ABRAMS
Abrams unwraps its spring list with Mummies Exposed! by Kerrie Logan Hollihan, offering the latest news and science regarding examples of mummification from around the world; Chicks Rule! by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, illus. by Renée Kurilla, in which the chicks of the barnyard unite with Nerdy Chick in support of girl power when they are told they can’t participate in certain activities; A Twin Is to Hug by Boni Ashburn, illus. by John Nez, a picture-book ode to twindom; O Captain, My Captain by Robert Burleigh, illus. by Sterling Hundley, which profiles poet Walt Whitman and explores how he was influenced by Abraham Lincoln, in whose honor he wrote the famous poem “O Captain My Captain!”; and Goldberg! by Tom Angleberger, illus. by Elio, which presents the origin story of Johann Sebastian Bach’s composition of lullabies, the Goldberg Variations.
ABRAMS/AMULET
Amulet puts on its thinking cap for Big Ideas: Moon Landing by Don Brown, which explores the moon landing, and all the men and women who made it possible; Beast Rider by Tony Johnston and Maria Eleena Fontanit De Rhodas. the tale of a 12-year-old boy’s journey from Mexico across the U.S. border to help his older brother in Los Angeles; Didi Dodo, Future Spy by Tom Angleberger, illus. by Jared Chapman, introducing a series about an amateur detective, set in the world of Inspector Flytrap; A Cold Day in the Sun by Sara Biren, a YA romance about a girl on a boy’s hockey team who falls for the team captain; and Raven’s Tale by Cat Winters, which reimagines the early life of Edgar Allan Poe, exploring the complicated relationship between artist and muse.
ABRAMS/APPLESEED
Appleseed branches out with My Tree and Me by Jo Witek, illus. by Christine Roussey, in which a girl grows to appreciate the natural world through her friendship with the tall, ancient tree in her backyard; Kindness Rules by Hello!Lucky, a comedic guide to good manners and being kind to others; Tinyville Town: At the Firehouse by Brian Biggs, featuring a guided tour of the local firehouse by Dexter and Firefighter Charlie; Sunny’s Tow Truck Saves the Day by Anne Marie Pace, illus. by Christopher Lee, which introduces the concept of telling time as a family with a flat tire awaits the arrival of a tow truck and observes other working vehicles; and Deep in the Ocean by Lucie Brunellière, chronicling the findings of a scientific team that gets caught in a violent storm while exploring the ocean’s depths.
AKASHIC/BLACK SHEEP
Black Sheep checks the guest list for Party: A Mystery by Jamaica Kincaid, illus. by Ricardo Cortés, in which two girls attending a publication party for a new Nancy Drew book witness something mysterious and strange.
ALGONQUIN
Algonquin battens down the hatches for Hurricane Season by Nicole Melleby, an #OwnVoices LGBT novel about 11-year-old Fig, who navigates friendship and her first crush as she seeks answers about her father’s mental illness; The Becket List: A Blackberry Farm Story by Adele Griffin, illus. by LeUyen Pham, in which soon-to-be-fourth-grader Becket adjusts to new surroundings when her family moves from New York City to a small farm; In the Neighborhood of True by Susan Kaplan Carlton, focusing on a Jewish girl in 1950s Atlanta who hides her religion to try to fit into her segregationist surroundings; Bright Burning Stars by A.K. Small, featuring two best friends who become fierce competitors when they must face off to win a position in the Paris Opera’s corps de ballet; and The Oddmire, Book 1: Changeling by William Ritter, which follows two boys raised as twins, neither knowing which one of them is human and which one is a goblin-born changeling.
AMICUS
Amicus wags its tail with It’s Not the Puppy by J. Patrick Lewis and Leigh Lewis, illus. by Maddie Frost, presenting a toddler-centric whodunit; Crane & Crane by Linda Joy Singleton, illus. by Richard Smythe, comparing the movements of a sandhill crane and a construction crane; and Little Panda and Little Tiger by Julie Aberty, illus. by Susie Mason, two rhyming board books in the Little Animal Friends series.
ANDERSEN PRESS USA
Andersen Press USA gets tucked in for The Night Bear by Ana de Moraes, illus. by Thiago de Moraes, about a nightmare-chomping bear who accidentally bites into a dream; The Baby Beast by Chris Judge, about an ordinary sloth turned superhero; Don’t Go There! by Jeanne Willis, illus. by Hrefna Bragadottir, featuring a baby Martian trying to get the hang of using the potty; and Stubby: A True Story of Friendship by Michael Foreman, presenting the true story of canine Sergeant Stubby, who served in WWI.
ANNICK
Annick struts the runway with Bad Boys of Fashion by Jennifer Croll, illus. by Aneta Pacholska, looking at men’s fashion rebels and icons through the ages; The Dog Who Wanted to Fly by Kathy Stinson, illus. by Brandon James Scott, in which Zora the dog is determined to take flight; Classic Munsch 123 by Robert Munsch, illus. by Michael Martchenko, an introduction to numbers and counting featuring Munsch’s picture book characters; Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic by Michael McCreary, a memoir by a young stand-up comedian on the autism spectrum; and Masters of Silence by Kathy Kacer, which spotlights mime Marcel Marceau’s rescue of 150 Jewish children during the Holocaust.
BLOOMSBURY
Bloomsbury stands up for Watch Us Rise by Renée Watson and Ellen Hagen, presenting a feminist anthem about two young women fighting to have their voices heard; The Storm Keeper’s Island by Catherine Doyle, marking the author’s debut and showcasing a fantasy set on the island of Arranmore in Ireland; Caterpillar Summer by Gillan McDunn, a debut novel about a girl, her special needs brother, and their unforgettable summer; Extraordinary Birds by debut author Sandy Stark-McGinnis, about a girl who believes she’s a bird and her journey to find home; and Past Perfect Life by Elizabeth Eulberg, the tale of a girl whose happy, ordinary life is crushed when she realizes it has all been a lie.
BOYDS MILLS
Boyds Mills fluffs the pillows for Bedtime for Beasties by Leslie Staub, illus. by Jia Liu, in which a girl takes control of her nightmare and shows a group of monsters who’s boss; Dolphins: Strange and Wonderful by Laurence Pringle, illus. by Meryl Henderson, introducing dolphin species from around the world; What If...? Then We... Short, Very Short, Shorter-Than Ever Possibilities by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, illus. by Fred Koehler, featuring two polar bears who imagine solutions to a variety of potential situations; Popcorn Country: The Story of America’s Favorite Snack by Cris Peterson, illus. by David Lundquist, providing a photographic history of the puffy snack food; and Never Trumpet with a Crumpet by Amy Gibson, illus. by Jenn Harney, the adventures of a pack of animals who attempt to follow proper etiquette when they are invited to tea with the queen.
BOYDS MILLS/CALKINS CREEK
Calkins Creek experiences déjà vu all over again with Yogi: The Life, Loves, and Language of Baseball Legend Yogi Berra by Barb Rosenstock, illus. by Terry Widener, offering a closer look at the iconic baseball personality; Goodbye, Mr. Spalding by Jennifer Robin Barr, in which two boys in Depression-era Philadelphia try to stop a wall being built at Shibe Park that will block their rooftop view of baseball games; Robert E. Lee: The Man, The Soldier, The Myth by Brandon Marie Miller, presenting a YA biography of the Confederate States Army general and controversial figure; Union Made: Labor Leader Samuel Gompers and His Fight for Workers’ Rights by Norman Finkelstein, exploring the life of the founding father of the American Federation of Labor; and Girl with Brush and Canvas: Georgia O’Keeffe by Carolyn Meyer, profiling the American painter.
BOYDS MILLS/WORDSONG
Wordsong makes some noise with Boom! Bellow! Bleat!: Animal Poems for Two or More Voices by Georgia Heard, illus. by Aaron DeWitt, a raucous collection peppered with animal sounds; In the Middle of the Night: Poems for a Wide-Awake House by Laura Purdie Salas, illus. by Angela Matteson, depicting the secret nighttime activities of everyday household objects; and I’m the Big One Now!: Poems About Growing Up by Marilyn Singer, illus. by Jana Christy, celebrating such milestones in a young person’s life as learning to whistle, and riding the school bus alone.
CAMERON KIDS
Cameron Kids is on top of the doghouse for Sparky & Spike by Barbara Lowell, illus. by Dan Andreasan, a picture-book biography based on the childhood of cartoonist Charles M. Schulz and his real-life dog Spike, the inspiration for famous pup Snoopy; Alphabet Kingdom by Starla Michelle Halfmann, which presents the ABCs in a large format; Oh, Bear by Melissa Nelson Greenberg, illus. by Ruth Hengeveld, following the adventures of a bear and a bright yellow kite; and One Whole Bunch by Mary Meyer, illus. by Sara Gillingham, in which a boy introduces numbers as he gathers flowers to make a bouquet for his mom.
CAMPFIRE GRAPHIC NOVELS
Campfire Graphic Novels knows what is to be with Hamlet by William Shakespeare, adapted by Malini Roy, illus. by Naresh Kumar, the Elizabethan tragedy; and The Taj Mahal: An Incredible Love Story by Rik Hoskin, illus. by Aadil Khan, which relates the tale of how emperor Shah Jahan constructed the iconic building to house his great love’s remains.
CANDLEWICK
Candlewick goes around and around with Circle by Mac Barnett, illus. by Jon Klassen, which shines the light on Circle and her friends Triangle and Square; Juana and Lucas 2: Big Problemas by Juana Medina, in which young Juana’s familiar life in Bogotá, Colombia, changes when Mami announces she’s getting remarried; Believe by Robert Sabuda, which pairs images that evoke potential (such as a seed) with 3-D images on a consecutive spread (such as a tree); Fat Angie: Rebel Girl Revolution by e.E. Charlton-Trujillo, in which Angie enlists an estranged childhood friend and other fellow outsiders as she embarks on a cross-state road trip that her sister, who died in Iraq, did not live to complete; and Noah Builds an Ark by Kate Banks, illus. by John Rocco, which finds Noah building an ark for all the creatures in his backyard as his family prepares for an approaching storm.
CANDLEWICK/BIG PICTURE PRESS
Big Picture turns out the lights for Planetarium by Raman Prinjia, illus. by Chris Wormell, providing a scientifically accurate look at all aspects of space; The Night Flower by Lara Hawthorne, a snapshot of the ecosystem in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert; and There Are Fish Everywhere by Britta Teckentrup, which introduces readers to fish from around the world.
CANDLEWICK ENTERTAINMENT
Candlewick Entertainment salutes spring with tie-ins to the following television programs: Dot, Little Lunch, Peg + Cat, and Peppa Pig.
CANDLEWICK STUDIO
Candlewick Studio takes wing with Birds by Carme Lemniscates, taking a look at various feathered friends; Inside Outside by Anne-Margot Ramstein and Matthias Aregui, an oversized art book that offers unusual examples of the concept of inside and outside; Life: The First Four Billion Years by Martin Jenkins, illus. by Grahame Baker-Smith, which navigates millennia of prehistory; The Good Son: A Story from the First World War, Told in Miniature by Pierre-Jacques Ober, illus. by Jules Ober and Felicity Coonan, featuring the true story, re-enacted in miniature scenes, of a French soldier who left his regiment for two days at Christmas in 1914 and was punished upon his return; and Under Threat: An Album of Endangered Animals by Martin Jenkins, illus. by Tom Frost, discussing the reasons why so many species are in danger of dying off and what we can do to help.
CANDLEWICK/NOSY CROW
Nosy Crow gets flashy with Firefly Home by Jane Clarke, illus. by Britta Teckentrup, in which readers participate to help guide Florence Firefly home after she gets lost; The Rabbit, the Dark, and the Cookie Tin by Nicola O’Byrne, about Rabbit’s ploy to kidnap the dark and put it in a cookie tin to avoid going to bed; What Do Anteaters Eat? by Ross Collins, which finds hungry Anteater asking friends to help him figure out what to eat; Dave’s Rock by Frann Preston-Gannon, follow-up to Dave’s Cave, in which two cavemen buddies compete over whose rock is best—inventing something new in the process; and How to Take Care of Your Dinosaur by Jason Cockroft, an owner’s guide for those with a pet dinosaur.
CANDLEWICK/TEMPLAR
Templar does a double-take with I Thought I Saw a Bear by Lydia Nichols, a hide-and-seek sliding-page board book featuring hiding animals; Bear’s Story by Claire Freedman, illus. by Alison Friend, in which Bear tries to write some of his own stories when his favorite book of tales falls apart; Raj and the Best Day Ever by Sebastien Braun, detailing Raj and Dad’s day of adventure; Rhythm of the Rain by Grahame Baker-Smith, celebrating the water cycle and the ways water moves across the Earth; and The Right One by Violeta Noy, a debut picture book that follows a young ghost’s search for something to wear besides a white sheet.
CANDLEWICK/WALKER BOOKS US
Walker rules the season with Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis, a graphic novel in which Queen Eleanor of Albion is banished to a tiny island when her sister seizes the throne; Angry Cookie by Laura Dockrill, illus. by Maria Karipidous, starring a cookie who relates a humorous tale of woe after waking up on the wrong side of the bed; Voyages in the Underworld of Orpheus Black by Marcus Sedgwick and Julian Sedgwick, illus. by Alexis Deacon, focusing on a pair of brothers caught between life and death in World War II London; Soccer School Season 3 by Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton, illus. by Spike Gerrell, conveying history, math, and science information via soccer facts and analogies; and Flights of Fancy: Discover Your Creativity with Ten Children’s Laureates, which collects encouraging essays and advice from such British Laureates as Quentin Blake and Lauren Child.
CAPSTONE
Capstone heats up with Emmi in the City: A Great Chicago Fire Survival Story by Salima Aikhan, illus. by Tomislav Tikulin, a historical novel focused on a German immigrant girl caught in the Chicago Fire; Kari’s New Beak: 3-D Printing Builds a Bird a Better Life by Lela Nargi, in which curators and keepers from Smithsonian’s National Zoo and National Museum of Natural History team up to create a prosthetic beak for an ailing bird; Language Arts: Period by Michael Dahl, illus. by Chris Garbutt, exploring the role of the period in the English language; and Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas by Andrea Pyros, about 12-year-old Josephine’s struggles to cope with all the issues on her plate, including her mother’s new breast cancer diagnosis.
CHARLESBRIDGE
Charlesbridge takes a swing at The Piñata That the Farm Maiden Hung by Samantha Vamos, illus. by Sebastià Serra, the story of a farm maiden who enlists the help of her friends to build a piñata; Snowman-Cold=Puddle: Spring Equations by Laura Purdie Salas, illus. by Micha Archer, in which each equation is a tiny poem that prompts readers to look at the ordinary and the miraculous; Butterflies in Room 6: See How They Grow by Caroline Arnold, in which the author returns to Mrs. Best’s kindergarten class to report on the children observing the transformation of caterpillars into butterflies; and Daring Dozen: The Twelve Who Walked on the Moon by Suzanne Slade, illus. by Alan Marks, a picture book in verse that celebrates the 50th anniversary of the first Apollo mission to land on the Moon.
CHARLESBRIDGE TEEN
Charlesbridge Teen leaps into the season with The Great Nijinsky: God of Dance by Lynn Curlee, a biography of 20th-century dancer and cultural icon Vaslav Nijinsky.
CHRONICLE
Chronicle reaches out to spring with Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug by Jonathan Stutzman, illus. by Jay Fleck, about a dinosaur who wants to hug his friend, but his arms are too tiny; Tomorrow Most Likely by Dave Eggers, illus. by Lane Smith, a bedtime story that contemplates all the wonderful things to come the next day; You Are New by Lucy Knisley, which depicts babies napping, playing, and doing all the things newborns do; Most Marshmallows by Rowboat Watkins, a peek into the everyday lives of this chewy treat; and Bikes for Sale by Carter Higgins, illus. by Zachariah OHora, the tale of two potential friends who ride their bikes along their separate daily routines, not realizing they are just a few blocks from each other.
CHRONICLE/HANDPRINT
Handprint says “a-ha” with I Have an Idea by Hervé Tullet, a picture book celebrating the magic of the birth of an idea.
CHRONICLE/TWIRL
Twirl is in on the joke with Ha-Ha! Made You Laugh! by Stéphanie Babin, illus. by Vincent Mathy, a lift-the-flap book that encourages readers to make funny faces and be silly; Who Lives Where? by Stéphanie Babin, illus. by Kiko, introducing where various animals live via a sliding-panels format; Seasons by Philip Giordano, revealing many of the iconic images of the seasons of the year; 100% Yoga by Elisabeth Jouanne, illus. by Ilya Green, featuring 44 kid-friendly poses as well as games and massage techniques; and The Ultimate Book of Planet Earth by Anne-Sophie Baumann, illus. by Didier Balicevic, which offers a comprehensive look at our planet and features 60 moveable parts.
CREATIVE EDITIONS
Creative Editions blasts off with Beyond the Stars by Kate Riggs, illus. by Chris Sheban, a trip through the stars based on scientific concepts of space travel; What to Do with a String by Jane Yolen, illus. by C.F. Payne, spotlighting imaginative uses for an ordinary object; Lola Shapes the Clouds by Wendy Greenley, illus. by Paolo Domeniconi, an origin story about cloud shapes; Afternoon on a Hill by Edna St. Vincent Millay, illus. by Paolo Domeniconi, which reimagines the classic poem about the natural world in picture book form; and Spot, Spike, Spiral by Sarah Tuttle, illus. by Miriam Nerlove, exploring the patterns displayed in living things.
DISNEY/FREEFORM
Freeform blooms with The Everlasting Rose by Dhonielle Clayton, second novel in the New Orleans-set Belles series; #MurderFunding by Gretchen McNeil, continuing the grisly, campy expoits of #MurderTrending, which has been optioned for TV; and The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, about a teen with a twisted past and a family with an unconventional family business.
DISNEY/DISNEY HYPERION
Disney Hyperion has all the answers with Because by Mo Willems, the tale of a girl’s journey to center stage; Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel by Eoin Colfer and Michael Moreci, illus. by Stephen Gilpin, which adapts Colfer’s novel with new text and illustrations; Peek-A-Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins, another adventure for grumpy bear Bruce; and Serafina and the Seven Stars by Robert Beatty, in which Serafina returns to confront deceptively dark and terrifying forces.
DISNEY/HYPERION
Hyperion sizes up the season with The Great Big One by J.C. Geiger, about grief, love, music, and the threat of a legendary tsunami; The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman, a debut novel following a group of teens who have dark secrets and the power to save their town from a monster; Where I End and You Begin by Preston Norton, in which sworn enemies suddenly find themselves deeply intertwined; Antoinette, Stepsister, Queen by E.K. Johnston, the tale of how one wicked stepsister uses her wits and cunning to embark on a dangerous quest for a magical relic; and Don’t Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno, the author’s debut tale featuring three generations of cursed women in a Cuban-American family.
DISNEY/RICK RIORDAN PRESENTS
Rick Riordan Presents pricks up its ears for Aru Shah and the Song of Death by Roshani Chokshi, the continued adventures of Pandava, who is accused of stealing the god of love’s arrow; and Sal & Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez, a sci-fi story with Cuban influences that explores the power to reach through time and space to retrieve anything you want.
DUOPRESS
Duopress hangs a shelftalker with Bookstore Baby by Puck, illus. by Violet Lemay, featuring babies enjoying the wonders of a bookstore; Colors of the Southwest, a concept book by Amy Mullen; and Writers and Their Pets by Kathy Krull, illus. by Violet Lemay, offering short profiles of famous writers and their beloved pets.
EERDMANS
Eerdmans turns on the nightlight for Sweet Dreamers by Isabelle Simler, showing the different ways that animals sleep; Alexander Calder’s Wire by Sieb Posthuma, introducing readers to the work of this 20th-century sculptor; A Story That Grows by Gilles Bachelet, in which parents of all species read bedtime stories to their offspring; Vanishing Colors by Constance Orbeck-Nilssen, illus. by Akin Duzakin, focused on a girl from a war-torn country who tells a friend about life as a refugee; and Birdie by Eileen Spinelli, a novel-in-verse that features an adolescent dealing with change and loss.
FAMILIUS
Familius is on the scenic route with The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost, illus. by Vivian Mineker; Grow, Baby, Grow by Meritxell Marti and Xavier Salomó, which tracks the beginning of life via nine 3-D illustrations in real size, month by month; Lit for Little Hands: The Secret Garden, in which the Burnett classic is adapted in board book format by Brooke Jordan; The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde, illus. by Jeanne Bowman, a retelling of this tale; and Little Heroes: Women Who Changed the World by Heidi Poelman, illus. by Kyle Kershner, introducing various female changemakers from history.
FITZHENRY & WHITESIDE
Fitzhenry & Whiteside plants a spring list with The Imperfect Garden by Melissa Assaly, in which a boy discovers that misshapen homegrown vegetables taste just the same as the perfect-looking ones in the grocery store; The Birdman by Troon Harrison, illus. by François Thisdale, a picture book biography of abolitionist and ornithologist Alexander Milton Ross, who traveled to the Deep South to study birds—and deliver news to slaves about the Underground Railroad; and The Moon Watched It All by Shelley Leedahl, illus. by Aino Anto, the tale of a solitary woman who takes in a shy orphan boy who has been cast out of his village.
FLYAWAY
Flyaway Books launches into spring with The Story of AND: The Little Word That Changed the World by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, illus. by Joani Rothenberg, a fable about the importance of the word and and how it helps various shapes overcome their differences; and God’s Big Plan by Elizabeth F. Caldwell and Theodore Hiebert, illus. by Katie Yamasaki, a picture book exploring diversity throughout the world.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY/ADVENTURES IN ODYSSEY
Adventures in Odyssey is at the ready for Cross-Check by Phil Lollar, the newest addition to the Blackgaard Chronicles, following Tim and Whit’s efforts to keep their town of Odyssey safe.
FREE SPIRIT
Free Spirit gets moving with From A to Z with Energy! by Connie Bergstein Dow, presenting an alphabet of action words designed to encourage kids to use up their energy; How to Take the ACHE Out of Mistakes by Kimberly Feltes Taylor and Eric Braun, illus. by Steve Mark, which helps kids learn how to own their missteps and learn from them; and I’m Happy-Sad Today: Making Sense of Mixed-Together Feelings by Lory Britain, about understanding and expressing complex and sometimes conflicted feelings.
GRAPHIC ARTS
Graphic Arts walks the plank for Yao Bai and the Egg Pirates by Tim Myers, illus. by Bonnie Pang, in which a boy hatches a plan to outwit pirates who want to steal the eggs his family has gathered on the Farallon Islands off San Francisco in the 1850s; Pedro’s Pan by Matthew Lasley, illus. by Jacob Souva, a debut picture book about a prospector, told from the perspective of his gold pan; Dream Flights on Arctic Nights by Brooke Hartman, illus. by Evon Zerbetz, focusing on arctic animals and their habitat; Treasure by Mindy Dwyer, a new tale inspired by the story of a girl who received gifts from crows; and Children of the Midnight Sun by Tricia Brown, with photos by Roy Corral, a 20th-anniversary edition containing all-new text, exploring the lives of 10 Alaskan Native children.
GROUNDWOOD
Groundwood marks the calendar for Weekend Dad by Naseem Hrab, illus. by Frank Viva, offering a look at how things change when parents separate; Moon Wishes by Guy and Patricia Storms, illus. by Milan Pavlović, a bedtime story that imagines what it would be like to be the moon; When I Found Grandma by Saumiya Balasubramaniam, illus. by Qin Leng, in which things don’t go as Maya expected when her grandmother arrives from overseas for a visit; Operatic by Kyo Maclear, illus. by Byron Eggenschwiler, a graphic novel on friendship, drama, and opera in middle school, marking the author’s debut; and My Story Starts Here: Voices of Young Offenders by Deborah Ellis, featuring interviews with kids in the criminal justice system.
HARPERCOLLINS
HarperCollins crosses its fingers behind its back for Mostly the Honest Truth by Jody J. Little, a debut novel focused on a girl who’s placed in foster care while her father is in rehab; Wild Baby by Cori Doerrfeld, which presents the exploits of a curious young ape who swings freely through the jungle as her mother chases after her; Hoax for Hire by Laura Martin, about a boy whose family legacy is to keep such legends as the Loch Ness Monster alive, even though he wants nothing to do with the monsters; The Tragical Tale of Birdie Bloom by debut author Tamre Beltz, in which a wicked witch and a tragic orphan form an unlikely friendship in their fairytale kingdom; How to Read a Book by Kwame Alexander, illus. by Melissa Sweet, inviting readers to follow a sensory journey between the pages of a book; Remarkably You by Pat Zietlow Miller, illus. by Patrice Barron, serving up a love letter to individuality; Giant Tess by Dan Yaccarino, featuring a misfit girl and a newfound friend who save the day and the big city parade; Harold Snipperpot’s Best Disaster Ever by Beatrice Alemagna, spotlighting a boy’s especially chaotic first real birthday party; and The Good Egg by Jory John, illus. by Pete Oswald, a follow-up to The Bad Seed.
HARPERTEEN
HarperTeen treks into the forest with Sherwood by Meagan Spooner, a gender-bending romantic retelling of the “Robin Hood” legend; Love & Other Curses by Michael Thomas Ford, spotlighting a gay club called Shangri-La, tarot-card playing grandmothers, drag queens, and Sam, who is trying to figure out who he is and where he’s going in life; The Meaning of Birds by Jaye Robin Brown, which tells the story, in alternating chapters, of Jessica and Vivi’s romance from the past, up to the present, where Vivi is gone forever; Stolen Time by Danielle Rollins, kicking off a time-travel romance trilogy; The Beholder by Anna Bright, first in Bright’s debut romance series, billed as a mashup of Cinderella, The Odyssey, and The Selection; This Time Will Be Different by Misa Sugiura, the tale of a Japanese-American teen whose family identity and community begin to unravel when her mother decides to sell the family’s flower shop; The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven, focusing on aspiring comedy writer Izzy, who becomes embroiled in a scandal and compromising photos of her end up on a slut-shaming website; With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo, in which teen mom Emoni dreams of turning her talent for cooking into a career.
HARPERFESTIVAL
HarperFestival revs its engine for I Go! by Lindsay Ward, a die-cut board book showcasing various vehicles; Where Are You From? by Yamile Saied Méndez, illus. by Jaime Kim, which centers on a girl who is asked where she is from—where she is really from—and turns to her abuelo for an answer; Cavall in Camelot #2: Quest for the Grail by Audrey Mackaman, another adventure for King Arthur and his dog Cavall; Jaclyn Hyde by Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White, reimagining The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as a contemporary middle-schooler tries to make herself perfect using science, and the experiment goes wrong; and Baby Botanist by Laura Gehl, the launch of the Baby Scientists board book series, introducing scientific concepts and careers.
HARPERCOLLINS/GREENWILLOW
Greenwillow hits the court with I Got Next by Daria Peoples-Riley, in which a young basketball player prepares for a game while his shadow encourages him to leave everything on the court; Sweeping Up the Heart by Kevin Henkes, which finds 12-year-old Amelia meeting a new friend who changes her life forever; Power Up by Seth Fishman, illus. by Isabel Greenberg, about energy and the human body; Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly, a fantasy inspired by Filipino folklore; and Last Things by Jacqueline West, following Thea, who catches blame when strange things start happening to her favorite local music idol.
HARPERCOLLINS/BALZER + BRAY
Balzer + Bray is down on the farm with A Normal Pig by K-Fai Steele, starring a spotted pig who wonders if she’s normal when a new pig makes fun of her differences; Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy, the story of how a girl accidentally takes on the role of the town’s advice columnist when her parents are divorcing; A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramée, a debut novel about the trouble 12-year-old Shayla creates at her middle school when she wears a Black Lives Matter armband; If You’re Out There by Katy Loutzenhiser, in which Zan suspects foul play when her best friend ghosts her after moving across the country; and Oscura by Maya Motayne, the author’s debut, set in a Lantinx-inspired fantasy world and featuring a face-shifting thief.
HARPERCOLLINS/WALDEN POND
Walden Pond keeps its eyes peeled for The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu, about twin girls who are assigned to different classrooms for the first time, just as things mysteriously begin to go missing around their city; Finding Orion by John David Anderson, focused on a family who travels to their eccentric grandfather’s funeral only to be launched on a scavenger hunt he devised in his will; The Missing Piece of Charlie O’Reilly by Rebecca K.S. Ansari, in which Charlie’s brother goes missing and no one—not even his friends and family—remember him existing; Sprinkle of Spirits: Love Sugar Magic #2 by Anna Meriano, the next installment in the series about a family of Mexican-American bakers/brujas; and York: The Clockwork Ghost by Laura Ruby, second in the alternate history/fantasy trilogy.
HARPERCOLLINS/TEGEN
Katherine Tegen Books sets the GPS for Eventown by Corey Ann Haydu, introducing a girl who moves to an idyllic new town with her family and discovers that there may be a price to pay for perfection; The Greystone Secrets #1: The Strangers by Margaret Peterson Haddix, launching a series in which three siblings follow a labyrinth of codes and secret passageways to find the truth about themselves after they learn that three other children with their same names and birthdates have been kidnapped; The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala, kicking off a fantasy trilogy set in a South Indian world; Heroine by Mindy McGinnis, following the careening path into addiction of an injured, college-bound softball star; and The Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds, relating the story of Jack, who is sent back—over and over again—to the moment he first met Kate, who died nine months after they first fell in love.
HEYDAY
Heyday has the floor with Biddy Mason Speaks Up by Arisa White and Laura Atkins, illus. by Laura Freeman, profiling a black woman born into slavery who later became a philanthropist, landowner, and midwife.
HOLIDAY HOUSE
Holiday House straps on its toe shoes for Dear Ballerina by Monica Wellington, featuring a budding ballerina’s letter to her favorite dancer; I Am Hermes! by Mordicai Gerstein, tracing the antics and life of the mischievous messenger of the gods in a graphic novel style, featuring more than 300 pieces of artwork; Splintered by Jon McGoran, the second entry in the Spliced series, in which Jimi risks her life to uncover the shady dealings of the man behind the anti-chimera movement; Mighty Reader by Will Hillenbrand, introducing a new comic-book-style picture book superhero created to inspire reluctant readers; and Between the Water and the Woods by Simone Snaith, illus. by Sara Kipin, a historical YA fantasy.
HOLIDAY HOUSE/FERGUSON
Margaret Ferguson Books turns in a permission slip for Field Trip to the Moon by John Hare, a wordless picture book about a girl who gets left behind on a class voyage to the moon; A Quieter Story by Liza Woodruff, featuring a creative girl and her ingeniously inventive kitten; The Undoing of Thistle Tate by Katelyn Detweiler, the tale of famous teen author Thistle Tate who struggles to keep her biggest secret: the identity of the person who wrote her bestselling books; Nixie Ness Cooking Star by Claudia Mills, the debut title of a chapter book series set in an after-school program; and The Space Between Before and After by Sue Stauffacher, in which a boy must navigate his grief when his mother suddenly disappears.
HOLIDAY HOUSE/PORTER
Neal Porter Books tunes up for Music for Mister Moon by Philip C. Stead, illus. by Erin E. Stead, about a shy cello player who learns to share her music with the moon; Nine Months by Miranda Paul, illus. by Jason Chin, offering an informative look at all the things that happen as a soon-to-be big sister and her parents prepare for the arrival of a new baby; Babysitter from Another Planet by Stephen Savage, in which parents leave their kids with a babysitter who is truly out of this world; My Fourth of July by Jerry Spinelli, illus. by Larry Day, celebrating America’s birthday; and Hey, Water! by Antoinette Portis, covering all things water, from the water cycle to factoids about the weather.
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
HMH listens for Voices by David Elliott, a novel-in-verse portraying Joan of Arc; Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith, the author’s debut fantasy set in a world of poisons, ghosts, and powerful magic; The Stars We Steal by Alexa Donne, featuring Jane Austen’s Persuasion reimagined as a space opera; Stand on the Sky by Erin Bow, about a girl who becomes an eagle hunter and saves her brother in spite of her family’s expectations of her; and Every Moment After by Joseph Moldover, which finds two friends grappling with grief, guilt, and the long-term effects of gun violence.
HMH/CLARION
Clarion gets the band back together with The Bear, the Piano, the Dog, and the Fiddle by David Litchfield, a music-filled picture book; Gondra’s Treasure by Linda Sue Park, illus. by Jennifer Black Reinhardt, spotlighting the daughter of a Western dragon mother and an Eastern dragon father who celebrates her mix of backgrounds and traditions; Spark by Sarah Beth Durst, the story of a girl who discovers that the prosperity of her idyllic country comes at a cost to others; Lottie & Walter by Anna Walker, in which a walrus helps a girl conquer her fear of the water; and Sun by Alison Oliver, a companion to Moon, which find a sporty boy getting in touch with his artistic side.
HMH/VERSIFY
Versify launches with The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, illus. by Kadir Nelson, a poem of sacrifice and triumph that serves as a love letter to black life in the United States; The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles, in which two adventurous cousins freeze time to extend the last day of summer; White Rose by Kip Wilson, a debut novel-in-verse about Sophie Scholl, who, with the White Rose non-violent resistance group, challenged the Nazi regime and ¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market by Raúl the Third, a bilingual guide to the food, marketplace, games, animals, and plants of a border town.
INKYARD PRESS
Inkyard Press meets up for Nexus by Lindsay Cummings and Sasha Alsberg, the sequel to Zenith, following a crew of girl pirates trying to save a faraway galaxy; The Evil Queen by Gena Showalter, first in a romantic, action-packed trilogy that recasts fairy tales with take-charge heroines; Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak by Adi Alsaid, about a brokenhearted online magazine writer who decides to capture the last months that a couple spends together before their planned break-up at the end of the summer; The Voice in My Head by Dana L. Davis, featuring a teen girl whose terminally ill twin sister decides to pursue medically assisted euthanasia; and Beneath the Skin by Jennifer L. Armentrout, a contemporary fantasy that builds from the world of the Dark Elements series.
KANE MILLER
Kane Miller dishes out encouragement with You Are a Star by Ariella Abolaffio, which provides advice for finding one’s place in the world; Bully on the Bus by Kathryn Apel, about a seven-year-old whose teacher gives him a special tool he can learn to use to deal with the bully who is picking on him; Grandma’s Favorite and Grandpa’s Favorite by Erin Deasy, illus. by Luciana Navarro Powell, companion books that depict grandparent-and-grandchildren pairs from around the world; and Otters, Snails and Tadpole Tails by Eric Ode, illus. by Ruth Harper, exploring the biodiversity of a wetland habitat.
KANE PRESS
Kane Press ushers in spring with Save the Cake!, Go Home, Goat, and Greedy Beetle, three phonics-focused Bright Owl Books by Molly Coxe; and The Broken Beehive by Lydia Lukidis, illus. by Andre Ceolin, and The Lost and Found Weekend by Kiki Thorpe, illus. by Barbara Bongini, two titles in the Makers Make It Work series centered on problem-solving and hands-on activities.
KANE PRESS/STARBERRY
StarBerry goes out on a limb for Nests by Pepe Márquez, illus. by Natalia Colombo, exploring the different places birds make their nests; and It’s a Girl Thing!: Smart, Fierce, and Leading the Way by Pri Ferrari, in which a group of girls showcase some of the things girls like to do and some of the things they can be.
KAR-BEN
Kar-Ben gathers yarn for A Scarf for Keiko by Ann Malaspina, illus. by Merrilee Liddiard, in which Sam and Keiko work together with their classmates to knit socks for German and Japanese soldiers overseas in 1942, until Keiko’s family is sent to an internment camp; Pavel and the Tree Army by Heidi Smith Hyde, illus. by Elisa Vavouri, following a young Jewish immigrant who joins the Civilian Conservation Corps and plants trees; A Seder for Grover by Joni Kibort Sussman, illus. by Tom Leigh, which finds the Sesame Street character learning about Passover; Raisins and Almonds: A Yiddish Lullaby by Susan Tarcov, illus. by Sonia Sánchez, introducing the traditional lullaby “Rozhinkes Mit Mandlen”; and Mitzvah Pizza by Sarah Lynn Scheerger, illus. by Deborah Melmon, about a girl who was inspired by the true story of a pizza shop in Philadelphia to do good deeds.
KIDS CAN PRESS
Kids Can follows its nose with The Book of Stinks: A Whiff of the Smelly Science That’s Right Under Your Nose by Edward Kay, illus. by Mike Shiell, exploring how the human olfactory system works; A Garden for Mayumi van Horton by Chieri Uegaki, illus. by Genevieve Simms, in which a girl shares the joy of tending a traditional Japanese garden with her grandfather; A Bear Named Teddy by James Sage, illus. by Lisk Feng, blending fact and fiction to tell the story of how the teddy bear came to be; Moon Landing, 1969: The Epic 400-Year Journey to Apollo 11 by Sigmund Brouwer, taking a closer look at the successful but nearly disastrous mission; and Paws and Edward by Espen Dekko, illus. by Mari Kanstad Johnsen, which offers a portrait of the relationship between a boy and his aging dog.
KIDS CAN/KCP LOFT
KCP Loft turns its frown upside down with Always Smile: Secrets to Live By from Carley Allison by Alice Kuipers, advice from promising singer and Canadian figure skater Allison, based on the blog she kept about fighting cancer before her life was cut short by the disease at age 19; Carmilla by Kim Turrisi, a story adapted from a popular web series in which a young woman grows suspicious of her new nocturnal roommate when other female students on campus go missing; and The Center of the Universe by Ria Voros, about a young woman who discovers family secrets as she unravels mysteries surrounding her mother’s mysterious disappearance.
LEE & LOW
Lee & Low gets dressed with Under My Hijab by Hena Khan, illus. by Aaliya Jaleel, celebrating the beauty of the traditional head covering and the Muslim women and girls who wear it.
LERNER
Lerner celebrates spring with the following tie-ins to Disney and Crayola: The Big Book of Disney Top 10s: Fun Facts and Cool Trivia by Jennifer Boothroyd and Mary Lindeen, Let It Grow: A Frozen Guide to Gardening by Cynthia Stierle, How to Be a Beloved Toy: Teamwork with Woody by Jennifer Boothroyd, part of the Disney Great Job Character Guides series, and Let’s Draw Aliens and Spaceships with Crayola and Crayola Boredom Busting Crafts by Rebecca Felix.
LERNER/CAROLRHODA
Carolrhoda gets crafty with Be a Maker by Katey Howes, illus. by Elizabet Vuković, encouraging readers to think of all the different ways they can create; Last of the Name by Rosanne Parry, in which a 12-year-old Irish immigrant arrives in New York City in 1863 as the Civil War and racial and class tensions rage; Let ’Er Buck! George Fletcher, the People’s Champion by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illus. by Gordon C. James, about African-American cowboy Fletcher, and the title he earned when a white man unfairly walked away with a 1911 championship; Seventh Grade vs. the Galaxy by Joshua Levy, following Jack and his friends when they accidentally catapult their rickety public school ship across the galaxy; and Undercover Ostrich by Joe Kulka, providing a peek at some sneaky ostriches.
LERNER/CAROLRHODA LAB
Carolrhoda Lab soars into spring with Flight of a Starling by Lisa Heathfield, following sisters and trapeze artists Lo and Rita as Lo finds love outside their tightknit circus community; Castle of Lies by Kiersi Burkhart, in which an army of invading elves may thwart Thelia’s ascent to the throne; and The Manic Pixie Dream Boy Improvement Project by Lenore Appelhans, the story of how Riley and his fellow Manic Pixies try to uncover the secret of their home, TropeTown, where everyone plays stock roles in novels.
LERNER/DARBY CREEK
Darby Creek offers second chances with the Do-Over series, about teens mysteriously getting the opportunity to change a decision they regret, which includes The Accident by Glasko Klein and The Cheat by Sarah Richman; Escape! by Jennifer LaRoche and The Island by D.A. Graham, leading off the Reality Show series, featuring kids competing in reality shows; and Off Road by Raelynn Drake, new to the extreme-sports-themed To the Limit series.
LERNER/GRAPHIC UNIVERSE
Graphic Universe signs off on its spring list with Sincerely, Harriet by Sarah Winifred Searle, about a teen girl who discovers the power of storytelling as she struggles with loneliness, boredom, and a multiple sclerosis diagnosis; Captain Barbosa and the Pirate Hat Chase by Jorge González, a wordless graphic novel featuring a ship crew giving chase to the seagull who stole the captain’s pirate hat; The Invisible War: A World War I Tale on Two Scales by Ailsa Wild, Jeremy Barr, and Greg Crocetti, illus. by Ben Hutchings, examining what happens when a strain of lethal bacteria infects a battlefield nurse in France during WWI; The Wolf in Underpants by Wilfrid Lupano, illus. by Mayana Itoïz and Paul Cauuet, in which the forest animals become less afraid of a wolf when they see him in his striped underpants; and Gravity’s Pull, the second title in the YA sci-fi-flavored trilogy Life on Earth.
LERNER/MILLBROOK
Millbrook has a green thumb with I Am Farmer: Growing an Environmental Movement in Cameroon by Miranda Paul and Baptiste Paul, illus. by Elizabeth Zunon, the life story of Tantoh Nforba, who was mocked for his interest in gardening when he was a child and grew up to be an environmental hero bringing clean water and bountiful gardens to central Africa; Flower Talk: How Plants Use Color to Communicate by Sara Levine, illus. by Masha D’yans, in which a talking cactus points out the significance of flower color in terms of how pollinators see them; Hair! Animal Fur, Wool, and More by Marilyn Singer, illus. by Julie Colombet, providing an up-close look at mammal hair; Lion of the Sky: Haiku for All Seasons by Laura Purdie Salas, illus. by Mercè Lopez, featuring haiku/riddle poems that celebrate the seasons; and Bugs That Make Your Computer Crawl: What Are Computer Bugs? by Brian P. Cleary.
LITTLE BEE
Little Bee rises and shines for Pancakes to Parathas: Breakfast Around the World by Alice B. McGinty, illus. by Tomoko Suzuki, a look at what children eat for their morning meal in various countries; Maiden and Princess by Daniel Haack and Isabel Galupo, illus. by Becca Human, in which a princess falls in love with a maiden at the Prince’s royal ball; Magic Ramen: The Story of Ando Momofuku by Andrea Wang, illus. by Kana Urbanowicz, profiling the man who invented ramen; and Isle of Misfits: First Class by Jamie Mae, illus. by Freya Hartas, the tale of a gargoyle who is invited to live on an island of restful magical creatures because he can’t sit still at his post.
LITTLE BEE/BLUEPRINT EDITIONS
Blueprint Editions puts together a spring lookbook with Fashions of the World by Maya Hanisch, taking readers on a journey to 38 countries via each place’s traditional fashions.
LITTLE BEE/YELLOW JACKET
Yellow Jacket knows where it’s headed with The North Star by Kat Shepard, which kicks off the Gemini Mysteries series; The Year I Didn’t Eat by Samuel Pollen, chronicling a year in the life of 14-year-old Max as he struggles with anorexia; and A Storm of Strawberries by Jo Cotterill, the story of how Darby, a 12-year-old with Down syndrome, and her family prepare for a big storm that threatens to destroy their strawberry farm.
LITTLE, BROWN
Little, Brown flips for Abner and Ian Get Right-Side Up by Dave Eggers, illus. by Laura Park, about the characters stuck sideways on the pages of this picture book, who urge readers to help turn them right-side up; Dandy by Ame Dyckman, illus. by Charles Santoso, following a father who tries to find a gentle way to get rid of the lone dandelion in his lawn, which his daughter has fallen in love with; No More Poems! by Rhett Miller, offering 23 poems focused on classic dilemmas of childhood and modern family life; Internment by Samira Ahmed, the story of a futuristic U.S. where Muslim citizens are forced into internment camps; and The Next Great Paulie Fink by Ali Benjamin, featuring a girl adjusting to her new middle school as she tries to step into the shoes of a former class clown.
LITTLE, BROWN/PATTERSON
Jimmy Patterson journeys to an Indian ashram in 96 Words for Love, a YA novel by fashion designer, Rachel Roy, and her daughter, Ava Dash; Once & Future by Cori McCarthy and Amy Rose Capetta, a retelling of the Arthurian legend, in which King Arthur is reincarnated as a teenage girl; Katt vs. Dogg by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein, about a society that is defined by the oldest rivalry in the world: katts versus dogs; The Fall of Crazy House by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet, following twin sisters Becca and Cassie who barely escaped the Crazy House alive; Scouts by Shannon Greenland, a suspenseful yet heartwarming adventure about a group of friends who journey to see a crashed meteor; When We Were Lost by Kevin Wignall, a survival story in which a group of teens’ plane crashes in the Amazonian jungle; and Middle School: Born to Rock, in which Rafe Khatchadorian’s sister Georgia is vying to be crowned winner of Battle of the Bands.
LITTLE, BROWN/POPPY
Poppy looks on the bright side of spring with Positively Teen: A Practical Guide to a More Positive, More Confident You by Nicola Morgan, providing teens with skills to approach adolescence with optimism and understanding and develop long-term well-being; Izzy + Tristan by Shannon Dunlap, a debut novel that reimagines the tragic romance “Tristan and Iseult” in contemporary Brooklyn; and Amelia Westlake Was Never Here by Erin Gough, in which two girls may be falling in love as they devise a grand hoax to expose harassment at their elite private school.
MACMILLAN/FIRST SECOND
First Second pinkie swears on This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews, a magical-realist adventure story about the bond between two boys who could both use a friend; Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki, illus. by Rosemary Valero-O’Connell, chronicling happily-out Freddy’s efforts to understand her sexuality and the manipulative relationship she’s trapped in with Laura Dean; Stargazing by Jen Wang, a portrait of an immigrant community and how two very different girls might relate to it; Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell, illus. by Faith Erin Hicks, the story of Josie and Deja, who find themselves in a mad scramble in search of love during a one-night comedy of errors; and Hold Hands by Sara Varon, about love, friendship, and the power of holding hands.
MACMILLAN/FARRAR, STRAUS AND GIROUX
FSG swims into spring with The Pout-Pout Fish Cleans Up the Ocean by Deborah Diesen, illus. by Dan Hanna, exploring ideas of doing what’s right, teamwork, and problem-solving; This Book of Mine by Sarah Stewart, illus. by David Small, depicting the connection between diverse readers of all ages and their books; For Black Girls Like Me by debut author Mariama Lockington, telling the story of a black girl adopted into a white family who is navigating the complexities of race, family, and belonging; and Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo, a YA rom-com set in Hong Kong, featuring a young K-pop star and a budding reporter who fall for each other.
MACMILLAN/FEIWEL AND FRIENDS
Feiwel and Friends climbs a rope ladder for The 104-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths, illus. by Terry Denton, marking new heights for the humorous Treehouse series; Saving Emma: A Tale from Apricot Lane Farms by John Chester, based on an Emmy-winning short film in which farmers work together to save a pig; A Is for Elizabeth by Rachel Vail, illus. by Paige Keiser, launching a chapter book spin-off from the Justin Case books, starring Justin’s younger sister; and Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi, an enemies-to-friends story about two girls who refuse to compromise.
MACMILLAN/FLATIRON
Flatiron beats on with Tin Heart by Shivaun Plozza, in which Marlowe gets a heart transplant and a second chance at life, and all she wants to do is to thank her donor’s family; Birthday by Meredith Russo, following friends Morgan and Eric who are bonded for life after being born on the same day at the same time; and Finale by Stephanie Garber, book three in the Caraval series, which takes place as Legend is preparing for his official coronation and Tella is determined to stop it.
MACMILLAN/HENRY HOLT
Henry Holt holds court with The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg, set in a near future world where a half-android, half-human girl is accused of murder; Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi, the follow-up to the author’s bestselling debut, Children of Blood and Bone; Llama Destroys the World by Jonathan Stutzman, illus. by Heather Fox, introducing the days of the week via a recounting of Llama’s antics; The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen, a YA fantasy taking place in a world of bird-like castes; and Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai, in which siblings Jingwen and Yanghao bond over making cake while trying not to annoy each other.
MACMILLAN/HENRY HOLT/GODWIN
Godwin Books savors the season with What’s Your Favorite Food? by Eric Carle and Friends, in which various artists illustrate their favorite foods and share why they love them; Spy Runner by Eugene Yelchin, the story of a boy who stumbles upon a secret that jeopardizes American national security; The Great Gran Plan by Elli Woollard, illus. by Steven Lenton, offering a twist on “Little Red Riding Hood”; Time Dogs: Balto by Helen Moss, illus. by Misa Saburi, launching an adventure series in which the time dogs meet real-life hero dogs from history; and The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi, trans. by Cathy Hirano, about a girl who discovers she can speak to water serpents and flying beasts.
MACMILLAN/HENRY HOLT/OTTAVIANO
Christy Ottaviano Books tunnels into spring with King of the Mole People by Paul Gilligan, the inaugural book in an illustrated fictional diary series starring Doug, King of the Mole People, who struggles to keep his balance in school and in the underworld; The Lost Boy’s Gift (On While-a-Way Lane) by Kimberly Willis Holt, exploring themes of divorce, acceptance and intergenerational friendship in a coming-of-age tale with a magical twist; Geeked Out, Book 2 by Obert Skye, continuing the middle-grade spoof series inspired by the Creature from My Closet books; It Rained Warm Bread by Gloria Moskowitz-Sweet and Hope Anita Smith, the story of the author’s Holocaust survivor father and how a moment of human kindness gave him hope to survive; and Western Civ by Stacia Tolman, a friendship story that also tackles such issues as sexual abuse and domestic violence.
MACMILLAN/IMPRINT
Imprint jumps into the shark tank with The Startup Squad by Brian Weisfeld and Nicole C. Kear, a multi-platform brand designed to show girls how to convert their ideas into businesses; Symptoms of a Heartbreak by Sona Charaipotra, starring Saira, the youngest M.D. in America, who is juggling friends, family, and a demanding medical career; When Pencil Met Eraser by Karen Kilpatrick and Luis O. Ramos Jr., illus. by German Blanco, in which Pencil draws on the pages of the book, Eraser erases parts of them, and the book becomes a fourth-wall-bending battleground between the two; and Summer by Cao Wenxuan, illus. by Yu Rong, spotlighting animals fighting over shade on a blazing hot day until they learn to overcome their selfishness.
MACMILLAN/ODD DOT
Odd Dot logs on for Code This Game! by Meg Ray, illus. by Keith Zoo, which teaches young readers to code by making their own video game; and One More Wheel by Colleen AF Venable, illus. by Blythe Russo, in which animal friends compete to find the vehicle with the most wheels.
MACMILLAN/PRIDDY
Priddy Books strolls into spring with the following novelty concept books by Roger Priddy: Alphaprints: Curious Cat; Alphaprints: Silly Squid; Fishy, Fishy: A Changing Picture Book, and A Mischief of Monsters.
MACMILLAN/ROARING BROOK
Roaring Brook Press rousts the ghost of Deep Throat with Bringing Down a Presidency: Watergate by Andrea Balis and Elizabeth Levy, illus. by Tim Foley, a look at the 1970s political scandal that felled President Nixon, told in a screenplay format; Today I Will Be Fierce by Bea Birdsong, illus. by Nidhi Chanani, containing a confidence-building message wrapped up in a fairy tale adventure; Late Bus to Everland by Sophie Cameron, featuring young people who wrestle with real issues but have access to a fantastical world; Crossing on Time: Steam Engines, Fast Ships, and a Journey to the New World by David Macaulay, offering a “biography” of the steamship, exploring the ships’ evolution and inner workings; and How to Be Luminous by Harriet Reuter Hapgood, in which Minnie reconnects with her sisters following her mother’s disappearance.
MACMILLAN/SWOON
Swoon Reads steals every scene with Going Off Script by Jen Wilde, a diverse love story and modern take on the portrayal of LGBT characters in media, inspired by #DontBuryYourGays; Another Day, Another Midnight by Claire Kann, which discusses such issues as race, sexuality, and outgrowing old friends; The Shortest Distance Between Love and Hate by Sandy Hall, following a college freshman who is torn between long-held loyalties and a bright new love; Finding Mr. Better-Than-You by Shani Petroff, in which Camryn decides that the best revenge against her ex-boyfriend is a senior year well-lived, starring a new boy; and How the Light Gets In by Katy Upperman, featuring Callie who, a year after her sister Chloe’s death, returns to the place where they were last together and starts to wonder if Chloe is truly gone.
MACMILLAN/TOR TEEN
Tor Teen views a solid spring line-up with Spectacle by Jodie Lynn Zdrok, the story of a 16-year-old daily morgue columnist in 1887 Paris who has visions of a serial killer and his victims; The Deceivers by Kristen Simmons, in which Brynn learns that she was recruited to her elite school because of her skill at conning rich kids out of their money; Never-Contented Things by Sarah Porter, a YA novel about dark faeries; and Each of Us a Desert by Mark Oshiro, about two Latin-American siblings who brave enemies and the dangers of a desert-crossing to reach a land of promise.
MACMILLAN/TOR/STARSCAPE
Starscape buckles the harness and leash for Toby’s Story by W. Bruce Cameron, a Dog’s Purpose Puppy Tales book starring a beagle who finds his calling as a therapy dog.
MACMILLAN/WEDNESDAY
Wednesday says a prayer for Wicked Saints by Emily Duncan, the first installment of the Something Dark and Holy trilogy, featuring a gothic fantasy world setting and a heroine inspired by Joan of Arc.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
National Geographic looks to the night sky with Luna: The Stories and Science Behind Our Moon by David Aguilar, an exploration of the moon from all angles; Person of the Forest: Biruté Galdikas and Her Wild Life with Orangutans by Anita Silvey, spotlighting Galdikas’s struggle to survive while searching for and studying the world’s most endangered ape in Borneo’s rainforest; Explorer Academy: The Falcon’s Feather by Trudi Trueit, illus. by Scott Plumbe, in which Cruz boards the Explorer Academy ship on a dangerous mission to the icy north; National Geographic Kids Dream Journal by Allan Peterkin, presenting the science, history, and culture behind dreaming, and tips for getting a good night’s sleep; and Almanac 2020, a 10th-anniversary edition containing all-new information on animals, science, technology, and nature.
NORTH SOUTH
North South is hot on the trail with Muddy: The Raccoon Who Stole Dishes by Griffin Ondaatje, illus. by Linda Wolfsgruber, about a family of raccoons who swipe leftover food from a restaurant; Angryman by Gro Dahle, illus. by Svein Nyhus, the story of how Boj and his family work around and hide from their father’s mercurial temperament; Ida and the Whale by Rebecca Gugger, illus. by Simon Röthlisberger, tracking Ida’s journey with a flying whale; and The Cottingley Fairies by Ana Sender, presenting a fictional account of the two girls in 1918 who claimed to have proof that fairies exist.
ORCA
Orca is on the march with I Am a Feminist: Claiming the F-Word in Turbulent Times by Monique Polak and My Body, My Choice: The Fight for Abortion Rights by Robin Stevenson, two nonfiction books for teens that inaugurate the Orca Issues series; Pride Colors by Robin Stevenson, a photographic concept book introducing the pride flag and the meaning behind each of its colors; A Plan for Pops by Heather Smith, in which a grandchild helps grandparents deal with a difficult change in abilities; and How to Become an Accidental Genius by Elizabeth MacLeod and Frieda Wishinsky, profiling innovators and inventors who have inadvertently changed the world.
OWLKIDS
Owlkids claims top bunk with Camp Average by Craig Battle, first in a middle grade series about a group of kids that fight back against a hyper-competitive, sports-focused summer camp director by losing at every game they play; My Cat Looks Like My Dad by Thao Lam, which uses comparisons to show that family really is what you make of it; Killer Style: How Fashion Has Injured, Maimed, and Murdered Through History by Alison Matthews-David and Serah-Marie McMahon, providing historical anecdotes and chilling stories of how the fashion industry has harmed over the years; and Love You Head to Toe by Ashley Barron, in which human babies are compared to a variety of newborn animals.
PAGE STREET
Page Street grabs its rescue tube for The Sound of Drowning by Katherine Fleet, in which Outer Banks teenager Meredith can’t decide between the boy she secretly meets every night and the cocky new guy in town; An Affair of Poisons by Addie Thorley, a YA historical fantasy debut in which a 17-year-old alchemist unwittingly helps her mother poison King Louis XIV in 17th-century France; Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon by Mary Fan, a Qing-dynasty inspired fantasy featuring warrior girl Anlei who embarks on a quest to the Courts of Hell; and Deposing Nathan by Zack Smedley, the author’s first novel, a coming out story about a toxic friendship-turned-relationship.
PAGE STREET KIDS
Page Street Kids charges into spring with Maria the Matador by Anne Lambelet, starring a clever girl who finds a way to win a bullfight; Her Fearless Run: Kathrine Switzer’s Historic Boston Marathon by Kim Chaffee, illus. by Ellen Rooney, a picture book biography of the first woman to officially run the famous race; Pepper and Frannie by Catherine Lazar Odell, about two skateboarding rabbits; Hector: A Boy, A Protest, and the Photograph That Changed Apartheid by Adrienne Wright, offering the true story behind an iconic image from the Soweto uprising in South Africa; and Nova the Star Eater by Lindsay Leslie, illus. by John Taesoo Kim, about one girl’s plan to save the world when the sun gets gobbled up.
PEACHTREE
Peachtree calls “Extra! Extra!” for Carter Reads the Newspaper by Deborah Hopkinson, illus. by Don Tate, profiling Carter G. Woodson, who read the newspaper to his illiterate father every day and went on to develop Negro History Week in 1926, which later became Black History Month; Down Home with Daddy by Kelly Starling Lyons, illus. by Daniel Minter, in which Alan worries about showing up empty-handed at his African-American family’s annual reunion; Save the Crash Test Dummies by Jennifer Swanson, exploring the issues of car safety; Superlative Birds by Leslie Bulion, illus. by Robert Meganck, a closer look at such creatures as the tiniest and fastest birds in the world; and Madeline Finn and the Shelter Dog by Lisa Papp, following Madeline as she learns about shelters and becomes inspired to help the animals that live there feel loved.
PEACHTREE PETITE
Peachtree Petite has seasons in the sun with Spring Babies and Summer Babies, which round out the quartet of concept board books in the Babies in the Park series by Kathryn O. Galbraith, illus. by Adela Pons.
PENGUIN WORKSHOP
Penguin Workshop plans a purrrfect spring with Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth, illus. by Robb Mommaerts, first in an illustrated series featuring an alien emperor cat who is exiled to a small town on Earth, and the boy he befriends while he plots his revenge; Flubby Is Not a Good Pet by J.E. Morris, which tells the story through comics-style illustrations of how a girl learns to appreciate her lovably lazy cat; Life Sucks by Michael I. Bennett and Sarah Bennett, providing advice to teens and tweens about how to deal with the inevitable unfairness of life; What Was Stonewall? by Nico Medina, illus. by Jake Murray, a look at the Stonewall riots of 1969 and the LGBTQ+ rights movement they inspired; and I Will Race You Through This Book! by Jonathan Fenske, in which Book-It Bunny challenges the reader to race her to the end of the story.
PENGUIN/DIAL
Dial lets its fingers do the talking with High Five by Adam Rubin, illus. by Daniel Salmieri, an interactive picture book that makes the reader the star of a high-five competition; Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, illus. by Vashti Harrison, in which former NFL star Cherry tells a story of a father doing his daughter’s hair; I Am Billie Jean King by Brad Meltzer, illus. by Christopher Eliopoulous, the latest Hero Biography; To Night Owl from Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer, an epistolary novel about two girls who become friends at summer camp and plot to get their dads back together; and This Book Is Not Yet Rated by Peter Bognanni, focusing on 17-year-old Ethan and his work family at the crumbling Green Street Cinema.
PENGUIN/DUTTON
Dutton puts its work gloves on for Dig by A.S. King, exploring the tangled roots of white supremacy and white privilege and their effects on a teenager in contemporary America; The Line Tender by Kate Allen, about a 12-year-old girl who sets out to complete her mother’s shark research in the aftermath of a tragedy; and The Afterward by E.K. Johnston, the story of what’s next for two girls—a lady knight and a mostly reformed thief—who have completed an epic quest.
PENGUIN/GROSSET & DUNLAP
Grosset & Dunlap can’t get to sleep thinking about The Night Before Kindergarten Graduation by Natasha Wing, illus. by Amy Wummer, in which a class remembers highlights from the school year; Preschool, Here I Come! by D.J. Steinberg, celebrating the big and small moments of achievement in preschool via a collection of poems; Happy Birthday from The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, a small-trim gift book; and Molly Mischief: My Perfect Pet by Adam Hargreaves, following Molly Mischief’s attempts to adopt a pet elephant.
PENGUIN/PAULSEN
Nancy Paulsen Books bows low to The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes, illus. by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, depicting a confident boy’s wonderful first day of kindergarten; The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman, in which four homeless children form a ragtag family and try to survive in the streets of Chennai, India; Baby Dragon, Baby Dragon! by Melissa Marr, illus. by Lena Podesta, featuring a girl and her dragon friend who have a fun day exploring their kingdom; and Daniel’s Good Day by Micha Archer, which finds Daniel exploring how various people in his neighborhood define a “good day.”
PENGUIN/PHILOMEL
Philomel raises the mast for The Girl, the Cat & the Navigator by Matilda Woods, about an adventurous girl who sneaks onto her father’s ship as he sets sail for the far north; Far Away by Lisa Graff, in which CJ uncovers a long buried family secret; Two Brothers, One Tail by Richard Morris, illus. by Jay Fleck, a tale of the love between a boy and his dog; The Virtue of Sin by Shannon Schuren, which finds Miriam questioning her cult’s practices, rules, and treatment of women when she is forced to marry someone she does not love; and Disaster Strikes!: The Most Dangerous Space Missions of All Time by Jeff Kluger, a collection of nonfiction stories chronicling the deadliest disasters and greatest space mission failures.
PENGUIN/DAWSON
Kathy Dawson Books tells it like it is with The True History of Lyndie B. Hawkins by Gail Shepherd, a middle grade debut featuring a Tennessee girl whose efforts to protect her beloved father, a Vietnam vet, put her in direct opposition to her strict grandmother; and The Hunt for the Mad Wolf’s Daughter by Diane Magras, follow-up to the Scottish medieval historical adventure The Mad Wolf’s Daughter.
PENGUIN/PUTNAM
Putnam curtsies for Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins, the latest entry in the Royals series, which finds Millie falling in love with a princess; Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte, in which a cunning thief races the clock to discover who has killed her nation’s queens; 10 Rules of the Birthday Wish by Beth Ferry, illus. by Tom Lichtenheld, spotlighting a crew of animals who cover the important elements of every year’s most essential holiday; Gumiho by Kat Cho, a contemporary fantasy set in Seoul and inspired by Korean mythology; and An Alex & Eliza Story: All for One by Melissa de la Cruz, the final volume in the series about the epic love between Alexander Hamilton and Eliza Schuyler.
PENGUIN/RAZORBILL
Razorbill predicts the future with Tarot by Marissa Kennerson, kicking off a fantasy series that reimagines the tarot as an invention of the 16-year-old daughter of a tyrannical king; We Walked the Sky by Lisa Fiedler, the intergenerational story of two teenagers—Victoria, who joins the circus in 1969, and her granddaughter, Callie, who leaves the circus 50 years later; When the Sky Fell on Splendor by Emily Henry, following a group of teens who find themselves dealing with unexpected powers after a cosmic event in their hometown; Song of the Dead by Sarah Glenn Marsh, sequel to Reign of the Fallen and featuring the exploits of a necromancer; and The Haunted by Danielle Vega, in which two teenage ghost hunters discover the grisly truth about a haunted house and the ghosts seeking revenge there.
PENGUIN/VIKING
Viking makes itself heard with Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson, a memoir and call to action against sexual violence, written in verse; Carl and the Meaning of Life by Deborah Freedman, starring an earthworm who discovers that the actions of the smallest creatures can impact us all; The Waning Age by S.E. Grove, set in a parallel present world where all emotions vanish with adolescence; The Happy Book by Andy Rash, about a camper and a clam whose friendship takes them on an emotional roller coaster; and President of Poplar Lane by Margaret Mincks, sequel to Payback on Poplar Lane, which finds two seventh graders facing off in class elections.
PENGUIN/PUFFIN
Puffin comes clean with If I’m Being Honest by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, a YA romance loosely based on The Taming of the Shrew, which finds a girl embarking on a self-taming project to win the affection of her longtime crush; and the fourth book in the Zack & Zoe Mysteries, a sport-themed chapter book series.
PUFFIN CANADA
Puffin Canada hatches a plan with Mya’s Strategy to Save the World by Tanya Lloyd Kyi, starring a girl who is certain she could save the world and organize her family if only she had a cell phone.
PENGUIN/WARNE
Warne sashays into spring with tie-ins, in various formats, to the following properties: Flower Fairies, Peter Rabbit, and Spot.
PENGUIN TEEN CANADA
Penguin Teen Canada flaps into fall with Chicken Girl by Heather Smith, about a girl named Miracle who helps Poppy see the good in the world again after she’s been bullied for a photo posted online.
PETER PAUPER
Peter Pauper sharpens its pencils for The Sketchbook by Julia Seal, about a young artist who keeps her drawings hidden in a sketchbook until she realizes the joy her work brings to others; Little Things by Nick Dyer, illus. by Kelly Pousette, offering reminders to appreciate the small but important things all around us; and 100 Questions About... The Ocean: And All the Answers Too! by Simon Abbot, an introduction to the ocean world.
PHAIDON
Phaidon lines up for Side by Side by Chris Raschka, spotlighting the special relationship between fathers and their children; Lenny the Lobster Can Can’t Stay for Dinner by Michael Buckley and Finn Buckley, illus. by Catherine Meurisse, the story of a dapper lobster who shows up as a guest to a dinner party only to find that he is dinner; and My Art Book of Sleep by Shana Gozansky, featuring fine art images on the subject of slumber.
PRINCETON ARCHITECTURAL PRESS
Princeton Architectural Press slathers on the sunscreen for The Quiet Crocodile Goes to the Beach by Natacha Andriamirado, illus. by Delphine Renon, in which Crocodile is fearful of the water until his friends convince him to take the plunge; Otto and Pio by Marianne Dubuc, the tale of a squirrel named Otto and a furry creature named Pio who has lost his mother; and My Island by Stephanie Demasse-Pottier, illus. by Seng Soun Ratanavanh, offering a glimpse of a girl’s imaginary world.
RANDOM HOUSE
Random House is on its way to where the air is sweet with Sweepin’ the Clouds Away: Wit and Wisdom with Art from 50 Years of Sesame Street Books by various artists, presenting classic illustrations and a humorous guide to life; Escape This Book! Titanic by Bill Doyle, illus. by Sarah Sax, the inaugural book in a series that invites readers to doodle and decide their way through different perspectives of a historical event; Everyone Is Weird by Matthew Gray Gubler, the first book starring Rumple Buttercup, who learns the joy of individuality and the magic of belonging; The Evil Princess and the Brave Knight by Jennifer L. Holm, illus. by Matthew Holm, beginning a series about a brother-and-sister duo, created by a brother-and-sister duo; and Dr. Seuss’s I Love Pop by Dr. Seuss, celebrating fathers and featuring illustrations from Seuss’s classic books.
RANDOM HOUSE/CROWN
Crown plays hide-and-seek with Come Find Me by Megan Miranda, following Kennedy and Nolan, who are drawn together by strange radio frequency signals and who each have a brother to search for; Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zentner, in which two best friends who host a campy creature feature show on local cable face tough decisions as high school graduation approaches; We’re Not from Here by Geoff Rodkey, in which humans are new immigrants to various planets after they’ve blown up Earth; Mr. Bailey Is a Robot by Jeffrey Brown, featuring a boy who daydreams in class to offset his boredom; and The Hero Next Door by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, a middle-grade short-story anthology containing 13 diverse works from #OwnVoices writers, published in partnership with We Need Diverse Books.
RANDOM HOUSE/DELACORTE
Delacorte opens up the mic for Hope and Other Punchlines by Julie Buxbaum, posing questions about identity and the extent to which we can control our own narratives; Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith, a dual POV meet-cute romance about two teens who are thrown together on a cross-country train trip; How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow, about learning how to go on after loss; Blood Heir by Amélie Wen Zhao, launching a fantasy series focused on a princess who is hiding a dark secret and the conman she must trust to clear her name of her father’s murder; and It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, the young readers’ adaptation of the Daily Show host’s memoir about growing up half-black and half-white during and after apartheid in South Africa.
RANDOM HOUSE/DOUBLEDAY
Doubleday steps into the starting block with Jasper & Ollie: On Your Mark, Get Set, Wait! by Alex Willan, a debut picture book spotlighting a deliberate sloth and an impatient fox; Wordy Birdy Meets Mr. Cougarpants by Tammi Sauer, illus. by Dave Mottram, another outing for Wordy Birdy and her pals who meet a ridiculous villain; In the Quiet, Noisy Woods by Michael J. Rosen, illus. by Annie Won, following two wolf pups finding their way back to their pack; My Two Moms and Me by Michael Joosten, illus. by Izak Zenou, a companion board book to My Two Dads and Me, which features a variety of diverse, loving families; and Bunny’s Book Club Goes to School by Annie Silvestro, illus. by Tatjana Mai-Wyss, in which Bunny and his forest friends head to class to make sure their young friend has a good first day.
RANDOM HOUSE/GOLDEN
Golden Books takes one giant leap into fall with My Little Golden Book About the First Moon Landing by Charles Lovitt, illus. by Bryan Sims, the story of the Apollo 11 mission on its 50th anniversary; My Little Golden Book About the White House by Jen Arena, illus. by Viviana Garofoli, taking readers on a tour of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue; I’m a Narwhal by Mallory Loehr, illus. by Joey Chou, exploring one of the ocean’s most mysterious animals; The Trouble with Tribbles by Frank Berrios, illus. by Ethen Beavers, in which small furry creatures invade the Starship Enterprise and Captain Kirk and the crew must stop them; and The Party Pig by Kathryn Jackson and Byron Jackson, illus. by Richard Scarry, a reissue of this 1954 title in honor of Scarry’s 100th birthday.
RANDOM HOUSE/KNOPF
Knopf digs in its heels with The Unbudgeable Curmudgeon by Matthew Burgess, illus. by Fiona Woodcock, focusing on how to embrace the fun when faced with bad moods and sibling rivalry; Code Like a Girl: Rad Tech Projects and Practical Tips by Miriam Peskowitz, providing tips and instructions for undertaking coding projects; A Swirl of Ocean by Melissa Sarno, in which Summer discovers the ocean holds secrets she’d never imagined; Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, launching the YA sci-fi Andromeda Cycle series; and When You Know by Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina, a thriller exploring the lives (and deaths) of two girls and what they will do to win justice.
RANDOM HOUSE/LAMB
Wendy Lamb Books hitches a hayride to the patch for The Pumpkin War by Cathleen Young, in which Billie devises a strategy to beat her friend Sam in the island’s pumpkin-paddling race; and Planet Earth Is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos, about an autistic nonverbal foster child fascinated by outer space who counts the days to the Challenger launch, and the promised return of her older sister.
RANDOM HOUSE/SCHWARTZ & WADE
Schwartz & Wade grabs the hot sauce for Little Taco Truck by Tanya Valentine, illus. by Jorge Martin, about a food truck having trouble finding a place to park; The Sad Little Fact by Jonah Winter, illus. by Pete Oswald, proving the truth is out there, just waiting to be discovered; She the People: Ten Young Female Staffers Recall Their Most Memorable Days Working for President Obama by Molly Dillon, a behind-the-scenes anthology by women so inspired by former president Obama’s inclusive, feminist politics that they decided to join his White House; Look! I Wrote a Book! (And you can too!) by Sally Lloyd-Jones, illus. by Neal Layton, providing a step-by-step guide to writing a book, as narrated by a child “author”; and And Its Name Is Pluto by Alice B. McGinty, illus. by Elizabeth Haidle, the true story of 11-year-old Venetia Burney who named the newly discovered Pluto in 1930.
RIPPLE GROVE
Ripple Grove makes a date with A Girl Named October by Zakieh Mohammed, illus. by Andrea Tripke, featuring a girl who develops empathy as she realizes that even the smallest interactions can have an impact on the world; and The Full House and the Empty House by L.K. James, in which a full house and a vacant house admire in each other the qualities they lack within themselves.
SCHOLASTIC
Scholastic fires up the oven for Brute-Cake by Troy Cummings, first in the monster-filled series Binder of Doom, a spinoff from the Notebook of Doom books; Fast-Forward to the Future (Time Jumpers #3) by Wendy Mass, illus. by Oriol Vidal, in which Chase and Ava must return a robot to its rightful place in time; and additions to the following long-running series: Dragon Masters, Eerie Elementary, and Owl Diaries.
SCHOLASTIC EN ESPAÑOL
Scholastic en Español says “hola” to these spring releases: El coleccionista de palabras (The Word Collector) by Peter H. Reynolds, Saraí salva la música (Sarai Saves the Music) by Sarai Gonzalez and Monica Brown, Hombre Perro y Supergatito (Dog Man and Cat Kid) by Dav Pilkey, Luna fortuna (Lucky Luna) by Diana Lopez, and El autobús mágico viaja de nuevo: Vuela con el viento (Magic Bus Rides Again: Blowing in the Wind) by Samantha Brooke.
SCHOLASTIC LICENSED PUBLISHING
Scholastic Licensed Publishing snags a booth at Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe for Riverdale: The Day Before by Micol Ostow, an original prequel novel set in the world of the hit TV series; Catwad by Jim Benton, introducing a crabby tabby who has a funny take on almost everything; Halo: Battle Born by Cassandra Rose Clark, the first YA novel based on the video game series; and tie-ins, in various formats, to the following properties: Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts and Peppa Pig
SCHOLASTIC NONFICTION/REFERENCE
Scholastic Nonfiction/Reference sorts out a spring list with Fly Guy Presents: Garbage and Recycling by Tedd Arnold, exploring what happens to garbage once it’s thrown away; The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon by Dean Robbins, illus. by Sean Rubin, a journey to the moon as seen through the eyes of Alan Bean, the Apollo 12 astronaut turned artist; There Was an Old Astronaut Who Swallowed the Moon by Lucille Colandro, illus. by Jared Lee, in which the Old Lady chomps her way through space while conveying facts about the cosmos; and Top 20 Daredevils: Countdown to Danger by Melvin and Gilda Berger, illus. by Berat Pekmezci, introducing some of the biggest risk takers of all time and their feats, including tightrope walking across the Grand Canyon.
SCHOLASTIC PAPERBACKS
Scholastic Paperbacks dives into the season with Mermaids to the Rescue by Lisa Scott, launching the Mermaids to the Rescue series following four royal rescue mermaids and their magical seaponies; The Pepper Party Picks the Perfect Pet by Jay Cooper, first up in the Pepper Party series introducing a loud chaotic clan who can’t agree on anything; WeirDo by Anh Do, illus. by Jules Faber, kicking off the WeirDo early chapter book series starring a boy with an unforgettable name; Tabby’s First Quest by Mia Bell, the lead-off book in the Kitten Kingdom series set in Mewtopia; and The Last Zombie on Earth by Tommy Greenwald, beginning a trilogy about a zombie who survives the war against the undead, but finds fifth grade with humans terrifying.
SCHOLASTIC PRESS
Scholastic Press can’t wait for The Very Impatient Caterpillar by Ross Burach, featuring a slow-metamorphosing caterpillar; Perfect by Max Amato, about a persnickety eraser and a fun-loving pencil who become pals; A Drop of Hope by Keith Calabrese, in which three sixth graders discover a forgotten wishing well and decide to give the residents of their town a bit of hope, one wish at a time; Over the Moon by Natalie Lloyd, the story of how 12-year-old Mallie gets the chance to battle the dark magic responsible for her ailing mining town’s struggles; and The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan, offering a look at the tangled web of identity, culture, and family loyalty.
SCHOLASTIC/CARTWHEEL
Cartwheel Books wears its heart on its sleeve for Baby Love by Sandra Magsamen, a peek-through board book with a mirror surprise; I Love Classical Music: My First Sound Book by Marion Billet, offering a look at and listen to beloved compositions of Western classical music; Two Books in One!: We Love the Farm by Rachael Saunders, showcasing a book-within-a-book format that introduces readers to life on the farm; and Future Astronaut by Lori Alexander, illus. by Allison Black, launching the Future Baby series exploring how babies of today could become various experts of tomorrow.
SCHOLASTIC/FICKLING
David Fickling Books molds a spring list with The Potter’s Boy by Tony Mitton, the story of a boy who exchanges his quiet, simple life to train as a warrior-hero and master of martial arts; Outwalkers by Fiona Shaw, a survival tale set in near-future England; Mike by Andrew Norriss, featuring a budding tennis star and the friend that only he can see; and The Book Case by Dave Shelton, launching a mystery series starring Emily Lime, assistant librarian at a boarding school for delinquent girls.
SCHOLASTIC/GRAPHIX
Graphix is hung up with Glitch by Sarah Graley, featuring a girl who must save the virtual world, and her own; Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild by Dav Pilkey, pitting Dog Man and the Supa Buddies against the world’s most evil cat, Petey;, Wings of Fire Graphic Novel #2: The Lost Heir by Tui T. Sutherland, illus. by Mike Holmes, which follows five dragonets chosen to fulfill a prophecy; Bird & Squirrel All Tangled Up by James Burks, in which this duo set off in search of the elusive Bigfoot; and Mr. Wolf’s Class #2: Mystery Club by Aron Nels Steinke, presenting another visit to Mr. Wolf’s fourth-grade classroom.
SCHOLASTIC/LEVINE
Arthur A. Levine Books gets into the groove with The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg, about two boys falling in love over a summer when circumstances conspire to keep them apart; The Moon Within by Aida Salazar, an #OwnVoices novel that finds a girl navigating family, friendship, her first period, and other complications of growing up; Cicada by Shaun Tan, following the life of a hardworking insect who seems defeated and unappreciated for what he does, until he transforms into something beautiful; Doc and the Detective by Tim Tingle, in which a Choctaw boy with a taste for detective work teams up with a lonely old professor to solve a mystery; and Dactyl Hill Squad #2 by Daniel José Older, continued adventures in history and fantasy.
SCHOLASTIC/ORCHARD
Orchard Books goes nuts for Squirrel’s Family Tree by Beth Ferry, illus. by A.N. Kang, exploring the secret lives of squirrels and oak trees; Say Something! by Peter H. Reynolds, about using one’s voice to make the world a better place; What Is Inside THIS Box? by Drew Daywalt, illus. by Olivier Tallec, along with companion title This Is MY Fort, launching the Monkey and Cake series featuring an unlikely pair of friends; Two Tough Trucks by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Rebecca J. Gomez, illus. by Hilary Leung, kicking off a series about two very different truck friends who are starting trucker-garten; and Friends Don’t Eat Friends by Ame Dyckman, illus. by Scott Magoon, in which Misunderstood Shark tackles what it means to be a good friend.
SCHOLASTIC/POINT
Point falls hard for Truly Madly Royally by Debbie Rigaud, a YA novel inspired by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, featuring a 16-year-old girl who discovers that the cute boy she met is a prince of a European country; and Sorry Not Sorry by Jaime Reed, the story of how one girl chooses to help when her former best friend falls ill and may need a kidney donor.
SIMON & SCHUSTER
Simon & Schuster beckons with Hibernate with Me by Benjamin Scheuer, illus. by Jemima Williams, about parents’ unwavering love for their children; Love, Z by Jessie Sima, the story of a young robot trying to find the meaning of love; The Size of the Truth by Andrew Smith, in which a boy who spent three days trapped in a well tries to overcome his PTSD and claustrophobia, so he can fulfill his dream of becoming a chef; Nobody Hugs a Cactus by Carter Goodrich, proclaiming that even the prickliest of people—or the crankiest of cacti—needs love; and Lion Down by Stuart Gibbs, latest in the FunJungle series, featuring sleuth Teddy Fitzroy and a lion falsely accused of killing a dog.
S&S/ALADDIN
Aladdin casts a spell with Revenge of Magic by James Riley, first in a series about the discovery of long-dead magical creatures, each buried with a book of magic whose power can only be unlocked by children; The Pledge by Matt Myklusch, in which a kid caught in a battle between two ancient powerful orders discovers magic; Rose and Rasmus by Serena Geddes, in which a lonely girl and a solitary young dragon find each other and become friends; Cape by Kate Hannigan, introducing a brilliant girl coder who discovers she is part of a superhero trifecta; and Born Just Right by Jennifer Lee Reeves and Jordan Reeves, a memoir chronicling the experiences of 11-year-old Jordan, who was born with a limb difference and later designed herself a prosthetic arm that shoots glitter, which she calls “Project Unicorn.”
S&S/ATHENEUM
Atheneum takes off with Penguin Flies Home by Lita Judge, in which Penguin heads home to teach his friends all he learned in Flight School; Wings by Cheryl Klein, illus. by Tomie dePaola, a picture book capturing a baby bird’s journey to first flight; Soaring Earth by Margarita Engle, the Young People’s Poet Laureate’s recounting of her teenage years during the turbulent 1960s; Another by Christian Robinson, presenting a girl’s imaginative outing to another world; and What Every Girl Should Know by J. Albert Mann, taking a look at the early years of feminist and women’s health activist Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, who struggled with the harsh realities of poverty.
S&S/ATHENEUM/DLOUHY
Caitlin Dlouhy Books starts fresh with Genesis Begins Again by Alicia Williams, a debut novel telling the story of a 13-year-old girl who overcomes internalized racism and a verbally abusive family to learn to love herself; Angel Thieves by Kathi Appelt, featuring the perspectives of an ocelot, a slave, and an angel thief in a tale that spans time and explores faith, freedom, and hope; a new novel from Jason Reynolds; Barely Missing Everything by Matt Méndez, the author’s first novel, which is told from three points of view and focused on how difficult it is to make it in life when you—your life, brown lives—don’t matter; and Place I Belong by Cynthia Kadohata, illus. by Julia Kuo, in which a Japanese-American family, still reeling from their mistreatment in Japanese internment camps, relinquishes their American citizenship to move back to Hiroshima, unaware of the devastation there in the aftermath of the atomic bombing during WWII.
S&S/BEACH LANE
Beach Lane rigs up a page-turning contraption for Just Like Rube Goldberg by Sarah Aronson, illus. by Robert Neubecker, a picture-book biography of the cartoonist and inventor famous for his complex devices that perform simple tasks; Sign Off by Stephen Savage, a wordless book imagining what the figures on road signs do when no one’s around; Sisters by Jeanette Winter, profiling tennis champions and siblings Serena and Venus Williams; When Your Daddy’s a Soldier by Gretchen McLellan, illus. by E.B. Lewis, offering a look at what it’s like when one’s parent serves in the military; and Seeds Move! by Robin Stage, revealing the surprising ways that seeds move and find a place to grow.
S&S/LITTLE SIMON
Little Simon adds some sparkle with Twinkle by Katharine Holabird, illus. by Sarah Warburton, introducing a feisty fairy who is learning spells in fairy school; Twinkle, Twinkle, Unicorn by Jeffrey Burton, illus. by Zoe Waring, a unicorn lullaby; All You Need Is Love by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, illus. by Marc Rosenthal, adapting the Beatles tune as a picture book; Mia Mayhem by Kara West, illus. by Leeza Hernandez, starring an eight-year-old girl who discovers she has a superhero secret; and Bots by Russ Bolts, illus. by Jay Cooper, the adventures of Joe Bot and Rob Ot, two big-hearted robots.
S&S/MCELDERRY
Margaret K. McElderry Books takes a bite out of spring with Great White Shark by Fabien Cousteau and James O. Fraioli, illus. by Joe St. Pierre, providing a close-up look at this creature in the first book of a series of graphic novel adventures; Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu, kicking off a new Shadowhunters series following High Warlock Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood as they tour the world after the Mortal War; As We Are by Amber Smith, a transgender story of first love; All Eyes on Us by Kit Frick, in which an anonymous texter threatens to spill the secrets of two teens and uproot their lives; and Lost Book by Margarita Surnaite, about a rabbit who prefers real-life adventure to stories, until he finds a book that whisks him away on an exciting journey.
S&S/SALAAM READS
Salaam Reads sets the table for Bilal Cooks Daal by Aisha Saeed, illus. by Anoosha Syed, in which six-year-old South Asian-American Bilal introduces his friends to his favorite dish; Leila in Saffron by Rukhsanna Guidroz, illus. by Dinara Mirtalipova, about a girl who discovers more about herself and her heritage when she joins family and friends for a weekly family dinner at her grandmother’s; Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf, the author’s YA debut, about a music-loving girl with OCD who desperately tries to find her mother when they are separated during the race riots in 1969 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and The Battle by Karuna Riazi, follow-up to The Gauntlet, featuring three contemporary kids who are trapped in a mechanical board game with a futuristic Middle Eastern setting.
S&S/SIMON PULSE
Simon Pulse sharpens its stakes for Slayer by Kiersten White, kicking off a series set in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and introducing a new slayer struggling with the responsibility of managing her powers; Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young, beginning a near-future series focused on a girls-only high school that creates and trains perfect girls for sponsors to sell to the highest bidder; There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon, companion to When Dimple Met Rishi, which follows Rishi’s brother as he navigates love, identity, and family in the wake of a breakup; Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto, a debut fantasy novel about a girl who disguises herself as a boy to join a secret group of warriors who ride phoenixes into battle; and Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell, reimagining Les Misérables as the story of three teens from disparate backgrounds who are thrown together amid the looming threat of revolution on a French planet-colony.
S&S/SIMON SPOTLIGHT
Simon Spotlight runs down the field with Breakaway, joining the Game Day sports series; movie tie-in How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World: World of Dragons by May Nakamura, illus. by Patrick Spaziante; Poof! A Bot! by David Milgrim, new to The Adventures of Zip Ready-to-Go! Ready-to-Read line; Kiwi Cannot Read by Jason Tharp, a Level 1 Ready-to-Read title; and Gulp, Gobble by Marilyn Singer, a Ready-to-Read Pre-Level 1 book.
S&S/WISEMAN
Paula Wiseman Books hippity hops into spring with Little Rabbit by Nicola Killen, spotlighting the magical friendship between a girl and her stuffed rabbit who comes to life; Thomas Jefferson and the Mammoth Hunt by Carrie Clickard, illus. by Nancy Carpenter, the little-known historical tale of how Jefferson tried to disprove a French theory that people in the New World are puny and cowardly by searching for mammoth bones; Best Family Ever by Karen Kingsbury and Tyler Russell, launching the Baxter Family Children series featuring the characters from Kingsbury’s bestselling adult novels as children; From Tree to Sea by Shelley Moore Thomas, illus. by Christopher Silas Neal, looking at the relationship of nature to the human world; and Where’s My Balloon? by Ariel Bernstein, the continuing exploits of Owl and Monkey from I Have a Balloon.
SIMPLY READ
Simply Read sets sail for spring with Ship of Fortune by Olivier de Solminihac, illus. by Stéphane Poulin, in which a family of animals finds imaginative ways to spend their day at the beach; My Best Friend by Gilles Tibo, illus. by Janice Nadeau, addressing the subject of death; Dream Rescuers by Jennifer Lloyd, illus. by Eden Cooke, following a failed tooth fairy in her new job at the Department of Dream Rescue, where she helps children out of their nightmares; Mr. Buttonman and the Great Escape by Joelle Gebhardt, a wordless picture book depicting a day in the life of a button; and Little Monster by Caroline Merola, about the imaginary friend that lives in all children’s minds.
SLEEPING BEAR
Sleeping Bear Press raises a ruckus with Oink-Oink-Moo! Cock-A-Doodle-Doo! by Jennifer Sattler, showcasing animal sounds; Tip & Tucker: Road Trip by Ann Ingalls and Sue Lowell Gallion, illus. by André Ceolin, launching a beginning reader series starring two hamsters; Little Yellow Truck by Eve Bunting, illus. by Kevin Zimmer, in which a small truck is a big help during the construction of a children’s park; The First Men Who Went to the Moon by Rhonda Gowler Greene, illus. by Scott Brundage, revisiting Apollo 11’s moon landing in cumulative verse; and Badger’s Perfect Garden by Marsha Diane Arnold, illus. by Ramona Kaulitzki, the story of the rain storm that washes away all of Badger’s hard work in his garden.
SOHO TEEN
Soho Teen takes flight with All of Us with Wings by debut novelist Michelle Ruiz Keil, a fantasy inspired by Aztec mythology that follows a teenage governess hired to care for the preteen daughter of a famous rock band in San Francisco; Black Sabbath by John Hamburg and Barnabas Miller, in which Seth’s over-the-top bar mitzvah is taken over by a group of masked gunmen and his dorky stepbrother steps in to save the party by using his karate knowledge and lame magic tricks; and The Art of Losing by Lizzy Mason, a debut novel exploring issues of addiction, sisterhood, and loss in the wake of a drunk-driving accident that leaves 17-year-old Harley’s sister in a coma.
SOUNDS TRUE
Sounds True unrolls its mat for Yoga Whale: Simple Ocean Poses for Little Ones by Sarah Jane Hinder, focusing on easy poses for children; My Big, Dumb, Invisible Dragon by Angie Lucas, illus. by Birgitta Sif, telling the story of the invisible dragon that accompanies a boy as he navigates the grieving process after his mother’s death; Alphabreaths: The ABCs of Mindful Breathing by Christopher Willard, illus. by Daniel Rechtschaffen, introducing breathing practices and the alphabet; and Sweet Dreams: Bedtime Visualizations for Kids by Mariam Gates, illus. by Leigh Standley, featuring eight guided meditations.
SOURCEBOOKS FIRE
Sourcebooks Fire takes a headcount with The Last 8 by Laura Pohl, the story of eight teenagers trying to survive an alien invasion that wipes out everyone else on Earth; A Place for Wolves by Kosoko Jackson, following two boys who can only rely on each other as they travel through war-torn Kosovo to return to their families; The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson, a fantasy debut about a fallen princess trying to bring back the magical crows that were stolen from her people; The Lost by Natasha Preston, in which Piper and Hazel are determined to find out what really happened to a classmate who disappeared, only to become kidnapped themselves; and A Danger to Herself and Others by Alyssa Sheinmel, focused on Hannah Gold, who is staying in a mental health facility as readers try to unravel the dark secrets that put her there.
SOURCEBOOKS JABBERWOCKY
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky stays the course with Marie Curie and the Power of Persistence by Karla Valenti, illus. by Annalisa Beghelli, spotlighting Curie’s achievements and launching the My Super Science Heroes series; The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane by Julia Nobel, a series starter following Emmy’s investigation of the connection between her father’s disappearance and a secret society at her prestigious boarding school; Thinker: My Poet Puppy and Me by Eloise Greenfield, illus. by Ehsan Abdollahi, featuring seven-year-old Jace and his puppy, Thinker, who put everything they do into verse; Moon’s First Friends: How the Moon Met the Astronauts from Apollo 11 by Susan Leonard Hill, in which the Moon wonders if someone will ever come visit her, and then Apollo 11 arrives; Unicorn Day by Diana Murray, illus. by Luke Flowers, the tale of what happens when an imposter—a horse with a fake horn—crashes the unicorns’ party; and You Can Do It! by Sesame Workshop, about Elmo’s numerous efforts to learn to write his name, all encouraged by his mother.
STERLING
Sterling passes the hat for Hosea Plays On by Kathleen Basi, illus. by Shane W. Evans, about a street musician who uses his earnings to buy instruments for kids; A Girl Called Ghengis Khan by Michelle Lord, illus. by Shehzil Malike, the true story of Maria Toorpakai Wazir, who fled Pakistan to follow her dreams of playing competitive squash; Drew Pendous and the Camp Color War, first in a series of graphic novels based on the Cool School animated web series,; Koala Is Not a Bear by Kristen L. Gray, illus. by Rachel McAlister, about how Koala finds her cabin on the first day of summer camp; and Bad Order by B.B. Ullman, in which a brother and sister try to stop bad thoughts from pouring out of an interdimensional tear in the universe.
TILBURY
Tilbury checks under the hood with Two Men and a Car: Franklin Roosevelt, Al Capone, and the Legend of the Cadillac V-8, contrasting the lives of two vastly different Americans via the legend that the armored car that carried President Franklin Roosevelt to Congress for his declarations of war on Japan and Germany had once belonged to the gangster Al Capone; Sergio Sees the Good by Linda Ryden, illus. by Shearry Malone, which finds Sergio setting aside a marble for each good thing that happened on a bad day and realizing things weren’t so bad after all; Finding the Speed of Light by Mark Weston, illus. by Rebecca Evans, a graphic biography that shows how Ole Romer measured the speed of light with only a telescope and a clock in 1676; The Acadia Files: Book 4, Spring Science by Katie Coppens, illus. by Holly Hatam, concluding the series that follows Acadia as she solves everyday mysteries scientifically; and Is Two A Lot? by Annie Weston, illus. by Rebecca Evans, in which Joey comes to understand that two is not a lot of pennies, but it is a lot of smelly skunks.
TUNDRA
Tundra grabs a snorkel for Mermaid Dreams by Kate Pugsley, focused on a shy girl’s magical underwater adventure with mermaids and sea creatures; Megabat and Fancy Cat by Anna Humphrey, illus. by Kass Reich, in which Megabat is jealous of Daniel’s new pet cat; Narwhal’s Otter Friend by Ben Clanton, featuring more fun for Narwhal and Jelly and a new pal; Princess Puffybottom... and Darryl by Susin Nielsen, illus. by Olivia Chin Mueller, starring a pampered kitty and the dog that her human subjects bring home; and Great Job, Mom by Holman Wang, providing a peek at some of the many jobs Mom does at home.
TYNDALE/TYNDALE KIDS
Tyndale Kids packs its virtual bags for Friends Around the World Activity Book; The Philippines: An Interactive Family Experience, and The Compassion Explorer Atlas, a collection of multimedia materials including videos, recipes, crafts, and games designed to teach children about families in other countries and the poverty that many endure.
TYNDALE/WANDER
Wander Books settles into spring with The Legend by Laura Gallier, sequel to The Delusion, in which Owen tries to figure out why supernatural forces have converged on his land and school.
ALBERT WHITMAN
Albert Whitman sharpens up its axes for Lumber Jills: The Unsung Heroines of World War II by Alexandra Davis, illus. by Katie Hickey, a tribute in verse to the female lumberjacks of the Women’s Timber Corp., who provided the majority of British lumber during WWII; The Wind Plays Tricks by Virginia Howard, illus. by Charlene Chua, in which the wind blows through the barnyard and swaps all the animals’ voices; Frankie Frog and the Throaty Croakers by Freya Hartas, about a frog who finds a way to make his own music when he can’t croak like the other frogs; Mango Moon by Diane de Anda, illus. by Sue Cornelison, the story of Marciela, whose father is deported, leaving her family uncertain of what comes next; and Elixir Fixers: Sasha and Puck and the Potion of Luck by Barboza Lee, illus. by Anneliese Mak, which finds Sasha enlisting a Puck, a magical street urchin, to help keep her father’s potion shop in business.
ALBERT WHITMAN/AW TEEN
AW Teen crosses its heart for Keep This to Yourself by Tom Ryan, in which Mac Bell begins to investigate the serial killer who murdered his best friend the year before and terrorized their town; and Descendant of the Crane by Joan He, a YA fantasy inspired by Chinese legend, in which Hesina must become the queen her father has raised her to be as she discovers the truth behind the forbidden use of magic in her kingdom.
