8 Irresistibly Entertaining Books for Young Readers

Return to the Isle of the Lost (Descendants series #2 B&N Exclusive Edition), by Melissa de la Cruz
Author Melissa de la Cruz is returning to Disney’s Isle of the Lost with this stellar second book in the Descendants series. Now living in Auradon and dating King Ben, Mal thought she left her villainous roots behind her. But she and her friends Evie, Carlos, and Jay have all received menacing messages demanding they return to the Isle of the Lost—and they suspect their parents are behind it. Maleficent, Evil Queen, Cruella de Vil, and Jafar won’t rest until their kids are back in their clutches and Auradon is destroyed, so the teens are sneaking back to the island to put a stop to it. Will Mal discover she’s still wicked at her core, or has she truly turned over a new leaf?

Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Lost Stars, by Claudia Gray and Phil Noto
Friends since childhood, Ciena Ree and Thane Kyrell both witnessed the becoming of the rebel alliance, and the fall of the Empire at its hands. But despite their bond, they’ve landed on opposite sides of the divide: one is an officer for the Empire, the other a pilot for the rebellion. This fateful love story introduces young readers to the Star Wars universe and the major events of episodes 4–6, and includes teaser content about episode 7, The Force Awakens.

The Land of Stories: A Treasury of Classic Fairytales, by Chris Colfer and Brandon Dorman
You may know Chris Colfer best for his turn as Glee‘s Kurt Hummel, but in recent years, he has made a name for himself as the author of The Land of Stories series. The middle-grade books follow twins Alex and Conner Bailey as they journey between their world and a fairytale world filled with all the familiar characters from the legends and stories we remember from childhood. This companion book to the series is meant to replicate the book Alex and Bailey fall into in the very first book, The Wishing Spell. With 35 beautifully illustrated classic tales, this is a sure to be a favorite with fans of this charming series.

Gravity Falls: Journal 3, by Alex Hirsch, Rob Renzetti, Andy Gonsalves, and Stephanie Ramirez
Fans of Dipper and Mabel and their adventures in the delightfully eccentric and spooky Gravity Falls will love the third journal based on the hit show. Gravity Falls: Journal 3 features every page fans have seen on the show, plus all new ones, chock-full of monsters, mystery, and mayhem. Best of all? The book jacket doubles as an exclusive poster, so this little beauty is two gifts in one!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: The Illustrated Edition, by J.K. Rowling and Jim Kay 
Whether you’re reading Harry Potter for the first time or the 10th, these illustrated editions are a treat. As Harry prepares to attend his second year at Hogwarts, he’s feeling optimistic. But then he receives a warning that returning to Hogwarts will mean certain disaster. But which disaster? Moaning ghosts? Archenemies? Tagalong younger siblings of a best friend? Or maybe it’s that thing about Hogwarts students turning into stone…Jim Kay’s gorgeous illustrations will leap off the page and fill you with wonder, nostalgia, or a heady mix of both.

Double Down (Diary of A Wimpy Kid Series # 11), by Jeff Kinney
After finding an old video camera in the basement, Greg thinks maybe filmmaking could be his undiscovered talent and decides to make a scary movie with his best friend, Rowley. Of course, Greg doesn’t just have his sights set on finding a new hobby—he wants to become rich and famous in the process. Young readers can’t wait to get their hands on the 11th installment in the hugely beloved (and always hilarious) Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.

The Hammer of Thor, by Rick Riordan
Master mythological yarn-spinner Rick Riordan is back with the second book in his Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series, loosely based on Norse legends. You’d think that the mighty god Thor would be able to keep track of his hammer, but nope, Thor has lost it yet again. Fortunately, 16-year-old Magnus has been through this before. But this time, the hammer isn’t just missing—it has fallen into enemy hands. If Magnus can’t recover it in time, both mortals and gods alike will be destroyed. Fans of Percy Jackson will love this snarky, entertaining (and informative!) adventure series.

Middle School: Dog’s Best Friend, by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts
The eighth book in the Middle School series is finally here! Rafe Khatchadorian is just getting the hang of middle school and life is starting to feel a bit more normal, when he sees his grandmother standing in line at the soup kitchen. In order to raise money for his family, Rafe decides to start a dog-walking business, which, in typical Rafe-ian fashion, soon turns into a neighborhood dog-walking empire. Rafe is already planning on what he’ll do with all that extra cash when competition shows up. Oh, and did I mention his younger sister skipped a grade, and now she’s in all of his classes? What was that again about life starting to feel a bit more normal?