THE BOOK OF LOST CHANCES: (Wildthorn Books, 2027)
Two decades ago three sisters, wandering the grounds of the family’s mysterious seaside hotel in Northern California, stumble upon and steal a magical book that leads to a world where time works differently than in our own. Two stepped into a new story, while one stayed behind. But all three of them have been forever changed by the impulsive, traumatic choices they made that day; from the lives they’ve led, to the secrets they’ve kept, the loves they’ve lost—and the danger they find themselves in now from a secret society bent on claiming the book for themselves.
Preorder The Book of Lost Chances Here.
THE LIBRARY OF CURIOSITIES: 11-year-old Rowan Fitzgerald discovers the library her estranged grandfather runs is filled with magical objects—but only one holds the key to her family’s mysterious past.
After being expelled from boarding school—again—Rowan isn’t sure what to expect upon arriving at Fitzgerald Manor. But it sure isn’t this.
The estate is opulent. Lush. Grand. Mind-boggling. And at the heart of it all is Cillian Fitzgerald, her enigmatic grandfather, and his pride and joy: the Library of Curiosities.
Now, everyone knows that libraries are the best. But the Library of Curiosities is the best of the best, because its collection contains a vast trove of magical objects from which lucky patrons can borrow to fix their everyday problems. Still stuck on that language arts story assignment? Try writing it on the enchanted typewriter and see if that doesn’t get the words flowing. Hoping to land the lead in the school musical? Check out a wishing sock. (Use high heat to activate.)
It doesn’t take long for Rowan to realize that in this wondrous place, her own problems—her painful want of family, her deep desire for friends—might actually be solved for the first time in her life.
THE WONDROUS WORLD OF VIOLATE BARNABY: Violet Barnaby searches for the joy in life after losing her mother in this sweet and funny follow-up to The Charming Life of Izzy Malone.
Violet Barnaby is a having a blue Christmas. She’s still grieving the loss of her mother, and to make things worse, her dad has just married Melanie Harmer, a.k.a. the meanest teacher at Dandelion Hollow Middle School. But on the day Violet and her dad are packing up and moving into the new house they’ll share with Melanie and Melanie’s two children, Violet finds a letter her mother wrote to her before she died, asking Violet to enjoy Christmas, along with a Christmas Wish List—things her mom wants her to do during the holiday season. On the list are exactly the kinds of things Violet doesn’t want to do this year, like Be Someone’s Secret Santa; Give Someone the Gift of Your Time: Volunteer; and Bake Christmas Cookies.
Violet shows the letter to her friend Izzy’s Aunt Mildred, who calls a meeting of the Charm Girls, a club Izzy and Violet belong to along with their friends, Daisy and Sophia. Aunt Mildred decides she will give them each a charm to put on their bracelet if they do all of the tasks on the Christmas Wish List, which Violet is not too happy about. She’d rather forget about the list completely, but feels compelled to honor her mother’s wishes.
And when Izzy’s crush confides a big secret to Violet, Violet feels like she is stuck between her best friend and the boy who she just might have a crush on, too…
THE CARNIVAL OF WISHES & DREAMS: In the tradition of Wishtree and You May Already Be a Winner, this hopeful middle grade novel tells the story of three former friends who must come together at their annual town carnival to heal and reconnect after a tragedy.
The small town of Clarkville has seen better days. Ever since the Cohen factory burned down a few years ago, jobs are scarce and unemployment is high. But each year for one night the Carnival of Wishes and Dreams comes to town and everyone gets to indulge in a little wonder and delight. And for three girls who each receive notes asking them to meet the anonymous sender at midnight at the Ferris Wheel, it’s an evening that promises to be truly magical.
Audrey McKinley can’t believe someone would ask her to ride the Ferris Wheel. Everyone in town knows she’s afraid of heights; the last time she rode the Ferris Wheel it ended with her having a panic attack. But ever since her dad lost his job after the Cohen factory burned down he’s been working too little. The carnival gives him a chance for some seasonal work, and she plans to spend the evening checking up on him and making sure he does his job. Maybe she’ll face her fears tonight, after all.
Grace Chang isn’t supposed to go to the carnival. It’s too close to the burned remains of the old Cohen factory—the place where her firefighter father lost his life. And they always rode the Ferris Wheel together, so that’s also something Grace isn’t supposed to do. But since her mom just announced they’ll be moving away from Clarkville the day after the carnival, Grace is sick of only doing things she’s supposed to do. She’ll be at the carnival. And she is definitely riding that Ferris Wheel.
Harlow Cohen is surprised anyone would want to ride the Ferris Wheel with her. Harlow used to be popular. But ever since her grandparents’ old factory burned down and so many people lost their jobs, many of the kids at school blame her—and her rich family—for their own parents’ worsening economic situations. Harlow can never resist a dare, but when a note arrives asking her to meet an anonymous person at the Ferris Wheel at midnight, she’s far from certain it will be a friend waiting for her.
Can these three girls put their differences aside long enough for their wishes to come true? And is it possible to save a friendship that once seemed lost for good?
THE CHARMING LIFE OF IZZY MALONE: Izzy Malone, a spunky girl who wants to be part of an elite rowing club, must first attend a very unique charm school in this first novel of a brand-new duology from the author of Seeing Cinderella and Plastic Polly.
Izzy Malone isn’t your typical sixth grader. She wears camouflage combat boots and tie dye skirts; the Big Dipper and Orion are her two best friends; and she’d rather climb trees or shoot hoops than talk about boys and makeup. And after only a month of middle school she’s already set the record for the most trips to the Principal’s office.
The only time Izzy feels at peace is when she’s on the open water, and more than anything else, she wants to become a member of the Dandelion Paddlers, her school’s competitive rowing club. But thanks to those multiple trips to the Principal’s office, Izzy’s parents force her to enroll in Mrs. Whippie’s Charm School, a home-study course in manners and etiquette, or they won’t let her race in the Dandelion Falls annual pumpkin regatta—where Izzy hopes to prove to the Dandelion Paddlers she is more than qualified to be on their team.
When Mrs. Whippie’s first letter arrives it’s way different from what Izzy was expecting. Tucked inside the letter is a shiny gold bracelet and an envelope charm. Izzy must earn her first charm by writing someone a nice note, and once she does more tasks will be assigned.
Izzy manages to complete some of the tasks—and to her surprise, she actually finds herself enjoying the course. But when one of her attempts at doing something good is misinterpreted, she fears her chances at passing the course—and becoming a Paddler—are slipping away. With some unexpected friends there to support her, can Izzy manage to earn her charms and stay true to herself?
THE OPAL CROWN (the sequel to The Princess in the Opal Mask): In the year since she was betrothed to the crown prince of Kyrenica, no one has suspected that the Masked Princess has been a decoy. That Elara, the secret twin sister, has been pretending to be Princess Wilha all along. The royal family has kept Elara’s identity hidden from the world, and for the girls, swapping lives has not been easy. Galandra is quickly declining, and the sisters continue to be a pawn in the Guardian’s ever-changing endgames.
But the stakes rise when Elara and Wilha’s younger brother, Andrei, takes the Galandrian throne after their father’s death, and he reveals the girls’ deception to Kyrenica’s royal family. Viewed as traitors, Elara and Wilha realize they are now fighting for their lives—and for their country. However, with only one crown and one throne to overthrow, Elara and Wilha must decide who will become queen. Or rather, the next savior for their people.
THE PRINCESS IN THE OPAL MASK: One Legend Determines the Fate of Two Lives In the faraway village of Tulan, sixteen-year-old Elara has spent her entire life as a servant, trying to track down her real name. The name she was given before being orphaned. Meanwhile, in the kingdom of Galandria, Princess Wilhamina does not know why her father, the king, makes her wear a mask. Or why she is forbidden to ever show her face.
When a new peace treaty between Galandria and Kyrenica is threatened, Elara and Wilha are brought face to face. Told in alternating perspectives, this intricate fairytale pulls both girls toward secrets that have been locked away behind castle doors, while the fate of two opposing kingdoms rests squarely on their untrained shoulders.
SEEING CINDERELLA: Calliope Meadow Anderson is terrified to start seventh grade. Not that the summer has been so great— her overachieving best friend, Ellen, is slipping away, her parents’ marriage is falling apart, and to top it all off, she has to get glasses the day before school starts. Life isn’t going too smoothly.
But things get unexpectedly weird when Callie meets her wacky optometrist and receives a pair of glasses so ugly they make braces and headgear look cute. But pretty soon, Callie makes a freaky discovery. Her glasses have magic powers: they can read people’s thoughts (and she’s pretty sure they repel boys, too).
Callie uses her new glasses to navigate middle school life and learns things she never knew about the people around her. That overachieving Ellen isn’t so super confident, after all. That neither of her parents are who she thought they were. That it’s a good idea to make sure your crush Knows Your Name before you spy on his thoughts. But when the glasses show Callie that Ana Garcia—a new student from Mexico and Callie’s Spanish tutor—has become a real-life Cinderella in her uncle’s house, she has to make a choice. Will she stay in the shadows and hide behind her magic glasses, or step out of the background and stand up for her friend?
PLASTIC POLLY: Can Plastic Polly prove she’s not fake? Polly Pierce likes being the second most popular girl at Winston Academy, right after her best friend, Kelsey. Being popular means special privileges, including a coveted spot on the planning committee for Groove-it-Up!, the annual talent show competition between Winston Academy and their rival school, American River Middle School.
Though things look rosy, life at the top isn’t as perfect as it appears to be. Polly misses her ex best friend Alyssa, her workaholic mom thinks Polly lacks motivation, and kids at school call her “Plastic Polly” behind her back—since all she ever does is agree with whatever Kelsey says.
But when Kelsey has a freak accident, Polly is suddenly thrown into the top spot as PlanMaster on the Groove-it-Up Committee. She isn’t prepared for her new status–and neither is anyone else. Backstabbing frenemies, diva-interference from Kelsey, and a crush who knows more about Polly than he lets on all threaten to derail Polly’s plans. In the midst of the chaos, Polly finds an unlikely ally as she finally has a chance to prove to everyone-and herself–that she’s more than just “Plastic Polly.” Read a positive review of Plastic Polly in Kirkus.
HOW TO BUY JENNY’S BOOKS: You can find Jenny’s books in bookstores as well as online at the following places:
Purchase Jennifer’s Middle Grade Books Here.
Purchase Jennifer’s Young Adult Books Here.