The name’s Jackson. Percy Jackson. Among middle school students, the dyslexic, wisecracking, half-human son of Poseidon who battles Greek gods and monsters in Rick Riordan’s Olympians series needs no introduction. Beloved by tweens, the books have launched two movies, a Broadway musical and a Disney+ television series. But what’s a sixth grader to read next after devouring all that mythological media? These titles, many of them series starters, will send kids off on thrilling new adventures that rival those of Percy and friends.
Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations, Book 1)
by B.B. Alston
Amari is eager to attend a summer camp run by her missing brother Quinton’s classified employer, the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. This secret agency prevents magical creatures from infiltrating the real world, and Amari knows she won’t uncover Quinton’s fate unless she joins them. But during training she discovers her own unexpected powers, making her the target of bigoted bullies — and of the same malevolent being who pursued her brother. Percy fans will see themselves in Amari’s smart, independent character as she successfully combats monsters and discrimination in both the supernatural world and her own. (Ages 8 to 12)
Ghostlight
by Kenneth Oppel
When Gabe accepts a summer job leading a ghost tour at the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse at Island Amusements in Toronto, he doesn’t expect to meet an actual ghost! Then Rebecca Strand, the murdered daughter of a lighthouse keeper from 1839, materializes and asks for his help battling a cannibal ghost bent on world domination. How could he refuse? This hair-raising paranormal adventure skews more funny than frightening, and the true bits of Canadian history will delight curious minds. (Ages 10 and up)
The Girl Who Drank the Moon
by Kelly Barnhill
Once upon a time there was a kind witch, a wise bog monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon (that believed it was Simply Enormous) who raised an “enmagicked” girl fed on moonlight. Luna grows up ignorant of her magical energy until gathering forces — both good and evil — release her power. This Newbery Medal winner’s combination of traditional fairy-tale trappings and a modern sensibility will hold great appeal for Olympians fans, even if Luna’s lushly detailed journey is more philosophical than physical. (Ages 8 to 12)
Graciela in the Abyss
by Meg Medina; illustrated by Anna and Elena Balbusso
Sentimental fanciers of the Grecian Underworld will enjoy this wistful underwater fantasy about a pensive sea spirit threatened by a wicked harpoon. The cursed weapon gives its user the ability to slay the souls of those who died by drowning, and steal their precious pearly teeth. Graciela, a young female soul, and Jorge, a mortal boy, join together to destroy the harpoon and restore peace to the waters of Pesca Grotta. Of course multiple marine dangers befall them, leading to a breathless, bittersweet conclusion. (Ages 10 and up)
Impossible Creatures (Impossible Creatures, Book 1)
by Katherine Rundell; illustrated by Ashley Mackenzie
Griffins and krakens and manticores, oh my! Dozens of legendary beasts bristling with fangs, horns and wings populate the lavishly illustrated chapters of this fantastical adventure that has been compared to “The Golden Compass” and “The Chronicles of Narnia.” Christopher and Mal, two precocious preteen animal lovers, are tasked with saving the magical beings threatened with extinction in the otherworldly Archipelago, “where all the creatures of myth still live and thrive.” Tenderhearted readers, beware: Some sweet furries face peril between these pages. (Ages 10 and up)
Max in the House of Spies & Max in the Land of Lies
by Adam Gidwitz
As Nazi tensions rise in 1939 Berlin, Max Bretzfeld’s parents send him to London to live with an English Jewish family to ensure his safety. Fortunately, he’s not alone. Two kibitzing Jewish and German spirits named Stein and Berg appear on Max’s shoulders, becoming helpful advisers after he convinces his new “uncle,” a British agent, to tutor him in spycraft so he can return to Germany and rescue his parents. Book 1 details Max’s engrossing espionage instruction, while Book 2 spotlights the exciting covert mission itself. (Ages 8 to 12)
The Nameless City (The Nameless City, Book 1)
by Faith Erin Hicks; colored by Jordie Bellaire
The name of the City changes depending on who is in power. Kai, a son of a high-ranking general in the latest conquering army, makes an unorthodox bargain with Rat, an orphan from the City streets: He trades her food for rooftop parkour lessons, and they form an unexpected bond. But when Rat overhears a plot to assassinate Kai’s leader, she must decide if their new friendship is worth more than her freedom from his people. Full of heart-pounding leaps and flashing swords, this dynamic graphic novel also serves up subtle references to colonization, cultural conflict and identity. (Ages 9 to 13)
The Manifestor Prophecy (Nic Blake and the Remarkables, Book 1)
by Angie Thomas
As the child of a Remarkable Manifestor, Nic Blake has always known she has “the Gift,” and can’t wait to begin her instruction on her 12th birthday. But when the fated day arrives, she simultaneously receives a monstrous vision and a shocking truth that will catapult her into a whirlwind journey from Jackson, Miss., to New Orleans — and, as the series progresses, to the Remarkable city of Uhuru and beyond. Olympians aficionados who enjoy Percy’s modern adventures steeped in Greek myth will appreciate this winning mix of African American history and fantasy. (Ages 8 to 12)
The School for Good and Evil (The School for Good and Evil, Book 1)
by Soman Chainani
As Sophie and Agatha enter the School for Good and Evil (where fairy-tale characters are educated), they assume that the pink-loving Sophie will drill as a princess while the black-frocked Agatha will study to be a scoundrel. When their expected roles are reversed, the girls’ hopes are crushed and their friendship is upended. Kids who only know the Netflix movie adaptation will relish discovering the book series that inspired it all. (Ages 8 to 12)
The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co., Book 1)
by Jonathan Stroud
Welcome to a supernatural London where ghosts have broken out of their graves and the only people who can extinguish them are spiritually gifted young people. Lockwood & Co., an adolescent-run “Psychic Investigations Agency,” traps the usual shades, specters and sometimes a phantasm or two. But now they’ve been contracted to exorcise Combe Carey Hall, an ancient abode that boasts a staircase so stuffed with evil that it screams. To vanquish the haunted house, the team must spend the night. The results are gross, terrifying and utterly fun. (Ages 10 and up)
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