MapMaker

From Lisa Moore Ramée, author of the Walter Honor Award–winning A Good Kind of Trouble, comes her debut middle grade fantasy—an absorbing, imaginative adventure about a Black boy who has the magical ability to bring maps to life. Perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky and A Tale of Magic. When Walt and his family relocate to Blackbird Bay, Walt thinks it’s the most boring place on earth. While his twin sister, Van, likes to spend her time skateboarding, Walt prefers to hide out in his room and work on his beloved map world, Djaruba. But shortly after their arrival, Walt discovers something extraordinary: He has the ability to make maps come to life. Suddenly his new hometown doesn’t seem so boring after all. And when a magical heirloom leaves Walt, his new friend Dylan, and Van stranded in the fantastical world that Walt created, he’ll need to harness his new power to get them home. But things are changing. People have gone missing, and it’s clear that a malevolent rival to the kingdom—a fellow mapmaker—has nefarious plans for Walt. If he’s not stopped soon, Djaruba could become nothing but a shadow of itself or, worse, gone forever. And if a mapmaker can destroy one world, could Earth be next? Portal Fantasy Adventure: Walt never expected his hand-drawn maps could open a door to another world, much less trap him, his twin sister Van, and new friend Dylan inside it. Black Protagonist Power: Follow Walt, a creative Black boy who must embrace his unique power as a Mapmaker to protect the worlds he loves from a dangerous rival. Sibling Dynamics: He and his twin sister Van don’t always see eye-to-eye, but when they’re stranded in Djaruba, they’ll have to rely on each other to survive. Dragons and Magic: From a magical traveling machine to incredible, rideable dragons, Djaruba is a world packed with the kind of fantasy that readers 8-12 love.