Basketball meets monsters in this first book in a hilarious middle-grade series for ages 10 and up by #1 New York Times–bestselling author Wesley King!When eleven-year-old Baxter Brooks wakes up one morning with a sweet beard, he's pumped. How many fifth graders get to sport cheek mittens in math class? It's pretty much the greatest day of his life.
What he first assumes is insta-puberty, escalates . . . rapidly. He grows fangs, people scream, he almost gives a cat a heart attack . . . it's a total mess. When Bax gives his whole school a were-scare during a play, he's shuttled off to an academy for misfit monsters . . . and into the zany world of beast ball. But if Bax wants to lead the long-suffering Pugs to triumph and solve the mystery of the Extremely Inconvenient Phantom, he'll have to learn to embrace his hairy werewolf alter ego. Yes . . . even the ankle scarves.
Welcome to Prodigium Academy, where
Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets
Hotel Transylvania in this middle-grade series featuring ludicrous artwork, loads of humor and a monster-sized heart.
On sale: May 5, 2026
Age: 10 and up
Grade: Grade 5 & Up
Page count: 320 Pages
ISBN: 9781774886458
WESLEY KING is the #1
New York Times–bestselling author of thirteen novels, including The Wizenard Series,
OCDaniel, the Vindico series and
A World Below. His books have been optioned for film and television and translated for release worldwide. He currently lives on a windy seaside bluff in western Newfoundland, Canada.
STEVE WOLFHARD is a Canadian cartoonist, storyboard artist, writer and director. He was a writer and storyboard artist on the animated television series
Adventure Time, which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination and is a supervising director on its spin-off
Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake. He is also the illustrator of The Zombie Chasers chapter book series.
A 2027 Forest of Reading Silver Birch Award Nominee"Lively dialogue strikes a deft balance of horror and humor while exploring themes of identity, friendship, and resilience, crafting a school story that is as heartening as it is laugh-out-loud."
—Publishers Weekly
"Wolfhard’s line drawings feature a youthful, cartoon style that pairs perfectly with the story. Suit up to join Bax and the Pugs in this first entry in a monstrously fun new series."
—Booklist
"[K]ing does a solid job of slipping important ideas into a tale that moves with the speed and skill of a power forward."
—Quill & Quire
"The first book in a new middle-grade series by Wesley King,
Beast Ballerz, is a fun story with lots of humour and kid appeal. . . . Kids will love the quirky story and how relatable Bax is, with Steve Wolfhard’s illustrations a funny addition to the chapters."
—Canadian Children's Book News
