October’s Best Books for Young Readers

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 is not 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.

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? Arch-enemies? Tag-along 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, or nostalgia, or a heady mix of both.

Middle School: Dog’s Best Friend, by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts
Speaking of James Patterson the eighth book in the Middle School series is releasing just in time for the movie later this month! 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 Khatchadorian-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 that his younger sister has skipped a grade so now she’s in all of his classes? What was that again about life starting to feel a bit more normal?

The Land of Stories: A Treasury of Classic Fairytales, by Chris Colfer and Brandon Dorman
You may initially recognize Chris Colfer as Glee‘s Kurt Hummel, but in recent years, he’s also made a name for himself as the author of The Land of Stories series. The middle grade series follows 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 that 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.

Freddie’s Shadow Cards, by Jessica Brody
You may not recognize Freddie, but if you’ve seen Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, you know her father, the Shadow Man, Dr. Facilier. Like many other hero and villain descendants, Freddie attends Auradon Prep. She may be a villain’s kid, but she’s got goals like any other kid. In this case, to join an acapella group on campus. When things don’t go quite as planned, she uses a little of her magic to try and set things right. But as every fairytale reader knows, a little magic often leads to a lot of trouble.

Spy Ski School, by Stuart Gibbs
In the fourth novel in the Spy School series, 13-year-old Ben Ripley is now 11 months into his spy training, and he’s being sent on his first official mission. Along with several of his classmates from the CIA’s Academy of Espionage, Ben is headed to Vail, Colorado to gather information on a Chinese billionaire, Leo Shang. The plan is simple: befriend Leo’s daughter, Jessica. But then a friend from home shows up and threatens to blow Ben’s cover, and Ben once again finds himself wondering if he’s really cut out for this spy business.

Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal, by DanTDM
Celebrity YouTuber DanTDM brings to life a new graphic novel series for Minecraft fans. When a crystal falls to earth and shatters, sending its five pieces in five far-and-away different directions, one of the shards is found by DanTDM and Trayaurus. The two quickly realize that the piece they hold possesses great power. But they’re not the only ones who now hold that power. And not everybody intends to use the shards for good. It’s up to DanTDM and Trayaurus to collect every piece of the crystal before it’s too late.

Iron Man: The Gauntlet, by Eoin Colfer
A pairing of Eoin Colfer (best known for his subversive and amazing Artemis Fowl series, about an evil boy-genius) and Marvel? Yes, please! Most readers will already be familiar with Tony Stark (aka Iron Man), but will enjoy the masterful storytelling element added by Colfer. While on his way to a party, Tony takes a brief side trip on what appears to be a simple scouting mission, only to very quickly find himself captured and unarmed. Without the rest of the Avengers team to back him up, Iron Man must determine who has betrayed him, as well as put a stop a plot to destroy a world eco-summit. All in a day’s work for this superhero.

The Story of Moana: A Tale of Courage and Adventure, by Disney Book Group
Princess Moana Waialiki comes from a long line of seafaring voyagers. So it’s no surprise that she sets off to the open seas with the demigod Maui. Their goal is to reach a fabled island, but like all good epic sea adventures, our heroine must first survive storms, sea monsters, and her own internal challenges. Based on the upcoming Disney film, this book is a great way to get kids excited about the story before they see the movie.

Home Sweet Motel, by Chris Grabenstein 
The dynamic author duo who brought us the House of Robots, I Funny, and Treasure Hunters series return with the first installment in a brand new series, Welcome to Wonderland. In the first book, we meet 11-year-old P.T. Wilkie, and his best friend, Gloria. Both P.T. and Gloria are residents of the Wonderland Motel, which is pretty much the greatest place to live ever. But the motel is missing one thing: customers. And if the two friends don’t come up with a plan to bring in customers fast, it’ll be the end of the Wonderland. Luckily, crazy and outrageous plans are P.T. and Gloria’s specialty. Whether or not those plans will work, remains to be seen.
What will your young reader be reading this October?