Do you know what makes a great gift? A book!
Do you know what makes an even better gift? A SIGNED book!
The nice folks at Mystery Lovers Bookshop are right around the corner from me. And if you order a book through them, I’ll come by and sign and personalize it before they ship it to you. Just make sure to specify who you want it signed to when you order!
You can visit their website here!
Hello, friends!
I’m back with a brand new novel — coming April 2025! It’s called The War of the Maps, and I can’t wait for you to read it! Here’s a picture of the cover, with are by the wonderful George Ermos:
Art by George Ermos
You probably noticed the gigantic “Vanished Kingdom” logo at the top. This new book is a companion to my earlier novels Peter Nimble and Sophie Quire, all of which are now being repackaged under the Vanished Kingdom banner. These new editions will be available in March 2025:
Art by Gilbert Ford and George Ermos
So what is this new book about?
EVERYTHING!
It is by far the biggest, most ambitious story I have ever tackled (which is why it took me so long!). In many ways, I’ve been working on this story for my entire adult life.
From the Abrams website:
From the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of The Night Gardener and Sweep, comes an epic middle-grade adventure—companion to Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes and Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard—that will take readers to the very ends of the earth … and beyond
The War of the Maps is a breathtaking fantasy in the vein of His Dark Materials and The Last Battle that dares to give new answers to age-old questions—inviting readers of all ages to sail beyond the edges of the map into a world of magic, myth, and boundless adventure.
Since time before time, two opposing forces have been locked in an endless battle: It is the war between magic and reason—between what if and what is. And the victor will not just shape the future but the very nature of reality.
Peter Nimble and Sophie Quire have spent the last four years fighting to protect a world of magic from the insidious, unstoppable forces of “progress.” But, every day, the wonders that once surrounded them are vanishing. Lurking behind this transformation is a mysterious group called The League of Maps that seems to hold the answers.
As Peter and Sophie fight to untangle this mystery, they find themselves thrown into opposing sides of a vast war that stretches from the very beginning of humanity and into our present age.
As you may know, middle grade publishing is in a challenging state at the moment. If you want to support this book (and my ability to keep writing books), then PLEASE consider preordering a copy … it makes a huge difference in the life of a book to have strong preorders in advance.
If you want your copy signed and personalized, you can order this and all my books from my friendly local bookstore: Mystery Lovers Bookshop.
I’m thrilled to announce my brand new series for younger readers, THE FABLED STABLES!
This is an adventure series about a little boy named Auggie who works in the Fabled Stables — a safe haven for all sorts of endangered magical creatures. Every volume follows Auggie and his friends as they venture into the Wide World to rescue a new creature.
Here’s a letter I wrote for the ARC that tells a bit more about the series:
The books will be packed full of amazing full color illustrations by the brilliant Olga Demidova — check out some samples below. The second book in the series is out now, and you can order the book from Amazon or your awesome local indie.
Illustration by Patrick Arrasmith
Mateo, a reader in TX, recently wrote to ask if I plan my stories ahead of time of figure things out as a I go. I figured I could post my response here:
The truth is, I do BOTH. I plan my stories quite a bit ... but I'm careful only to plan certain parts (the rest I leave to discover as I write).
Before anything, I need to know my opening and closing images. These bookend images should "rhyme" with one another ... telling their own little story in miniature. You can see this most clearly in The Night Gardener: Molly and Kip are riding in a cart in both the beginning and the end … but they’re going in very different directions (even the weather is different!).
The other thing I need before I start writing is a deep sense of what is broken about my main character. I always ask: what's the missing part of them that the plot of this story can help them fix? This was huge in Sweep … which ended up being a story about an abandoned girl finding a new family. If I don’t have that element, I can’t start writing.
Beyond that, I spend lots of time drawing pictures of moments/scenes that excite me. Stuff that would go in the movie trailer. When I have about 20 of those images, I start piecing them together in a sequence that makes sense.
Some early sketches that helped me write SWEEP
But that’s about it. Like any road trip, it’s important to have a sense of your general destination, but the route you take should not be over-planned. In fact, planning too much will hurt your ability to make discoveries as you write.
How to play my favorite game of the year with young kids …
Read More
Early SWEEP Reviews and a final galley GIVEAWAY!
Read MoreThe Website of Jonathan Auxier
Hi, I'm Jonathan!
I write strange stories for strange kids. This is my website, where I talk about children's books old & new.
COMING SPRING 2025!
The long-awaited conclusion to the VANISHED KINGDOM series!
The War of the Maps is a breathtaking fantasy in the vein of His Dark Materials and The Last Battle that dares to give new answers to age-old questions—inviting readers of all ages to sail beyond the edges of the map into a world of magic, myth, and boundless adventure.
Since time before time, two opposing forces have been locked in an endless battle: It is the war between magic and reason—between what if and what is. And the victor will not just shape the future but the very nature of reality.
Available for preorder now!
The heart-racing second book in the VANISHED KINGDOM series. It’s been two years since Peter Nimble and Sir Tode rescued the kingdom of HazelPort. In that time, they have traveled far and wide in search of adventure. Now they have been summoned by Professor Cake for a new mission: To find a twelve-year-old bookmender named Sophie Quire. Sophie knows little beyond the four walls of her father’s bookshop, where she repairs old books and dreams of escaping the confines of her dull life. But when a strange boy and his talking cat/horse companion show up with a rare and mysterious book, she finds herself pulled into an adventure beyond anything she has ever read.
You can learn more and read some starred reviews here … or check out the first few chapters for free!
The first thrilling book in the acclaimed VANISHED KINGDOM series. The epic journey of a small, blind orphan ... who also happens to be the greatest thief who ever lived!
Peter Nimble was an ABA New Voices pick, an Indie Next List Selection, and Bookpage magazine Best Book of the year! It won the Paterson Poetry Prize, The Diamond Willow Award, and an MYRCA Honor. It was shortlisted for: the Monica Hughes Award, the Sequoyah Award, Massachusetts Children’s Book Award, The Blue Hen Literary Award, and the Canadian Children’s Book Award.
Visit PeterNimble.com for games and more info. Read the first chapter for free! Or read some reviews here. Or watch the book trailer!
It's been five years since the Sweep disappeared. Orphaned and alone, Nan Sparrow had no other choice but to work for a ruthless chimney sweep named Wilkie Crudd. She spends her days sweeping out chimneys. The job is dangerous and thankless, but with her wits and will, Nan has managed to beat the deadly odds time and time again. When Nan gets stuck in a chimney fire, she fears the end has come. Instead, she wakes to find herself unharmed in an abandoned attic. And she is not alone. Huddled in the corner is a mysterious creature—a golem—made from soot and ash.
Sweep is the story of a girl and her monster. Together, these two outcasts carve out a new life—saving each other in the process. Sweep received six starred reviews and was the winner of the Governor General’s Award and the Sydney Taylor Book Award.
Welcome to the Fabled Stables, a magical building filled with one-of-a-kind creatures. Creatures including the Gargantula, the Yawning Abyss, the Hippopotamouse . . . and Auggie. Auggie is the only human boy at the Stables, and he takes care of all the other animals. The Fabled Stables have a mind of their own, and every so often, the building SHAKES and SHUDDERS, TWITCHES and SPUTTERS—it’s making room for a new arrival! It’s Auggie’s job to venture out and rescue a new creature from mortal danger. But will he be able to complete his mission before it’s too late? With some help from Fen (a literal stick-in-the-mud) and his animal companions, Auggie saves the day and makes a new friend in the process.
A thrilling, silly new series packed full of stunning full color illustrations by Olga Demidova. The Fabled Stables received STARRED reviews from Kirkus and Publisher’s Weekly and was named by Amazon as a Best Book of 2020. Available at your awesome local indie!
A chilling ghost story about two abandoned Irish siblings who travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the house and its family are not quite what they seem. Soon the children are confronted by a mysterious spectre and an ancient curse that threatens their very lives. More than just a spooky tale, it’s also a moral fable about human greed and the power of storytelling.
The Night Gardener is a New York Times bestseller, a Junior Library Guild Selection, Amazon “Best Book” for May 2014, and an ABA “Indie Next” pick. It received five starred reviews and won the ILA Book Award! You can read more reviews here.
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