Middle readers are always looking for a good fantasy series, especially one with magic at the center of it. What better way to spend the summer than by starting something new or returning to a land you love.
Learn more about the Chronicles of Whetherwhy and the fourth installment of the Nevermoor series below.
CHRONICLES OF WHETHERWHY: THE AGE OF ENCHANTMENT, by Anna James and David Wyatt, Flamingo Books, April 29, 2025, Paperback, $9.99 (ages 8-12)
A brand-new magical fantasy series from bestselling author Anna James, filled with seasonal magic and exciting adventure, starring twins Juniper and Rafferty as they brave their new magical abilities, grown from the changing seasons.
In Whetherwhy, everyone has magic inside them–grown from the changing seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. But a rare few are Enchanters: people born with magic in their bones, who can wield all four seasons of magic.
When Juniper discovers she is an Enchanter, she must leave behind everything she knows to begin studying at the Thistledown Academy. And when her twin brother, Rafferty, begins an apprenticeship at a nearby bookbinder to be close to her, he too has adventures of his own.
As Juniper learns how to wield enchantment and hone her magic, Rafferty becomes involved with a mysterious secret society that meets after dark. Monsters are creeping out of the shadows and dangers lurk in unexpected places. Amid night markets and magic lessons, the twins realize there is more to enchantment than they ever imagined. And when dangerous monsters attack, the adventure that follows brings Juniper’s and Rafferty’s paths together again in ways they could never have expected . . . —Synopsis provided by Flamingo Books
SILVERBORN: THE MYSTERY OF MORRIGAN CROW, Book 4 of 4: Nevermoor | by Jessica Townsend, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, June 24, 2025, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 8-12)
When Morrigan is invited into Nevermoor’s wealthy Silver District, she discovers a world of extravagance and a family mystery she’s eager to unravel. She could never imagine where it will lead: a white wedding, a golden dragon and a red pool of blood.
Embroiled in suspicion and danger, Morrigan leaps head first into a murder investigation, while also grappling with her ever-growing Wundersmith powers. And although her friends are there to help, she fears that could change if they learn she’s keeping a terrible secret of her own.
As shadowy forces awaken in Nevermoor, can Morrigan find a killer and solve the mystery in her own past … before the clock strikes midnight? —Synopsis provided by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
*This post is part of a larger summer reading list, which consists of recommendations but not individual book reviews.
Copyright © 2025 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.
