April’s Best Books for Young Readers

I Funny: School of Laughs, by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
Self-described “sit-down comic” Jamie Grimm is back with more laughs in the latest installment of James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein’s bestselling middle-grade series. Jamie thinks he has an awesome idea for putting his comedy chops to good use and help raise some money for his school—he’s going to teach a comedy class for other kids. However, he soon realizes that teaching stand-up and actually doing it are two totally different things.

Fair Ball, by Derek Jeter
New York Yankee and bestselling author hits another one out of the park with the fourth middle grade novel in a series based on his own life. Ten-year-old Derek has so much to look forward to—summer’s coming, school’s almost out, his team is up for a spot in the Westwood Little League Playoffs, and he might even get better grades than his academic rival, Gary. But when Derek’s best friend, Dave, starts acting weird and canceling plans, Derek’s outlook—and his work on the field—take a turn for the worse. What could be going on with Dave? An engaging read that covers some important topics like race, bullying, and immigration.

Shattered Sky (Warriors: A Vision of Shadows Series #3), by Erin Hunter
The bestselling Warriors series by Erin Hunter continues with the third book in the Warriors: A Vision of Shadows books. This thrilling adventure finds a cruel new leader ruling the pine forest now that ShadowClan has fallen. Alderheart believes they must find the lost SkyClan to put an end to this dark reign of terror before Darktail puts an end to the warrior Clans. This Barnes & Noble exclusive edition includes a double-sided jacket and a bonus poster.

The 65-Story Treehouse (Treehouse Books Series #5), by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
The treehouse continues to expand in this funny addition to the popular illustrated middle grade series. The fifth book in the series finds Andy and Terry’s treehouse expanded to a whopping 65 stories—there’s a pet-grooming salon, a room where it’s always everyone’s birthday, a room full of exploding eyeballs, and even a room with a time machine, which will come in handy since the treehouse just failed its safety inspection. Kids will love the slapstick humor, absurd storytelling, and zany cartoons in this fun read.

Jack and the Geniuses: At the Bottom of the World, by Bill Nye and Gregory Mone
Bill Nye the Science Guy and author Gregory Mone are bringing middle grade readers a brand-new series about a 12-year-old boy named Jack and his two foster siblings, Ava and Matt, who are geniuses. When a prestigious scientist goes missing, it’s up to this trio to find her and figure out who’s behind her disappearance. This exciting read is filled with humor, suspense, and real scientific facts presented to readers in a super-accessible way. Plus, there’s a cool science project how-to included that kids can try for themselves.

My Life as a Ninja, by Janet Tashjian and Jake Tashjian
Derek and his friends want to be ninjas in the fun sixth installment in Janet Tashjian’s bestselling My Life series. As Derek and his fellow ninjas-in-training try to dye their clothes black and learn about ninja culture, someone starts painting graffiti around his school. Can Carly, Matt, Umberto, and Derek put their newfound ninja knowledge to work to save the day? Reluctant readers will love this cartoon-filled, fast-paced middle grade read.

Out of Bounds, by Andrea Montalbano
Former soccer player, coach, and motivational speaker Andrea Montalbano is putting her experience on the field into a new middle grade series about a group of friends and their love of the game. Makena James is thrilled to be part of the Brookville Breakers, but when a new girl—a rule-breaker named Skylar—joins the team, Makena starts acting out to try to impress her. Can Makena turn things around before the big tournament? An awesome book for sports-minded kids.

The Real Z (American Girl: Z Yang, Book 1), by Jen Calonita
Korean-American aspiring filmmaker Suzie Yang, who goes by Z, is an ace with stop-motion video—as seen in the American Girl Z.Crew series on YouTube. But now she has to figure out how to make a documentary for a film festival, and she’s not so sure she’s up to the task. Z soon discovers, though, that in order to make a great movie, she’s going to have to be true to who she really is. American Girls fan will love this new addition to the character lineup.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales: The Brightest Star in the North: The Adventures of Carina Smyth, by Meredith Rusu
Disney’s new film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales hits theaters May 26, but moviegoers can get excited for the release with this middle grade novel based on the movie. Readers will discover the untold backstory of passionate astronomer Carina Smyth and her discovery of clues leading to the trident of Poseidon. Fans of the Pirates of the Caribbean series will strike gold with this compelling new book.

The Secret Society (Poptropica Series #3), by Mitch Krpata and Kory Merritt
For Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans, Poptropica is an exciting graphic novel series based on author Jeff Kinney’s online role-playing game. The third installment finds the three friends—Mya, Oliver, and Jorge—in the custody of the Protectors, who wish to preserve and protect this mysterious island world. Now that the evil Octavian has possession of the confounding map, the trio of pals must join forces with the Protectors to put a stop to his plan once and for all. Kids will love all the twists and turns in this fun story.

The Star Thief, by Lindsey Becker
Middle grade fantasy readers, this one is for you! Honorine’s life as a maid at Vidalia mansion is pretty boring until one day when she finds strangers plundering Lord Vidalia’s study on the quest for a book. Honorine’s world is turned upside down as she is soon swept up in a battle between two powerful men—one of whom is the leader of the Mordant, physical manifestations of the constellations. Once Honorine learns she’s actually half-Mordant herself, she discovers that she may be the very key to shifting the battle. This is an awesome fast-paced read that will appeal to Rick Riordan fans.