ABRAMS
Abrams clears the floor for How Do You Dance? by Thyra Heder, featuring an initially reluctant boy who eventually gets moving with the power of dance; I Am Love by Susan Verde, illus. by Peter H. Reynolds, the fourth volume in the duo’s wellness series, celebrating love in all its forms; Caveboy Crush by Beth Ferry, illus. by Joseph Kuefler, the tale of a caveboy named Neander who crushes on Neanne the cavegirl; Geek Girls by Tonya Bolden, spotlighting outstanding black women who have changed the world of STEM in America; and Soldier for Equality by Duncan Tonatiuh, a biography of Mexican-American soldier and activist José de la Luz Sáenz.
ABRAMS/AMULET
Amulet boots up with The Last Human by Lee Bacon, about a human girl discovered in a world ruled by machines, where humans went extinct 30 years before; The Red Zone by Silvia Vecchini and Antonio Sualzo Vencenti, in which three kids must find a way to begin again after an earthquake devastates their community; The F-Word by Angie Manfredi, a collection of writings by authors and influencers who are telling their own stories about fat bodies and fat lives; Minor Prophets by Jimmy Cajoleas, the story of a boy who seeks the truth behind his haunting visions after his mother dies; and Blood Countess by Lana Popovic, a tale of intrigue, mystery, and murder set amid young royals in 1602 Hungary.
ABRAMS/APPLESEED
Appleseed gets into the holiday spirit with Christmas Is Awesome! by Hello!Lucky, celebrating such festive activities as tree trimming and an ugly sweater contest; Vegetables in Holiday Underwear by Jared Chapman, in which Broccoli helps Pea find the true meaning of his favorite time of year; The Airport Train by Nichole Mara, illus. by Andrew Kolb, an accordion book that folds out car by car; FarmBlock by Christopher Franceschelli, illus. by Peskimo, which explores the seasons of the year down on the farm via die-cut pages; and Monsters Come Out Tonight by Frederick Glasser, illus. by Edward Miller, showcasing a Halloween bash with lift-the-flap surprises.
AKASHIC/BLACK SHEEP
Black Sheep keeps the light on for Home Girl by Alex Wheatle, the story of a 14-year-old girl navigating Britain’s racially divisive foster care system after her mother dies.
ALGONQUIN
Algonquin sets hearts aflutter with How to Fall in Love by Maria Padian, focusing on one girl’s efforts to adjust in a new, more affluent (and whiter) community when her family’s application for Habitat for Humanity is accepted; The Jumbie God’s Revenge by Tracey Baptiste, the third entry in the Jumbies series, chronicling Corinne’s confrontation with the jumbie god Huracan; The Dark Lord Clementine by Sarah Jean Horwitz, in which Clementine must take over her father’s duties as Dark Lord of the realm; Naked Mole Rat Saves the World by Karen Rivers, the tale of a girl who discovers she can transform into a naked mole rat when she’s stressed; and Cub by Cynthia Copeland, a graphic novel starring Cindy, who discovers her talents and her voice while interning for a young female reporter during the Watergate era.
ANDERSEN PRESS USA
Andersen Press bakes a cake for Elmer’s Birthday by David McKee, in which the other animals play a trick on Elmer on his birthday; Otto Blotter, Bird Spotter by Graham Carter, chronicling Otto’s magical journey to find out what it truly means to be part of a family; The Button Book by Sally Nicholls, illus. by Bethan Woollvin, a picture book about imagination and play; and Super Sloth to the Rescue by Robert Starling, spotlighting a very slow rescue.
ANNICK
Annick Press tunes up with Tallulah Plays the Tuba by Tiffany Stone, illus. by Sandy Nichols, in which tiny Tallulah is determined to play a large instrument; Balance by Nicola Winstanley, illus. by Marianne Ferrer, featuring twins Mo and Mel who discover their differences might not be a bad thing; One Big Little Place by James A. Conan, illus. by Nicole Lalonde, about a boy living in a high-rise who imagines his small space is much bigger; If a Bird Can Be a Ghost by Allison Mills, following a girl and her grandmother who catch ghosts in their hair to help the spirits transition from the world of the living; and Classic Munsch Moods, in which Robert Munsch characters introduce toddlers to a variety of moods.
ARBORDALE
Arbordale looks up to The Forest That Lives in the Trees by Connie McLennan, a cumulative tale introducing the plants and animals that live in the tops of giant trees; and Animal Skins by Mary Holland, offering a look at the ways various animals use their skin—scales, fur, feathers, or shells—to adapt to their habitat.
Apples & Honey offers a tasty fall menu with Once Upon an Apple Cake by Elana Rubinstein, illus. by Jennifer Naalchigar, the tale of two rival restaurants and a secret Rosh Hashanah cake recipe; Yiddish Saves the Day by Debbie Levy, illus. by Hector Borlasca, in which the mishpacha (family) turns a bad day better; Right Side Up! Adventures in Chelm by Eric A. Kimmel, illus. by Stephen Brown, featuring Jewish folktales starring the literal-minded residents of Chelm; Jackie and Jesse and Joni and Jae: A Rosh Hashanah Story by Chris Barash, illus. by Christine Battuz, following four children who learn about being your best self; and Crocodile, You’re Beautiful: Embracing Our Strengths and Ourselves by Ruth Westheimer et al., illus. by CB Decker, offering advice to some animal friends who don’t feel comfortable in their own skin.
BAREFOOT
Barefoot Books welcomes Global Kids: 50+ Games, Crafts, Recipes & More from Around the World, a global activity deck by Homa Sabet Tavangar, illus. by Sophie Fatus; Let’s Celebrate: Special Days Around the World by Kate DePalma, illus. by Martina Peluso, a picture book about world holiday traditions; Barefoot Books Solar System by Anne Jankéliowitch, illus. by Annabelle Buxton, trans. from the French by Lisa Rosinsky, a tour of the planets; Five Little Mermaids, a singalong picture book about a group of mermaids exploring the five oceans, by Sunny Scribens, illus. by Barbara Vagnozzi; and That’s Not My Bed by Erin Gunti, illus. by Esteli Meza, a picture book about a girl and her mother staying at a homeless shelter for the first time.
BLOOMSBURY
Bloomsbury charts a course with The Map from Here to There by Emery Lord, which finds high school senior Paige panicking about her future; Some Places More Than Others by Renée Watson, exploring a father-daughter relationship and the neighborhood of Harlem; The Beast by Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs, a follow-up to The Darkdeep, in which five friends must find the origins of the Darkdeep and the Thing in a Jar; The Dragon Warrior by Katie Zhao, a middle-grade fantasy debut about an outcast’s quest across various Chinatowns; and A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer, a return to the fantasy world of Emberfall.
BOYDS MILLS
Boyds Mills sharpens its pencil for Arithmechicks Add Up by Ann Marie Stephens, illus. by Jia Liu, showcasing 10 math-loving chicks who introduce math concepts; The Secret Life of the Skunk by Laurence Pringle, illus. by Kate Garchinsky, chronicling the behaviors of a skunk family as its kits grow to adulthood; Good Night, Oliver Wizard by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, illus. by Josée Masse, a bedtime picture book; Unleashed by Carolyn O’Doherty, continuing the adventures of Alex and three fellow teens who can freeze and rewind time in the Rewind sci-fi trilogy; and Warrior Queens by Vicky Alvear Shecter, illus. by Bill Mayer, presenting the biographies of six little-known ancient warrior queens.
BOYDS MILLS/CALKINS CREEK
Calkins Creek clears its palate for The Poison Eaters by Gail Jarrow, the true story of government chemist Harvey Washington Wiley’s work, which led to the creation of the Food and Drug Administration; Prairie Boy by Barb Rosenstock, illus. by Christopher Silas Neal, introducing Frank Lloyd Wright and organic architecture; Full of Beans by Peggy Thomas, illus. by Edwin Fotheringham, about Henry Ford’s most inventive car, made completely of soybeans; Accused by Larry Dane Brimner, relating the story of the Scottsboro Boys, nine African-American teens falsely accused of rape during the Great Depression; and Buzzing with Questions by Janice N. Harrington, illus. by Theodore Taylor III, which profiles African-American entomologist Charles Henry Turner who studied ants, bees, and other insects.
BOYDS MILLS/WORDSONG
Wordsong scores a goooooooooaaaaaaalllll with Soccerverse by Elizabeth Steinglass, illus. by Edson Ikê, 22 poems about the world’s most popular sport; and Ordinary Hazards by Nikki Grimes, a memoir capturing the poet-author’s childhood, which was filled with tragedy and courage.
CAMERON KIDS
Cameron Kids has got the look with Matchy Matchy by Erin McGill, starring a girl known for her matching outfits who one day decides to mix things up; The President Sang Amazing Grace by Zoe Mulford, illus. by Jeff Scher, recalling the day that President Obama sang “Amazing Grace” to comfort the nation during a funeral honoring one of the fallen in the 2015 Charleston, S.C., church shooting; Oak Leaf by John Sandford, tracking a fall leaf’s journey; Poop by Poppy Champignon, illus. by Mark Hoffman, offering a humorous look at the titular word; and Terrible Times Tables by Michelle Markel, illus. by Merrilee Liddiard, which blends a chronicle of a typical school year and a multiplication primer.
CANDLEWICK
Candlewick raises its right hand for Leading the Way: Women in Government by Janet Howell and Theresa Howell, illus. by Kylie Erwin and Alexandra Bye, highlighting the struggles and accomplishments of more than 50 of the most influential women in U.S. political history; The Princess in Black and the Bath Time Battle by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illus. by LeUyen Pham, in which the Princess in Black and the Goat Avenger must vanquish a foul-smelling cloud; Dasher by Matt Tavares, the origin story of one of Santa’s famous reindeer; Just Because by Mac Barnett, illus. by Isabelle Arsenault, which finds a patient father offering up creative responses to his child’s nighttime wonderings; and Color of the Sun by David Almond, about Davie’s exploration of his hometown streets one summer day despite the town’s unrest following the news that a boy has been killed.
CANDLEWICK ENTERTAINMENT
Candlewick Entertainment lines up for Frankie’s Food Truck, a lift-the-flap board book adapted from the shape-matching and identification board game featuring Frankie the cat; and the latest tie-in to Nick Jr.’s animated program Peppa Pig.
CANDLEWICK STUDIO
Candlewick Studio looks back with Life: First Four Billion Years by Martin Jenkins, illus. by Grahame Baker-Smith, providing a journey through millennia of prehistory; World of Discovery by Richard Platt, illus. by James Brown, which shows the breakthroughs in science and technology that have changed our lives; Myths and Labyrinths by Jan Bajtlik, a search-and-find puzzle book featuring spreads focused on a particular subject or historical episode; and Playing with Collage by Jeannie Baker, offering hints and tips on how to create art with collage.
CANDLEWICK/BIG PICTURE
Big Picture Press shines with The Speed of Starlight by Colin Stuart, illus. by Ximo Abadia, exploring the topics of physics, light, and sound; Cities in Layers by Philip Steele, illus. by Andres Lozano, depicting five major world cities at different stages throughout history; Paper World by Bomboland, a die-cut novelty book which showcases physical details of planet Earth; and Walk This Underground World by Kate Baker, illus. by Sam Brewster, visiting underground worlds teeming with life—from ant cities to prairie-dog towns.
CANDLEWICK/NOSY CROW
Nosy Crow has its say with 100 First Words by Edward Underwood, introducing vocabulary to toddlers; Best Kind of Bear by Greg Gormley, illus. by David Barrow, about Bear’s quest to find out what kind of bear he is; The Knight Who Said No! by Lucy Rowland, illus. by Kate Hindley, exploring what happens when exemplary knight Ned decides to rebel and say “no” to all his duties; Alphabet Street by Jonathan Emmett, illus. by Ingela P. Arrhenius, a novelty concept book; and Nuts! by Lou Peacock, illus. by Yasmeen Ismail, focused on discerning the true ownership of a pile of nuts discovered by a squirrel.
CANDLEWICK/TEMPLAR
Templar greets the season with Hello Dinosaurs by Sam Boughton, featuring basic dinosaur facts in a lift-the-flap format; By the Light of the Moon by Frann Preston-Gannon, about a frog’s efforts to find a duet partner in the swamp for singing himself to sleep; Fearless Mirabelle and Meg by Katie Haworth, illus. by Nila Aye, focused on twin daughters following their famous circus-acrobat parents into the Big Top.
CANDLEWICK/WALKER BOOKS US
Walker marches into fall with Suffragette by David Roberts, following the trajectory of the fight for women’s right to vote in Great Britain and featuring key figures in the struggle in the U.S.; Malamander by Thomas Taylor, in which Violet comes to Eerie-on-the-Sea to try and locate her parents who disappeared at a hotel there when she was a baby; I, Cosmo by Carlie Sorosiak, the tale of how Cosmo the dog teams with his 12-year-old human to keep their family together when things start to fall apart; Swag Boy by Lauren Myracle, chronicling—via song lyrics, memories, and observations—Paul’s efforts to navigate high school, first love, and his parents’ divorce; and The Good Hawk by debut author Joseph Elliott, launching the Shadow Skye fantasy trilogy featuring a British girl with Down syndrome who has the ability to communicate with animals.
CAPSTONE
Capstone steps into fall with My Footprints by Bao Phi, illus. by Basia Tran, in which a Vietnamese-American girl with two moms finds a creative way to brave a bully’s taunts; The Golden Acorn by Katy Hudson, which finds Squirrel with the challenge of becoming a team player for the Great Nut Hunt Race; Who Makes the Rules? by Fran Manushkin, kicking off the spin-off early reader series Katie Woo’s Neighborhood, starring the fan favorite character; Ona Judge Outwits the Washingtons: An Enslaved Woman Fights for Freedom by Gwendolyn Hooks, illus. by Simone Agoussoye, the true story of the enslaved woman who was pursued by George and Martha Washington when she ran away from the President’s Mansion in Philadelphia; and The Friendship Lie by Rebecca Donnelly, about the challenges with friends and family that Cora navigates during a rough fifth-grade year.
CATALYST
Catalyst rises up with The Thousand Steps by Helen Brain, set in a dystopic Cape Town, South Africa, in 2055, first in the Elevation Trilogy.
CHARLESBRIDGE
Charlesbridge puts on its headphones for Baby Loves Audiology by Ruth Spiro, illus. by Irene Chan, exploring the science of sound and hearing; Follow Chester by Gloria Respress-Churchwell, illus. by Laura Freeman, the story of real-life footballer Chester Pierce, who became the first black college football player to compete south of the Mason-Dixon Line; Dog and Rabbit by Barney Saltzberg, following the budding friendship between a dog and a rabbit; Mario and the Hole in the Sky by Elizabeth Rusch, illus. by Teresa Martinez, the true account of how Mexican-American scientist Mario Molina saved the planet from environmental disaster; and Superlative A. Lincoln by Eileen Meyer, illus. by Dave Szalay, poems expressing the exceptional nature of the 16th president.
CHARLESBRIDGE TEEN
Charlesbridge Teen uncovers Deception by Teri Terry, continuing the Dark Matter trilogy about the world’s deadliest epidemic; Becoming Beatriz by Tami Charles, a companion novel to Like Vanessa, starring an aspiring dancer whose dreams are put on hold when her brother is killed by a rival gang; and Trinity of Bones by Caitlin Seal, second in the Necromancer’s Song trilogy, which finds Naya trying to bring Corten back from the shores of death.
CHRONICLE
Chronicle ponders the season with Why? by Adam Rex, illus. by Claire Keane, in which a child’s repetition of this one-word question sets an evil villain on a path of self-reflection; A Stone Sat Still by Brendan Wenzel, about a stone that remains a constant in the ever-changing world around it; AstroNuts: The Plant Planet by Jon Scieszka, illus. by Steven Weinberg, launching a chapter book series introducing four mutant animals who have been created to explore other planets; Three Cheers for Kid McGear! by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illus. by AG Ford; and Get Up, Stand Up by Cedella Marley, illus. by John Jay Cabuay, an adaptation of Bob Marley’s song by his daughter, which encourages kids to stand up for themselves against bullies and teasing.
CHRONICLE/HANDPRINT
Handprint pulls out its crayons for Draw Here! by Hervé Tullet, featuring prompts that invite young collaborators to draw and color to create a new book; and TouchWords: Clothes and TouchWords: House by Rilla Alexander continue the tactile board book series introducing readers to first words.
CHRONICLE/TWIRL
Twirl puckers up for The Biggest Kiss by Virginie Aracil, depicting parents and children, both animal and human, snuggling up for a kiss; My Big Book of Sounds by Kiko, presenting a series of first words and more than 100 sounds; Badaboom Badabump by Bartélémi Baou, illus. by Xavier Deneux, a progressive storybook accompanied by stacking wooden animals; Boo! Scared You! by Stéphanie Babin, illus. by Vincent Mathy, featuring animals in a lift-the-flap tale; and Mr. Bear’s Colors by Virginie Aracil, which teaches colors and first words.
CLEVER
Clever Publishing gets ready for bed with Don’t Wake the Dragon by Bianca Schulze, founder and editor of the Children’s Book Review, starring a dragon who is reluctant to sleep; Sheep Lullaby, the story of a girl and her unlikely friendship with a chocolate sheep; Clever Plays, an interactive series of board books with pages to spin, pull, push and slide; Clever Grooves, encouraging children to trace die-cut grooves around letters, numbers, and shapes; and Clever Firsts, introductions to various professions, including In the School, In the Doctor’s Office, In the Lab, and In the Kitchen.
DC INK
DC Ink slips on its mask for Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass by Mariko Tamaki, illus. by Steve Pugh, following Harleen Quinn as she fights to end the wave of gentrification taking over her neighborhood; and Batman: Nightwalker, adapted by Stuart Moore from Marie Lu’s prose novel, illus. by Chris Wildgoose, featuring Gotham City’s 18-year-old Bruce Wayne.
DC ZOOM
DC Zoom powers up with Dear Justice League by Michael Northrop, illus. by Gustavo Duarte, in which members of the Justice League answer fan mail; Superman of Smallville by Art Baltazar and Franco, focusing on 13-year-old Clark Kent; and Black Canary: Ignite by Meg Cabot, illus. by Cara McGee, in which young Dinah begins to develop glass-shattering vocal powers like her mother, the vigilante Black Canary.
DISNEY/DISNEY-HYPERION
Disney-Hyperion battens down the hatches for Bruce’s Big Storm by Ryan T. Higgins, which finds every woodland creature at Bruce’s door as a wild storm approaches; Unlimited Squirrels #2: Who Is the Mystery Reader? by Mo Willems, in which Zoom Squirrel tries out a new superpower; The Trials of Apollo #4: The Tyrant’s Tomb by Rick Riordan, focused on Apollo’s journey to Camp Jupiter, where he must learn what it means to be a hero; Grace in Washington by Kelly DiPucchio, illus. by LeUyen Pham, the follow-up to Grace for President, in which students model the three branches of government; and Sanity and Tallulah #2 by Molly Brooks, about the best friends’ trip to another planet, where they get sucked into an adventure.
DISNEY/FREEFORM
Freeform heats up the cauldron with B*Witch by Paige McKenzie and Nancy Ohlin, about teen witches who must team with a rival coven at their high school to catch a killer; Deadly Little Scandals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, the sequel to Little White Lies, in which Sawyer is invited to join a secret society and finds a dead body in the process; City of Beasts by Corrie Wang, set in a post-environmental crash era where men and women have divided into separate societies; What I Want You to See by Catherine Linka, in which a college freshman is swept into shaky moral territory within the cutthroat world of visual arts; and Say Her Name by Zetta Elliott, collecting poems that spotlight #BlackGirlMagic and the #SayHerName campaign to highlight the fact that black women are also victims of police brutality.
DISNEY/HYPERION
Hyperion plays the field for 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston, in which a girl’s family tries to mend her broken heart by setting her up on 10 blind dates in 10 days; The Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drake, a debut novel featuring a lost shipwreck and a missing piece of family history; Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim, first in a YA fantasy duology set in a Monaco-like city-state; The Light at the Bottom of the World by London Shah, which takes place in a futuristic Britain that is immersed underwater; and Elysium Girls by Kate Pentecost, the tale of a walled city in Oklahoma that’s used as a chessboard in a battle between gods.
DISNEY/LUCASFILM
Lucasfilm Press visits a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga by Delilah Dawson, illus. by Brian Rood, reimagining Episodes I–VIII from Anakin, Luke, Leia, and Rey’s points of view.
DISNEY/MARVEL PRESS
Marvel Press conjures mayhem with Loki: Where the Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee, featuring tales from the life of the misunderstood mischief-maker, Loki.
DISNEY/RICK RIORDAN PRESENTS
Rick Riordan Presents takes its mark and gets set with Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse, featuring a Navajo girl who discovers she’s a Monsterslayer; The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes, which shows Zane deciding between saving fellow godborns from the angry gods or rescuing his father from an eternal prison; and Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia, a middle-grade fantasy taking place in a world populated with African-American folk heroes and West African gods.
FLYAWAY
Flyaway Books celebrates the season with The Night of His Birth by Katherine Paterson, illus. by Lisa Aisato, recounting Jesus’ birth from the perspective of Mary; The Worst Christmas Ever by Kathleen Long Bostrom, illus. by Guy Porfirio, in which Matthew spends his first Christmas in a new state and his dog goes missing; Brian the Brave by Paul Stewart, illus. by Jane Porter, which finds sheep learning about tolerance and bias; and Where Is Home, Daddy Bear? by Nicola O’Byrne, featuring a cub and her single father moving to a new home.
FREE SPIRIT
Free Spirit takes a deep breath with Put Your Worries Away by Gill Hasson, illus. by Sarah Jennings, first in a series about helping kids develop coping skills; Smarts! Everybody’s Got Them! by Thomas Armstrong, looking at the multiple forms of intelligence; and Go Green! by Liz Gogerly, illus. by Miguel Sanchez, espousing the practice of reduce, reuse, recycle to help protect the environment.
GROUNDWOOD
Groundwood celebrates with Fern and Horn by Marie-Louise Gay, a look at the imagination and creativity of children; The Ranger by Nancy Vo, follow-up to The Outlaw, and the second book in the Crow Stories Trilogy, about an unexpected friendship; Helen’s Birds by Sara Cassidy, illus. by Sophie Casson, a wordless graphic novel about friendship, loss, and hope; Clear Skies by Jessica Scott Kerrin, a middle grade novel set in 1961 as the U.S./Soviet Space Race heats up; and My Story Starts Here: Voices of Young Offenders by Deborah Ellis, featuring interviews with kids in the criminal justice system.
HARBOUR
Harbour swims upstream with Sockeye Silver, Saltchuck Blue by Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd, introducing the colors and the rhythm of the seasons in the Pacific Northwest, via First Nations artwork.
HARPERCOLLINS
HarperCollins flies away home with Christmas Cheer for the Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle, which finds this beloved critter getting festive; Throwback by Peter Lerangis, about a kid from New York City who travels to a former time in his hometown’s history; The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry, illus. by the Fan Brothers, the tale of a lonely scarecrow who saves a baby crow; Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron, launching a West African-inspired YA trilogy following a girl who must sacrifice years of her life for the magic to save her world; Cog by Greg van Eekhout, in which five runaway robots embark on a cross-country journey to find the scientist who made them; I Can Make That Promise by Christine Day, the story of Edie’s discovery of old letters in her parents’ attic that connect her to her Native American heritage; Heroism Begins with Her: Inspiring Stories of Bold, Brave, and Gutsy Women in the U.S. Military by Winifred Conkling, illus. by Julia Kuo, profiling women in the U.S. military throughout history; Infinity Son: A Specters Novel by Adam Silvera, a contemporary fantasy set in an alternate New York City; and When You Ask Me Where I’m Going by Jasmin Kaur, a debut #OwnVoices novel told in prose and poetry with two-color illustrations by the author, exploring undocumented immigration, sexual assault, mental health, love, and resistance.
HARPERTEEN
HarperTeen does its homework for Verify by Joelle Charbonneau, beginning a five-minutes-in-the-future duology featuring one girl’s search to recover the truth in a post-knowledge world; Unpregnant by Jenni Hendriks and Ted Caplan, a debut novel in which a girl must drive more than 900 miles to obtain a legal abortion; Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin, the French-inspired tale of a witch and a witch-hunter bound as one; The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco, launching a duology highlighting star-crossed romance and immortal heroines; A Treason of Thorns by Laura Weymouth, a standalone fantasy set in an alternate historical England; A Dress for the Wicked by Autumn Krause, which showcases the high-stakes fashion scene of a reimagined 19th-century Europe; I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Rishi, focused on three very different teens confronted with the news that the Earth will be destroyed in eight days; and Crier’s War by Nina Varela, following the relationship between a human girl and a “designed” girl amid an impending war.
HARPERCOLLINS/BALZER + BRAY
Balzer + Bray heats things up with Ember and the Ice Dragons by Heather Fawcett, featuring Ember, a girl in an alternate Victorian era who used to be a dragon and has a tendency to burst into flames, so is sent to live with her aunt in Antarctica; Snow Much Fun by Nancy Siscoe, illus. by Sabina Gibson, celebrating winter with a bear, fox, and rabbit; Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy, in which a girl inadvertently takes over the town newspaper’s advice column; The Best At. It. by Maulik Pancholy, the story of a gay Indian boy living in the Midwest who thinks all his problems would disappear if he could just become “the best” at something; and Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All by Laura Ruby, the story of two young women—one living, one dead—trying to survive amid loss and poverty in WWII-era Chicago.
HARPERCOLLINS/BLINK
Blink shows its stripes with Tiger Queen by Annie Sullivan, the fantasy retelling of Frank Stockton’s short story “The Lady, or The Tiger?”; The Silence Between Us by Alison Gervais, an #OwnVoices novel about a Deaf girl who moves across the country to attend a traditional public high school; The Memory Thief by Lauren Mansy, set in a city where memories and talents are bought and sold; and Every Stolen Breath by Kimberly Gabriel, a thriller inspired by the flash-mob violence that has plagued Chicago in recent years.
HARPERCOLLINS/GREENWILLOW
Greenwillow fires up the oven for Wintercake by Lynne Rae Perkins, in which friends come together to save the day when Thomas misplaces the ingredients for his seasonal cake; No Map, Great Trip: A Young Writer’s Journey to Page One by Paul Fleischman, a memoir that details the author’s path to becoming a writer; Dias y dias/Days and Days by Ginger Foglesong Guy, illus. by Rene King Moreno, which presents English and Spanish words associated with the seasons while following a family through an entire year; Now Entering Addamsville by Francesca Zappia, focusing on Zora who is framed for a crime she didn’t commit and must find the culprit to clear her name; and Empire of Dreams by Rae Carson, a standalone fantasy novel set in the world of the author’s Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy.
HARPERCOLLINS/TEGEN
Katherine Tegen Books has open arms for One Hug by Katrina Moore, illus. by Julia Woolf, which finds a Chinese-American family celebrating the arrival of their immigrant relatives; The Hundred-Year Barn by Patricia MacLachlan, illus. by Kenard Pak, the life story of a barn on the plains of Wyoming and the boy who cares for it; Remarkables by Margaret Peterson Haddix, about two children who can see magical neighbors next door and discover that their past, present, and future lives are intertwined; Angel Mage by Garth Nix, featuring an ageless woman who can summon powerful angels and who is bent on reuniting with her lover; and The End and Other Beginnings: Stories from the Future by Veronica Roth, illus. by Ashley Mackenzie, a short story collection of speculative fiction.
HARPERCOLLINS/WALDEN POND
Walden Pond Books sets sail with The Treacherous Seas (A Perilous Journey of Danger and Mayhem #2) by Christopher Healy, continuing the alt-history age-of-invention adventure series; and My Jasper June by Laurel Snyder, about two girls both dealing with family struggles who find each other one summer day and forge a magical friendship.
HOLIDAY HOUSE
Holiday House buys a ticket for Overground Railroad by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illus. by James E. Ransome, a wide-eyed girl’s account of the Great Migration, traveling by train from North Carolina to New York City; The Liar’s Daughter by Megan Cooley Peterson, in which a girl raised in a cult confronts the truth about her parents and herself; Noodleheads Fortress of Doom by Tedd Arnold et al., more adventures of the Noodlehead brothers and their cousin, Meatball; Octopus Stew by Eric Velasquez, the fantasy tale of how a bespectacled Afro-Latino boy in a superhero cape rescues his grandma from a giant octopus; and Ra the Mighty: The Great Tomb Robbery by A.B. Greenfield, illus. by Sarah Horne, another case for an egotistical royal cat and his dung beetle assistant.
HOLIDAY HOUSE/FERGUSON
Margaret Ferguson Books sets a quick pace with Running Wild by Lucy Jane Bledsoe, in which 12-year-old Willa and her younger twin brothers escape the Alaska wilderness where they’ve been surviving with their father for five years; I’m Brave! I’m Strong! I’m Five! by Cari Best, illus. by Boris Kulikov, showcasing Sasha’s confident stand against her fear of the dark in her room at night; Snowy Race by April Jones Prince, illus. by Christine Davenier, about a girl who gets to ride with her dad in his snowplow for the first time to pick up someone special; and The Space We’re In by Katya Balen, a middle-grade debut focused on a 10-year-old boy and how he learns to love his younger brother who is autistic.
HOLIDAY HOUSE/PORTER
Neal Porter Books pushes off into fall with Just In Case You Want to Fly by Julie Fogliano, illus. by Christian Robinson, encouraging readers to venture forth into the world, while always remembering they have a safe harbor at home; A Place to Land: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Speech That Inspired a Nation by Barry Wittenstein, illus. by Jerry Pinkney, the story of the writing of the “I Have a Dream” speech; Small in the City by Sydney Smith, about a boy who is looking for his lost feline friend; The Word Pirates by Susan Cooper, illus. by Steven Kellogg, featuring a ravenous band of pirates who eat words for breakfast; and Why? by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, introducing a bear and his unfailingly pesky rabbit friend who persistently asks: why?
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
HMH stays up late with Midnight Beauties by Megan Shepherd, concluding the duology that began with Grim Lovelies; The Crossover Graphic Novel by Kwame Alexander, illus. by Dawud Anyabwile, adapting Alexander’s Newbery-winning novel; The Good, the Bad, and the Bossy by Caroline Cala, new adventures for the young entrepreneurs of Best Babysitters Ever; The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue by Karina Yan Glaser, in which the Vanderbeeker children race to save their mother’s baking business; and Here and Now by Julia Denos, illus. by E.B. Goodale, encouraging mindfulness and a meditation on slowing down.
HMH/CLARION
Clarion watches the clock for Almost Time by Gary D. Schmidt, illus. by G. Brian Karas, a father-son picture book about the passage of time and the changing seasons; Nya’s Long Walk: A Step at a Time by Linda Sue Park, illus. by Brian Pinkney, a picture book adaptation of Park’s A Long Walk to Water; Guest: A Changeling Tale by Mary Downing Hahn, presenting a tale of good vs. evil and humans vs. the supernatural; The What Not by Kate Milford, set in the mysterious world of Greenglass House; and A Day So Gray by Marie Lamba, illus. by Alea Marley, which finds a bleak day turned beautiful by warm friendship and a fresh perspective.
HMH/VERSIFY
Versify hits the right notes with Emmy in the Key of Code by Aimee Lucido, a middle grade verse novel spotlighting music and coding as new girl Emmy adjusts to school; and Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack, in which fantasy and mayhem intertwine in eighth-century Eastern Europe, where 11-year-old Anya is the daughter of the only Jewish family in her village.
INKYARD PRESS
Inkyard stands up with Rebel Girls by Elizabeth Keenan, a debut in which two sisters on opposite sides of the abortion debate join forces to combat a rumor at their Catholic high school; Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by sisters and debut authors Maika and Maritza Moulite, a tale about a teen who uncovers family secrets and embraces her heritage when she is sent to the island to stay with an aunt; The Speed of Falling Objects by Nancy Richardson Fischer, featuring a timid teen with one eye who is invited to appear on her TV-star father’s survivalist reality show; and Day Zero by Kelly deVos, a near-future apocalyptic adventure.
KANE PRESS/STARBERRY
StarBerry revs its engines with Trucks Zooming By by Pamela Jane, illus. by Barry Gott, about a girl who dreams of being a truck driver; It’s a Round, Round World! by Ellie Peterson, following a young scientist adventurer on a journey through time and space to explain how we know the earth is round; Idriss and His Marble by René Gouichoux, illus. by Zaü, in which Idriss and his mother flee from a home country threatened by war with hope that guides them to a new world; and Blue Cat by Charlie Eve Ryan, spotlighting a playful, mischievous cat.
KAR-BEN
Kar-Ben puts a cherry on top of its list with Francesco Tirelli’s Ice Cream Shop by Tamar Meir, trans. by Noga Applebaum, illus. by Yael Albert, the true story of how an ice cream shop owner in Hungary hid his Jewish friends from danger during WWII; The Key from Spain: Flory Jagoda and Her Music by Debbie Levy, illus. by Sonja Wimmer, profiling Sephardic Jewish singer Jagoda, who escaped Europe in the second world war; and Walk Till You Disappear by Jacqueline Dembar Greene, illus. by Odessa Sawyer, a novel set in 1870s Arizona that focuses on 12-year-old Miguel, a boy raised as a Catholic whose world is upended when he discovers his Jewish ancestry.
KIDS CAN
Kids Can takes center stage with The Piano Recital by Akiko Miyakoshi, which finds a nervous young pianist as the special guest at a mice-only performance; One Wild Christmas by Nicholas Oldland, in which a tree-hugging bear comes up with an alternative plan for celebrating Christmas with his woodland pals; The Couch Potato by Kerry Lyn Sparrow, illus. by Yinfan Huang, about a dad who serves a surprising dinner when he gets fed up with the lumpy potato that has been living on his family’s couch; It Started with a Big Bang: The Origin of Earth, You and Everything Else by Floor Bal, illus. by Sebastiaan Van Doninck, which answers some of the biggest questions humans have ever asked; and Under Pressure: The Science of Stress by Tanya Lloyd Kyi, illus. by Marie-Ève Tremblay, exploring the science of stress and anxiety, and offering mindfulness and stress-reduction techniques.
KIDS CAN/KCP LOFT
KCP Loft is abuzz with The Hive by Barry Lyga and Morgan Baden, from a concept by Jennifer Beals and Tom Jacobson, in which a young woman’s misinterpreted post goes viral on the government’s only sanctioned social media platform and she must flee from a hive mentality that exacts real-time punishment; and Michigan vs. the Boys by Carrie Allen, following the only female player on a boys’ varsity hockey team and her struggle with whether to blow the whistle when hazing crosses the line.
LAUGHING ELEPHANT
Laughing Elephant teaches an old dog some new tricks with Goodnight, Good Dog Carl by Alexandra Day, a new title starring Day’s babysitting Rottweiler.
LEE & LOW
Lee & Low takes a bite out of fall with Nacho’s Nachos: The Story Behind the World’s Favorite Snack by Sandra Nickel, illus. by Oliver Dominguez, presents the true story surrounding the invention of the popular snack; Pedro’s Yo-Yos: How a Filipino Immigrant Changed the World of Toys by Roberto Peñas, illus. by Carl Angel, introducing Pedro Flores who popularized the yo-yo in the U.S.; and The Unstoppable Garrett Morgan by Joan DiCicco, illus. by Ebony Glenn, presenting the life and times of Garrett Morgan, a prolific African-American inventor and entrepreneur.
LEE & LOW/CHILDREN’S BOOK PRESS
Children’s Book Press practices its scales for Rafi and Rosi Music!/Rafi y Rosi Musica! by Lulu Delacre, in which fids two young tree frog siblings explore Puerto Rico’s bomba, plena, and salsa music traditions.
LEE & LOW/SHEN’S BOOKS
Shen’s Books dons comfy shoes for Kiyoshi’s Walk by Mark Karlins, illus. by Nicole Wong, in which a boy takes a stroll with his grandfather, who writes haiku, and discovers the source of poetic inspiration.
LEE & LOW/TU
Tu Books rides into battle with The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas, retelling the Mulan legend and incorporating Chinese martial arts, history, and romance; Speculation by Nisi Shawl, in which young Winna discovers a pair of magical spectacles that reveals the friendly ghosts of her African-American ancestors and a dangerous family curse; Indian No More by Charlene Willing McManis and Traci Sorell, about a 10-year-old Umpqua girl who must figure out who she is when her tribe is terminated by the government in the 1950s and her family is relocated to Los Angeles; Children of the River Ghost by Alexandra Aceves, a YA horror tale spotlighting the Mexican folktale of “La Llorona” with a lesbian twist; and Rogue Heart by Axie Oh, companion to Rebel Seoul, set in near-future Asia where a telepathic teen joins a group of rebels on a series of secret missions.
LERNER/CAROLRHODA
Carolrhoda rounds the bases with Ella McKeen, Kickball Queen by Beth Mills, in which kickball star Ella doesn’t take it well when she is outshined at recess by a new girl at school; A Map into the World by Kao Kalia Yang, illus. by Seo Kim, a picture book debut featuring a young Hmong-American girl who seeks out beauty and connection in the world around her; Monstrous: The Lore, Gore, and Science Behind Your Favorite Monsters by Carlyn Beccia, showcasing eight legendary creatures; Owl’s Outstanding Donuts by Robin Yardi, in which an owl alerts Mattie to suspicious activity at her aunt’s nearby donut shop; and A Time Traveler’s Theory of Relativity by Nicole Valentine, following the adventures of 12-year-old Finn who, when his mother goes missing, discovers that the women in his family are time travelers.
LERNER/CAROLRHODA LAB
Carolrhoda Lab crosses its heart for The Truth Is by NoNieqa Ramos, about 15-year-old Verdad’s struggle to meet her Puerto Rican mother’s expectations and process her best friend’s death when she falls for Danny, a trans boy; Fugly by Claire Waller, focusing on shy, overweight 18-year-old Beth who leads a secret life as an online troll and wonders if she can trust two new friends; and Panic by Sasha Dawn, featuring aspiring musician Madelaine as she pursues the author of a poetry fragment she finds.
LERNER/DARBY CREEK
Darby Creek gasses up the car for the new series Road Trip, about journeys that don’t go as expected, which launches with Heat Wave by Elizabeth Neal; the AI High series, set in a school that combines human and android students, with debut titles including Detained by Claire Ainslie and Family Ties by Sarah Richman; and the League of the Paranormal series, featuring supernatural sports stories, beginning with The Ghost Runner by Norwyn MacTire and The Paranormal Playbook by Vanessa Lanang.
LERNER/GRAPHIC UNIVERSE
Graphic Universe dons a lab coat for Marie Curie: A Life of Discovery by Alice Milani, profiling the celebrated Polish scientist and double Nobel Prize winner; Stage Dreams by Melanie Gillman, which follows the trail of a Latinx outlaw and a trans runaway as they thwart a Confederate plot in the New Mexico Territory; Topside by J.N. Monk, illus. by Harry Bogosian, in which Jo, a headstrong maintenance technician, makes a mistake that destabilizes her planet’s core; Cassandra Steps Out by Isabelle Bottier, illus. by Hélène Canac, kicking off the Cassandra: Animal Psychic series about helper pets and their people; and Breaking Out the Devil #3 by Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple, illus. by Orion Zangara, continuing the Stone Man Mysteries, featuring a murder-solving gargoyle in 1930s Scotland.
LERNER PUBLICATIONS
Lerner Publications greets fall with the following licensed titles: The Big Book of Disney Quizzes by Jennifer Boothroyd and Heather E. Schwartz; Crayola Team Colors: The Wonderful, Colorful World of Sports by Jon M. Fishman; Garfield’s Guide to Creating Your Own Comic Strip by Marco Finnegan; Science Buddies: Body Oddity Projects: Floating Arms, Balancing Challenges, and More by Rebecca Felix; and Welcoming Words: Welcome to French with Sesame Street by J.P. Press.
LERNER/MILLBROOK
Millbrook plugs its nose for Eek, You Reek! Animals That Stink, Stank, Stunk by Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple, illus. by Eugenia Nobati, presenting poems about malodorous critters; All of a Sudden and Forever: Help and Healing After the Oklahoma City Bombing by Chris Barton, illus. by Nicole Xu, offering a look at the domestic terrorist attack of 1999; Snack, Snooze, Skedaddle: How Animals Get Ready for Winter by Laura Purdie Salas, illus. by Claudine Gevry, investigating how animals prepare for and survive winter in northern climates; Summer Green to Autumn Gold: Uncovering Leaves’ Hidden Colors by Mia Posada, explaining why foliage changes color in the fall; and Thanku: Poems of Gratitude, ed. by Miranda Paul, illus. by Marlena Myles, a poetry anthology exploring a wide range of ways to be grateful.
LITTLE BEE
Little Bee summons the sandman with Rock-a-Bye Tree Sloth by Aly Fronis, illus. by Anna Süßbauer, featuring a mother and her baby sloth; Pepe and the Parade by Tracey Kyle, illus. by Mirelle Ortega, about Pepe’s festive day attending his town’s Hispanic Day parade; M Is for Melanin by Tiffany Rose, an alphabet book for which each entry offers an affirming, black-positive message; Parrots, Pugs, and Pixie Dust: A Book About Judith Leiber, Queen of Minaudieres by Deborah Blumenthal, illus. by Masha D’yans, offering tribute to the iconic handbag designer; and Mighty Meg and the Super Disguise by Sammy Griffin, illus. by Micah Player, which follows Meg as she searches for a perfect disguise so she can help people without revealing her identity.
LITTLE BEE/BUZZPOP
Buzzpop flips for the following fall licensed tie-ins: Disney Frozen 2: Movie Storybook; Disney Frozen 2: Leveled Reader; Crayola Winter Wonderland; Crayola Animal Kisses Complete the Scenes; and Smooshy Mushy: Sticker and Activity.
LITTLE BEE/YELLOW JACKET
Yellow Jacket hears the call of the wild with The Woods by Rachel Toalson, in which Lenora is drawn to the woods and the magic she discovers within them when she is sent to live with her estranged uncle after a tragedy; Crumbled! by Lisa Harkrader, offering a mysterious twist on “Hansel and Gretel”; The Forty Thieves by Christy Lenzi, a retelling of “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves,” set in the 10th century and told from the perspective of Morgiana, the girl who saves Ali Baba; Inside Battle by Melanie Sumrow, about 12-year-old Rebel Mercer’s attempt to find his voice so he can communicate with his father, who suffers from PTSD; and The Cat’s Paw by Kat Shepherd, about the Gemini Detective Agency’s search for the red panda who has gone missing from the zoo.
LITTLE BIGFOOT
Little Bigfoot cruises Klickitat Street for Just Like Beverly: A Biography of Beverly Cleary by Vicki Conrad, illus. by David Hohn, spotlighting the early years and subsequent career of the beloved children’s book author; Think Smart, Be Fearless: A Biography of Bill Gates by Sharon Mentyka, illus. by Vivien Mildenberger, presenting the life and times of the founder of Microsoft; Cryptid Creature Field Guide by Kelly Milner Halls, illus. by Rick Spears, introducing cryptozoology for young readers; You Are Home with Me by Sarah-Asper Smith, illus. by Mitchell Watley, exploring the safe and cozy homes of a variety of animals; and Portland 1 to 10 by Sara Greene, illus. by Jimmy Thompson, a counting book highlighting the culture of Portland, Ore.
LITTLE, BROWN
Little, Brown puts on its thinking cap for The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages by Trenton Lee Stewart, reuniting the characters from this series to complete an urgent new mission; A Tale of Magic... by Chris Colfer, launching a series set in the Land of Stories universe; Ping by Ani Castillo, a debut picture book exploring the challenges and joys of self-expression and social connection; Who Wet My Pants? by Bob Shea, illus. by Zachariah Ohora, in which Reuben the bear seeks the source of a damp spot on his pants; and The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci, illus. by Jim Rugg, which finds Jane, the new girl at school, teaming up with the girls at the “reject table” in the cafeteria to form a secret club.
LITTLE, BROWN/PATTERSON
Jimmy Patterson Books finds a hotspot for Swipe Right for Murder by Derek Milman, the story of a teen’s hookup ending in a murder and a case of mistaken identity; Ali Cross by James Patterson, beginning a series starring the son of one of Patterson’s literary characters, psychological profiler Alex Cross; Max Einstein: Rebels with a Cause by Patterson and Chris Grabenstein, in which girl genius Max and her fellow Change Makers help rescue a sick village in Mumbai; Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan, following Lei and Wren’s escape from the Hidden Palace and journey across Ikhara; and Capturing the Devil, the finale of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series by Kerri Maniscalco, which finds Audrey Rose and Thomas facing a horrifying villain in America.
LITTLE, BROWN/POPPY
Poppy takes the mound with Throw Like a Girl by Sarah Henning, featuring a girl who loses her temper during a game, leading her to be stripped of her scholarship at her private school.
MACMILLAN/FARRAR, STRAUS & GIROUX
FSG turns the page to fall with This Book of Mine by Sarah Stewart, illus. by David Small, celebrating the connection between all kinds of readers and the books they enjoy; Benchwarmers by John Feinstein, first in a series following the experiences of two soccer players riding the bench for very different reasons; Red Skies Falling by Alex London, featuring more adventure for twins Kylee and Brysen in the sequel to Black Wings Beating; The Seven Endless Forests by April Genevieve Tucholke, a YA fantasy novel; and Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters by debut author Emily Roberson, which is a reality TV-inspired retelling of the Theseus and the Minotaur myth.
MACMILLAN/FEIWEL AND FRIENDS
Feiwel and Friends wears shades for Supernova by Marissa Meyer, concluding the Renegades trilogy; Juno Valentine and the Magical Wardrobe by Eva Chen, illus. by Derek Desierto, which finds Juno trying on clothing and accessories of female icons across history; I Knew You Could Do It! by Nancy Tillman, celebrating everyday accomplishments as well as life’s milestones; The 117-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths, illus. by Terry Denton, ninth in the ever-towering series of absurd adventures; and Into the Crooked Place by Alexandra Christo, following four young crooks into a fantasy world of black magic, sabotage. and sleight of hand.
MACMILLAN/FIRST SECOND
First Second aims for nothing but net with Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang, the true graphic-novel-style account of the Bishop O’Dowd High School boys’ basketball team’s run at a state championship in 2015 California; Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell, illus. by Faith Erin Hicks, about two teens discovering what it means to leave behind a place and a person with no regrets; Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden, offering an honest depiction of a young woman trying to heal after a traumatic sexual assault; Best Friends by Shannon Hale, illus. by LeUyen Pham, the follow-up to Real Friends, recalling Hale’s real-life navigation of sixth-grade popularity and first boyfriends; and Stargazing by Jen Wang, painting a personal yet relatable friendship story.
MACMILLAN/FLATIRON
Flatiron Books ventures into The Night Country by Melissa Albert, sequel to The Hazel Wood, in which Alice Prosperine and Ellery Finch come to learn that the Hazel Wood was just the beginning of worlds beyond; His Hideous Heart: Thirteen of Edgar Allan Poe's Most Unsettling Tales Reimagined by Dahlia Adler, YA retellings of classic tales; and Where the World Ends by Geraldine McCaughrean, in which Quill and his friends are put ashore on a remote sea stack to hunt birds.
MACMILLAN/HENRY HOLT
Henry Holt digs six feet under for The Bone Garden by Heather Kassner, illus. by Matt Sunders, a debut fantasy about a girl made of dust, bone, and imagination who seeks the truth about how she was brought to life; Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker, illus. by Junyi Wu, a debut middle-grade novel composed of eight interconnected stories, in which two young foxes wander into a world of monsters and must journey to safety; Vow of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson, continuing the adventures of Kazi and Jase in the Dance of Thieves fantasy series; There Will Come a Darkness by Katy Pool, launching a fantasy series set in a world where chaos reigns as an Age of Darkness and the birth of a new prophet have been foretold; and Light It Up by Kekla Magoon, the story of an unarmed 13-year-old girl who is shot and killed by a police officer, and the resulting unrest in her community, told from multiple viewpoints.
MACMILLAN/HENRY HOLT/GODWIN
Laura Godwin Books tromps into fall with When the Snow Is Deeper Than My Boots Are Tall by Jean Reidy, illus. by Joey Chou, singing the praises of snow and winter fun; Dreams from Many Rivers by Margarita Engle, illus. by Beatriz Gutierrez Hernandez, which uses the stories of individual Latinos across time periods to depict a diverse and ever-changing people; Torpedoed by Deborah Heiligman, providing a true account of the attack and sinking of the passenger ship SS City of Benares, which was evacuating children from England in WWII; This Book Just Stole My Cat! by Richard Byrne, in which the characters “disappear” into the physical gutter of a picture-book adventure; Cats Are Liquid by Rebecca Donnelly, illus. by Misa Saburi, featuring felines who flow, puddle, and squish across the pages.
MACMILLAN/HENRY HOLT/OTTAVIANO
Christy Ottaviano Books kicks off the season with Born to Draw Comics: The Story of Charles Schulz and the Creation of Peanuts by Ginger Wadsworth, illus. by Craig Orback, presenting a portrait of the celebrated cartoonist; From a Small Seed: The Story of Eliza Hamilton by Camille Andros, illus. by Tessa Blackham, introducing the co-founder and director of New York City’s first private orphanage and wife of founding father Alexander Hamilton; It Rained Warm Bread: Moishe Moskowitz’s Story of Hope by Gloria Moskowitz-Sweet, poems by Hope Anita Smith, illus. by Leatrice Lyon, a novel-in-verse recounting one boy’s experience surviving the Holocaust; King of the Mole People by Paul Gilligan, kicking off a humorous middle-grade series in which bullied and beleaguered Doug Underbelly is a reluctant King of the Mole People; and Under the Broken Sky by Mariko Nagai, a novel-in-verse about a Japanese orphan’s time in Soviet-occupied rural Manchuria during WWII.
MACMILLAN/IMPRINT
Imprint dives into autumn with Odd Squad Agents Handbook by Tim McKeon and Adam Peltzman, an in-universe guide to Odd Squad, the hit TV show, which will further the show’s mission of teaching kids math while making them laugh; Snazzy Cat Capers: The Fast and the Furriest by Deanna Kent, illus. by Neil Hooson, in which the world’s snazziest cat burglar returns for another glamorous heist; A Dream So Dark by L.L. McKinney, the sequel to A Blade So Black, an #OwnVoices twist on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland; The Tenth Girl by Sara Faring, a gothic psychological thriller and ghost story steeped in Patagonian myth; and The Book of Lost Saints by Daniel Jose Older, a Cuban-American story of revolution, loss, violence, and family bonds across multiple generations.
MACMILLAN/ROARING BROOK
Roaring Brook Press buckles in for Born to Fly by Steve Sheinkin, the story of the fearless women pilots who aimed for the skies—and beyond—as told by three-time National Book Award finalist Sheinkin; Red Rover by Richard Ho, illus. by Katherine Roy, exploring detailed landscapes of Mars; Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard, illus. by Juana Martinez-Neal, a debut spotlighting a beloved food that unites various members of a modern Native American family; Liars of Mariposa Island by Jennifer Mathieu, a suspenseful YA novel by acclaimed author Mathieu, about a sister, a brother, and their abusive mother, and the stories they tell to survive; and All the Impossible Things by Lindsay Lackey, the story of a girl navigating the foster care system.
MACMILLAN/SWOON READS
Swoon Reads gets in the spirit with The Ghost Seekers by Devon Taylor, in which a fractured team of teenage soul collectors rallies to stop a demon bent on annihilation; Mind Games by Shana Silver, the author’s debut tale about a teen programmer at a school for geniuses; How the Light Gets In by Katy Upperman, which finds Callie returning to the place where she was last with her sister, who died one year earlier; and We Are Ghosts by Vicky Skinner, featuring a girl on a road trip after her estranged brother suddenly dies trying to discover who he really was.
MACMILLAN/TOR TEEN
Tor Teen pulls the alarm for A Thousand Fires by Shannon Price, a contemporary YA debut in which a girl must complete perilous tasks to avenge her brother’s death at the hands of a deadly gang; The Empath and the Ocean by Lauren Shippen, podcaster Shippen’s YA debut, which follows characters with superpowers who explore their feelings and roles in the world with their therapist; The Burning Shadow by Jennifer Armentrout, the second installment of the Origin series set in the world of the Lux books featuring alien-human romance; The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Davis, introducing an alternate Wild West fantasy adventure starring a group of five girls swept up in a murder; and Sisters of Shadow and Light by Sara B. Larson, launching a YA fantasy series about two sisters raised in a fortress surrounded by a magical hedge that won’t let anyone in or out.
MACMILLAN/WEDNESDAY
Wednesday Books marks off the days with The Grace Year by Kim Liggett, serving up a speculative YA thriller set in an isolated village where girls are banished at age 16 to the wilds of the forest in order to rid themselves of feminine magic and return purified and ready to marry.
MACMILLAN UK/KINGFISHER
Kingfisher makes posters for Marching for Your Rights by Caryn Jenner, part of the Imagine You Were There series, marking the 55th anniversary of the historic civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala.; What’s in the Picture? and Who’s in the Picture?: Take a Closer Look at Over 20 Famous Paintings by Susie Brooks, books that use questions and seek-and-find challenges to encourage children to explore and enjoy works of art; Sailing on the Mayflower by Caryn Jenner, an Imagine You Were There title commemorating the arrival of the Mayflower on U.S. shores; and The Curious Book of Lists: 286 Fun, Fascinating, and Fact-Filled Lists by Tracey Turner, an illustrated almanac.
MAGINATION PRESS
Magination Press squeezes into fall with Accordionly by Michael Genhart, about a child appreciating his grandfathers’ accordion playing; Snitchy Witch by Frank Sileo, illus. by MacKenzie Haley, in which Wanda Witch’s friends cast a spell on her to tie her tongue when she snitches on them; My Singing Nana by Pat Mora, illus. by Alyssa Bermudez, in which Billy and his Nana team up to save their family’s big summer show; Trans+ by Karen Rayne and Kathryn Gonzales, presenting a guide for teens who are transgender, non-conforming, genderfluid, non-binary, or queer; and Grow Kind by Jon Lasser and Sage Foster-Lasser, illus. by Christopher Lyles, which follows Kiko as she grows kindness by sharing the bounty from her garden.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS
National Geographic Kids goes to 11 with Turn It Up!: A Pitch Perfect History of Music That Rocked the World, a comprehensive record of music through the ages; Big Book of Bling: Ritzy Rocks, Extravagant Animals, Sparkling Science and More! by Rose Davidson, exploring things from our natural world that glitter and glow; Brain Candy: 500 Sweet Facts to Satisfy Your Curiosity by Julie Beer, offering info on a variety of subjects; and National Geographic Kids Encyclopedia of the American Indian by Cynthia O’Brien, featuring customs, stories, culture, and history from more than 160 tribes.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC/UNDER THE STARS
Under the Stars sends a lightning alert for Zeus the Mighty by Crispin Boyer, a blend of Greek mythology and adventure, starring Zeus the hamster and his Mount Olympus Pet Supply Shop pals; The Double Helix by Trudi Trueit, illus. by Scott Plumbe, the third outing for Cruz and his classmates from Explorer Academy who are trying to solve a puzzle Cruz’s mother left behind; and Explorer Academy Activity Book, collecting the puzzles, codes, quizzes, and mazes from the Explorer Academy mystery series.
NOBROW
Nobrow Press makes a U-turn with DeadEndia: The Broken Halo by Hamish Steele, further adventures of the employees of Dead End, a haunted-house theme park.
NOBROW/FLYING EYE
Flying Eye Books tunes up for Orchestra by Avalon Nuovo, illus. by David Doran, providing an illustrated guide to instruments and luminary composers; The Immortal Jellyfish by Sang Miao, in which a boy meets his recently deceased grandfather in a dream and discovers a city where departed loved ones can live on; Hilda and the Mountain King by Luke Pearson, the final title in the Hilda graphic novel series, which follows Hilda as she wakes up in the body of a troll in the middle of a race against time to save her friends; and Professor Astro Cat’s Stargazing by Dominic Walliman, illus. by Ben Newman, in which Professor Astro Cat, the smartest cat in the galaxy, introduces readers to the stars of the universe.
NORTH SOUTH
North South welcomes the season with I Am a Thief by Abigail Rayner, illus. by Molly Ruttan, featuring model student Eliza, captain of the worm rescue team, who finds herself tempted to steal a green stone from her classroom; Who Stole the Hazelnuts? by Marcus Pfister, about a squirrel who falsely accuses his friends of taking his missing hazelnuts; Ada Lovelace and the Number Crunching Machine by Zoë Tucker, illus. by Rachel Katstaller, presenting a picture-book biography of the first computer programmer; and Mamma Moo Builds a Tree House by Jujja Wieslander and Tomas Wieslander, illus. by Sven Nordqvist, the tale of a spirited cow who is determined to build a tree house despite her friends’ doubts.
NORTH STAR EDITIONS/FLUX
Flux steps on the scale for The Weight of a Soul by Elizabeth Tammi, a Viking fantasy about a teen girl making a gruesome deal with the Norse gods in order to bring her warrior sister back from the dead; Seeker by Kim Chance, about a 16-year-old witch who must learn to control her magic as she faces off against an evil warlock; Ricochet by Kathryn Berla, featuring an LGBT teen who is living four different-but-parallel lives in the multiverse and must stop her megalomaniac scientist father in each one; and Across a Broken Shore by Amy Trueblood, in which an 18-year-old bound for the convent in 1936 San Francisco discovers a love of medicine.
NORTH STAR EDITIONS/JOLLY FISH
Jolly Fish ushers in the season with Moonlocket by Peter Bunzl, sequel to Cogheart, which follows Lily, Robert, and mechanical fox Malkin around steampunk Victorian London as they try to outwit a criminal mastermind and find a family heirloom.
ORCA
Orca looks out for Orcas Everywhere: The History and Mystery of Killer Whales by Mark Leiren-Young, diving into the behavior of these animals; The Witness Blanket: A Collection of Truth by Carey Newman, illus. by Kirstie Hudson, the story of the making of the Witness Blanket, a work by Indigenous artist Carey Newman that includes hundreds of items from every Residential School in Canada; Treasure by Mirelle Messier, illus. by Irene Luxbacher, in which a brother and a sister explore their surroundings for treasure; The Justice Project by Michael Betcherman, a novel following high school student Matt who lands a summer job defending the wrongly convicted; and Nevers by Sara Cassidy, which finds young Odette unlocking a mysterious spell in 1799 Burgundy.
OWLKIDS
Owlkids picks up a pen forDear Mr. President by Sophie Siers, illus. by Anne Villeneuve, told in letters from one boy to the president expressing his frustrations about sharing a room with his brother; A Likkle Miss Lou: Jamaican Poet Louise Bennett Coverley Finds Her Voice by Nadia Hohn, illus. by Eugenie Frenandes, introducing this cultural figure who played an instrumental role in popularizing Jamaican Patois as a “nation language”; When Molly Drew Dogs by Deborah Kerbel, illus. by Lis Xu, about a girl whose anxiety manifests itself as an imaginary pack of stray dogs, so she begins to draw the animals as therapy; Our Environment by Jaques Pasquet, illus. by Yves Dumont, offering facts about the importance of protecting the earth’s water, air, soil, and climate; and Poppy and Sam and the Mole Mystery by Cathon, a second installment of the easy-to-read-graphic-novel series featuring a tiny girl and her miniature panda.
PAGE STREET
Page Street readies the loom for Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez Davis, in which a magically gifted weaver plays the role of double agent to restore her queen to a troubled throne; Beyond the Shadowed Earth by Joanna Ruth Meyer, focused on a young empress who bargained away her best friend’s soul for power; Have a Little Faith in Me by Sonia Hartl, which finds a nonreligious teenage girl enrolling in Jesus camp to win back her born-again ex-boyfriend; By Any Means Necessary by Candice Montgomery, about a college freshman who must decide between his family and his future when his late uncle’s farm is in danger of foreclosure.
PAGE STREET KIDS
Page Street Kids hauls in its net for The Greatest Catch of All by Victoria Cossack, in which a star fisherman tries to break the record of the most fish caught; My Shape Is Sam by Amanda Jackson, illus. by Lydia Nichols, celebrating individuality in a world where everybody is a shape and every shape has a specific job; Ruby’s Hope by Monica Kulling, illus. by Sarah Dvojack, a fictionalized account of the story behind Dorothea Lange’s famous 1936 photograph “Migrant Mother”; The Traveler’s Gift by Danielle Davison, illus. by Anne Lambelet, focused on how a boy’s lost love of stories is rekindled when a mysterious traveler chooses him as a companion on a voyage; and Jumping Mouse: A Native American Legend of Friendship and Sacrifice by Misty Schroe, retelling a Sioux nation legend.
PEACHTREE
Peachtree buckles up with Save the Crash Test Dummies by Jennifer Swanson, navigating readers through the history of car production and the science behind auto safety; Aalfred and Aalbert by Morag Hood, starring two solitary aardvarks who finally meet and become friends; Lana Lynn Howls at the Moon by Rebecca Van Slyke, illus. by Anca Sandu, about an adventurous sheep who leaves the flock in disguise to experience life as a wolf; Lula and the Sea Monster by Alex Latimer, in which Lula befriends a small sea monster near her seaside home, just as Lula’s family is about to move away; and Little Tigers by Jo Weaver, in which Mother Tiger and her cubs search for a new home when hunters encroach on their jungle.
PENGUIN WORKSHOP
Penguin Workshop approaches the bench for Who Is Ruth Bader Ginsburg? by Patricia Brennan Demuth, an illustrated biography of the Supreme Court justice; Tomorrow I’ll Be Kind by Jessica Hische, encouraging children to promise to be generous, honest, and compassionate; The Very Short, Entirely True History of Unicorns by Sarah Laskow, illus. by Sam Beck, exploring the popularity of these mythical creatures; Klawde: Evil Alien War Cat: The Space Dog Cometh by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth, illus. by Robb Mommaerts, in which Klawde faces a dog; and Wannabe Farms by Brian McCann, illus. by Meghan Lands, offering a set of rhyming stories set on a farm where the animals like to wander and dream.
PENGUIN/DAWSON
Kathy Dawson Books welcomes fall with a still-untitled YA novel by Moïra Fowley-Doyle, a magical realistic, feminist story about a girl’s desperate search for her presumed-dead sister, and the shocking truth about the women in their family tree.
PENGUIN/DIAL
Dial wags its tail for I Want a Dog by Jon Agee, set in an unusual and humorous animal shelter; If I Built a School by Chris Van Dusen, in which a boy fantasizes about his ultimate dream school; It’s Not All Rainbows by Jessika von Innerebner, chronicling a unicorn’s bad day; Stretchy McHandsome by Judy Schachner, introducing a spirited street cat searching for his forever person; and The Bootlace Magician by Cassie Beasley, revisiting the fantastical setting of Circus Miranda as Micah discovers more magical surprises.
PENGUIN/GROSSET & DUNLAP
Grosset & Dunlap watches for Punxsutawney Phil with The Night Before Groundhog Day by Natasha Wing, illus. by Amy Wummer, presenting a rhyming story about a child preparing for Groundhog Day; and Matilda: Be Outrageous, Big Ideas from a Small Girl by Roald Dahl, illus. by Steph Baxter, an illustrated reimagining of Dahl’s classic novel, featuring quotes from protagonist Matilda.
PENGUIN/KOKILA
Kokila takes wing with Strange Birds: A Field Guide to Ruffling Feathers by Celia C. Peréz, in which four girls form a rebel Girl Scout troop in their sleepy Florida town; Each Tiny Spark by Pablo Cartaya, about a father and daughter who find their way back to each other in the face of their changing family and community; and At the Mountain’s Base by Traci Sorell, illus. by Weshoyot Alvitre, a debut picture book focused on a Cherokee family waiting for the safe return of their family member, a woman pilot engaged in battle far away.
PENGUIN/PAULSEN
Nancy Paulsen Books is on pitch with Sing a Song by Kelly Starling Lyons, illus. by Keith Mallett, celebrating how the generations of one family have been inspired by the song considered the black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing”; My Tiny Pet by Jessie Hartland, which finds a girl asking her parents for a microscopic pet when the family downsizes to a smaller house; Home in the Woods by Eliza Wheeler, a story inspired by the author’s grandmother, about an impoverished family in the woods of Wisconsin turning their tar-paper shack into a cozy home; Count Me In by Varsha Bajaj, following two middle schoolers who witness a hate crime and then take a stand against racism, and What Lane? by Torrey Maldonado, featuring a biracial boy losing his innocence as he grapples with the injustices of racial profiling.
PENGUIN/PHILOMEL
Philomel thunders into fall with We Speak in Storms by Natalie Lund, which finds teens experiencing a tornado and being visited by the long-gone teen inhabitants of their town who were killed by a previous cyclone; The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys, a novel set in Franco-era 1950s Madrid and inspired by Spain’s secret “stolen babies” scandal; Pages & Co.: Tilly and the Bookwanderers by Anna James, first in a middle-grade fantasy series about a girl who realizes she has the magical ability to travel inside books; Games of Deception by Andrew Maraniss, the true story of the birth of basketball and its inclusion in the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany; and I Really (Don’t) Care by Tami Lewis Brown, illus. by Tania deRegil, demonstrating the importance of kindness and empathy.
PENGUIN/PUTNAM
Putnam primps for fall with The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh, launching a murder mystery series set in 19th-century New Orleans, where vampires hide in plain sight; Dead Voices by Katherine Arden, in which Ollie and her friends use their newfound ability to see ghosts to help solve a murder; A River of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy, a YA debut set in a North-African-inspired fantasy world where two sisters must fight to the death to win the crown; Frankly in Love by David Yoon, about a Korean-American teen in Southern California who challenges his immigrant parents’ expectations as he tries to discover his own identity and find love; The Best of Iggy by Annie Barrows, first in a middle grade series featuring nine-year-old Iggy whose hobbies include breaking the rules; and Five Minutes by Audrey Vernick and Liz Garton Scanlon, illus. by Olivier Tallec, a humorous picture book for any kid who has ever begged, “Five more minutes?!”
PENGUIN/RAZORBILL
Razorbill heads to the lost and found for Chapter Two Is Missing by Josh Lieb, illus. by Kevin Cornell, featuring a hopelessly lost narrator, an unqualified detective, and a sneaky janitor who discover the second chapter of their own book is missing; War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi, set in a futuristic Nigeria where two sisters must fight their way back to each other across a civil war; Obviously by Akilah Jones, presenting a collection of personal essays from the comedian, activist, and YouTuber; an untitled Seafire novel 2 by Natalie C. Parker, continuing the adventures of ship captain Caledonai and her female crew; and The Small Crimes of Tiffany Templeton by Richard Fifield, in which a troublemaking girl from a small town must learn to face the consequences of her past as she grieves her father’s death.
PENGUIN/VIKING
Viking opens its laptop for Brave the Page by Rebecca Stern and Grant Faulkner, a NaNoWriMo handbook for teens, presenting writing lessons and advice from notable children’s book authors; The Last Kids on Earth #5 by Max Brallier, illus. by Douglas Holgate, another outing for Jack and his friends during the monster apocalypse; Rules for Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall, a YA thriller written in the faux documentary style of The Blair Witch Project; The Storm of Life by Amy Rose Capetta, concluding the author’s Italian-inspired, gender-fluid fantasy duology; and I Am Her by Amy Richards, collecting personal stories of women who have been trailblazers and pioneers, based on content from the feminist media brand makers.com.
PENGUIN/WARNE
Frederick Warne goes into the woods with The Tale of Red Riding Hood by Beatrix Potter, illus. by Helen Oxenbury, a previously unpublished retelling, and novelty tie-ins to long-running properties Spot and Peter Rabbit.
PENGUIN TEEN CANADA
Penguin Teen Canada offers The Grey Sisters by Jo Treggiari, in which two girls head to the scene of the plane crash that killed their siblings to uncover the truth about what happened.
PENGUIN/PUFFIN CANADA
Puffin Canada tunes up for Broken Strings by Eric Walters and Kathy Kacer, following Shiri, who finds an old violin in her grandfather’s attic, which exposes family secrets; and A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying by Kelley Armstrong, illus. by Xavière Daumarie, about a girl who is in line to be queen, but would much rather swap places with her twin brother who is set to be the new Royal Monster Hunter.
PENNY CANDY BOOKS
Penny Candy Books puts down roots with The Pear Tree by Luli Gray, illus. by Madelyn Goodnight, retelling a folktale in which elderly Esperanza tricks Señor Death; Sam! by Dani Gabriel, illus. by Robert Liu Trujillo, featuring a transgender boy and his sister; The Cloud Lasso by Stephanie Schlaifer, illus. by Melodie Stacey, about Delilah’s method of overcoming feelings of sadness and isolation after her grandfather dies; and Trini’s Big Leap by Beth Kephart and Alexander de Wit, illus. by William Sulit, introducing a girl who learns the value of collaborating with differently talented children at her local gym.
PETER PAUPER
Peter Pauper fills its fall list with informational quiz books 100 Questions About Sharks: And All the Answers Too! and 100 Questions About My Body: And All the Answers Too! by Simon Abbott.
PHAIDON
Phaidon bounces into the season with The Ball Book by Joshua David Stein, illus. by Marcus Oakley, showcasing many kinds of both sport and non-sport balls; Hide by Jean Jullien, an oversized book with novelty features inviting readers to hide inside various scenarios; and Art This Way by Tamara Shopsin and Jason Fulford, offering a look at works from the Whitney Museum collection via an interactive board book.
PRESTEL
Prestel checks its scuba tank for Deep Sea by Wolfgang Dreyer, exploring various ocean creatures; What’s Cooking at 10 Garden Street? by Felicita Sala, presenting a global menu of dishes for readers to cook; Taxi Drive with Victor by Sara Trofa, illus. by Elsa Klever, following alien cab driver Victor as he shuttles passengers around the galaxy; Winter by Rotraut Susanne Berner, spotlighting a small town and its inhabitants as they embrace winter; and Yum Yummy Yuck by Amanda Jane Jones and Cree Jones, which teaches young readers what is safe to eat and what is not.
PRINCETON ARCHITECTURAL PRESS
Princeton Architectural Press opens its umbrella for Look, It’s Raining by Mathieu Pierloot, illus. by Maria Dek, a debut picture book in which Camille enjoys exploring the natural world on a rainy day; A Life Made by Hand: The Story of Ruth Asawa by Andrea D’Aquino, introducing award-winning sculptor and activist Asawa; and Patience, Miyuki by Roxane Marie Galliez, illus. by Seng Soun Ratanavanh, following young Miyuki as she says good morning to every flower in the garden, noting that one has not yet bloomed.
RANDOM HOUSE
Random House takes a sad song and makes it better with Hey Grandude! by Paul McCartney, illus. by Kathryn Durst, spotlighting imaginative adventures grandparents and grandkids enjoy together at bedtime; American Royals by Katharine McGee, first in a series that imagines what America would look like if it were ruled by a royal family; The Evil Princess vs. the Brave Knight by Jennifer L. Holm, illus. by Matthew Holm, which follows a princess who’s not always evil and a knight who’s not always chivalrous in a tale of family dynamics; Shine! by J.J. Grabenstein and Chris Grabenstein, about finding your place in the universe and figuring out what makes you special; and Sunny Day: A Celebration of Sesame Street by Joe Roposo, in which award-winning artists illustrate the theme song lyrics from the iconic PBS children’s show on its 50th anniversary and share their connections to the program.
RANDOM HOUSE/CROWN
Crown is in it to win it with Jackpot by Nic Stone, in which Rico tries to find the person who bought an unclaimed winning lottery ticket that she sold, in hopes of getting a cut of the cash; Fairy Science by Ashley Spires, in which a group of fairies use science instead of magic to solve a problem; Talespinners: Saving Fable by Scott Reintgen, featuring Indira Story who auditions for Protagonist Preparatory in hopes of being the hero in her own story; Overview: A New Way of Seeing Earth, Young Explorer Edition by Benjamin Grant with Sandra Markle, exploring Earth’s natural beauty as captured in satellite photos from high above the planet; and Reach for the Skai: How to Inspire, Empower, and Clapback by Skai Jackson, the memoir of the teen actress and activist.
RANDOM HOUSE/DELACORTE
Delacorte casts a spell with The Babysitters Coven by Kate Williams, about a coven of witchy babysitters trying to protect the innocent and save the world from evil; Color Me In by Natasha Díaz, a fictionalized memoir about the author’s experience as a multiracial woman who inadvertently passes as white; Girls Who Run the World: Thirty Women Who Mean Business by Diana Kappy, illus. by Bijou Karman, profiling women who have started their own companies; Scars Like Wings by Erin Stewart, a debut YA novel in which a 16-year-old girl severely disfigured in a house fire that killed her parents and best friend returns to school hoping to reclaim her life; and Who Put This Song On? by Morgan Parker, the author’s first YA book, based loosely on her life growing up as a black teenager in an all-white town.
RANDOM HOUSE/DOUBLEDAY
Doubleday takes a bow with A Is for Audra: Broadway’s Leading Ladies from A–Z by John Robert Allman, illus. by Peter Emmerich, celebrating musical theater’s greatest female stars; Bad Dog by Mike Boldt, providing a look at how dogs and cats are wildly different; Unicorns 101 by Cale Atkinson, in which unicorn experts Professors Glitter Pants, Sprinkle Steed, and their colleagues present facts about unicorns; Happy Hair by Mechal Renee Roe, paying tribute to African-American girls and their hair; and I Will Always Be Your Bunny: Love from the Velveteen Rabbit by Frances Gilbert, illus. by Julianna Swaney, a gift book inspired by the classic story’s themes of friendship, loyalty, and love.
RANDOM HOUSE/GOLDEN
Golden Books decks the halls with Christmas Is Golden by Diane Muldrow, featuring art from a variety of classic Golden Books; and the following movie tie-ins: Despicable Me Little Golden Book by Arie Kaplan and Disney Frozen 2 Big Golden Book, and The Dark Crystal Little Golden Book by Bill Robinson.
RANDOM HOUSE/KNOPF
Knopf puts its cards on the table with Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett, chronicling an HIV-positive teen navigating fear, disclosure, and self-acceptance when she falls in love for the first time; Everyone Counts by Judy Sierra, illus. by Marc Brown, about a tiger cub’s plan to repurpose a tumbledown mall as an ideal zoo with help from all the other animals; White Bird by R.J. Palacio, recounting the story of how Grandmère Sara (introduced in Auggie and Me) was hidden by a family in a Nazi-occupied village in France; First Women in Sports by Lesa Cline-Ransome, featuring 20 trailblazers who broke through the boundaries set for female athletes; and Court of Miracles by Kester Grant, which reimagines Les Misérables to kick off a series starring a young thief in Paris’s criminal underground following a failed French Revolution.
RANDOM HOUSE/LAMB
Wendy Lamb Books strums its way into fall with Banjo by Graham Salisbury, following the journey of Danny’s beloved dog Banjo, who is threatened by his neighbors in Oregon’s rodeo country claiming he has gone after their livestock; and The Long Ride by Marina Budhos, about three mixed-race seventh grade girls whose friendship is affected by New York City’s attempt at desegregation in the 1970s, which resulted in students being bussed across Queens to different schools.
RANDOM HOUSE/MAKE ME A WORLD
Make Me a World finds its groove with Mama Mable’s All-Gal, Big Band Extravaganza! by Annie Sieg, a debut paying tribute to the birth of the swing era and the all-female bands of the 1940s; Pet by Akwaeke Emezi, focused on a teen in a contemporary utopia where evil is thought to have been eradicated, who accidentally cuts themself and brings to life an ominous creature; and Gravity by Sarah Deming, in which Gravity Delgado finds a safe haven from a broken home riddled with drugs and alcohol when she walks into a Brooklyn boxing gym.
RANDOM HOUSE/RODALE KIDS
Rodale Kids signs off on the season with Sincerely, You: Letter-Writing to Change the World by Savannah Maddison, a guide from the 17-year-old founder of Savannah’s Soldiers, who write letters to anyone in need of love and support; and Lasting Love by Caroline Wright, illus. by Willow Heath, exploring love and grief through the eyes of a child who loses his mother and finds that her love stays with him in the form of a comforting creature.
RANDOM HOUSE/SCHWARTZ & WADE
Schwartz & Wade blows out birthday candles for The 1,000-Year-Old Boy by Ross Welford, about a boy destined to live forever, but who wants to find a way to grow older, just like any other 11-year-old boy; Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist by Julie Leung, illus. by Chris Sasaki, presenting the life and times of animator Wong, the Chinese-American immigrant behind Disney’s Bambi; What Is a Refugee? by Elise Gravel, introducing the term “refugee” simply and graphically for children; Thurgood by Jonah Winter, illus. by Bryan Collier, the story of Thurgood Marshall who grew up a wise-cracking kid in Baltimore and became the first black Supreme Court justice; and Stormy by Guojing, a wordless picture book about a lost dog and a kind woman brought together by a fierce storm.
RED CHAIR PRESS
Red Chair puts on a brave face for ABCs at the Haunted House by Jennifer Marino Walters, illus. by Nathan Jarvis, identifying objects and letters of the alphabet during a walk through a haunted house.
RED CHAIR PRESS/ONE ELM
One Elm pricks up its ears for Red Dove, Listen to the Wind by Sonia Antaki, illus. by Andrew Bosley, the coming-of-age story of a 13-year-old Lakota girl set against the backdrop of the battle of Wounded Knee; and Trevor and the Big Uh-Oh by Wiley Blevins, illus. by Marta Kissi, about a third grader’s efforts to avoid reading aloud in front of everyone at Parent’s Night.
RUNNING PRESS
Running Press sets up the easel for Bob Ross and Peapod the Squirrel by Robb Pearlman, illus. by Jason Kayser, about a squirrel that gets caught in the late TV paint instructor Ross’s hair, and the painting Ross must create to give the squirrel a new home; Awesome Achievers in Science by Alan Katz, launching a series that shines a spotlight on almost-famous history makers; Just Feel by Mallika Chopra, illus. by Brenna Vaughan, containing exercises that help kids develop resilience and grit; Mo’s Bows: A Young Person’s Guide to Startup Success by Moziah Bridges, chronicling the story of young Bridges’s successful bow tie business; and The Humiliations of Pipi McGee by Beth Vrabel, in which a girl sets out to right the wrongs of her very embarrassing past.
SCHOLASTIC PRESS
Scholastic Press practices its chanting for Caster by Elsie Chapman, which finds Aza entering an illegal spell-fighting tournament to try and save her family’s magical legacy; Don’t Call Me Bear by Aaron Blabey, in which Koala makes it clear he is not a bear; The Carrier by Jennifer A. Nielsen, the story, inspired by true events, of a girl in 19th-century Lithuania who helped preserve her country’s culture by smuggling banned books past the occupying Russians; MañanaLand by Pam Muñoz Ryan, about a boy who embarks on a dangerous journey to find the truth about who he is; and Anthem by Deborah Wiles, the conclusion of the Sixties Trilogy, focusing on a girl and her cousin who travel cross-country in 1969 to find her runaway brother and tell him that he’s been drafted.
SCHOLASTIC EN ESPAÑOL
Scholastic en Español says bienvenidos to these fall titles: Little Eva Loves/La pequeña Eva adora (Bilingual) by Rebecca Elliot; ¡Feliz cumpleaños! (Happy Birthday!) by Annie Auerbach; Aliento perruno (Dog Breath) by Dav Pilkey; Di algo (Say Something) by Peter H. Reynolds; and La hacedora de sombras (Shadowshaper) by Daniel José Older.
SCHOLASTIC LICENSED PUBLISHING
Scholastic Licensed Publishing gets a hall pass at Baxter High for Season of the Witch, the first Chilling Adventures of Sabrina YA novel; Dreams Come True by Adrienne Kress, launching the Bendy and the Ink Machine series of tie-in YA novels; and tie-ins, in various formats, to the following properties: Harry Potter, Peppa Pig, and Riverdale.
SCHOLASTIC NONFICTION
Scholastic Nonfiction pounces on fall with Fearless Felines by Kimberlie Hamilton, illus. by various artists, offering portraits of real-life cats that were part of major moments in history.
SCHOLASTIC PAPERBACKS
Scholastic Paperbacks shambles into fall with Zombies Are People Too by Tommy Greenwald, illus. by Dave Bardin, following the adventures of undercover zombie Arnold Z. Ombee in the Project Z series; Diary of an Ice Princess #1 by Christina Soontornvat, illus. by Barbara Szepesi Szucs, kicking off a series starring a princess with magical powers that can control the weather; The Pepper Party Is Completely Cursed by Jay Cooper, in which the Peppers find a crystal ball and make some predictions; and additions to the following long-running series: Goosebumps SlappyWorld and I Survived.
SCHOLASTIC/ACORN
Acorn ties on a cape for the following illustrated early readers: I Am a Super Girl! (Princess Truly #1) by Kelly Greenwalt, illus. by Amariah Rausch; Let’s Have a Sleepover! (Hello, Hedgehog! #2) by Norm Feuti; Let’s Play, Crabby! (A Crabby Book #2) by Jonathan Fenske; Beneath the Bed and Other Scary Stories (Mister Shivers #1) by Max Brallier, illus. by Letizia Rubegni; and Friends Rock (Unicorn and Yeti #3) by Heather Ayris Burnell, illus. by Hazel Quintanilla.
SCHOLASTIC/BLUE SKY
Blue Sky Press sends a holiday wish with How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas? and How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah? by Jane Yolen, illus. by Mark Teague, featuring dinosaur families celebrating their traditions; Love and the Rocking Chair by Leo and Diane Dillon, the story of the deep love passed from one generation to the next, and the final collaboration of the two-time Caldecott Medalists; and Wildfire by Rodman Philbrick, in which 12-year-old Sam is trapped in a deadly wildfire and must rely on the wilderness survival skills passed on by his late father.
SCHOLASTIC/BRANCHES
Branches commences countdown to fall with the following early chapter books: Pug Blasts Off (Diary of a Pug #1) created by Kyla May, written by Sonia Sanders; Trip to the Pumpkin Farm (Owl Diaries #11) by Rebecca Elliott; Boa Constructor (The Binder of Doom #2) by Troy Cummings; Griffith’s Dragon Guide (Dragon Masters Special Edition) by Tracey West, illus. by Matt Loveridge; and The Magic Mirror (Once Upon a Fairy Tale #1) by Anna Staniszewski, illus. by Macky Pamintuan.
SCHOLASTIC/CARTWHEEL
Cartwheel looks to the night sky for Peek-a-Boo Art: Goodnight, Starry Night by Amy Guglielmo and Julie Appel, introducing famous works of art in a peek-through format; Roar! Roar! I’m a Dinosaur! by Jo Lodge, a first book of dinosaurs with chunky sliding tabs; Teeny Tiny Ghost by Rachel Matson, illus. by Joey Chou, launching a seasonal board book series; Wonderful Me: I Love All of Me by Lorie Ann Grover, illus. by Carolina Búzio, first in a padded board book series about self-esteem and emotional intelligence; and Dream Big by Joyce Wan, paying homage to female trailblazers from history.
SCHOLASTIC/CHICKEN HOUSE
Chicken House is somewhere over the rainbow with All the Colors of Magic by Valija Zinck, in which Penelope wakes up with sparkling red hair and learns that her father is a wizard; and Frostfire by Jamie Smith, featuring a girl who has been chosen as one of hundreds with the strength to journey to the top of the glacier in her mountain village.
SCHOLASTIC/FICKLING
David Fickling Books steers the conversation with Bone Talk by Candy Gourlay, about a boy and a girl coming of age against the backdrop of the Philippine-American war of the late 19th century; and Legends of the Sky by Liz Flanagan, in which servant girl Milla witnesses a murder and finds herself caring for four dragon eggs.
SCHOLASTIC/FOCUS
Focus spans the globe for Girl Under a Red Moon by Da Chen, a portrait of Chen’s older sister with whom he grew up during the Chinese Cultural Revolution; Her Own Two Feet by Meredith Davis and Rebeka Uwitonze, recounting Uwitonze’s journey from Rwanda to the U.S. at age nine for a surgery to correct her club feet; and Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple, presenting a historical account of a foiled Nazi plot to bring down WWII America.
SCHOLASTIC/GRAPHIX
Graphix plays Dungeon Master with Sunny Rolls the Dice by Jennifer L. Holm, illus. by Matthew Holm, which finds Sunny preferring Dungeons & Dragons to her BFF’s interest in boys and glamour; Dog Man #7 by Dav Pilkey, another outing for Dog Man and the Supa Buddies facing off against evil cat Petey; Guts by Raina Telgemeier, in which Raina struggles with ongoing stomach issues and how they relate to her anxiety about food, school, and changing friendships; The Baby-Sitters Club Graphix #7: Boy-Crazy Stacey by Ann M. Martin and Gale Galligan, the next installment in the series based on Martin’s original novels, focused on Stacey’s crush on a lifeguard at the beach; and Wings of Fire Graphic Novel #3: The Hidden Kingdom by Tui T. Sutherland, illus. by Mike Holmes, a full-color graphic novel adaptation.
SCHOLASTIC/LEVINE
Arthur A. Levine Books speaks up for Take the Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance by Bethany Morrow, featuring stories of resistance by Samira Ahmed, Jason Reynolds, and others; The Great Santa Stakeout by Betsy Bird, illus. by Dan Santat, in which young Freddy cooks up a scheme to take a selfie with Santa; Doc and the Detective by Tim Tingle, illus. by McClain Moore, about a Choctaw boy with a taste for detective work who teams with a lonely old professor to solve a mystery; The Whispering Wars by Jaclyn Moriarty, following an unlikely team of orphans and posh boarding school kids who must join forces to outwit the evil Whisperers; and The Year We Fell From Space by A.S. King, the story of a girl who’s going to change the way we look at the stars, if her family doesn’t fall apart first.
SCHOLASTIC/ORCHARD
Orchard Books rolls out some bling for I Love My Glam-Ma by Samantha Berger, illus. by Sujean Rim, celebrating every grandma’s glamorous ways; Two Tough Trucks by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Rebecca J. Gomez, illus. by Hilary Leung, featuring two vehicles vrooming their way through first-day-of-school jitters; River by Elisha Cooper, a story of discovering beauty in the world around us; The Brain Is Kind of a Big Deal by Nick Seluk, about everything the brain does to keep you alive and make you, you; and The Misguided Field Guide to Dinosaurs by Mike Lowery, featuring jokes, facts, a timeline, and comic panels.
SCHOLASTIC/POINT
Point hacks the season with Fake by Donna Cooner, in which Maisie decides to get revenge on her classmates by creating a fake social media profile using stolen photos; and Truly Madly Royally by Debbie Rigaud, a YA novel inspired by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, featuring a 16-year-old girl who discovers the cute boy she met is a prince of a European country.
SHAMBHALA/BALA KIDS
Bala Kids centers itself with Meditation for Kids by Laurent Dupeyrat and Johanne Bernard, illus. by Alice Gilles, introducing this practice; Anytime Yoga by Ulrika Deze, illus. by Simon Kroug, in which Kika the monkey demonstrates 14 simple yoga poses for kids; and Breathing Makes It Better by Christopher Willard and Wendy O’Leary, presenting breathing techniques that children can use to cope with anger, fear, and worry.
SIMON & SCHUSTER
Simon & Schuster calculates its fall list with Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation by Stuart Gibbs, launching a new series about genius thief Charlie who must crack a complex code created by Einstein to protect the iconic physicist’s last equation; Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o, a picture book about colorism by the Oscar-winning actress; Toll by Neal Shusterman, the final volume in the Arc of a Scythe trilogy; Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi, featuring a teen romance; and Cursed by Thomas Wheeler, illus. by Frank Miller, offering a twist on the legend of King Arthur, which spotlights the Lady of the Lake.
S&S/ALADDIN
Aladdin has the recipe for a fine fall with Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang, illus. by Charlene Chua, the tale of a fearless girl determined to make a perfect bao bun; Keeper of the Lost Cities #8 by Shannon Messenger, returning to the adventures of Sophie, who discovers she is from a parallel world and has amazing abilities; Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner, a middle-grade graphic novel featuring Moth, who learns she is half witch; Kitten Lady’s Big Book of Little Kittens by Hannah Shaw, providing a look at the real-life work of animal advocate Shaw, who fosters kittens from birth to adoption; and Cape by Kate Hannigan, which follows a brilliant girl coder who is part of a superhero trifecta.
S&S/ATHENEUM
Atheneum programs the GPS for The Very, Very, Far North by Dan Bar-el, illus. by Kelly Pousette, the middle grade story of a polar bear named Duane who is finding his place in the world; Bunnicula Graphic Novel by James Howe, adapted by Andrew Donkin, illus. by Teemu Juhani, starring the beloved vampire bunny; Reaching for the Moon by Katherine Johnson, the autobiography of the NASA data analyst whose math acumen was highlighted in the book and film Hidden Figures; Dancing Hands by Margarita Engle, illus. by Rafael López, the story of Teresa Carreño, a child prodigy who played piano for Abraham Lincoln; and Roll with It by Jamie Sumner, a middle grade debut focused on a girl with cerebral palsy whose life takes an unexpected turn when she moves to a new town.
S&S/ATHENEUM/DLOUHY
Caitlyn Dlouhy Books boards a gondola for Arrivederci, Crocodile by Fred Marcellino, illus. by Marcellino and Eric Puybaret, sequel to the late Marcellino’s I, Crocodile; Oh, Rats by Tor Seidler, illus. by Gabriel Evans, in which a hawk snatches up a squirrel who thinks his life is over, but which begins a big-city adventure; Class by Frances O’Roark Dowell, introducing every student in Mrs. Herrera’s fifth-grade class, in a novel told from the kids’ 20 different perspectives.
S&S/BEACH LANE
Beach Lane leaves the nest with Fly! by Mark Teague, a wordless picture book in which Mama bird and her baby bird have different ideas about whether it’s time for baby’s first flight; Roly Poly by Mem Fox, illus. by Jane Dyer, about how a young polar bear deals with the arrival of a little brother; Pluto Gets the Call by Adam Rex, illus. by Laurie Keller, which finds Pluto on a journey through the solar system after he gets a call from Earth telling him he isn’t a planet anymore; What Miss Mitchell Saw by Hayley Barrett, revealing the life of Maria Mitchell, the first professional astronomer in the U.S., who discovered Miss Mitchell’s Comet in 1847; and Go, Girls, Go! by Frances Gilbert, a celebration of vehicles, putting girls in the driver’s seat.
S&S/LITTLE SIMON
Little Simon jetés into fall with Swan Lake by the New York City Ballet, the third title produced in conjunction with the dance company; Happy Heart by Hannah Eliot, illus. by Susie Hammer, celebrating feelings of love on glitter-filled die-cut pages; and Five Little Thank Yous by Cindy Jin, illus. by Dawn Cardona, cataloging all the important things to be thankful for on Thanksgiving.
S&S/MCELDERRY
Margaret K. McElderry Books welcomes Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare, which begins a fantasy trilogy set in the Shadowhunters world; Sanctuary Highway by Ellen Hopkins, the story of two teens’ journey for survival in a radicalized America in the not-so-distant future; Song of the Deep by Kelly Powell, a murder mystery debut in which a girl must catch a killer on an island where deadly sirens lurk just beneath the waves; If Pluto Was a Pea by Gabrielle Prendergast, illus. by Rebecca Gerlings, depicting comparisons that help kids understand cosmic size; and Make Trouble: Young Readers Edition by Cecile Richards, presenting the life of Planned Parenthood president Richards.
S&S/SALAAM READS
Salaam Reads heads to its stations for Battle by Karuna Riazi, follow-up to the The Gauntlet, continuing the adventures of kids trapped in a mechanical board game with a futuristic Middle Eastern backdrop; Truly Jameela by Hena Khan, a spin on Little Women focused on four sisters in a modern Pakistani family living in Georgia; and Muslim Girls Rise by Saira Mirl, illus. by Aaliya Jaleel, introducing 19 Muslim women who made their voices heard.
S&S/SIMON PULSE
Simon Pulse bundles up for Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw, a romance set deep in the magical snow-covered woods; The Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett, which finds a girl hunting down Vlad the Impaler’s cursed ring in order to save her father; Slay by Brittney Morris, a YA debut in which a real-life troll is intent on ruining the online Black Panther-inspired game created by Kiera, a black teen game developer; Our Wayward Fate by Gloria Chao, in which a teen outcast is swept up in a whirlwind romance and down a rabbit hole of dark family secrets when another Taiwanese family moves to her small Midwestern town; and Watch Over Me by Mila Gray, about a young woman who tries to protect her family from their violent father, and finds safety in her romance with an ex-Marine.
S&S/SIMON SPOTLIGHT
Simon Spotlight walks the runway with If You Love Fashion, You Could Be A... launching a Level 2 Ready-to-Read series about careers; School of Fish: Friendship on the High Seas by Jane Yolen, offering a Level 1 Ready-to-Read look at a fish’s first day in a new school; Knight Owls by Eric Seltzer, illus. by Tom Disbury, the Pre-Level 1 Ready-to-Read story featuring chivalrous owls; and Crayola: Come Sit with Me by Tina Gallo, introducing Level 2 Ready-to-Read readers to the concept of the buddy bench, where everyone can find a friend to talk to.
S&S/WISEMAN
Paula Wiseman Books is seeing double with Max and Ruby and Twin Trouble by Rosemary Wells, exploring the bunny siblings’ reactions when they learn their parents are going to have a new baby; Remarkables by Lisa Mantchev, illus. by David Litchfield, a wordless picture book about a boy befriending a mermaid; Eee-Moo by Annika Dunklee, illus. by Brian Won, focusing on a platypus who thinks he is an emu; and Counting the Stars by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illus. by Raúl Colón, the story of mathematician Katherine Johnson, one of the NASA “human computers” whose work was critical to the first U.S. space launch.
SLEEPING BEAR
Sleeping Bear Press gets in the ring with A Fist for Joe Louis and Me by Trinka Hakes Noble, illus. by Nicole Tadgell, in which an African-American boy and a Jewish boy bond over their love of boxing and Joe Louis in 1938 Detroit; A Boy Like You by Frank Murphy, illus. by Kayla Harren, exploring the attributes of a boy outside of the traditional stereotypes; Backroads, Country Toads by Devin Scillian, illus. by Tim Bowers, about two country toads’ fly fishing outing; Common Threads by Huda Essam, illus. by Merce Tous, the story of how a boy loses sight of his traditionally dressed Muslim parents on a bustling day at the market; and Nien, The Chinese New Year Dragon by Virginia Loh-Hagan, illus. by Timothy Banks, which provides information about Chinese New Year within the tale of a girl who takes action when a dragon threatens her village.
SOHO TEEN
Soho Teen takes flight with Hope Is Our Only Wing by Rutendo Tavengerwei, a novel spanning Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom, about a teenage girl who is sent to boarding school after her father’s mysterious death in a car crash; Orpheus Girl by Brynne Rebele-Henry, a YA debut novel by the award-winning poet, in which a gay Texas teen embarks on a journey to rescue her beloved after both girls have been sent away from their small town to be “fixed”; Color Outside the Lines: Stories About Love, edited by Sangu Mandanna, an anthology of stories about the complexity and beauty of interracial and LGBTQ+ relationships, featuring works by Samira Ahmed, Elsie Chapman, Anna-Marie McLemore, Adam Silvera, Eric Smith, and more; and Me and Mr. Cigar by Butthole Surfers front-man Gibby Haynes, a mystery involving a teenage crook, his supernatural dog, and their possible redemption.
SOURCEBOOKS/FIRE
Sourcebooks Fire is an open book with I Have No Secrets by Penny Joelson, a thriller from the perspective of a teen with cerebral palsy who may be able to use a new technology to share what she knows about a murder; We Are Lost and Found by Helene Dunbar, providing a snapshot of three friends coming of age in New York City in 1983; Mass Disturbance by Gilly Segal and Kimberly Jones, the story of two teen girls—one black, one white—who only have each other to rely on during a night of race riots in their city; and Reverie by Ryan La Sala, following Kane Montgomery, a gay teenager piecing his life back together after an accident robs him of his memories.
SOURCEBOOKS/JABBERWOCKY
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky turns on the nightlight for Bedtime for Sweet Creatures by Nikki Grimes, illus. by Elizabeth Zunon, depicting the imagination-fueled journey a mother and her boy take on the way to going to sleep; There Was a Black Hole That Swallowed the Universe by Chris Ferrie, introducing the concept of black holes via the familiar “There Was an Old Lady” tune; Star Shepherd by Dan Haring and MarcyKate Connolly, an illustrated middle-grade novel set in a world where the light from the stars is the only thing that provides safety from dark creatures; Survivors of the Holocaust by Kath Shackleton, illus. by Zane Whittingham and Ryan Jones, presenting six real-life survivors’ accounts of the Holocaust in graphic novel format, and The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs by America’s Test Kitchen, featuring recipes, techniques and testimonials.
STAR BRIGHT
Star Bright Books flickers into fall with Twinkle, Twinkle by Ellen Mayer, illus. by Ying-Hwa Hu, about a mother’s engaging conversation with her baby during an ordinary diaper change.
STERLING
Sterling measures the forces of fall with Queen of Physics by Teresa Robeson, illus. by Rebecca Huang, profiling nuclear physicist Wu Chien Shiung; Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling, sequel to Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus, following Aven Green’s first year of high school; Song of the Court by Katy Farina, a graphic novel starring Arietta, a cat who discovers the meaning of friendship and sacrifice; The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh by Supriya Kelkar, illus. by Alea Marley, in which Hapreet comes to understand that his patkas (traditional Sikh head coverings) are a colorful part of his identity; and The End of Something Wonderful by Stephanie Lucianovic, illus. by George Ermos, about coping with the loss of a family pet.
TILBURY HOUSE
Tilbury House takes a seat with The Buddy Bench by Patty Brozo, illus. by Mike Deas, in which children persuade their teacher to build a buddy bench on the playground, a place where children can sit to signal their classmates to ask them to play; Tyaja Uses the Think Test: A Story about the Power of Words by Linda Ryden, illus. by Shearry Malone, offering a mnemonic lesson about how friends should treat friends; and The Acadia Files: Book Three, Winter Science by Katie Coppens, illus. by Holly Hatam, introducing science concepts via real-world scenarios and winter phenomena.
TUNDRA
Tundra Books sets the table for Frankie’s Favorite Foods by Kelsey Garrity-Riley, which finds Frankie waffling over which food to dress up as for the school play about students’ favorites; You’re in Good Paws by Maureen Fergus, illus. by Kathryn Durst, featuring a hospital where the patients and staff are animals; The Collected Works of Gretchen Oyster by Cary Fagan, which follows Hartley’s quest to discover whom the “G.O.” signature on homemade postcards around town belongs to; Alma and the Beast by Esme Shapiro, celebrating differences and tolerance in a fantastical world made of hair; and King Mouse by Cary Fagan, illus. by Dena Seiferling, about a mouse who finds a crown and declares himself king.
WEST MARGIN
West Margin Press (formerly Graphic Arts Books) straps on its tool belt for Betty Builds It by Julie Hampton, in which a brilliant but lonely robot girl builds herself a friend; Diary of a Glacier by Elizabeth Rusch, illus. by Alice Brereton, blending science and geography facts with a young glacier’s sense of humor; Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty? and Where Does a Pirate Go Potty? by Dawn Prochovnic, illus. by Jacob Souva, comedic stories about finding a place to “go”; and Haibu by Blake Freeman, featuring a 10-year-old Icelandic girl who can speak to animals.
ALBERT WHITMAN
Albert Whitman heads into the woods with Little Red Rhyming Hood by Sue Fliess, illus. by Petros Bouloubasis, a fairy tale remix in which the heroine speaks only in verse, making it tough for her to make friends; A Friendship Yarn by Lisa Moser, illus. by Olga Demidova, about an argument between close friends Porcupine and Badger; Operation Photobomb by Becky Cattie and Tara Luebbe, illus. by Matthew Rivera, exploring what happens when Chameleon’s photobombing starts to irritate the other animals; This Is a Sea Cow by Cassandra Federman, in which an imaginative second grader writes a school report about sea cows and the subject is not happy with her portrayal; and When a Kid Like Me Fights Cancer by Catherine Stier, illus. by Angel Chang, a picture book about a boy who is diagnosed with cancer, written in partnership with the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.
ALBERT WHITMAN TEEN
Albert Whitman Teen looks into the horizon with Eclipse the Skies by Maura Milan, sequel to Ignite the Stars; and Resurrection Girls by Ava Morgyn, in which Olivia Foster hasn’t felt alive since her little brother drowned in the backyard pool three years ago—until she meets the girl who moves in across the street.
WUNDERMILL/PERSNICKETY PRESS
Persnickety Press dons a lab coat for Scientists Get Dressed by Deborah Lee Rose, capturing a variety of scientists on the job; Lyudmila and Pushinka: An Incredible Story of Unexpected Friendship by Lee Dugatkin and Lyudmila Trut, about a groundbreaking experiment that turned wild foxes into man’s best friend; and Zooapalooza in the Park, illus. by Mark Tuchman, a return to Raccoon River for the town’s first pet showcase.
ZONDERKIDZ
Zonderkidz shows love with One Big Heart: A Celebration of Being More Alike Than Different by Linsey Davis, illus. by Lucy Fleming, a story of inclusion and connection from ABC News correspondent Davis.
