Death in the Jungle By Candace Fleming

★ “Extraordinary and illuminating.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ “Teens fascinated by cults will find plenty of that here, but they’ll also come away with a more nuanced understanding of a highly sensationalized historical event.” —Booklist, starred review

★ “Riveting…. this fascinating and disturbing work will help readers ‘recognize the destructive groups in their own midst.'” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “[A]n engrossing exploration of just how easily good intentions can drag people down the wrong path if led by a charismatic speaker with a skill for manipulation.” —The Bulletin, starred review

★ “Fleming’s writing is riveting….Gripping and wrenching.” —School Library Journal, starred review

How did Jim Jones, the leader of Peoples Temple, convince more than 900 of his followers to commit “revolutionary suicide” by drinking cyanide-laced punch? From a master of narrative nonfiction comes a chilling chronicle of one of the most notorious cults in American history.

Using riveting first-person accounts, award-winning author Candace Fleming reveals the makings of a monster: from Jones’s humble origins as a child of the Depression… to his founding of a group whose idealistic promises of equality and justice attracted thousands of followers… to his relocation of Temple headquarters from California to an unsettled territory in Guyana, South America, which he dubbed “Jonestown”… to his transformation of Peoples Temple into a nefarious experiment in mind-control.

And Fleming heart-stoppingly depicts Jones’s final act, persuading his followers to swallow fatal doses of cyanide—to “drink the kool-aid,” as it became known—as a test of their ultimate devotion.

Here is a sweeping story that traces, step by step, the ways in which one man slowly indoctrinated, then murdered, 900 innocent, well- meaning people. And how a few members, Jones’ own son included, stood up to him… but not before it was too late.

Murder Among Friends By Candace Fleming

How did two teenagers brutally murder an innocent child...and why? And how did their brilliant lawyer save them from the death penalty in 1920s Chicago? Written by a prolific master of narrative nonfiction, this is a compulsively readable true-crime story based on an event dubbed the "crime of the century."

In 1924, eighteen-year-old college students Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb made a decision: they would commit the perfect crime by kidnapping and murdering a child they both knew. But they made one crucial error: as they were disposing of the body of young Bobby Franks, whom they had bludgeoned to death, Nathan's eyeglasses fell from his jacket pocket.

Multi-award-winning author Candace Fleming depicts every twist and turn of this harrowing case--how two wealthy, brilliant young men planned and committed what became known as the crime of the century, how they were caught, why they confessed, and how the renowned criminal defense attorney Clarence Darrow enabled them to avoid the death penalty.

Following on the success of such books as The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh and The Family Romanov, this acclaimed nonfiction writer brings to heart-stopping life one of the most notorious crimes in our country's history.

The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh By Candace Fleming

WINNER OF THE 2021 YALSA AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN NONFICTION FOR YOUNG ADULTS!
 
SIX STARRED REVIEWS!

Discover the dark side of Charles Lindbergh--one of America's most celebrated heroes and complicated men--in this riveting biography from the acclaimed author of The Family Romanov.

First human to cross the Atlantic via airplane; one of the first American media sensations; Nazi sympathizer and anti-Semite; loner whose baby was kidnapped and murdered; champion of Eugenics, the science of improving a human population by controlled breeding; tireless environmentalist. Charles Lindbergh was all of the above and more. Here is a rich, multi-faceted, utterly spellbinding biography about an American hero who was also a deeply flawed man. In this time where values Lindbergh held, like white Nationalism and America First, are once again on the rise, The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh is essential reading for teens and history fanatics alike.

Amelia Lost By Candace Fleming

Featured in the upcoming National Geographic documentary, Expedition Amelia! This is a critically acclaimed look at the life, disappearance, and search for the legendary aviatrix, Amelia Earhart.

On May 21, 1937, the most famous female pilot of all time, Amelia Earhart, set out to do the impossible: circumnavigate the globe at its widest point--27,000 miles in all. Just six weeks later, she disappeared over the Pacific Ocean. Eighty years have passed since that fateful flight; and still, Amelia's plane has never been found. Discover the thrilling life and tragic end of America's most famous trailblazing flier with this impeccably researched and masterfully crafted book from acclaimed author Candace Fleming.

A New York Times Notable Book of the Year

Named a Best Book of the Year by:
The Washington Post
School Library Journal
Kirkus Reviews

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia By Candace Fleming

“[A] superb history.... In these thrilling, highly readable pages, we meet Rasputin, the shaggy, lecherous mystic...; we visit the gilded ballrooms of the doomed aristocracy; and we pause in the sickroom of little Alexei, the hemophiliac heir who, with his parents and four sisters, would be murdered by the Bolsheviks in 1918.” —The Wall Street Journal
 
Here is the tumultuous, heartrending, true story of the Romanovs—at once an intimate portrait of Russia's last royal family and a gripping account of its undoing. Using captivating photos and compelling first person accounts, award-winning author Candace Fleming (Amelia Lost; The Lincolns) deftly maneuvers between the imperial family’s extravagant lives and the plight of Russia's poor masses, making this an utterly mesmerizing read as well as a perfect resource for meeting Common Core standards.

"An exhilarating narrative history of a doomed and clueless family and empire." —Jim Murphy, author of Newbery Honor Books An American Plague and The Great Fire

"For readers who regard history as dull, Fleming’s extraordinary book is proof positive that, on the contrary, it is endlessly fascinating, absorbing as any novel, and the stuff of an altogether memorable reading experience." —Booklist, Starred

"Marrying the intimate family portrait of Heiligman’s Charles and Emma with the politics and intrigue of Sheinkin’s Bomb, Fleming has outdone herself with this riveting work of narrative nonfiction that appeals to the imagination as much as the intellect." —The Horn Book, Starred

Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature
Winner of the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Nonfiction
A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book
A YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award Finalist 
Winner of the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction

Fatal Throne: The Wives of Henry VIII Tell All By M. T. Anderson, Candace Fleming, Stephanie Hemphill, Lisa Ann Sandell, Jennifer Donnelly, Linda Sue Park, Deborah Hopkinson

Perfect for anyone playing the Six soundtrack on repeat who wants to discover more about the six wives of Henry VIII! This is an edge-of-your-seat reimagining of the romance and tragedy that defined them, told from multiple points of view by award-winning and bestselling authors.

If you were one of King Henry VIII's six wives, who would you be? Would you be Anne Boleyn, who literally lost her head? The subject of rumor and scandal like Catherine Howard? Or would you survive like Anna of Cleves?
     Meet all Henry's queens--each bound for divorce or death--in this epic novel that reads like fantasy but really happened. Watch spellbound as each wife attempts to survive their unpredictable king as he grows more obsessed with producing a male heir. And discover how the power-hungry court fanned the flames of Henry's passions . . . and his most horrible impulses.
     Brought to life by seven award-winning and bestselling authors, here is an intimate look at the royals during one of the most treacherous times in history, perfect for anyone fascinated by Britain's Royal Family or Netflix's The Crown.

"Ambitious and exciting." --Bustle

"These stories of love, lust, power and intrigue never fail to fascinate." --Shelf Awareness, Starred Review

Who's Who:

M. T. Anderson - Henry VIII
Candace Fleming - Katharine of Aragon, wife #1
Stephanie Hemphill - Anne Boleyn, wife #2
Lisa Ann Sandell - Jane Seymour, wife #3
Jennifer Donnelly - Anna of Cleves, wife #4
Linda Sue Park - Catherine Howard, wife #5
Deborah Hopkinson - Kateryn Parr, wife #6

A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe By Mahogany L. Browne

★ “Heavy, important, powerful and evergreen; remembers kids during the time when the world stopped.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ “An emotionally impactful read.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “The book boasts memorable characters and beautiful writing—especially the poems. It is singularly relevant in its unsparing examination of the plague and its impact on young lives.” —Booklist, starred review

★ “An essential purchase to explore grief associated with the pandemic; give to fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Elisabet Velasquez.” —School Library Journal, starred review

“[A] gorgeous, tender testament to the generation of young people who shouldered the pandemic.”
—Brendan Kiely, award-winning and New York Times bestselling author

In this poignant mixed voice, mixed form collection of interconnected prose, poems and stories, teen characters, their families, and their communities grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst fear and loss, these New York City teens prevail with love, resilience and hope. From the award-winning author of Chlorine Sky and Vinyl Moon.

Grief, pain, hope, and love collide in this short story collection.

In New York City, teens, their families, and their communities feel the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst the fear and loss, these teens and the adults around them persevere with love and hope while living in difficult circumstances:

• Malachi writes an Armageddon short story inspired by his pandemic reality.
• Tariq helps their ailing grandmother survive during quarantine.
• Zamira struggles with depression and loneliness after losing her parents.
• Mohamed tries to help keep his community spirit alive.
• A social worker reflects on the ways the foster system fails their children.

From award-winning author Mahogany L. Browne comes a poignant collection of interconnected prose, poems, and lists about the humanity and resilience of New Yorkers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chlorine Sky By Mahogany L. Browne

★ “A remarkable, compelling voice.” —The Bulletin, starred review

“A coming-of-age novel for Black girls who have been told they’re too much and yet never enough.” —Kirkus Reviews

“An absolute masterpiece.”—Elizabeth Acevedo, New York Times bestselling author of The Poet X

“A story about heart and backbone, and one only Mahogany L. Browne could bring forth.” —Jason Reynolds, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Long Way Down

From the first ever poet-in-residence at Lincoln Center comes a bold coming-of-age story told in verse about a young woman who loses a best friend, but finds herself in the process. The joys of basketball, the tumult of high school, and the bonds of family are lyrically woven together in this must-read novel.

With Lay Li I don’t have to think too hard
I’m the friend of the star
& I don’t mind, not at all
It gives me time to think about my dreams & the WNBA
But when I call Lay Li & she don’t pick up
A pit in my stomach grows like a redwood tree

Sky is used to standing in the shadow of her best friend. Lay Li is the sun everyone orbits around. But since high school started, Lay Li has begun attracting the attention of boys, and Sky is left out in the cold. The only place Sky can find her footing is on the basketball court. With each dribble of the ball, Sky begins to find her own rhythm. Lay Li may always be the sun, but that doesn’t mean Sky can’t shine on her own.

With gritty and heartbreaking honesty, a critically acclaimed poet, delivers her first novel in verse about broken promises, fast rumors, and learning to generate your own light.

Vinyl Moon By Mahogany L. Browne

★ “Interweave[s] poetry and prose… portraying with nuance a group of Brooklyn teens unpacking their traumas and finding their joy.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“A beautiful love letter to Brooklyn, Black authors, and the beats that create the soundtrack of a young life evolving.” –Kirkus Reviews

“Browne’s bold imagining of robust support systems, reliable friendships, and assertive self-discovery offers a thoughtful roadmap for teens navigating tough times.” –The Bulletin

“An important asset for all school and library collections.” –SLJ

“A true embodiment of the term Black Girl Magic.” –Booklist

A teen girl hiding the scars of a past relationship finds home and healing in the words of strong Black writers. A beautiful sophomore novel from a critically acclaimed author and poet that explores how words have the power to shape and uplift our world even in the midst of pain.

When Darius told Angel he loved her, she believed him. But five weeks after the incident, Angel finds herself in Brooklyn, far from her family, from him, and from the California life she has known.

Angel feels out of sync with her new neighborhood. At school, she can’t shake the feeling everyone knows what happened—and that it was her fault. The only place that makes sense is Ms. G’s class. There, Angel’s classmates share their own stories of pain, joy, and fortitude. And as Angel becomes immersed in her revolutionary literature course, the words from Black writers like Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, and Zora Neale Hurston speak to her and begin to heal the wounds of her past.

This stunning novel weaves together prose, poems, and vignettes to tell the story of Angel, a young woman whose past was shaped by domestic violence but whose love of language and music and the gift of community grant her the chance to find herself again.

Bud, Not Buddy

The Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award-winning classic about a boy who decides to hit the road to find his father—from Christopher Paul Curtis, recipient of the Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.

It’s 1936, in Flint, Michigan. Times may be hard, and ten-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy on the run, but Bud’s got a few things going for him:

1. He has his own suitcase full of special things.
2. He’s the author of Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself.
3. His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: flyers advertising Herman E. Calloway and his famous band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression!!!!!!

Bud’s got an idea that those flyers will lead him to his father. Once he decides to hit the road to find this mystery man, nothing can stop him—not hunger, not fear, not vampires, not even Herman E. Calloway himself.

BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR:
The New York Times
School Library Journal
Publishers Weekly

“[A] powerfully felt novel.” —The New York Times

“Will keep readers engrossed from first page to last.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred

“Curtis writes with a razor-sharp intelligence that grabs the reader by the heart and never lets go. . . . This highly recommended title [is] at the top of the list of books to be read again and again.” —Voice of Youth Advocates, Starred

The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 

During one of the most important times in the civil rights movement, one unforgettable family goes on a road trip in this Newbery and Coretta Scott King Honoree, from author Christopher Paul Curtis, recipient of the Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.

When the Watson family—ten-year-old Kenny, Momma, Dad, little sister Joetta, and brother Byron—sets out on a trip south to visit Grandma in Birmingham, Alabama, they don’t realize that they’re heading toward one of the darkest moments in America’s history. The Watsons’ journey reminds us that even in the hardest times, laughter and family can help us get through anything.

“A modern classic.” —NPR

“Marvelous . . . both comic and deeply moving.” —The New York Times

“One of the best novels EVER.” —Jacqueline Woodson, Newbery Honor and National Book Award–winning author of Brown Girl Dreaming

Bonus Content
• New foreword and afterword from the author
• Map of the Watsons’ journey
• Original manuscript pages and letter from the Newbery committee
• Personal essays celebrating the book’s legacy by award-winning authors: Elizabeth Acevedo, Chris Crutcher, Kate DiCamillo, Varian Johnson, David Barclay Moore, Jason Reynolds, Jerry Spinelli, Vince Vawter, Rita Williams-Garcia, and Jacqueline Woodson

The Mighty Miss Malone

The dramatic and unforgettable story of a girl and a family caught up in the turbulent days of the Depression from Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott Kind Award-winner Christopher Paul Curtis.

“We are a family on a journey to a place called wonderful.” This is the motto of Deza Malone’s family, but the road is getting rocky.

Deza is the smartest girl in her class, singled out by teachers for a special path in life. But the Great Depression hit Gary, Indiana hard, and there are no jobs for Black men. When her beloved father leaves to find work, Deza, Mother, and her older brother Jimmie go in search of him, and end up in a Hooverville outside Flint, Michigan. While Jimmie’s beautiful voice inspires him to leave the camp to be a performer, Deza and Mother continue on, clinging to the hope that they will find Father.

The twists and turns of the Malone’s journey reveal not only the devastation of the Depression but also the enduring strength of family bonds and the mighty heart of young Deza Malone.

Random House Children's Books Middle Grade Debut Class of 2025 Part 1

Get firsthand insights from our first-time middle grade authors and illustrators.

Click here to watch the first part of our Debut Middle Grade Class of 2025 series.

Random House Children's Books Young Adult Debut Class of 2025 Part 1

Discover new young adult novels and hear from the talented debut writers behind them.

Click here to watch the first part of our Debut Young Adult Class of 2025 series. 

Tamales For Christmas By Stephen Briseño; illustrated by Sonia Sánchez

Before the first Christmas light is strung, Grandma is hard at work, making thousands of tamales to sell so she can buy gifts for her family! This heartwarming tale, based on a true story, explores a grandmother's boundless generosity, and the irresistible magic of tamales.

A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

When the weather changes, but way before the Christmas tree is decorated, Grandma begins her preparations. With so many children and grandchildren in her family, she finds a way to put gifts under the tree-- she sells as many tamales as she can! Masa in one hand, corn husks in the other, Grandma’s just getting started. 15 dozen tamales. As Halloween passes, and Thanksgiving, Grandma is still toiling away in the kitchen: 150 dozen tamales, 700 dozen tamales, 850 dozen tamales. When it’s time to string the lights for Christmas, she’s inching closer to 1000 dozen tamales! Enough to give some to those in need and enough to sell to earn money for Christmas gifts.

Based on the author’s own grandmother, who was the heart of the familia, here is a warm story about Christmas, generosity, and, yes, tamales.

Tamales para Navidad (Tamales for Christmas Spanish Edition) By Stephen Briseño; illustrated by Sonia Sánchez; translated by Maria Camila Correa

Antes de que se encienda la primera luz navideña, Abuela está en la cocina, preparando miles de tamales para asegurar regalos para su familia. Este cuento conmovedor, basado en una historia real, explora la generosidad ilimitada de una abuela y la irresistible magia de los tamales.

Cuando llega el frío, pero mucho antes de que se decore el árbol de Navidad, la abuela se prepara. Con tantos hijos y nietos en su familia, encuentra una manera de poner regalos debajo del árbol: ¡vendiendo tamales!

Con masa en una mano y hojas de maíz en la otra, la abuela comienza. 15 tamales. Cuando pasa Halloween y el Día de Acción de Gracias, la abuela sigue trabajando duro: 150 tamales, 700 tamales, 850 tamales. Cuando llega el momento de colocar las luces, ¡ha hecho casi mil tamales! Lo suficiente para ayudar a los necesitados y además llenar el árbol con regalos para sus seres queridos.

     Basada en la propia abuela del autor, quien era el corazón de la familia, esta es una cálida historia sobre la Navidad, la generosidad y, sí, los tamales.

Before the first Christmas light is strung, Grandma is hard at work, making thousands of tamales to ensure gifts for her family. This heartwarming tale, based on a true story, explores a grandmother's boundless generosity, and the irresistible magic of tamales.

When the weather changes, but way before the Christmas tree is decorated, Grandma prepares. With so many children and grandchildren in her family, she finds a way to put gifts under the tree-- she sells as many tamales as she can! Masa in one hand, corn husks in the other, Grandma’s just getting started. 15 tamales. As Halloween passes, and Thanksgiving, Grandma is still toiling away in the kitchen: 150 tamales, 700 tamales, 850 tamales. When it’s time to string the lights for Christmas, she’s inching closer to 1000 tamales! Enough to give to those in need and pack the tree with gifts for her loved ones.

Based on the author’s own grandmother, who was the heart of the familia, here is a warm story about Christmas, generosity, and, yes, tamales.

The Notebook Keeper By Stephen Briseño; illustrated by Magdalena Mora

Based on true events, this inspiring story follows a mama and her daughter who are denied entry at the U.S. border, and must find the refugee in charge of “the notebook,” an unofficial ledger of those waiting to cross into the U.S.

Before, the sun drenched the yard. Our neighbor's laughter danced in the streets. Now, the streets are quiet. Papa is gone, and we are no longer safe here. We are leaving, too.
 
In this moving and stunningly-illustrated picture book, Noemi and Mama flee their home in Mexico, and head for the US border. There, they look for "The Notebook Keeper"-- the person in charge of a ledger for those waiting to cross, and they add their names to the book. As the days turn into weeks, and hope dwindles,  the little girl looks for kindness around her-- and inside herself. One day, when the Notebook Keeper's own name is called to cross, Noemi and her Mama are chosen--for the generosity in their hearts-- to take her place.

La guardiana de la libreta By Stephen Briseño; illustrated by Magdalena Mora; translated by Polo Orozco

Una edición en español de LA GUARDIANA DE LA LIBRETA, la historia inspiradora de una mamá y su hija que han sido negadas entrada en la frontera estadounidense y tienen que conseguir una refugiada a cargo de «la libreta», un registro no oficial de todos aquellos que esperan a cruzar hacia los Estados Unidos.

Antes, el sol bañaba el patio. Las rizas de los vecinos danzaban por las calles. Ahora, solo hay silencio. Papá se ha ido, y ya no estamos seguras aquí. Nosotras nos vamos también.

En este libro impactante y bellamente ilustrado, Noemí y su mamá huyen de su hogar en México y viajan hacia la frontera de los Estados Unidos. Ahí, buscan «la guardiana de la libreta», una refugiada que escribe los nombres de las familias que buscan asilo, y añaden sus nombres a la lista. Mientras los días pasan a ser semanas, y la esperanza se desvanece, la niña busca la bondad alrededor de ella, y dentro de sí misma. Un día, cuando el nombre de «la guardiana de la libreta» es llamado para cruzar, Noemí y su mamá —por la generosidad de sus corazones— son elegidas a tomar su lugar.