2018 marks an exciting new chapter for Jolly Fish Press as we explore more middle grade series publishing. One series we can’t wait for you to read is Science Squad, which releases today. Imagine what would happen when you combine the Boy or Girl Scouts with citizen science . . . you get the Science Squad, of course. Kids in the Science Squad help local scientists collect and analyze data about animals and plants.

In Runway ZomBee, Raksha Kumar tries to juggle her Science Squad work hunting for zombie bees with her responsibilities for an elite fashion camp. But it isn’t long before her ZomBee hunting starts to encroach on her fashion camp project. Can Raksha pull it all together and prove that she can be both a fashion queen and a science geek?

In Hatchling Hero, Clarita Rosita Santiago Romero joins her local Science Squad and is immediately sucked into a quest to defend a leatherback sea turtle and her eggs from poachers. But how much impact can a group of kids have on one sea turtle’s life?

SNEAK PEEK!

Can’t get enough Science Squad? We have two more books coming in Fall 2018! In Pigeon Problems, Anthony Briggs is stuck dealing pigeons and TJ (a bully and a pain) after joining the Science Squad. But there’s an overnight at the museum on the line. Can Anthony persevere to win the prize?

In Monarch Mystery, Humberto “Bertie” Smythe-Lopez can’t seem to catch a break. The Science Squad kids are avoiding him, their monarch butterfly project has proved surprisingly difficult, and something strange is happening with the specimens they do find. Can Bertie solve the mystery and collect and tag enough butterflies before they migrate south?

Another series getting a lot of buzz and is perfect for animal lovers: Second Chance Ranch. At Second Chance Ranch, the Ramirez family cares and works to find homes for all kinds of animals on their 200-acre ranch in Texas. Sisters Natalie, Abby, Emily, and Grace all do their part to help out and give each animal the second chance it deserves.

Natalie, at twelve years old, is the oldest of the Ramirez sisters. She takes on a lot of responsibility at the ranch, and her love of all animals, horses especially, shows in the work she does. Ten-year-old Abby might not love horses as much as her sisters (in fact, she prefers to stay away from them), but her knowledge of and affection for dogs is invaluable to her family and the ranch. Plus, she’s not afraid to research a topic if it will benefit an animal, which has definitely helped out more than once. Emily and Grace are nine-year-old twins, adopted into the family after their mother passed away. Although the girls look alike, their personalities couldn’t be more different. Emily is careful and artistic (and possibly a horse whisperer), while Grace is daring and athletic. It’s each girl’s special skills that help make the ranch a welcoming and wonderful home for all types of animals.

We hope you enjoy these new middle grade reads and can’t wait to show you what we have in store next.