New Releases by Marti Dumas

Book two in the exciting fantasy chapter book series from Rebel Girls has more adventures in store for Nina and her friends! An after-school job. A sinister superintendent. And advice from...Ruth Bader Ginsburg? Growing up is getting complicated! Now that the Three Musketeers (and Kai) are best friends again, this is going to be the best year ever! But Nina’s friends all seem to want her to take charge when all she wants to do is blend in. And on top of all that pressure, she’s keeping two fluffy little secrets from her moms... When the school’s new superintendent ignores what the kids want, bringing in uniforms, shutting down clubs, and getting the best teachers in trouble, it’s time for action! Luckily, Nina and her friends can turn to the mysterious mailbox for answers, and soon they have Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s advice in hand. Will it be enough to save Ada Lovelace Middle School and Ms. Jupiter? And will Nina finally feel ready to be a leader? Don’t miss the first book in the Secret Society of Rebel Girls series: Nina and the Mysterious Mailbox

Le scuole medie possono essere un bel problema. Lo sa bene Nina, genio della robotica e studentessa modello: tra la turbolenta campagna elettorale della sua migliore amica Maya per diventare rappresentante di classe e i continui litigi tra le sue due mamme, la vita non è mai stata così difficile. Come se non bastasse, tutto si complica quando, lungo la strada che attraversa il bosco, Nina e Maya si imbattono in una curiosa cassetta delle lettere e decidono di spedire un messaggio a... Cleopatra! Il giorno seguente, Nina trova un enorme rotolo di papiro indirizzato a lei: è la risposta inviata da nientemeno che l''ultima regina d''Egitto in persona. Ma com''è possibile che quella lettera abbia viaggiato nello spazio e nel tempo? Chi, oltre a loro due, sa della cassetta dagli strani poteri? E come mai la pietra luccicante raccolta nel bosco sembra essere la chiave di questo mistero? Un''avventura all''insegna delle amicizie, vecchie e nuove, della magia e dei problemi di tutti i giorni, grandi e piccoli, che ci ricorda ciò che Cleopatra sapeva bene: per far sentire la propria voce, occorre essere disposti ad ascoltare quella degli altri. «Un''offerta a Cleopatra.» Maya poggiò sulla lettera la pietra che avevo trovato e fece un inchino cerimonioso. Un soffio di vento le scompigliò i capelli e mi solleticò la schiena. «Un''offerta a Cleopatra.» Sorrisi, inchinandomi a mia volta. Lei richiuse la cassetta in modo solenne. Pensavo che fosse finita lì. Mi sbagliavo. Era solo l''inizio.

"Girls running for office, secret leadership lessons from the past, and a dash of mysterious mailbox magic? Yes please!" —Kate Messner, New York Times best-selling author of Breakout and the History Smashers series A school election. A mysterious mailbox. And a letter from . . . Cleopatra? Middle school is so weird. Nina is determined to help her best friend Maya win the race for 6th grade representative. But when she uses her robotics skills to spy on Maya’s opponent, the girls wind up in detention. There, they are asked to write a letter to a woman from history. Nina pours her heart out to Cleopatra, and instead of throwing the letter away so her parents don’t find it, she slips it into a battered old mailbox she and Maya find in the woods. It was all just a game . . . until a giant scroll arrives at Nina’s house, signed by Cleopatra herself! Do the girls really have a pen pal from 2,000 years ago? Will their friend Zoe ever speak to them again? Why is their science teacher acting so oddly? And what on Earth is a time taco? Original story and characters by Anna McCleery

Fortunes & Frenemies is the third book in Marti Dumas’s Creole tradition inspired, fun middle-grade contemporary Wildseed Witch fantasy series, about a social-media-loving tween witch In the past year, Hasani has learned she’s a witch, been accepted by Les Belles Demoiselles, and formed her own coven—and her YouTube followers for her makeup channel are growing every day. Now that she’s in eighth grade, she’s ready to rule the school with all her witch powers and best friends by her side. But frenemy LaToya is still at Riverbend Middle causing trouble, both magically and socially. LaToya’s determined to befriend every single possible witch at school (and turn them against Hasani), and Hasani can’t help but wonder if she’s got another scheme going. Witches aren’t supposed to interfere in each others’ business—but what if LaToya is going to hurt someone? Or herself? Hasani and her friends Dee, Angelique, and Luz have to figure out for themselves when it’s right to let things lie—and when it’s their responsibility to stand up for their community. The Wildseed Witch series: Wildseed Witch (Book 1) Charmed Life (Book 2) Fortunes & Frenemies (Book 3)

Charm Schooled is the third book in Marti Dumas''s Creole tradition inspired, fun middle-grade contemporary Wildseed Witch fantasy series, about a social-media-loving tween--and witch! In the past year, Hasani has learned she''s a witch, been accepted by Les Belles Demoiselles, and formed her own coven--and her YouTube followers for her makeup channel are growing every day. Now that she''s in eighth grade, she''s ready to rule the school with all her witch powers and best friends by her side. But frenemy LaToya is still at Riverbend Middle causing trouble, both magically and socially. LaToya''s determined to befriend every single possible witch at school (and turn them against Hasani), and Hasani can''t help but wonder if she''s got another scheme going. Witches aren''t supposed to interfere in each others'' business--but what if LaToya is going to hurt someone? Or herself? Hasani and her friends Dee, Angelique, and Luz have to figure out for themselves when it''s right to let things lie--and when it''s their responsibility to stand up for their community.

Inspired by creole traditions, Charmed Life is the second book in Marti Dumas’s fun, middle-grade contemporary fantasy Wildseed Witch series with an all-BIPOC cast, about a social-media-loving tween—and witch! After a summer of being the worst witch at a fancy witch school, Hasani can’t wait to get back to the peace and normalcy of Riverbend Middle where she knows all the rules and is destined to be captain of the Mathletes. There are a few little hiccups to work out—like how she’s going to tell her best friend that she’s a witch—but even though the other two members of Hasani’s coven have joined her friend group and her school, there’s no reason to think that eighth grade won’t be smooth sailing . . . that is until her former friend (and fellow witch) LaToya shows up. LaToya starts trying to take her friends and make Hasani seem like the bad guy. To make matters worse, strange things begin happening around the school—including a termite infestation—and Hasani is sure that LaToya is to blame. However, when Miss Lafleur comes to visit to help deal with the termites and investigate the magic, she helps Hasani to channel her powers and realize just how strong her magic has become. But Miss Lafleur also isn’t convinced that LaToya could have caused all this chaos on her own—so Hasani sets out to prove it, and heads to a magical market, 3Thirteen, to find the ingredients she needs to do so. But in all her focus on proving she’s right and learning more about her magic, is Hasani losing sight of the people and things that are most important to her? Includes a teaser chapter of Fortunes & Frenemies (Wildseed Witch Book 3) The Wildseed Witch series Wildseed Witch (Book 1) Charmed Life (Book 2) Fortunes & Frenemies (Book 3)

A fun middle-grade contemporary fantasy with an all-BIPOC cast, about a social-media-loving tween who gets sent to an ultra-private witch camp Hasani’s post-seventh-grade summer to-do list is pretty simple: get a bigger following for her makeup YouTube channel and figure out how to get her parents back together. What she does NOT expect is that an emotional outburst will spark a latent magical ability in her. Or that the magic will be strong enough to attract the attention of witches. Or that before she can say #BlackGirlMagic, she’ll be shipped off on a scholarship to a fancy finishing school for talented young ladies. Les Belles Demoiselles is a literal charm school. Here, generations of young ladies from old-money witch families have learned to harness their magic, and alumnae grow to become some of the most powerful women across industries, including politicians, philanthropists, CEOs, entrepreneurs—and yes, even social media influencers. Needless to say, admission to the school is highly coveted, very exclusive . . . and Hasani sticks out like a weed in a rose bouquet. While the other girls have always known they were destined to be witches, Hasani is a Wildseed––a stray witch from a family of non-witches, with no background knowledge, no way to control her magic, and a lot to catch up on. "Wildseed" may be an insult that the other girls throw at her, but Wildseeds are more powerful than they know. And Hasani will learn that there are ways to use magic and thrive that can never be taught in a classroom.

Many women of different backgrounds lived together in the American West. Former enslaved women left the racism of the Southern states to find a new life. White settlers traveled alone or with their families seeking their fortune as farmers, teachers, or gold miners. They met Mexican and Native American women who already lived in the territory. They were later joined by Japanese and Chinese immigrant women. All these women faced hardship and an unfamiliar life as they fought for their rights, their freedom, and their land in the American West. This book tells their story. Women are sometimes called the silent protagonists of history. But since before the founding of our nation until now, women have organized, marched, and inspired. They forced change and created opportunity. With engaging text, fun facts, photography, infographics, and art, this new set of books examines how individual women of differing races and socioeconomic status took a stand, and how groups of women lived and fought throughout the history of this country. It looks at how they celebrated victories that included the right to vote, the right to serve their country, and the right to equal employment. The aim of this much-needed set of five books is to bring herstory to young readers!

10 year-old Jackie excels at being in charge. Her in-charging skills keep everything from gardens to five unruly brothers in line. So when a curious chrysalis appears in Jackie¿s front yard, Jackie naturally decides to take charge of it. The creature that emerges is not like anything she has ever seen, and Jackie soon realizes that she must protect it at all costs, even from her own family. But when Jackie¿s connection to the creature puts them all in danger, will she find the courage to save them?

Giant Afro. Even Bigger Brain. Jaden Toussaint, 5-year-old scientist and all around cool dude, must save his school from a (possible) alien invasion. His only weapons are science, ninja dancing, and the super-powered brain power of his seriously awesome group of friends. Can Jaden Toussaint and his crew come up with a plan that doesn’t involve (dunh-dunh-dunh…) the EXTERMINATOR? Fans of Junie B. Jones, the Magic Tree House, Dan Gutman, and Franny K. Stein will love the Jaden Toussaint series of illustrated chapter books. They are hilarious and empowering for kids and grown-ups alike. Get your copy today. #SmartistheNewCool What Readers Are Saying: “A fun and funny tale!” “In addition to following the adventure of Jaden Toussaint, it subliminally encouraged my little person to want to do his own investigations.” “Full of fascinating details about its New Orleans setting, this book has lots to offer for little scientists. Jaden and his friends work together to solve a tricky problem and show that even scary creatures deserve our sympathy and care.” “My son (5 yr old) was so excited to get this book. He liked ‘the Ladeks, his coat, the 3 minute dance party and the WHOLE book!’ Jaden is a cool kid and a great problem solver. I love his creativity, his ability to work as a team, recognition of others'' strengths and his super supportive family (I only wish my sister was THAT kind growing up!). The characters are warm and interconnect well. Cleverly written and entertaining with great illustrations. And I LOVE the Doctor Who references! We are already looking forward to the next episode!”

Question: What''s a five-year old genius'' worst nightmare? Answer: Another five-year-old genius. Jaden Toussaint is a five year-old who knows it all. I mean, really knows it all. Animal Scientist. Great Debater. Master of the art of ninja dancing. There''s nothing Jaden Toussaint can''t do. This time our hero must face his greatest fear: another 5 year-old who is as amazing as he his. Has Jaden Toussaint finally met his match? Will life as we know it end as a result? Will anyone ever eat his Super Sneaky 7 Fruit Fruit Salad Muffins? Find out in Episode 3: Muffin Wars. Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest is a series of chapter books that kids and parents love. Kids love the awesome brain power and ninja dance moves of a superhero as real as they are. Parents appreciate the author''s humor, but they love watching their kids-- even reluctant readers-- keep turning pages. Jaden Toussaint is the new definition of cool.

6 year old Marie''s life by the sugar cane field was quiet and content--until her parents decided to move to a snowy town way up north. Marie misses the comforts of her old home in Vacherie, but in the icy depths of the new one, she discovers something far more powerful.

Jaden Toussaint, 5 year-old scientist and all around cool dude, must survive 5 whole days with his sister at sleepaway camp. He''ll be all alone with only his mother, his father, and all his friends to keep him company. His sister being gone is bad enough, but now that she is, who will protect him from...The Swamp Thing?

Jaden Toussaint is a five year-old who knows it all. I mean, really knows it all. Animal Scientist. Great Debater. Master of the art of ninja dancing. There''s nothing Jaden Toussaint can''t do.This time there is an alien invasion at school. (They may look like caterpillars, but you can never be too safe.) Our hero must use all his super-powered brain power to save the people and (possible) aliens from each other!

Giant Afro. Even Bigger Brain. Jaden Toussaint is a five year-old who knows it all. I mean, really knows it all. Animal Science. Great Debater. Master of the art of ninja dancing. There''s nothing Jaden Toussaint can''t do. The only problem is that grown-ups keep trying to convince him that, even though he''s really smart, he doesn''t know EVERYTHING. The thing is...he kind of does. This time our hero must use all his super-powered brain power to convince the grown-ups that he needs more screen time.

Giant Afro. Even Bigger Brain.Jaden Toussaint is a five year-old who knows it all. I mean, really knows it all. Animal Scientist. Great Debater. Master of the art of ninja dancing. There''s nothing Jaden Toussaint can''t do. The only problem is that grown-ups keep trying to convince him that, even though he''s really smart, he doesn''t know EVERYTHING. The thing is...he kind of does.This time our hero must use all his super-powered brain power to convince the grown-ups that he needs more screen time.