At once a collection of hard science fiction for curious middle-graders and an antidote to despair in the face of dystopian uncertainty, these ten horizon-bending stories may seem unreal, but all follow the rules of physics and biology as we understand them today. These tales of space junk, multiverse navigation, an asteroid named Doomsday, and bees and marmots in space pulse with honesty and optimism. Whether home is a planet, a moon, a space station, or a fleet starship, relatable protagonists of different genders, classes, nationalities, ethnicities, and orientations face challenges—some harrowing, some hilarious—true to their moment in time and space. Brisk plots, resonant themes, and scientific rigor define these forward-facing stories by leading middle-grade authors. Taken together, the tales champion youth agency through characters who approach science in adventurous ways, underscoring that we are all, indeed, made of the same luminous stuff.

The thrilling intergalactic adventures of the Unstoppable series continue in the sequel to the Locus Award-winning Victories Greater Than Death, from the international-bestselling author of All the Birds in the Sky. They'll do anything to be the people they were meant to be - even journey into the heart of evil. Rachael Townsend is the first artist ever to leave Earth and journey out into the galaxy - but after an encounter with an alien artifact, she can't make art at all. Elza Monteiro is determined to be the first human to venture inside the Palace of Scented Tears and become a princess - except that inside the palace, she finds the last person she ever wanted to see again. Tina Mains is studying at the Royal Space Academy with her friends, preparing to save the universe - and she's not the badass space hero everyone was expecting. These three young women are thrust into the hands of destiny, journeying into dark voids, navigating deadly spy missions, and facing impossible choices that could change all their lives forever. With the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance, they must discover their strength, whatever form it takes.

What if death is only the beginning?

When Harriet Stoker dies after falling from a balcony in a long-abandoned building, she discovers a world of ghosts with magical powers – shape-shifting, hypnosis, even the ability to possess the living. Felix, Kasper, Rima and Leah welcome her into their world, eager to make friends with the new arrival. Yet Harriet is more interested in unleashing her own power, even if it means destroying everyone around her. But when all of eternity is at stake, the afterlife can be a dangerous place to make an enemy.

From actresses Tia and Tamera Mowry comes the story of tween twins Cassie and Caitlyn and their discovery that they have the ability to see things before they occur! When their mother's new job forces them to move from bustling San Antonio to middle-of-nowhere Aura, Texas, Caitlyn tries to stay positive, focusing on meeting new people and having new adventures. Cassie, on the other hand, is convinced that it's only a matter of time until they'll be sick of Aura and ready to move back to the big city. But being the new kids isn't their only challenge. The girls start experiencing strange visions, and they must work together to change the future before it can happen. Tia Mowry-Hardrict and Tamera Mowry-Housley gained initial fame on the '90s sitcom Sister, Sister. Tia can now be seen starring in and producing the Nickelodeon series Instant Mom and on the Cooking Channel's show Tia Mowry at Home. Tamera is a host and producer on the hit daytime talk show The Real, currently airing on FOX. Together they've created a magical series about twin sisters with a powerful gift and an even stronger connection.

After living off the grid for more than a decade, a teenage girl must play a dangerous game -- and face the shadows of her past -- to save the world from a dangerous dark force.

After ten years of living on an isolated, tech-free ranch with her mother, sixteen-year-old Hedda is going back to the world of the Glare -- her word for cell phones, computers, and tablets. Hedda was taught to be afraid of technology, afraid that it would get inside her mind and hurt her. But now she's going to stay with her dad in California, where she was born, and she's finally ready to be normal. She's not going to go "off-kilter," like her mom says she did when she was just a little kid.

Once she arrives, Hedda finally feels like she's in control. She reunites with old friends and connects with her stepmom and half-brother. Never mind the terrifying nightmares and visions that start trickling back -- they're not real.

Then Hedda rediscovers the Glare: the real Glare, a first-person shooter game from the dark web that scared her when she was younger. They say if you die thirteen times on level thirteen, you die in real life. But as Hedda starts playing the so-called "death game" -- and the game begins spreading among her friends -- she realizes the truth behind her nightmares is even more twisted than she could have imagined. And in order to stop the Glare, she'll have to first confront the darkness within herself.

With millions of copies sold in the US and Canada, and translated into more than 34 languages, The Ender series is one of the best science fiction series ever written. Now repackaged and collected in a box set, The Ender Saga #1 is perfect for new readers and collectors alike.

This box set contains five volumes:

• Ender's Game
• Speaker for the Dead
• Xenocide
• Children of the Mind
• Ender in Exile

FOR THE FIRST time, the hardcover editions of Philip Pullman's awardwinning His Dark Materials trilogy ("The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass") with the original, classic covers by Eric Rohmann, will be available in a boxed set.

Set in a broken, future England, where gunfights and monsters collide, this is the exciting first title in a phenomenal fantasy teen series by the bestselling children's novelist.

England has been radically changed by a series of catastrophes – large cities have disappeared and London has been replaced by a lagoon. The surviving population exists in fortified towns where they cling to traditional ways, while strangely evolved beasts prowl the wilderness beyond. Conformity is rigidly enforced and those who fall foul of the rules are persecuted: some are killed, others are driven out into the wilds. Only a few fight back – and two of these outlaws, Scarlett McCain and Albert Browne, display an audacity and talent that makes them legends.