (November 11, 2025)
Two podcasting sleuths help their neighbor solve a cold case—one that’s literally etched into the walls of their Brooklyn apartment building—in this cozy, twisty-turny middle grade whodunnit.
Twelve-year-old globetrotter Thea Lim-Lambert is spending the summer at home in Brooklyn, when she discovers a secret room in the back of her closet. There, among her grandfather Errol’s old diaries and peculiar carvings, is a clue Errol left to a massive hidden treasure. But to find it, she’ll need the help of two experienced sleuths—lucky for her, two of the best live in her building!
Roya and Amin’s mystery podcast has earned them a stellar reputation, but they never could have guessed that their latest case would send them on a wild scavenger hunt in their own building. Clue by clue, the trio search the building from roof to cellar. But just when a solution seems near, they discover an essential piece missing—locked away where none of them can reach it. And unless Thea finds the courage to stand up to her family the treasure of Ocean Parkway may be lost forever. . .
Harper and the Horse Show Sabotage (Windy Creek Stables) by Kaitlyn Sage Patterson. 176 pp. (November 11, 2025) 
Every year, the team at Windy Creek Stables packs up the trailer and makes the trip to Kentucky Horse Park for the best and biggest horse show of the year. Usually, the competition is Harper’s favorite thing in the world, and she can’t wait to show off for her new best friend, Presley, who is competing for the first time.
But this year, she’s more than a little nervous. It’s her first time competing against her old barn, Foxcroft Equestrian Center, and she isn’t looking forward to seeing the mean girls who still ride there. Her anxiety only increases when she gets a midnight call that Isolde, her beautiful Andalusian mare, is sick.
Luckily, Isolde recovers, but when another Windy Creek Stables horse starts to show signs of illness, Harper and Presley know something is up. One sick horse is just a sick horse, but two sick horses are a mystery. The girls must don their detective hats and figure out who’s sabotaging the stables before anything else happens … and ace their competition as well!
How to Save a Library by Colleen Nelson. 224 pp. (November 18, 2025)
It’s tiring for Casey to always be the new kid at school. Now, for the first time in his life, he finally feels settled—that is until his dad’s job at the library is threatened.
Every year Casey’s life seems to be boxed up and shipped to a new city. His dad thinks moving is an adventure, but at this point Casey is so over it. In Armstrong’s Point, Casey’s life finally feels stable. His talent on the soccer field has made him a natural fit with the popular kids and he loves the apartment he shares with his dad.
But when Casey discovers the local library, where his dad works, is in need of extensive restorative repairs, his future once again feels uncertain. In order to save the one place in the world that feels like home, Casey joins the Kids Community Action Network (C.A.N) where his team will compete for community funding. Unfortunately, this means working with Addison—a former friend, turned not-so-friend—who isn’t going to make it easy on him.
The Last Ember: The Aerimander Chronicles Book by Lily Berlin Dodd. 352 pp. (November 18, 2025) 
The government says that aerimanders are extinct. Centuries ago, the Kingdom of Glaucus decreed the destruction of these dangerous, dragon-like creatures whose deadly flame could destroy entire cities.
But when Eva Alexander, a twelve-year-old living in the city of Porttown, walks into a fashionable department store and accidentally walks out with the world’s last aerimander egg, everything changes. Suddenly, Eva is the target of unwanted attention―including from the Thieves’ Union, a mysterious and rebellious organization in Porttown. The Union orders its youngest member, the orphaned dairy delivery boy Dusty St. Ichabod, to steal the egg from Eva.
When Eva and Dusty meet one autumn night, an epic game of cat and mouse unfolds across the Kingdom. Initially at odds, the unlikely pair comes together to navigate a maze of sinister crime syndicates, elite boarding schools, and an incredibly slow getaway pony named Gourd. All the while, they fight to keep the egg out of the hands of power-hungry Eoin Parnassus, Director of Kingdom Secrets. As the duo races against time, their fates and that of the world are at stake. Because who knows what will happen when the egg hatches.
In the mood for nonfiction? Check out these new titles:
Greek mythology flowed forth. Whew! My son has taught me more than a college course could!
JILLIAN HUGHES is a professional writer with her heart in the kids and family industry. She’s a writer for National Geographic Kids’ Greeking Out podcast series and has contributed to other platforms including Pinna, Tinkercast, and iHeart. She also works as a copywriter, crafting marketing collateral for numerous industries. While she enjoys working with all her clients, she is especially partial to collaborating with Kenny—who just happens to be her dad.
KENNY CURTIS has more than 30 years in children’s programming as a performer, writer, and producer. He is one of the creators of National Geographic Kids’ Greeking Out podcast series, which he hosts and cowrites alongside his daughter, Jillian Hughes. Together, Kenny and Jillian have helped develop a number of well-known kids’ content offerings for partners and platforms like Pinna, Tinkercast, Kidz Bop, and 8 Pound Gorilla Records. But Kenny may be best known as the human behind the long-running radio program The Animal Farm on SiriusXM’s original family music channel, Kids Place Live.
