There are magical journeys galore in these new middle grade fantasies, including along the historical Silk Road, a possibly haunted present-day ranch, and the Indonesian jungle during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri. Illustrated by Daniel Miyares. Levine Querido, 2023. ISBN 23387001022080. Read from a library copy. Ebook and audiobook available from Libby.

An orphan opens this story by telling of his escape from a horde of angry monks along the Silk Road.  He was rescued from the angry monks by a lying cheater of a merchant, Samir, the Seller of Dreams.  Chapter after chapter continues, telling of the many people who have been sent to assassinate Samir, from a Viking berserker to a Mongol warlord.  The orphan – whom Samir names Monkey – has to work hard as his servant, and is very open about his low opinion of Samir and his donkey. The reader is transported in words and beautiful illustrations to the eleventh century in this rollicking story of adventure and philosophy that would make for a great read-aloud.  But who is Monkey telling the story to?  It took me a little bit to get into the story, but once I did, it was highly entertaining, especially watching the discrepancy between Samir’s actions and Monkey’s descriptions of them.  

The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto by Adrianna Cuevas. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2023. ISBN 9780374390433. Read from a library copy. 

This is from the author of The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez. Florida middle schooler Rafa’s greatest joy in life is playing the RPG World of the Forgotten Age with his friends.  And he really needs that joy, as his mother’s health fails, his grades fall, and his father cracks down on him.  So when (in a truly delightful opening scene), Rafa and his friends steal the slushie machine from their school cafeteria, it’s the last straw for his father.  Rafa is sent off to a ranch in New Mexico for a hard labor cure.  As he befriends both the barn manager – grouchy with a marshmallow interior – and the librarian’s daughter, Jennie, he thinks things could be all right.  And then things start turning very weird… Could it be the ghosts said to haunt the ranch, or is something else going on?  The twist here is one I’ve seen enough times that it wasn’t surprising to me, but younger readers will probably be less jaded than I am.  And the journey was still lots of fun, including some good self-discovery and relationship building as well as lots of creepy adventures.  

Hamra and the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf. Read by Samantha Tan. HarperCollins, 2023. ISBN 978-0063207950. Listened to audiobook on Libby. 

It’s the height of the pandemic in Indonesia, and Hamra is tired of it all – needing to stay isolated and masked; being in charge of her grandparents while her parents are away doing essential work; still being treated like a child in spite of the increased responsibilities.  Frustrated, she goes out into the jungle behind her house and breaks all the rules – shouting her real name and a challenge, and stealing a clearly magical fruit.  But the giant talking tiger whose fruit she’s stolen is very real, and insists she repay the debt by going on a journey for him.  Hamra’s not sure whether to be pleased or annoyed when her best friend, who told her off for her behavior in the jungle, insists on coming along.  This is a Little Red Riding Hood story of a kind, with Hamra taking the fruit to help her ailing grandmother and wearing a red hijab much of the time.  I especially loved that Hamra’s grandfather helps them get ready for the quest, as taking part in a story is an exciting yet normal part of life, and the casual mention of Hamra needing to pack menstrual supplies just in case. The Indonesian island is filled with beautiful landmarks, memories, and many, many legends, while the characters go far beyond the black and white of older fairy tales.  This was an excellent choice for audiobook listening, as Samantha Tan is able to pronounce things fluidly and voices the characters with authentic-sounding Indonesian accents.  I was excited to see this new book from the author of The Girl and the Ghost, and while it has a very different feel, it did not disappoint.