New releases of fantasy and science fiction for kids and teens--the first half of January, 2012 edition

Here are the new releases of fantasy and sci fi for kids and teens from the first half of January, 2012. My information comes from the handy release date calendar at Teens Read Too, and the blurbs (sorry, only had time for middle grade), from Amazon/Goodreads (a few I didn't find blurbs for).

I myself am tempted to rush out to buy the new Dragonbreath book...

Elementary/Middle Grade

ALIEN by Tony Bradman "Jake's squad have now joined forces with the Krell in the war against The Old Ones and The Krell Elders. Will they ever manage to beat the grown ups and end the war? This is a final instalment in a thrilling sci-fi trilogy. Barrington Stoke specialise in books for reluctant, struggling and dyslexic readers."

BEAST CHILD: VOYAGES OF THE FLYING DRAGON by Ben Chandler "Lenis and Missy Clemens have found their freedom aboard the airship Hiryu, but are they ready for the responsibilities that come with determining their own fates? Hard on the trail of the mercenary Karasu, the man who holds the keys to unlocking Suiteki's power, the twins face the realities of their own growing abilities. Their search for Karasu takes them to Heiligland, where Missy has to decide which is more important—the safety of an entire nation or her own sense of right and wrong. As she relies more and more on the powers of the Quillblade, her brother grows distant, shunning the bizarre connection that binds the Clemens twins together. When they meet Kanu, a young boy from the distant past who just might hold the key to who they are, the twins must decide whether to embrace their destiny or be torn forever apart."

BELLE THE BIRTHDAY FAIRY: RAINBOW MAGIC by Daisy Meadows "Birthdays are special days -- thanks to Belle the Birthday Fairy! She makes sure that birthdays are filled with happiness and magic. But icy Jack Frost can't even enjoy his own birthday! He's determined that no one else will enjoy it either, so he steals Belle's three magic charms. Now it's a very unhappy birthday to . . . everyone! Can Rachel and Kirsty help save birthday bashes everywhere? Or is Belle's magic lost forever? Find the magic items in all three stories inside this Rainbow Magic Special Edition and help save birthdays!"

THE CABINET OF EARTHS by Anne Nesbet "On their first day in Paris, Maya and her little brother, James, find themselves caught up in some very old magic. Houses with bronze salamanders for door handles, statues that look too much like Maya’s own worried face, a man wearing sunglasses to hide his radiant purple eyes . . . nothing is what it seems. And what does all that magic want from Maya?

With the help of a friendly boy named Valko, Maya discovers surprises hidden in her family tree—grandmothers who walked in magic, a cousin so unremarkable she’s actually hard to see, and a terrible family habit of betraying one’s brother. And now the shimmering glass Cabinet of Earths, at the heart of all these secrets, has chosen Maya to be its new Keeper. As she untangles the ties between the Salamander House, the purple-eyed man, and the Cabinet of Earths, Maya realizes that her own brother may be in terrible danger. To save him, Maya must take on the magical underworld of Paris . . . before it is too late."

CENTAURS: GRAPHIC MYTHICAL CREATURES by Gary Jeffrey

COLE - NINJA OF EARTH: NINJAGO by Greg Farshtey "The next chapter book in the Ninjago series! Cole is the leader of the team. As the Earth Ninja, he is (perhaps unsurprisingly) the most grounded of the four. And the strongest. There is no physical challenge Cole cannot overcome. Now is his chance to use his skills to save the world!"

DESIRABLE by Frank Cottrell Boyce "George is a social reject - but the mysterious bottle of aftershave means women can't resist him! How will George cope with his new-found popularity? A laugh-out-loud comedy. Barrington Stoke specialise in books for reluctant, struggling and dyslexic readers."

DON'T SCREAM!: GOOSEBUMPS, HALL OF HORRORS by R.L. Stine "Welcome to the Hall of Horrors, HorrorLand's Hall of Fame for the truly terrifying. Jack Harmon finds a cell phone on the school bus. He raises the phone to his ear and hears a girl's voice: "Hi, Jack. Don't scream. I've been waiting for you. I'm your new friend." Jack thinks it's a joke. He tries to end the call, then turn the phone off, but the girl's voice won't go away: "Don't make me angry, Jack. I'm warning you." Jack is puzzled and a little frightened. He must obey her every wish. She appears in all sorts of electronic devices-he can't escape her. "Don't scream, Jack. I'm just a voice. But you're going to be my body." She begins to force him to do dangerous things like stealing a laptop from school. But Jack finally outwits the voice when she jumps into his wristwatch. The school bully has been after that watch all year, so Jack finally lets him have it."

FIREBIRDS: GRAPHIC MYTHICAL CREATURES by Gary Jeffrey

THE GHOST BOX by Catherine Fisher "Sarah finds herself responsible for freeing the soul of a frustrated ghost, who will punish her severely if she fails. Everything depends on her unlocking the strange silver box that appeared in her room one night. But will freeing the ghost turn out to be a huge mistake? And why is Matt, her weird Goth stepbrother, so interested in the box? Supernatural tale that will make readers want to leave the light on - A cracking ghost story."

GENIE SCHOOL: TWEENIE GENIE by Meredith Badger "Having passed Stage One of her training with flying colors, Poppy is eager to return to Genie School and see all her friends, especially her trainer, Lexi. But Stage Two of genie training holds some serious surprises for Poppy. Only one of her friends is in her class, and her new mentor is jealous of her success. When a forbidden carpet race threatens to get her expelled from the genie world forever, Poppy has to wonder: Is she destined to be ordinary after all?"

GOBLINS: GRAPHIC MYTHICAL CREATURES by Gary Jeffrey

IMMORTAL WAR: VAMPIRATES by Justin Somper "A bloody war is raging across the oceans, with the Pirate Federation and Nocturnals in alliance against the renegade Vampirates, led by Sidorio and Lola. Nothing will stop either one from making their presence dangerously known in battle.
Connor and Grace Tempest each have important roles to play in the war - he as a pirate warrior at the heart of the fight; she as a powerful healer working with the war-wounded. As the twins face their greatest challenges to date, old allies and foes return to play their part in the ultimate battle of Pirate versus Vampirate."

THE INVISIBLE TOWER: OTHERWORLD CHRONICLES by Nils Johnson-Shelton "Part of the spell has already been broken. The first stones have begun to crumble. In Artie Kingfisher’s world, wizards named Merlin, fire-breathing dragons, and swords called Excalibur exist only in legends and lore—until the day his video game Otherworld springs to life. You are special, Arthur, Says the mysterious message in his game. "

JAY - NINJA OF LIGHTNING: NINJAGO by Greg Farshtey "The next book in the Lego Ninjago Chapter Book series! Jay is much like the element he represents: fast and full of energy. Always good in a fight, always up for a laugh, and always, always inventing. Even if those inventions don't always turn out the way he wants!"

KILLER GENES: AN ARCTIC6 ADVENTURE by C T Furlong "The US President is fighting for his life! Mysterious lights, an inexplicable illness and a deadly plague plunge the ARCTIC6 into another exciting adventure. When the friends stumble across a research facility hidden deep in the Suffolk countryside, they discover an insane plot in which the lives of millions are at stake. As they work to unravel the secrets of the facility, a deadly countdown is ticking. Can they prevent a global disaster? Do they have time to save the lives that hang in the balance? Will they even have time to save themselves??"

KILLER STAR: AN ARCTIC6 ADVENTURE by C T Furlong "With oil and gas reserves running out, and nuclear fission contaminating the planet, Nuclear Fusion seems like a good option for our future energy needs. Scientists at a nuclear fusion facility are about to create a star on earthA". The only problem is - the scientists have made a flaw in their calculations, which means the star could supernova. The ARCTIC 6 are contracted by an undercover government agency to infiltrate the facility and sabotage the experiment. Captured during their mission, they are told that their information is false. If they continue with their sabotage plans, they will set the clock back thirty years. And the world doesn't have thirty years of oil reserves. Who do they believe? Who would you believe? Would you be able to make that choice?"

LUNA THE MOON WOLF: BEAST QUEST, AMULET OF AVANTIA by Adam Blade "Tom must battle the most dangerous Ghost Beasts yet! At night, the Dead Wood comes alive with wild animals made ferocious by the spell of Luna the Moon Wolf. To save his father, Tom must collect the pieces of the Amulet of Avantia-which means battling Luna's murderous magic..."

THE MAD MASK: ARCHVILLAIN by Barry Lyga "Things haven't been going well for Kyle since Mighty Mike became the new town hero. He's pretty sure he could fix this disaster if he could expose Mike's secret (he's an alien), but to do that Kyle would have to admit he is the Azure Avenger -- the unintentional town archvillain. One night a new masked hero, aptly named the Mad Mask, arrives, boasting to the Azure Avenger of an off-the-charts IQ and superior superpowers. Yet the Mad Mask has come seeking intellectual assistance in building Ultitron (the robot of all robots). In exchange he offers to allow the Azure Avenger to use the awesome Ultitron to rid the world, or at least Bouring, of Mighty Mike. Forging alliances isn't usually Kyle's style, but it seems he has no choice. While Kyle agrees to help, he also has another plan: finding out who the Mad Mask is and how he got his powers. Because the last thing the Azure Avenger needs is another mindless archvillain hanging around town!"

MERMAIDS: GRAPHIC MYTHICAL CREATURES by Gary Jeffrey

MUTANT by Theresa Breslin "There's something strange going on at the Genetic Clone Unit - but can Shaun find out what? A timely and chilling story about cloning. Barrington Stoke specialise in books for reluctant, struggling and dyslexic readers."

REVENGE OF THE HORNED BUNNIES: DRAGONBREATH by Ursula Vernon "Ride 'em, cowboy! Danny's off to summer camp! Danny Dragonbreath is counting down the days to his awesome western summer camp . . . until he gets the terrible news that his annoying younger cousin Spencer is going too. Good-bye, Danny the Cowboy; Hello, Danny the Babysitter. But when Spencer befriends a mythical jackalope (or horned bunny) and then uncovers a diabolical jackalope-napping ring, things start looking up again. After all, if you need a math problem solved, you call a nerd. But if you need a villainous ring of horned-bunnynappers broken up, you call Danny Dragonbreath. The sixth book in this laugh-until-smoke-comes-out-of- your-nose series is perfect for Wimpy Kid fans everywhere."

ROTTEN RULES: DIARY OF A ZOMBIE KID by Fred Perry & David Hutchison "As a reward for being S-Mart''s most efficient (and scariest) security guard ever, Bill Stokes'' zombified mother wins "Employee of the Month" and a free trip to the Diamond Lake Summer Camp for her zombified son! But when the older kids decide to scare the beetles out of the junior campers by bringing to life the tale of "Rotten Rod" and his "rotten rules", the worm turns, and their fun becomes a series of zombie night frights!"

SCIENCE FICTION: FACT TO FICTION by David Orme What is science fiction? Who invented it? What kinds of science fiction stories are there? Are aliens science fiction, or are they real? Then find out about some amazing science fiction inventions, such as robots and matter transmitters. Is time travel possible, or is that just science fiction? Then read The City: a science fiction story set in the future. It's a world of half-people, half robots, where the Control Zone is in charge of everything. This is one of a series on books on popular non-fiction topics. As with other books in the series, a full colour non-fiction section is followed by a fiction story based upon the topic. The story appears in two formats: one with simple texts for poor or reluctant readers; the facing pages contain an illustrated "speech bubble" version for those who are just starting to read.

SECRET OF THE PRINCE'S TOMB: THE IMAGINATION STATION by Marianne Hering & Marshal Younger "Cousins Patrick and Beth accidentally push the Imagination Station’s red button. They land in Egypt, where they befriend two children who are second cousins: a boy named Gilead and a girl named Sherah. The family is in turmoil because Gilead and Sherah’s great-grandfather has just died. Their grandfathers are arguing over who gets control of the family palace. Patrick and Beth witness the grand Egyptian burial, help Gilead and Sherah learn to get along better, and explore the city of Aramis with its ancient wonders and Egyptian customs. All the while Patrick and Beth are trying to figure out how to get back to Whit’s End. As they are leaving Egypt, they realize that the funeral they attended was for the biblical Joseph."

SHOWOFF by Gordon Korman "The fourth SWINDLE book, centering around a dog show that goes horribly awry! The heroes of SWINDLE, ZOOBREAK, and FRAMED are back - and this time, things have gone to the dogs! When Luthor goes berserk at a mall dog show, he's accused of ruining the career of the three-time best-in-show beagle. Griffin always knew that Luthor's viciousness was simmering just below the surface - so why does he feel bad enough to spring him from the pound? Griffin and his team have a new plan. This one involves New York City, a sinister saboteur, a reclusive dog-trainer who's quit the business, an international dog show, and a whole lot of red dye. But if they pull it off, no one will even notice their sting operation...right?"

SLUDGMENT DAY: THE ZOMBIE CHASERS by John Kloepfer "The maul of America! It’s been two days since a zombie virus turned Zack Clarke’s parents, neighbors, and most of the country into brain-munching fiends. Zack and his crew of Zombie Chasers—Rice, Madison, Ozzie, and Zoe—are ready to end this nightmare once and for all! With the antidote in hand, the gang sets off on a wild cross-country road trip to defeat the evil genius behind the zombie apocalypse. After battling undead Elvis in Memphis, ghoulish tourists at a rest stop, and a crew of zweenyboppers at the Mall of America, the Zombie Chasers are still only halfway there! Will Sludgment Day be the dawn of the dead?"

THYME RUNNING OUT: THE TARTAN OF THYME by Panama Oxridge "As the threat of the Thyme Curse closes in on Justin's family, his life is once again thrown into complete turmoil. Will he finally unmask Agent X and his spy? Has Evelyn Garnet stolen his wristwatch? What's making Eliza the gorilla act so aggressively? Why is Sir Willoughby planning a secret trip in the time machine? And where has Justin's sister, Robyn, mysteriously vanished to? Only Nanny Verity knows the truth - but can she be found before it's too late?"

TOP 10 MYTHICAL CREATURES by Lori Polydoros

UNICORNS: GRAPHIC MYTHICAL CREATURES by Gary Jeffrey

VAMPIRES: GRAPHIC MYTHICAL CREATURES by Gary Jeffrey

WHO CUT THE CHEESE?: DOCTOR PROCTOR'S FART POWDER by Jo Nesbo "This time the adventure includes aliens, disappearing socks, an American Idol style talent show, and a plot to takeover the world . . . nothing that some well-timed farts can't help fix."

WINTERLING by Sarah Prineas “We live here, my girl, because it is close to the Way, and echoes of its magic are felt in our world. The Way is a path leading to another place, where the people are governed by different rules. Magic runs through them and their land.”

With her boundless curiosity and wild spirit, Fer has always felt that she doesn’t belong. Not when the forest is calling to her, when the rush of wind through branches feels more real than school or the quiet farms near her house. Then she saves an injured creature—he looks like a boy, but he’s really something else. He knows who Fer truly is, and invites her through the Way, a passage to a strange, dangerous land.

Fer feels an instant attachment to this realm, where magic is real and oaths forge bonds stronger than iron. But a powerful huntress named the MÓr rules here, and Fer can sense that the land is perilously out of balance. Fer must unlock the secrets about the parents she never knew and claim her true place before the worlds on both sides of the Way descend into endless winter.

WOLF by Tommy Donbavand "Adam thinks today is going to be like any other. When his fingers start to ache, he thinks he's been playing the computer too long. He's wrong. When he grows claws, fur and a tail he realises he's turning into a werewolf! And he soon realises his parents aren't animal lovers! Particularly suitable for dyslexic, reluctant and struggling readers."

THE WRATH OF DARTH MAUL: STAR WARS by Ryder Windham "The most anticipated Star Wars biography yet! One of the most feared villains of all time. One of the most iconic characters of the Star Wars saga. One incredible story. Features new, never-before-told secrets about Darth Maul!"

ZERO TO HERO: GHOST BUDDY by Henry Winkler & Lin Oliver "Billy Broccoli is new to the neighborhood, and wants cool friends and a spot on the baseball team more than anything. But the one thing he never wanted is his own personal ghost. So imagine his surprise when he ends up sharing a room with Hoover Porterhouse, a funny ghost with a whole lot of attitude.

When an obnoxious school bully sets out to demolish Billy, the Hoove comes up with a plan for revenge. It’s all in the Hoove’s Rule Number Forty-Two: Stay cool. And like it or not, Billy and the Hoove have to stick together if Billy ever wants to get in style, get even, and conquer the school."


YOUNG ADULT

THE ALCHEMY OF FOREVER: INCARNATION by Avery Williams
ALIENATION: A C.H.A.O.S. NOVEL by Jon S. Lewis
BLOODROSE: A NIGHTSHADE NOVEL by Andrea Cremer
CHARMFALL: A NOVEL OF THE DARK ELITE by Chloe Neill
CINDER: THE LUNAR CHRONICLES by Marissa Meyer
DARKNESS FALLS: IMMORTAL BELOVED by Cate Tiernan
DRAGONSWOOD by Janet Lee Carey
DREAMING AWAKE: FALLING UNDER by Gwen Hayes
FANGTASTIC by Lucienne Diver
FATED by Sarah Alderson
THE FIRES OF NEW SUN: A BLENDING TIME NOVEL by Michael Kinch
THE GATHERING STORM: THE KATERINA TRILOGY by Robin Bridges
HUSH, HUSH: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL by Becca Fitzpatrick
JESSICA RULES THE DARK SIDE by Beth Fantaskey
MEMORY BOY by Will Weaver
A MILLION SUNS: AN ACROSS THE UNIVERSE NOVEL by Beth Revis
THE NEXT FULL MOON by Carolyn Turgeon
PANDEMONIUM by Chris Wooding
REVEALING EDEN: SAVE THE PEARLS by Victoria Foyt
RUN: A SUBJECT SEVEN NOVEL by James A. Moore
SHADOW'S EDGE by Maureen Lipinski
SWITCHED: THE TRYLLE TRILOGY by Amanda Hocking
UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi