The Burning Bandit

By Lauren Louise Hazel

Adventure • Fantasy • Children • Action • Epic/quest adventure • Fantasy adventure • Military adventure • High fantasy • Magic system • Children • Spies • Military • fantasy • magic • good vs evil with moral ambiguity • friends to rivals • family betrayal • opposites attract

A sprawling and original adventure in a familiar magical paradigm, The Burning Bandit by Lauren Louise Hazel is a richly imagined work of high fantasy. The Burning Bandit is the story of two boys, whose past and present are entwined by destiny and shattered by betrayal. The world is governed by Chi, the use of the spiritual arts, and the manipulation of the four elements: Water, Earth, Fire, and Air. Rayan is the son of a powerful family. His mother complains he is too gentle and full of Water. With grit and determination, he becomes a brilliant warrior, and eventually the General. Kai is captured as a prisoner of war and joins Rayan’s training camp as a child, where he is trained in the spiritual arts. He is stubborn and forceful like the Earth. He becomes the High Priest, a feared figure, a treacherous spy, and loyal to the Empress.

The Token Of Secrets

By Avo Doge

Adventure • Fantasy • Children • Drama • Children • Magic system • Dragons and mystical creatures • Urban fantasy • Exploration adventure • Fantasy adventure • Epic/quest adventure • Friendship drama

Twelve-year-old Max Ryder never expected his birthday at the run-down WonderBurrow Arcade to change his life forever. But when he wins a strange golden token from a forgotten claw machine, the games around him begin to whisper, shadows crawl from broken machines, and the star of the arcade stage—an animatronic mouse named Chucktail—suddenly comes to life. Drawn into a hidden world beneath the arcade, Max discovers the WonderBurrow Academy, where magical guardians—anthropomorphic animals who once only performed for kids—train chosen children to defend both realms from dark forces. With the help of Chucktail and his fellow Guardians, Max learns that tokens aren’t just for games—they’re keys to powers linked to the arcade’s enchanted worlds. But a dangerous threat is rising. Glitch Beasts, born from corrupted machines, are spreading through the arcade, and their attacks seem anything but random. Whispers of an ancient betrayal hint at something—or someone—guiding them. Armed with courage, friendship, and his one-of-a-kind token, Max must take his first steps into this magical new world. If he fails, the arcade he loves—and the magic behind it—could be lost forever.