Author Profile
Kelly Barnhill
20 Books
Kelly Barnhill is an acclaimed American author celebrated for her captivating fantasy novels, particularly those written for middle grade and young adult readers. Her work is often praised for its imaginative world-building, lyrical prose, and compelling characters, exploring themes of magic, resilience, and identity. She is best known for her Newbery Medal-winning novel, "The Girl Who Drank the Moon," and the bestselling adult fantasy, "When Women Were Dragons."
The Bloody Book of Blood
Kelly Barnhill
Health
Human Body
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/5
The Witch's Boy
Kelly Barnhill
Adventure
Courage
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/5
Iron Hearted Violet
Kelly Barnhill
Adventure
Fairy Tales
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/5
The Girl Who Drank the Moon
Kelly Barnhill
Fantasy
Fiction
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/5
Monsters of the Deep: Deep Sea Adaptation
Kelly Barnhill
Animals
Environment
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/5
Bizarre, Creepy Hoaxes
Kelly Barnhill
History
Humor
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/5
Sick, Nasty Medical Practices
Kelly Barnhill
Health
History
-
/5
When Women Were Dragons: A Novel
Kelly Barnhill
Family
Fantasy
-
/5
Do You Know Where Your Water Has Been?
Kelly Barnhill
Environment
Health
-
/5
The Wee Book of Pee
Kelly Barnhill
Health
Human Body
-
/5
Animals with No Eyes: Cave Adaptation
Kelly Barnhill
Animals
Environment
-
/5
Sewers and the Rats That Love Them: The Disgusting Story Behind Where It All Goes
Kelly Barnhill
Animals
Engineering
-
/5
Dreadful Young Ladies and Other Stories
Kelly Barnhill
Fantasy
Fiction
-
/5
The Crane Husband
Kelly Barnhill
Family
Fantasy
-
/5
The Mostly True Story of Jack
Kelly Barnhill
Fantasy
Fiction
-
/5
The Sweaty Book of Sweat
Kelly Barnhill
Health
Human Body
-
/5
The Ogress and the Orphans
Kelly Barnhill
Empathy
Family
-
/5
Mystery Animal Tracks: A Photo Riddle Book
Kelly Barnhill
Animals
Nature
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/5
The Unlicensed Magician
Kelly Barnhill, Ben Baldwin
Action
Fantasy
-
/5
Guys Read
Terrifying Tales
R.L. Stine, Jon Scieszka, Rita Williams-Garcia, Adam Gidwitz, Dav Pilkey, Michael Buckley, Claire Legrand, Nikki Loftin, Adele Griffin, Kelly Barnhill, Lisa Brown, Daniel Jose Older
Anthologies
Ghosts
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/5
Ouch! You just scraped your knee on the pavement, and now a bright red liquid is oozing right out of the cut. But what exactly is that sticky red stuff, and why do you absolutely need it to survive? Get ready to explore the incredible, highly active highway running just under your skin. You will discover how your powerful heart pumps millions of tiny, hardworking blood cells throughout your entire body every single minute. Learn how white blood cells act like fierce microscopic warriors, battling nasty germs and keeping you safe from dangerous infections. You will also uncover the magical way your body forms solid scabs to heal wounds and stop the bleeding. Packed with awesome biology facts and a little bit of gross-out fun, this journey reveals the amazing science keeping you completely alive. Dive right into your veins and find out why this fascinating red fluid is the ultimate superhero of the human body.
9-12 Years
33 Pages
N/A
/5
Have you ever felt like people expected you to be someone else? Ned knows that feeling all too well. When he and his twin brother fall into a rushing river, only Ned survives, and some villagers whisper that the wrong boy lived. But Ned's mother is a powerful witch, and when a fearsome Bandit King tries to steal her magic, it's up to Ned to protect his family and their village. You'll see Ned discover a strength he never knew he had, as he faces danger and helps guard ancient, powerful magic.
9-12 Years
400 Pages
N/A
/5
Do you love stories where princesses aren't quite what you expect? Meet Princess Violet! She's not your average fairy-tale princess. Forget dainty dresses and waiting around; Violet is clever, adventurous, and always looking for excitement.
One day, while exploring her ancient castle, Violet and her best friend, Demetrius, stumble upon a hidden passage. This secret path leads them to a mysterious room and a very old, forbidden book. This isn't just any book; it tells a dangerous story about an ancient evil being that's trapped in their world.
Now, Violet, Demetrius, and even the King's not-so-brave dragon might be the only ones who can decide what happens next. Will they accidentally set the evil free, or can they stop it forever? Get ready for a thrilling adventure where friendship, courage, and a bit of rule-breaking might just save the day!
9-12 Years
448 Pages
N/A
/5
Every single year, the frightened people of the Protectorate leave a baby in the dark woods as an offering. They believe this sacrifice will stop a terrible witch from terrorizing their home. But the truth is entirely different. Xan is actually a kind witch who shares her cozy home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. She rescues the abandoned babies, feeds them glowing starlight, and delivers them to loving families on the other side of the forest. Everything changes one year when Xan makes a massive mistake. She accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the tiny child with extraordinary and unpredictable magic. Deciding to raise the magically charged girl as her own, Xan names her Luna. As Luna approaches her thirteenth birthday, her hidden powers begin to emerge in startling and dangerous ways. Meanwhile, a determined young man from the Protectorate sets out to defeat the witch once and for all. You will be swept away by this spellbinding tale of magic, brave choices, and a deeply guarded world finally breaking open.
9-12 Years
13-18 Years
416 Pages
N/A
/5
Dive deep into the darkest parts of the ocean where sunlight cannot reach. Down in the freezing, crushing depths, incredible creatures have found bizarre ways to survive. You will discover animals that look like they belong in a science fiction movie, featuring glowing body parts, massive teeth, and strange shapes. Explore how these fascinating deep sea dwellers adapt to their extreme underwater environment. You will learn the secrets behind their unusual features and find out exactly how they hunt, hide, and thrive in total darkness. From giant squids to glowing anglerfish, this journey into the abyss reveals the coolest, most mysterious ocean life on the planet. Get ready to explore the hidden underwater world and meet the real monsters of the deep.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
32 Pages
N/A
/5
Prepare to be completely fooled by some of the wildest and weirdest tricks in history. Throughout time, clever pranksters and cunning tricksters have managed to convince the public of completely unbelievable things. You will uncover a fascinating collection of bizarre and creepy hoaxes that actually made people stop and stare. Explore the unbelievable stories behind fake monsters, staged photographs, and completely made-up discoveries that managed to trick the world. Discover how these massive lies were carefully planned, why so many people believed them, and exactly how the truth finally came crashing out. You will learn to question what you see as you dive into the strange psychology behind these famous deceptions. Get ready for a mind-bending journey through the most outrageous tall tales, wild rumors, and historical pranks ever pulled off. It is time to separate the shocking facts from the incredibly creepy fiction.
9-12 Years
32 Pages
N/A
/5
A long time ago, going to the doctor was often far more dangerous than just staying home and being sick. Get ready to cringe as you explore some of the most bizarre, dangerous, and completely disgusting medical treatments from history. You will uncover how ancient healers and early doctors tried to cure illnesses with wildly crazy ideas. Discover the bloody reality behind practices like bloodletting, using creepy leeches, and even drilling actual holes directly into patients' heads to let out evil spirits. You will learn how human understanding of the body slowly evolved from terrifying guesswork into modern, life-saving science. Dive into these highly shocking true stories and see exactly what brave patients had to endure before things like antibiotics and safe surgeries existed. Prepare yourself for a wonderfully weird journey through the messy, frightening, and totally fascinating history of medicine.
9-12 Years
32 Pages
N/A
/5
The year is 1955, and the world has completely changed. Hundreds of thousands of ordinary wives and mothers have suddenly sprouted wings, gleaming scales, and sharp talons. They have transformed into massive dragons, leaving a trail of fiery destruction behind them as they soar into the endless sky. For young Alex Green, this incredible event brings more questions than answers. Her beloved aunt Marla is gone, transformed like the others, but her own mother remained behind. No one is allowed to talk about what happened. It is completely forbidden. Forced to stay silent, you will follow Alex as she navigates a confusing new reality with an overly protective mother and an absentee father. Even worse, she must watch her favorite cousin Bea become dangerously obsessed with the very things they are told to ignore. In this fiercely imaginative and wildly thought-provoking story, you will discover a world that tries to keep people small. Find out what happens when people finally decide to rise up, embrace their true power, and take up the space they truly deserve.
9-12 Years
352 Pages
N/A
/5
Turn on your faucet and watch the clear liquid pour out. But before you take a sip, have you ever wondered exactly where that water comes from? You are about to trace the incredible, sometimes surprising, and deeply fascinating journey of the water we use every single day. Follow the cycle from ancient glaciers and hidden underground wells right to the pipes running through your neighborhood. You will discover how water is naturally recycled by the planet, cleaned in massive treatment plants, and delivered straight into your glass. Along the way, explore the vital importance of keeping our waterways safe from pollution and the cool science used to make sure it is safe to drink. Dive into the amazing environmental story behind every single drop and learn why protecting this precious resource matters more than ever. Get ready to view your next glass of water in a completely different way.
9-12 Years
N/A
/5
It is gross, it is yellow, and it is something everyone does every single day. Get ready to explore the wonderfully weird and undeniably fascinating science of urine. You will dive right into the inner workings of the human body to understand exactly how and why we produce pee. Discover how your kidneys act as brilliant natural filters, sweeping waste right out of your blood and keeping you perfectly healthy. You will learn amazing facts about hydration, what different colors in the toilet bowl actually mean for your health, and why this deeply gross fluid is actually a medical marvel. Packed with delightfully disgusting details and rock-solid biology, this guide reveals the surprising truth behind your bathroom habits. Prepare to laugh and learn as you uncover the highly entertaining, completely natural, and beautifully strange reality of what leaves your body when nature finally calls.
9-12 Years
33 Pages
N/A
/5
Plunge into the pitch-black darkness of underground caves where sunlight never reaches. In these hidden, rocky worlds, you will discover incredible creatures that have survived for thousands of years without ever seeing a single thing. Some of them do not even have eyes. You will explore how these amazing animals use sharp senses like touch, smell, and hearing to hunt for food, avoid danger, and navigate their completely dark habitats. From pale, blind cave fish swimming in silent pools to creepy crawlers scurrying along the damp stone walls, nature has found brilliant ways to adapt to life in the shadows. Learn the awesome science behind these unique physical changes and uncover the secrets of the ultimate survivors. Get ready for an exciting journey deep below the earth to meet the fascinating wildlife that thrives completely in the dark.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
33 Pages
N/A
/5
Prepare to travel underground and go behind the scenes of our amazing sanitation system. Every time you flush the toilet or take out the trash, an incredible and slightly disgusting journey begins. You will explore the wildly fascinating history of human waste, from the earliest ancient toilets to the massive, highly complex sewer systems running underneath our modern cities today. Discover exactly how dirty water gets safely treated and cleaned before it goes back into nature. Along the way, you will meet the furry, clever residents who absolutely love to call these damp, dark tunnels their home: city rats. Learn how these highly adaptable creatures survive and thrive in a world of garbage and grime. This eye-opening adventure reveals the gross, vital, and surprisingly brilliant technology that keeps our world clean. You will definitely never look at trash, toilets, or the drain exactly the same way again.
9-12 Years
32 Pages
N/A
/5
Step into an unforgettable universe teeming with uncanny characters, secret magic, and lives that are both strikingly human and eerily original. You will meet a grieving widow who rekindles a romance with an unbelievably unusual mate, and a young man wrestling with his own identity through heartfelt letters to a faraway beloved. Watch as a powerful witch is haunted by the deadly and tragic repercussions of a simple spell gone terribly wrong. You will also discover the secret magical life of an invisible girl left for dead, hiding in the shadows while harnessing incredible power. In this bold, reality-bending collection, you will explore the intense strength of the imagination. These wildly imaginative stories blur the lines between reality and dark fantasy, forcing you to question everything you know about love, death, jealousy, and hope. Get ready to lose yourself in a beautifully woven tapestry of wild dreams, sharp magic, and incredibly dreadful young ladies.
13-18 Years
305 Pages
N/A
/5
For six years, it has been just the three of them living in a quiet Midwestern farmhouse. You will meet a fiercely pragmatic fifteen-year-old girl who serves as the absolute backbone of her family, carefully budgeting the finances and raising her little brother while her talented mother weaves beautiful, intricate tapestries. They have always managed to survive on their own. But everything changes the day her mother brings home a terrifying new guest. He is a six-foot-tall crane with a menacing air and dangerously sharp edges. Utterly enchanted, her mother quickly abandons the world around her, obsessed with weaving the grand masterpiece this terrifying bird demands. Powerless to stop the massive creature from moving in, the teenage girl must quickly figure out how to protect her younger brother from the looming threat. In this stunning, dark retelling of a classic folktale, you will witness the terrifying lengths one teen must go to defend her fragile family and completely change their story.
13-18 Years
92 Pages
N/A
/5
Back home, Jack is practically invisible. No one notices him, and nothing exciting ever happens. So when his parents ship him off to Hazelwood, Iowa, to spend the summer with his incredibly odd aunt and uncle, he expects completely boring days filled with nothing to do. But you are about to discover that Hazelwood is far from normal. Magic is actually bubbling just below the surface of this quiet little town, and the strange residents have secretly been waiting for Jack to arrive for a very long time. For the first time in his life, Jack makes actual, loyal friends. Unfortunately, he also immediately makes powerful enemies. The local bully beats him up, and the richest, most dangerous man in town begins plotting his painful demise. Now, Jack must urgently figure out why everyone suddenly cares so much about him before it is completely too late. Dive into this eerie, highly imaginative adventure about finding your place, standing up to fear, and discovering the hidden magic inside yourself.
9-12 Years
336 Pages
N/A
/5
You are running outside on a blazing hot summer day, and suddenly, you are completely soaked. What exactly is that sticky, salty water oozing right out of your skin? Prepare to dive deep into the incredibly gross but totally necessary science of perspiration. You will discover exactly how your body creates sweat to act like a built-in air conditioner, keeping your internal temperature perfectly safe when things heat up. Explore the tiny, hidden glands all over your skin, learn why sweat sometimes smells so terrible, and find out how this amazing fluid actually protects your health. Packed with delightfully disgusting details and rock-solid biology, this book breaks down the totally natural process happening right on the surface of your body. Get ready to embrace the slime and uncover the fascinating, highly active science behind why we drip, drop, and glisten when we work hard and play outside.
9-12 Years
32 Pages
N/A
/5
The town of Stone-in-the-Glen was once a beautiful, bustling place, but hard times have changed everything. Following a series of terrible disasters, the townspeople have lost their library, their school, and even their sense of community. Desperate for a savior, they place all their trust in their dazzling Mayor, a famous dragon slayer who promises to fix their broken lives. But the clever residents of the local Orphan House and the gentle Ogress who lives at the edge of town know the truth. The Ogress is secretly delivering gifts to the struggling townspeople, aided by her loyal flock of crows. When a child mysteriously vanishes from the Orphan House, the Mayor quickly points the finger at the Ogress. Now, the orphans must find a way to prove her innocence to a town that refuses to listen. You will be swept away by this beautiful, thought-provoking fantasy about the true meaning of generosity. It is a powerful reminder that kindness and community are the strongest magic of all.
9-12 Years
401 Pages
N/A
/5
Look down at the mud, the snow, or the soft dirt on the trail. Do you see those strange shapes left behind? You are about to become a brilliant wildlife detective. When animals walk through the woods, they leave highly specific clues on the ground. You will learn exactly how to read these secret messages and figure out which furry or feathered creature just passed by. Discover how to tell the difference between the tiny paws of a raccoon, the heavy hooves of a deer, and the sharp claws of a sneaky fox. Explore the fascinating ways animals move and why their footprints look completely different from one another. Grab your magnifying glass and get ready for an awesome outdoor adventure. You will uncover hidden secrets in nature and learn how to track the coolest wildlife hiding right in your very own backyard.
6-8 Years
18 Pages
N/A
/5
In a dark and ruthless world, a cruel Minister reigns supreme over a terrified population. When twenty magically gifted children are born in a single year, the ruthless leader immediately demands they be sent to a bleak tower to have their powers painfully drained away. Nineteen are successfully captured, but one tiny child tragically dies before being taken. Thrown onto a rubbish heap and completely forgotten, the dead baby suddenly does the impossible: she wakes up. Witnessing this incredible miracle, a weary junk man and a formidable egg woman quickly vow to hide the fiercely magical girl from the terrifying Minister. You will follow this beautifully resilient, unlicensed magician as she grows up hidden in plain sight, secretly harnessing an extraordinary, unpredictable power. Prepare for a breathtaking tale of intense survival, deep courage, and wild magic. You will discover how even the smallest spark of defiance can rise from the ashes to challenge an entire cruel empire.
13-18 Years
123 Pages
N/A
/5
Guys Read
Terrifying Tales
Jump in: Grab your flashlight and make sure the closet door is shut tight. This collection brings together some of the best storytellers around for a thrilling ride filled with creepy creatures, vengeful ghosts, and magic tricks that go horribly wrong. Why it pulls you in: Compiled by Jon Scieszka, this book features stories from your favorite authors like R.L. Stine, Dav Pilkey, and Adam Gidwitz. You will meet imaginary friends who turn out to be dangerously real, discover twisted fairy tales that will keep you guessing, and cross paths with librarians who are anything but ordinary. It is the perfect mix of spooky suspense and dark humor. What to expect: Whether you are reading under the covers or sharing these tales around a campfire, get ready for a collection that delivers just the right amount of fright. Every chapter offers a brand new mystery or monster to face, making it an unforgettable adventure for anyone who loves a good scare.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
288 Pages
N/A
/5
