ABRAMS
Abrams ties on an apron for Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki, in which resourceful neighbors collaborate to prepare a meal for their community; The Feathered Serpent and the Five Suns by Duncan Tonatiuh, a retelling of the pre-Colombian creation myth about the deity Quetzalcoatl, or the Feathered Serpent, and his quest to create humankind; Ghosts Aghast! (Creepy and True #2) by Kerrie Logan Hollihan, offering a look at ghost appearances, hauntings, and unsolved mysteries; Above the Rim: How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball by Jen Bryant, illfus. by Frank Morrison, spotlighting Hall of Famer Baylor, one of the first professional African-American basketball players; and One Girl by Andrea Beaty, illus. by Dow Phumiruk, which explores how books and education can empower girls and inspire change.
ABRAMS/AMULET
Amulet bundles up for Winter, White & Wicked by Shannon Dittemore, which follows the adventures of twice-orphaned Sylvi, who is protected by the icy spirit Winter on the eternally snowy island of Layce; Nellie Nutgraf: The Double-Best Reporter in History by Tom Angleberger, illus. by Gillian Reid, in which Nellie tries to make the best of her time reporting news from Little Bitty Unimportantville; Tell No Tales: Pirates of the Southern Seas by Sam Maggs, illus. by Kendra Wells, a graphic novel in which pirate Anne Bonny and her crew face off against a foe sworn to eliminate piracy; Stitchers (Fright Watch #1) by Lorien Lawrence, about a girl trying to solve the mystery of her strange neighbors who never grow older; and Heiress, Apparently by Diana Ma, debut title of the Daughters of the Dynasty series, featuring a girl who uncovers a family legacy when she travels to Beijing for an acting job.
ABRAMS/APPLESEED
Appleseed gets festive with Happy Llamakah! by Laura Gehl, illus. by Lydia Nichols, offering a peek at the Llama family’s Hanukkah traditions; Vegetables in Holiday Costumes by Jared Chapman, in which veggie friends dress up for Carrot’s Halloween party; Montessori: Planet Work by Bobby and June George, illus. by Alyssa Nassner, introducing readers to the sun and the planets of our solar system, and Loveblock by Christopher Franceschelli, illus. by Peskimo, a chunky board book exploration of how various animals show their love.
ABRAMS/MAGIC CAT
Magic Cat stops to smell the roses with Slow Down: Fifty Mindful Moments in Nature by Rachel Williams, illus. by Freya Hartas, celebrating the small wonders of nature happening all around us; Goodnight, Little Llama and bedtime books Goodnight, Little Bunny by Amanda Wood, illus. by Vikki Chu, photographs by Bec Winnel, which feature a blend of illustrations and photos; Dragon Ark by Curatoria Draconis, illus. by Tomislav Tomic, which chronicles a mission to find the rarest dragon on Earth, the Chinese celestial dragon; and Magical Creatures & Mythical Beasts by Professor Mortimer, illus. by Victo Ngai.
ALGONQUIN
Algonquin hints at a fine fall with Foreshadow by Nova Ren Suma and Emily X.R. Pan, a short story anthology that includes craft advice for writing YA; Body Talk: 37 Voices Explore Our Radical Anatomy, ed. by Kelly Jensen, celebrating body diversity through essays, comics, and more from 37 contributors including YA authors as well as model Tyra Banks and gymnast Aly Raisman; Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake, illus. by Jon Klassen, first in a middle-grade series following the adventures of friendly, free-spirited Skunk and solitary rock-scientist Badger, who now share a home; How to Get Away with Myrtle by Elizabeth Bunce, starring amateur detective Myrtle Hardcastle; and Furia by Yamile Saied Mendez, an #OwnVoices contemporary YA debut set in Argentina and starring a rising soccer star who is following her dreams.
AMERICAN GIRL
American Girl delivers the 411 with A Smart Girl’s Guide: Making a Difference by Melissa Seymour, illus. by Stevie Lewis, offering tips, quizzes, and inspiration from real girls to help readers spark changes big and small in their lives, communities, and the world; and A Smart Girl’s Guide: Crushes by Nancy Holyoke, illus. by Elisa Chavarri, delivering advice on being friends, crushes, “going out,” being yourself, and more.
AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION/MAGINATION PRESS
Magination Press revs up for fall with Zero to Sixty in Ten: A Teen’s Guide to Managing Anger and Frustration by Michael A. Tompkins, offering teens cognitive and behavioral strategies to lessen their anger, frustration, and aggressive behavior; My Emotions by Isabelle Filliozat and Virginie Limousin, illus. by Éric Veillé, which includes activities to help children explore their emotions; That Missing Feeling by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, in which Mia misses her divorced parents when she visits them at separate houses; Ari’s Light by Tanu Shree Singh, illus. by Sandhya Prabhat, about a boy whose mood brightens only when his mother returns home from her treatment at the hospital; and Pooka & Bunni by Jennifer Zivoin, which finds Pooka using her creativity and perseverance to rebuild her sister’s pillow castle.
ANDERSEN PRESS USA
Andersen builds its list with Bricks by Katie Cotton, illus. by Tor Freeman, in which a greedy pig wants the finest house constructed for the lowest price; The Huffalots by Eve Coy, about how Huffalots can have a change of heart and turn into Lovealots; The Mouse’s Apples by Frances Stickley, illus. by Kristina Litten, which finds Mouse trying to outwit Bear in order to keep the apples she has foraged; and Mouse in the House by Russel Ayto, the exploits of two mouse catchers on the trail of a clever mouse.
ARBORDALE
Arbordale takes a bite out of fall with And That’s the Tooth by Terri Fields, challenging readers to use clues to identify animals and their teeth; Animal Homes by Mary Holland, spotlighting how different animals situate and construct their homes; and River Otter’s Adventure by Linda Stanek, illus. by Shennen Bersani, in which a baby otter tries to imitate the life of various animals in the zoo, but then heads back to the river to be an otter.
AKASHIC BOOKS/BLACK SHEEP
Black Sheep stands tall with Cane Warriors by Alex Wheatle, following Moa, an enslaved 14-year-old in 1760s Jamaica who is recruited by rebels to fight in the slave rebellion called Tacky’s War.
ARCHIPELAGO
Archipelago cuddles up with My Dearest One by Germano Zulla, illus. by Albertine, trans. by Katie Kitamura, in which a mother welcomes her son to the world and whispers to him the story of their lives, as he grows into a man, though he’s still her mon tout petit.
BEAMING BOOKS
Beaming Books takes off with Fly, Girl, Fly by Nancy Roe Pimm, illus. by Alexandra Bye, profiling Shaesta Waiz, the youngest woman, and first from Afghanistan, to fly solo around the world; Awesomely Emma by Amy Webb, illus. by Merrilee Liddiard, about a girl with limb differences who advocates for herself on a class trip; Rainbow Boy by Taylor Rouanzion, illus. by Stacey Chomiak, in which a gender non-conforming child chooses a different favorite color for every day of the week; Courageous Creativity by Sara Zarr, offering encouragement and advice to help YA readers overcome perfectionism and fear and cultivate fulfilling creative practices; and Little Ewe by Laura Sassi, illus. by Tommy Doyle, retelling the parable of the lost sheep.
BEHRMAN HOUSE/APPLES & HONEY
Apples & Honey launches into fall with Zombie Vacation by Lisa Rose, illus. by Angeles Ruiz, which finds an exhausted zombie visiting the tourist attractions of Israel; Night Lights: A Sukkot Story by Barbara Diamond Goldin, illus. by Amberin Huq, a newly retold and reillustrated tale about a girl who comforts her brother who is afraid to sleep outside in the sukkah during this weeklong Jewish holiday;] Judy Led the Way by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, illus. by Margeaux Lucas, the true story of Judith Kaplan, the first girl to celebrate becoming bat mitzvah in the U.S.; If I Lived with Noah by Pamela Moritz, illus. by MacKenzie Haley, about a boy who helps Noah get the animals onto the ark; and Kayla and Kugel’s Hopelessly Happy Hanukkah by Ann Koffsky, starring Kayla and her pup Kugel celebrating the holiday.
BLOOMSBURY
Bloomsbury waves the checkered flag for Revver the Speedway Squirrel by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illus. by Alex Willan, kicking off an illustrated middle-grade series focused on a squirrel who dreams of driving a race car; The Song for Everyone by Lucy Morris, in which townspeople are transformed by the music coming from a particular window; Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera, offering a retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth featuring contemporary Afro-Latinx characters; The Cat Without a Name: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival by Amra Sabic-El-Rayess and Laura Sullivan, the memoir of a Muslim teen struggling to survive during the Bosnian genocide and the stray cat that protected her family; and How We Fall Apart by Katie Zhao, featuring students at an elite prep school who are forced to confront their secrets when their ex-best friend turns up dead.
BOYDS MILLS & KANE/BOYDS MILLS PRESS
Boyds Mills Press blasts off with Astronaut Training by Aneta Cruz, illus. by Olivia Iserr, following Astrid’s preparations for space missions; Arithmechicks Take Away by Ann Marie Stephens, illus. by Jia Liu, in which 10 math-loving chicks demonstrate key math concepts; The Hungry Place by Jessie Haas, focusing on an abused and neglected Connemara pony that is saved by 12-year-old Rae; Little Scoot by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, illus. by Edison Ike, about a tiny tugboat who overcomes her fears of a turbulent storm and saves a stranded barge; and Probably a Narwhal by Shelley Moore Thomas, illus. by Jenn Harney, the tale of a contest between a girl who blames a narwhal for her mess, and the narwhal who materializes to defend himself.
BOYDS MILLS & KANE/CALKINS CREEK
Calkins Creek makes signs for The Teachers March! by Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace, illus. by Charly Palmer, paying tribute to the teachers who participated in the 1965 Selma Teachers’ March, featuring eyewitness testimonies; Blood and Germs by Gail Jarrow, exploring the science and history of U.S. Civil War medicine; Finding a Way Home by Larry Dane Brimner, telling the story of Mildred and Richard Loving, who were forced to challenge the courts for their civil rights after they were jailed and exiled from their home because of their mixed-race marriage; The Efficient, Inventive (Often Annoying) Melvil Dewey by Alexis O’Neill, illus. by Edwin Fotheringham, spotlighting the creator of the Dewey Decimal system for organizing and shelving library items; and “Smelly” Kelly and His Super Senses by Beth Anderson, illus. by Jenn Harney, relating how James Kelly’s sense of smell helped save the New York City subway system in the 1930s.
BOYDS MILLS & KANE/ WORDSONG
Wordsong feathers its fall list with The Poem Is a Nest by Irene Latham, illus. by Johanna Wright, a collection introducing readers to the art of found poetry, featuring Latham’s 37-line poem “Nest” and the 137 smaller poems found within it.
CAMERON KIDS
Cameron Kids creates a fall spectrum with Brown by Nancy Johnson James, illus. by Constance Moore, in which a boy describes the many beautiful browns of his family’s skin; Gold by Jed Alexander, a modern version of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”; A Is for Apple, Unless... by Tom Llewellyn, illus. by Mark Hoffman, delivering an irreverent spin on the traditional alphabet book; When You Breathe by Diana Farid, illus. by Billy Renkl, exploring what happens when we breathe in and out; and Get Up, Elizabeth! by Shirin Bridges, illus. by Alea Marley, providing an historically accurate depiction of how the future Queen of England readied for the day when she was a child.
CANDLEWICK
Candlewick packs up its boxes for Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away by Meg Medina, illus. by Sonia Sánchez, in which Daniela must say goodbye to her best friend; All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat, detailing the mission that saved 12 young soccer players and their coach from a flooded cave in Thailand in 2018; A Polar Bear in the Snow by Mac Barnett, illus. by Shawn Harris, taking a close-up look at the polar bear’s habitat; The Hanukkah Magic of Nate Gadol by Arthur A. Levine, illus. by Kevin Hawkes, offering a mythical tale of how the magical spirit named Nate Gadol works behind the scenes (rather than Santa Claus) as some Jewish families give and receive Hanukkah gifts; and Somebody Give This Heart a Pen by Sophia Thakur, delivering more than 60 poems pulling from the author’s experience as a young mixed-race woman trying to make sense of a complicated and sometimes lonely world.
CANDLEWICK ENTERTAINMENT
Candlewick Entertainment puts a fine point on things with Dot: For Pet’s Sake, illus. by the Jim Henson Company, a chapter book based on the animated series about exuberant eight-year-old Dot; and The Crevice and The Holiday Party by Cyber Group Studios, two tie-ins to the Disney animated series Gigantosaurus, starring four young dinosaur friends.
CANDLEWICK STUDIO
Candlewick Studio keeps its eyes peeled for Paper Peek: Animals by Chihiro Takeuchi, a search-and-find title; The House by the Lake by Thomas Harding, illus. by Britta Teckentrup, presenting the true story of a lake cottage near Berlin, Germany that over a span of 10 years played host to a Jewish doctor and his family, a Nazi composer, wartime refugees, and a secret-police informant; Lost in Imagination: A Journey Through Nine Worlds in Nine Nights by Hiawyn Oram, illus. by David Wyatt, offering stories that transport readers to Captain Nemo’s Nautilus and King Arthur’s Round Table at Camelot, among other destinations; and One of a Kind: A Story About Sorting and Classifying by Neil Packer, a beginner’s guide to classification and taxonomy.
CANDLEWICK/BIG PICTURE
Big Picture Press investigates from tip to toe with Anatomicum: Welcome to the Museum by Jennifer Z. Paxton, illus. by Katy Wiedmann, providing a peek at the workings of the major systems of the human body; The Language of the Universe by Colin Stuart, illus. by Ximo Abadía, which explores the history and application of math in the natural world; and Creature Features: Dinosaurs, illus. by Natasha Durley, introducing a variety of prehistoric creatures.
CANDLEWICK/NOSY CROW
Nosy Crow has visions of sugarplums dancing in its head with Mouse’s Night Before Christmas by Tracey Corderoy, illus. by Sarah Massini, in which Mouse accompanies Santa on a magical sleigh ride; Mr. Brown’s Bad Day by Lou Peacock, illus. by Alison Friend, focusing on Mr. Brown’s very important missing briefcase; A Bear Is a Bear (Except When He’s Not) by Karl Newson, illus. by Anuska Allepuz, following Bear as he wakes up from hibernation and can’t remember what he is; and What Will You Dream of Tonight? by Frances Stickley, illus. by Anuska Allepuz, which finds a parent wondering where their child’s dreams will take them.
CANDLEWICK/TEMPLAR
Templar opens its arms for How Big Is Love and Christmas Is Joy by Emma Dodd, celebrating unconditional love and the true meaning of Christmas; Wakey Birds by Maddie Frost, spotlighting a Wakey Bird who cannot sleep and may rouse the Jungle Beast with her midnight cheeping; and Slow Samson by Bethany Christou, about a slow-moving sloth who can never get to a party on time to enjoy the festivities.
CANDLEWICK/WALKER BOOKS US
Walker flocks to fall with The Clockwork Crow by Catherine Fisher, introducing young orphan Seren in a gothic tale of heroism inspired by Welsh folklore; Embassy of the Dead by Will Mabbitt, illus. by Taryn Knight, launching a series in which Jake accidentally summons a grim reaper and must run for his life; The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel by Sheela Chari, featuring Mars and his outcast friends who use science and tech to solve the mystery behind the kids disappearing from their school, and inspired by the podcast; Welcome to Your Period by Yumi Stynes and Dr. Melissa Kang, illus. by Jennifer Latham, offering honest advice and big-sisterly wisdom about menstruation; and Blood Moon by Lucy Cuthew, a story exploring online and menstrual shaming.
CAPSTONE
Capstone fans the flame for Fiery Night: A Boy, His Goat, and the Great Chicago Fire by Sally M. Walker, illus. by Kayla Harren, the true story of Justin Butterfield, whose family—and pet goat—had to abandon their home during the Great Chicago Fire of 1871; Astrid and Apollo by V.T. Bidania, illus. by Dara Lashia Lee, kicking off an #OwnVoices series about the adventures of eight-year-old twins Astrid and Apollo and their Hmong-American family; The Very Last Leaf by Stef Wade, illus. by Jennifer Davison, in which Lance the leaf needs to conquer his fear of falling; Emma Every Day by C.L. Reid, illus. by Elena Aiello, launching an #OwnVoices series featuring Emma, a deaf girl with cochlear implants who also uses American Sign Language to communicate; and Billy Johnson and His Duck Are Explorers by Mathew New, an adventure-comedy graphic novel starring a teenage explorer and his best pal, a duck.
CINCO PUNTOS
Cinco Puntos checks ID for Thirty Talks Weird Love by Alessandra Narvaez Varela, a novel-in-verse about a 13-year-old girl who is visited by her 30-year-old future self; Rise of the Halfling King by David Bowles, illus. by Charlene Bowles, the debut title in the Tales of the Feathered Serpent middle-grade graphic novel series inspired by Mayan myth about a half-magic, half-human boy; and Where Wonder Grows by Xelena Gonzalez, illus. by Adriana Gonzalez, a meditative picture book about a grandmother bonding with her granddaughters as she teaches them how much they can learn from nature just by being curious, from the author-illustrator duo behind the award-winning All Around Us.
CHRONICLE BOOKS
Chronicle rolls out the red carpet for If You Come to Earth by Sophie Blackall, a guide to our home planet inspired by the author’s world travels; AstroNuts Mission Two: The Water Planet by Jon Scieszka, illus. by Steven Weinberg, next up in the humorous illustrated series offering commentary on the reality of climate change; and Make Way for Demolition Day by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illus. by A.G. Ford, in which the construction crew revs up to knock things down.
CROCODILE BOOKS
Crocodile is blinded by the light with Eeny Up Above! by Jane Yolen, illus. by Kathryn Brown, following Eeny Mole as she emerges from her family’s underground den to explore the Up Above; and Wanda by Sihle Nontshokweni and Mathabo Tlali, illus. by Chantelle and Burgen Thorne, about a dark-skinned South African girl who overcomes teasing at school with help from her grandmother’s stories, which inspire cultural pride.
CREATIVE EDITIONS
Creative Editions heads down the shore for Seashell by Amy Sky Koster, illus. by Lisel Jane Ashlock, spotlighting the wide variety of patterns and shapes found in seashells; Me + Tree by Alexandria Giardino, illus. by Anna and Elena Balbusso, in which a girl and an old tree learn from each other how to foster healing in the world; Virginia Was a Spy by Catherine Urdahl, illus. by Gary Kelley, a biographical tale inspired by the life of WWII spy Virginia Hall; Knowing the Name of a Bird by Jane Yolen, illus. by Jori van der Linde, which celebrates the love of birds, no matter what we call them; and Lights Out by Marsha Dane Arnold, illus. by Susan Reagan, about the quest for true darkness in a world marred by light pollution.
DC
DC crawls into fall with Swamp Thing: Twin Branches by Maggie Stiefvater, illus. by Morgan Beem, in which twin brothers must confront ancient truths and increasing tensions as their lives diverge and one of them is consumed by a summer school lab experiment; Teen Titans: Beast Boy by Kami Garcia, illus. by Gabriel Picolo, featuring Gar Logan, who doesn’t realize he has powers until they start emerging in a big way; Victor and Nora: A Love Story by Lauren Myracle, illus. by Isaac Goodheart, following budding scientist Victor as he falls in love with a dying girl who wants to live it up before her last birthday and then die fast; We Found a Monster by Kirk Scroggs, about a boy who hangs out with the monsters that live underneath an abandoned movie theater, and his new friend and fellow monster-movie fan who has an equally big secret; and Indestructibles by Ridley Pearson, illus. by Berat Pekmezci, which finds 12-year-old Michael able to withstand fire and bombs after emerging from the subway explosion that kills his family.
DISNEY/DISNEY HYPERION
Disney Hyperion turns up the amp for We Will Rock Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins, following Penelope the dinosaur who embraces her inner rock star; The Tower of Nero by Rick Riordan, the fifth and final volume of the Trials of Apollo series; Willa of Dark Hollow by Robert Beatty, in which young nightspirit Willa discovers an ancient powerful magic deep in the forest; I Want to Sleep Under the Stars by Mo Willems, in which Zoom Squirrel dreams of sleeping under the night stars, joins the Unlimited Squirrels series; and The Fowl Twins Deny All Charges by Eoin Colfer, which finds Beckett Fowler collaborating with a pixie-elf to find and rescue his abducted twin brother Myles.
DISNEY/RICK RIORDAN PRESENTS
Rick Riordan Presents looks ahead for Paola Santiago and the River of Tears by Tehlor Kay Mejia, the tale—inspired by the Mexican legend of La Llorona—of 12-year-old Paola, who overcomes evil with science and the power of love; Shadow Crosser by J.C. Cervantes, the latest entry in the Storm Runner series, featuring Zane and some godborns-in-training trying to save the universe from Mexican gods; City of the Plague God by Sarwat Chadda, following 13-year-old Sikander, who teams up with the hero Gilgamesh to stop the ancient god of plagues; and sequel novel Tristan Strong Destroys the World by Kwame Mbalia, in which Tristan must save his abducted Nana from a folktale villain.
EERDMANS
Eerdmans gets back to nature with Hello Earth by Joyce Sidman, illus. by Miren Asiain Lora, which weaves biological and geological facts into poems about the natural world; Night Wishes by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illus. by Jen Corace, a bedtime poetry anthology; Leave a Message in the Sand by Bibi Dumon Tak, illus. by Annemarie van Haeringen, spotlighting 22 hooved animals in a conservation-themed poetry collection; Mexique by Maria Jose Ferrada, illus. by Ana Penvas, depicting the journey of the niños de Morelia, 456 refugee children who fled Mexico to escape the horrors of the Spanish Civil War; and Talking Is Not My Thing by Rose Robbins, exploring a day in the life of a girl with nonverbal autism.
FAMILIUS
Familius is nuts about A Tough Squirrel to Crack by Josh Shipp, illus. by Yulia Pankratova, about a trouble-making squirrel who stumbles upon a family who keeps him and loves him just as he is; Proud to Be Latino: Celebrations/Celebraciones by Ashley Marie Mireles, illus. by Malu Lenzi, takes a look at the way people in different regions celebrate holidays and milestones in Latino culture; Yes Means Yes by Christine Babinec, illus. by Kathrin Honesta, which introduces the idea of boundaries and an understanding of consent; Somewhere in the City by Loretta Caravette, illus. by Yu Leng, chronicling the adventures Lucy imagines her father has as he makes his way home to her; and First Ladies Who Changed the World by Heidi Poelman, illus. by Giovana Medeiros, introducing 10 influential first ladies.
FITZHENRY & WHITESIDE/RED DEER PRESS
Red Deer plans a purrfect fall with The Girl and the Cat by Beverly Brenna, illus. by Brooke Kerrigan, the true story of a girl who launches a letter-writing campaign to keep a favorite cat sculpture in a local museum; Because of That Crow by Beverly Brenna, in which a mysterious crow helps 10-year-old Harris discover some things about memory and how it works; Earth Defenders by Jamie Bastedo, featuring interviews with individuals who share a passion for the environment; Kid Sterling by Christine Welldon, about a young black trumpet player’s rise through the world of jazz music; and The Other Side by Heather Camlot, in which 12-year-old Liam is haunted by his discovery of a dead body near his grandfather’s cottage and launches his own investigation into the person’s cause of death.
FLYAWAY BOOKS
Flyaway susses out solutions for A Very Big Problem by Amy-Jill Levine and Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, illus. by Annie Bowler, transporting readers on a trip to the first garden in the world, where various characters are competing for God’s love; For Beautiful Black Boys Who Believe in a Better World by Michael W. Waters, illus. by Keisha Morris, a story inspired by real-life events, in which Jeremiah and his family discover hopeful forms of activism and advocacy in response to the gun violence in their community; and Arthur and the Forgetful Elephant by Maria Girón, which finds Arthur befriending an elephant with memory loss.
FREE SPIRIT
Free Spirit embraces change with Mindset Power: A Kid’s Guide to Growing Better Every Day by Shannon Anderson, designed to help tweens be more resilient and feel good about themselves; Y Is for Yet: A Growth Mindset Alphabet, also by Anderson, introducing the concept and vocabulary of the growth mindset; Lulu and the Hunger Monster by Erik Talkin, a story that highlights and destigmatizes food insecurity; Junie and Bubbie: A Book About People’s Pronouns by Afsaneh Moradian, in which Jamie teaches his great-grandma about respecting others by using gender-neutral pronouns; and Screen Time Is Not Forever by Elizabeth Verdick, illus. by Marieka Heinlen, offering children and families an upbeat way to set boundaries and limits for screen time.
GROUNDWOOD
Groundwood gets festive for Celebrating Mimouna by Allison Ofanansky, illus. by Rotem Teplow, about celebrating the Moroccan Jewish holiday with Muslim friends; The Greats by Deborah Ellis, in which ghostly grandfathers, with help from a giant preshistoric sloth, return to help a suicidal teenager; Nice Try Charlie! The Adventures of Garbage Picking Charlie by Matt James, spotlighting the helpful things Charlie and other people in the neighborhood do for each other; The Three Brothers by Marie-Louise Gay, following siblings who set off on a winter expedition to search for wild animals in a changing climate; and The Bad Chair by Dasha Tolstickova, which focuses on feeling left out and the power of friendship.
HARPERCOLLINS
HarperCollins serves up Pirate Stew by Neil Gaiman, illus. by Chris Riddell, featuring the unusual culinary exploits of pirate babysitters; The Secret Life of Sam by Kim Ventrella, in which Sam discovers a mysterious portal that can transport him to his old life, before his Pa has died; The World Between Blinks by Ryan Graudin and Amie Kaufman, kicking off a series about two cousins who stumble into a world that is the landing place for things that have been lost in our world; Dinosaurs Are Not Extinct by Drew Sheneman, offering an exploration of modern-day dinosaurs; A Girl Named Rosita by Anika Aldamuy Denise, illus. by Leo Espinosa, a picture-book biography of Puerto Rican actress and singer Rita Moreno; One Time by Sharon Creech, about a girl who discovers the endless possibilities her future may hold with help from a teacher and a mysterious boy; The Awesome Man: The Mystery Intruder by Michael Chabon, illus. by Jake Parker, which finds Awesome Man preparing for his biggest threat—a new sibling; The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian: The Fuzzy Apocalypse by Jonathan Messinger, beginning an illustrated chapter book series based on the podcast about four friends growing up in a space station and fighting aliens; and A Sitting in St. James by Rita Williams-Garcia, presenting stories set on an antebellum slave plantation.
HARPERALLEY
HarperAlley consults its fall recipe for graphic novel Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte, illus. by Ann Xu, chronicling a Taiwanese-American girl’s efforts to fit in at her new school and win a kids’ cooking contest; Class Act by Newbery Medalist Jerry Craft, the companion graphic novel to New Kid, about Jordan’s friend Drew, whose eyes are opened to the wealth gap at his school; Lightfall by Tim Probert, a debut graphic novel in which two heroes are on a quest to save their world from eternal darkness; Pea, Bee & Jay: Stuck Together by Brian “Smitty” Smith, beginning a graphic novel series starring a pea, a bee, and a blue jay; and Arlo & Pips: King of the Birds by Elise Gravel, first in a series of graphic-novel chapter books about a clever crow and his sidekick.
HARPERFESTIVAL
HarperFestival heads to the great green room for From the World of Goodnight Moon: 100 First Words by Margaret Wise Brown, illus. by Clement Hurd, which pairs simple first words with iconic images from Goodnight Moon and My World.
HARPERTEEN
HarperTeen sets up the telescope for The Other Side of the Sky by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner, featuring a young prince and a goddess who must choose between saving their people or their relationship; Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar, in which the daughter of a star and a mortal is summoned to participate in a competition determining the next ruling house of the heavens; Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin, sequel to the romantic fantasy novel Serpent & Dove; Game Changer by Neal Shusterman, introducing a teenage football player who finds himself knocked into a series of parallel lives that he barely recognizes as his; Nobody Knows But You by Anica Mrose Rissi, a tale told through snippets of news stories, text messages, and unsent letters, about two friends’ summer at camp that ends in a disturbing death; You Know I’m No Good by Jessie Ann Foley, which finds Mia sent to a therapeutic boarding school where she starts to question the systemic misogyny that has labeled her “troubled”; and Save Steve by Jenni Hendriks and Ted Caplan, focusing on Cam’s efforts to win the girl of his dreams by saving her boyfriend from a potentially terminal illness.
HARPERCOLLINS/BALZER + BRAY
Balzer + Bray grabs a megaphone for Sometimes People March by Tessa Allen, introducing readers to how Americans exercise their right to free speech by marching in the name of justice; Sharko and Hippo by Elliott Kalan, illus. by Andrea Tsurumi, serving up a Marx Brothers-inspired picture book about two friends on a fishing trip; Horace & Bunwinkle by PJ Gardner, illus. by Dave Mottram, launching a middle-grade mystery series led by an anxious Boston Terrier and an exuberant pot-bellied pig who investigate crimes in their barnyard; Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston, the debut of a fantasy trilogy following 13-year-old Amari as she discovers a supernatural world while hunting for her missing brother; and Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe, about a high school girl who blackmails a boy into helping her become more popular, before eventually falling for each other.
HARPERCOLLINS/GREENWILLOW
Greenwillow tunes up with The Oboe Goes Boom Boom Boom by Colleen AF Venable, illus. by Lian Cho, a story of the selection of students’ instruments for the school band inspired by real-life musicians; Sun Flower Lion by Kevin Henkes, introducing basic concepts via the imaginative dreams of a lion sleeping in the sunshine; A Whale of the Wild by Rosanne Parry, illus. by Lindsay Moore, which finds young orca siblings navigating the waters following an earthquake and tsunami; Turning Point by Paula Chase, in which best friends Sheeda and Mo struggle to stay friends as their lives become more complicated and a crush threatens to come between them; and Thoughts and Prayers by Bryan Bliss, following the intertwined stories of three high school students in the aftermath of a school shooting.
HARPERCOLLINS/TEGEN
Katherine Tegen Books finds just the right words with Thesaurus Has a Secret by Anya Glazer, about a verbose dinosaur who tries to keep secret his love for reading; Fantastic Tales of Nothing by Alejandra Green and Fanny Rodriguez, first in a graphic-novel fantasy series featuring a human boy, a magical being, and two shape-shifting mercenaries; Early Departures by Justin A. Reynolds, in which Jamal must decide how to spend the last moments with his best friend Q, who has been brought back to life for a few days; Junk Boy by Tony Abbott, a novel-in-verse offering a look at a boy’s junk-filled life and how he finds redemption; and Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson, which finds an aspiring singer who is in high school accused of murdering the R&B superstar who mentored and controlled her.
HARPERCOLLINS/WALDEN POND
Walden Pond Press buckles its seatbelt for A Perilous Journey of Danger and Mayhem Vol. 3: The Final Gambit by Christopher Healy, which concludes the fantasy trilogy set in 1880s America.
HAYMARKET
Haymarket freestyles with The ABC’s of Hip-Hop by Rebel Diaz, illus. by Nicer, shining a spotlight on the four elements of hip-hop and artists that defined a generation of resistance culture.
HIGHLIGHTS
Highlights Press buckle up for Kit and Kaboodle Explore the City and Kit and Kaboodle Blast off to Space, two Level 2 Highlights Puzzle Readers by Michelle Portice, illus. by Mitch Mortimer; Nick and Nack See the Stars and Nick and Nack Out on a Puppet Show, two Level 1 Highlights Puzzle Readers by Brandon Budzi, illus. by Adam Record; and The Great Book of Doing: Create, Discover, Explore, Make, and Do Great Things, offering hands-on activities for kids and families.
HOLIDAY HOUSE
Holiday House unlocks the gates for Meet the Crew at the Zoo by Patricia Reilly Giff, illus. by Abby Carter, kicking off the Kids on Zoo Lane series, about kids whose families live at the zoo and learn about conservation and animal care as they solve mysteries; Eleanor, Alice, and the Roosevelt Ghosts by Dianne K. Salerni, in which cousins Eleanor and Alice Roosevelt investigate their family history to try to figure out who is haunting their house in 1898 New York City; Noodleheads Lucky Day by Tedd Arnold, Martha Hamilton, and Mitch Weiss, illus. by Arnold, serving up a new set of adventures for Mac and Mac; The Eight Knights of Hanukkah by Leslie Kimmelman, illus. by Galia Bernstein, which finds the knights performing kind and brave deeds to prevent Dreadful the dragon from ruining the last night of Hanukkah; and The Bitterwine Oath by Hannah West, the story of 17-year-old Natalie’s efforts to break a cycle of supernatural violence when she’s asked to join her great-great-grandmother’s cult of wronged women.
HOLIDAY HOUSE/FERGUSON
Margaret Ferguson Books signs its permission slip for Field Trip to the Ocean Deep by John Hare, about students exploring the underwater world and discovering an old shipwreck; Deadman’s Castle by Iain Lawrence, in which 12-year-old Igor, tired of living in witness protection with his family, begs his father to allow him to attend public school, with dangerous consequences; Pine Island Home by Polly Horvath, the tale of four newly orphaned siblings devising a plan for survival on their own; Lucy Lopez: Coding Star by Claudia Mills, illus. by Grace Zong, which finds Lucy excelling at after-school coding camp in the After-School Superstars series; and Once Upon a Winter Day by Liza Woodruff, featuring a boy who imagines all sorts of stories when he comes upon a trail of mouse prints in the snow.
HOLIDAY HOUSE/PORTER
Neal Porter Books commences countdown for A Fort on the Moon by Maggie Pouncey, illus. by Larry Day, about two brothers who build a spacecraft using “junk” from their garage, and blast off to the moon to build a fort before returning home for breakfast; Your Place in the Universe by Jason Chin, an introduction to scale, showing readers how they compare in size to things in the world around them; I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott, illus. by Sydney Smith, a story inspired by the author’s life experiences, about a boy with a stutter and his connection to the natural world; Resist! by Diane Stanley, presenting essays that illuminate how women and men including Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Cesar Chavez have used peaceful resistance to make their voices heard; and We Will Live in This Forest Again by Gianna Marino, which depicts animal silhouettes against ashen landscapes in the wake of a forest fire and calls attention to climate change and fire ecology.
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
HMH floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee with Becoming Muhammad Ali by Kwame Alexander and James Patterson, illus. by Dawud Anyabwile, a fictionalized story (co-published with Jimmy Patterson Books) about the boy who would become boxing legend Muhammad Ali; Becoming a Good Creature by Sy Montgomery, illus. by Rebecca Green, a picture-book adaptation of the author’s adult memoir How to Be a Good Creature; The Ravens by Kass Morgan and Danielle Page, about two girls caught up in the sinister magic and betrayals within a prestigious college sorority that happens to be a coven of witches; No Place for Monsters by Kory Merritt, which finds two unlikely friends facing down their worst fears to keep their small town, and themselves, from disappearing; and Little Blue Truck’s Valentine by Alice Schertle, illus. by Jill McElmurry, the latest holiday title in the bestselling Little Blue Truck series.
HMH/CLARION
Clarion checks its coding for Robobaby by David Wiesner, in which the tech-savvy big sister in a family of robots comes to the rescue when her parents nearly bungle the assembly of their new baby; Lights on Wonder Rock by David Litchfield, in which a girl meets a friendly alien who lands near her home and hopes that its spaceship will one day return; The Puppet’s Payback and Other Chilling Tales by Mary Downing Hahn, a collection of stories that turn something ordinary into a sinister link to the supernatural; A Long Road on a Short Day by Gary D. Schmidt and Elizabeth Stickney, illus. by Eugene Yelchin, following a boy’s first trading trip with his father; and Just Like That by Gary D. Schmidt, about a grieving girl adjusting to boarding school and a boy trying to escape his violent past.
HMH/VERSIFY
Versify reflects on fall with The Last Mirror on the Left by Lamar Giles, which finds Otto and Sheet trying to bring a fugitive to justice in a world that mirrors their own, but has its own rules; The Year I Flew Away by Marie Arnold, the story of 10-year-old Gabby who makes a deal with a witch to become the “perfect American” when she moves to Brooklyn from Haiti; Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack, in which Anya must prevent a dangerous monster lurking beneath the city from taking her friends’ magic and their lives; and The Whole Hole Story by Vivian McInerny, illus. by Ken Lamug, a debut picture book about a girl who imagines what might happen if the hole in her pocket became big enough for her to fall through.
HMH/ETCH
Etch launches its inaugural graphic novel list with Timo the Adventurer by Jonathan Garnier, illus. by Yohan Sacré, in which Timo rescues an enchanted beast and discovers that being a hero is more complicated than he thought; Oh My Gods by Stephanie Cooke and Insha Fitzpatrick, illus. by Juliana Moon, kicking off a middle-grade series about an average girl who moves to Mt. Olympus and realizes that her new classmates are gods and mythological creatures are real; Sherlock Bones and the Natural History Mystery by Renee Treml, featuring a bird skeleton and his stuffed parrot sidekick who solve a mystery in the museum where they live; Power Up by Sam Nisson, illus. by Darnell Johnson, a graphic novel that unfolds online and IRL in various art styles, transporting readers from middle school to epic robot battles and back; and Dinomighty! by Greg Trine, illus. by Aaron Blecha, following four dinosaur heroes who spring into action to save valuable jewels from the bad guys.
IMAGINE THAT
Imagine That times it right with 5-Minute Animal Stories and 5-Minute Bedtime Stories, ed. by Susie Linn, illustrated collections featuring six tales each; and Squishy Squashy Pumpkin and Squishy Squashy Santa, two holiday novelty books by Georgina Wren, illus. by Carrie Hennon.
INKYARD
Inkyard Press rolls out the welcome mat with Come On In by Adi Alsaid, a collection of stories featuring teen immigrants; Taylor B. Barton's The Ninth Life, a queer story, in which a dying cat returns to his final life as a teen boy and discovers heartache, friendship, and love; These Vengeful Hearts by Katherine Laurin, focused on 16-year-old Ember who seeks revenge on the secret organization of students at her school responsible for the accident that left her sister paralyzed; Smash It! by Francina Simone, about a girl who gains self-empowerment through her role in a hip-hopera high school production of Othello; and Roman and Jewel by Dana L. Davis, following a girl who auditions for a part in a Broadway hip-hopera production of Romeo and Juliet.
KANE MILLER
Kane Miller sets the table for Beast Feast by Emma Yarlett, in which Beast sends out invitations to a big feast, where he plans to eat a boy; Nibbles: The Monster Hunt by Emma Yarlett, a new adventure for Nibbles the book monster; It’s Christmastime! by Bernd Penners, illus. by Christine Faust, featuring reusable stickers that help tell the story of animals’ holiday preparations; Lightning Girl by Alesha Dixon and Kate Birchall, illus. by James Lancett, about a 10-year-old girl who learns she has superpowers when beams of lights suddenly shoot out of her fingertips; and Letting Go! by Sharie Coombs, illus. by Ellie O’Shea, offering writing and craft activities for young people who need support through experiences of loss, change, disappointment, and grief.
KAR-BEN
Kar-Ben shares The Book of Secrets by Mat Tonti, spotlighting Jewish stories from several sources including midrash adapted as a graphic-novel collection; Does Your Dog Speak Hebrew? by Ellen Bari, illus. by Holly Clifton-Brown, comparing animals sounds as translated in English and Hebrew; Behind the Bookcase: Miep Gies, Anne Frank, and the Hiding Place by Barbara Lowell, illus. by Valentina Toro, the story of Gies and her brave act of helping to shelter Anne Frank’s family from the Nazis during WWII; Nicanor’s Gate by Eric A. Kimmel, illus. by Alida Massari, in which a wealthy merchant is asked to assist King Herod in restoring the Temple in Jerusalem; and There Was a Young Rabbi: A Hanukkah Tale by Suzanne Wolfe, illus. by Jeffrey Ebbeler, a look at a rabbi’s holiday preparations.
KIDS CAN
Kids Can turns off the lights for In the Dark: The Science of What Happens at Night by Lisa Deresti Betik, illus. by Josh Holinaty, revealing what happens to humans, animals, plants, and celestial objects after sundown; If You Were Night by Mượn Thị Văn, illus. by Kelly Pousette, depicting the nighttime adventures of nocturnal creatures via papercut dioramas; Time for Bed’s Story by Monica Arnaldo, in which Bed tells it like it is; Emmy Noether: The Most Important Mathematician You’ve Never Heard Of by Helaine Becker, illus. by Kari Rust, introducing this influential contemporary of Einstein; and This Is Your Brain on Stereotypes: How Science Is Tackling Unconscious Bias by Tanya Lloyd Kyi, illus. by Drew Shannon, an introduction to the science behind stereotypes.
KCP LOFT
KCP Loft is on the case with Throwaway Girls by Andrea Contos, in which a high school senior investigates the disappearance of her best friend and other missing girls.
LEE & LOW
Lee & Low flutters into fall with Butterfly for a King: Saving Hawai’i’s Kamehameha Butterflies by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore, illus. by Roth, providing a look at a project that works with citizen scientists to reestablish butterfly populations in the face of declining habitats; Magic Like That by Samara Cole Doyon, illus. by Geneva Bowers, celebrating the beauty of black natural hair; Sacred Words, Secret Hero by Karen Williams, illus. by Teddy Draper, Jr., paying tribute to Teddy Draper Sr., a Navajo Code Talker during WWII; The Song of the Coquis/La canción de los coquís by Lesléa Newman, illus. by Elizabeth Erazo Baez, in which a girl’s love of the Puerto Rican tree frog’s nightly song helps her live through a devastating hurricane; and Ten Blocks to the Big Wok by Ying-Hwa Hu, an introduction to the numbers one through 10 in Mandarin and English, via a stroll through Chinatown.
LEE & LOW/TU
Tu Books keeps a flashlight nearby for Children of the River Ghost by Alexandra Aceves, a YA horror novel in which 16-year-old Katie falls for a girl who may be the ghost La Llorona; The Sandalwood Pyre by Supriya Kelkar, featuring 11-year-old Meera who escapes life as a child bride in 1857 India only to end up as a servant to a British general in the East India Company as the Indian rebellion spreads; Boy, Everywhere by A.M. Dassu, following 14-year-old Sami and his family as they flee their privileged life in Syria for the struggles of immigrant life in the U.K.; and Miosotis Flores Never Forgets by Hilda Eunice Burgos, in which Miosotis’s volunteer work with an abandoned dog at a local animal rescue leads her to realize that her college-aged sister may be experiencing similar abuse.
LERNER
Lerner takes a belly breath with Calm Monsters, Kind Monsters: A Sesame Street Guide to Mindfulness by Karen Latchana, in which Sesame Street characters present techniques for coping with big emotions; Crayola Grassland Colors and Crayola Ocean Colors by Mary Lindeen, two entries in the Crayola Colorful Biome series; Garfield’s All-About-the-Food Jokes by Scott Nickel and Mark Acey, new to the Garfield’s Belly Laugh series; and Blood (A Repulsive Augmented Reality Experience) by Joyce L. Hutchinson, illuminating the science behind the functions of the human body.
LERNER/CAROLRHODA
Carolrhoda offers Call Me Miss Hamilton: One Woman’s Case for Equality and Respect by Carole Boston Weatherford, illus. by Jeffery Boston Weatherford, spotlighting African-American civil rights activist Mary Hamilton, who won a Supreme Court case stating that black people were entitled to the same courteous forms of address as white people; Name Tags and Other Sixth-Grade Disasters by Ginger Garrett, chronicling 12-year-old Lizbeth’s efforts to get rid of her father’s new girlfriend and make friends at her new school; Monkey with a Tool Belt Blasts Off! by Chris Monroe, in which Chico Bon Bon and Clark the elephant head to the space station to make repairs; My Ex-Imaginary Friend by Jimmy Matejek-Morris, about an 11-year-old boy who thought he’d outgrown his imaginary friend until a family crisis makes him reconsider; and The Most Beautiful Thing by Kao Kalia Yang, illus. by Khoa Le, a window into the life of a family with little money and a lot of love, inspired by the author’s experiences as a Hmong refugee.
LERNER/CAROLRHODA LAB
Carolrhoda Lab declassifies the file on The Secret Life of Kitty Granger by G.D. Falksen, a portrait of 16-year-old Kitty Granger, a working-class girl on the autism spectrum, who was recruited to spy for the British government in 1967; and Like Spilled Water by Jennie Liu, about a girl who only realizes how little she knew about her younger brother when he dies suddenly.
LERNER/GRAPHIC UNIVERSE
Graphic Universe wanders the moors with Brontë by Manuela Santoni, presenting the lives of the three famous literary sisters; Ever After by Olivia Vieweg, in which two young women trek across a zombie-infested German countryside; Mega-Dogs of New Kansas by Dan Jolley, illus. by Jacques Khouri, introducing the massive pooches that are helping human settlers of a faraway planet; The Spy Who Raised Me by Ted Anderson, illus. by Gianna Meola, in which Josie discovers that her mother secretly programmed her to be a special operative; and Colin Kaepernick by Blake Hoena, illus. by Sam LeDoyen, one of the launch volumes of the Athletes Who Made a Difference series, featuring athletes who inspire social change.
LERNER/MILLBROOK
Millbrook Press pulls on its backpack for School Days by Shelley Rotner and Sheila M. Kelly, photos by Rotner, providing readers with a peek at what children do in school throughout the year; A Garden in Your Belly: Meet the Microbes in Your Gut by Masha D’yans, an introduction to microscopic flora and how it keeps us healthy; and How to Build an Insect by Roberta Gibson, illus. by Anne Lambelet, which puts a new spin on insect anatomy.
LERNER/ZEST
Zest hits the ground running with How to Do It Now Because It’s Not Going Away: An Expert’s Guide to Getting Stuff Done by Leslie Josel, containing tips to help teens learn how to manage time, limit distractions, and complete tasks; #MeToo and You: Everything You Need to Know About Consent, Boundaries, and More by Halley Bondy, informing tweens about consent, harassment, abuse, and healthy boundaries in all types of relationships; She Represents: 40 Women Who Are Changing Politics… and the World by Caitlin Donohue, which celebrates feminism and female contributions to politics and activism; and When Dogs Heal: Powerful Stories of People Living with HIV and the Dogs That Saved Them by Jesse Freidin, Robert Garofolo, and Zach Stafford, photos by Freidin, offers a hopeful portrait of the healing power of canine companions within the HIV-positive community.
LEVINE QUERIDO/LEVINE
Arthur A. Levine learns some new tricks with This Old Dog by Martha Brockenbrough, illus. by Gabe Alborozo, in which a weary old dog discovers that his slower pace is perfectly matched to that of the newest member of the family, a little girl; Everything Sad Is Untrue (a true story) by Daniel Nayeri, the autobiographical story of Daniel, who fled Iran as a small child, detoured through a refugee camp in Italy, and landed in middle school in Oklahoma where he was treated with curiosity and suspicion; Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger, illus. by Rovina Cai, following a Lipan Apache teen who uses her ancestral powers to unmask her cousin’s murderer; Apple: Skin to Core by Eric Gansworth, the author’s memoir, featuring an Onondaga teen piecing together generations of family history in verse; and The Boys in the Back Row by Mike Jung, following best friends Matt and Eric as they embark on a final caper before Eric moves away: to escape their marching band trip and meet their favorite comic book artist at a nearby comic con.
LEVINE QUERIDO/QUERIDO
Em Querido sails into fall with The Sea-Ringed World: Sacred Stories of the Americas by María García Esperón, illus. by Amanda Mijangos, trans. by David O. Bowles, a collection of tales from Indigenous nations and cultures; The Wanderer by Peter Van Den Ende, which follows the psychedelic sea-faring journey of a small paper boat in a wordless picture book; Bye, Penguin! by Seou Lee, about a penguin separated from its colony due to a massive crack in the ice, sending him on an adventure around the world; Blue Wings by Jef Aerts, the middle-grade tale of two brothers’ attempt to return an injured crane to its family; and Little Fox by Edward Van De Vendel, illus. by Marije Tolman, in which a young fox takes an unexpected tumble into a dream.
LITTLE, BROWN
Little, Brown’s got legs with The Little Mermaid by Jerry Pinkney, a reimagining of the Hans Christian Andersen tale; The Alphabet’s Alphabet by Chris Harris, illus. by Dan Santat, inviting readers to look at the ABCs in a whole new way; Spindlefish and Stars by Christiane M. Andrews, in which Clothilde journeys across the sea to reunite with her somethings thieving, always ailing father; and More Than Just a Pretty Face by Syed M. Masood, following Danyal, an aspiring chef who plans on showing everyone how smart he is when he’s selected for the school-wide academic championship.
LITTLE, BROWN/PATTERSON
Jimmy Patterson Books steps into the ring for Becoming Muhammad Ali by Kwame Alexander and James Patterson, illus. by Dawud Anyabwile, a fictionalized story co-published with HMH about the boy who would become boxing legend Muhammad Ali; Sweet Child o’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses, illus. by Jennifer Zivion, a tale adapted from the rock song and featuring a girl finding the magic of music all around her; The Family That Cooks Together by Anna and Madeline Zakarian, a cookbook from the daughters of celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian; Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco, about a young witch in 19th-century Italy who sets out to seek vengeance for the murder of her twin sister and encounters a troubled demon investigating the crime; and Girls of Fate and Fury by Natasha Ngan, wrapping up the Girls of Paper and Fire YA fantasy series.
LITTLE BEE
Little Bee sashays into fall with People of Pride: RuPaul Charles, illus. by Victoria Grace Elliott, a biographical board book about the drag queen and actor; The Whatifs by Emily Kilgore, illus. by Zoe Persico, in which Cora struggles with anxiety before her big piano recital; The Christmas Barn by John Churchman, illus. by John and Jennifer Churchman, about a farmer who gifts his animals a new barn for Christmas; and Animal Sounds and Animal Numbers by Christopher Silas Neal, two concept books.
LITTLE BEE BUZZPOP
BuzzPop turns off its phone for The Life Changing Magic of Goofing Off by James Breakwell, suggesting creative ways for kids to practice self-care; Riverdale Diaries, Volume 1: Hello, Betty! by Sarah Kuhn, illus. by J. Bone, launching a graphic novel series featuring the Riverdale gang in middle school; WWE: Tough Love, a WWE-licensed Valentine themed book packaged with cards and stickers; and Crayola: I Feel Craymoji, an activity book exploring the connections between colors and emotions.
LITTLE BEE/YELLOW JACKET
Yellow Jacket leapfrogs into fall with The Misadventures of Nobbin Swill #2: Croaked! by Lisa Harkrader, in which Nobbin has become Prince Charming’s assistant.
MACMILLAN/FARRAR, STRAUS AND GIROUX
FSG believes in magic with Probably a Unicorn by Jory John, illus. by K-Fai Steele, introducing a rhinoceros who is convinced he’s a unicorn; Art Is Life: The Life of Artist Keith Haring by Tami Lewis Brown, illus. by Keith Negley, a picture-book biography of the late pop art and graffiti artist; Chance by Uri Shulevitz, the author’s account of his childhood escape from the terrors of the Holocaust; Traitor by Amanda McCrina, which explores Polish-Ukrainian political conflicts during WWII and the terrifying cost of even the smallest betrayal, through the story of two teenage soldiers; and The Awakening of Malcolm X by Tiffany Jackson and Ilyasah Shabazz, offering a narrative account of Muslim minister and civil rights activist Malcolm X’s adolescent years in jail during the 1940s, as told by his daughter.
MACMILLAN/FEIWEL AND FRIENDS
Feiwel and Friends rides the elevator for The 130-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths, illus. by Terry Denton, the 10th volume in the series, which finds Andy and Terry building 13 new levels on their treehouse; Bear Island by Matthew Cordell, capturing Louise’s struggle to cope with the loss of her family dog; Unicorn Galore by Penelope Gwynne, illus. by Katie O’Neill, a collection of unicorn lore and history; Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer, about a girl who discovers her ability to cast instant karma on those around her; and Cleo Porter and the Body Electric by Jake Burt, following Cleo as she decides to leave her family’s sealed apartment and venture into the outside world to bring a mis-delivered package of medicine to its rightful, dying owner.
MACMILLAN/FIRST SECOND
First Second waltzes with the flowers for The Nutcracker and the Mouse King: The Graphic Novel by E.T.A. Hoffman, adapted by Natalie Andrewson, offering a fresh look for the classic holiday tale; Dungeon Critters by Natalie Riess and Sara Goetter, featuring a gang of animal friends on a Dungeons & Dragons-style dungeon crawl; Julia’s House Moves On by Ben Hatke, a new chapter after Julia’s House for Lost Creatures, about trusting your friends the way they trust you; Lucy in the Sky by Kiara Brinkman, illus. by Sean Chiki, in which 12-year-old Lucy, inspired by her father’s Beatles records, faces her insecurities and forms an all-girl rock band; and Nico Bravo and the Cellar Dwellers by Mike Cavallero, the next adventure through myths and legends for Nico, sphinx Luna, and unicorn Buck, who staff the magical Vulcan’s Celestial Supply Shop.
MACMILLAN/FLATIRON
Flatiron stays up all night with The Insomniacs by Marit Weisenberg, about two suburban teens who can’t sleep and spend their nights unraveling the mystery of the abandoned house in their neighborhood; and Tales from the Hinterland by Melissa Albert, an illustrated collection of original fairy tales inspired by the book of the same name that appears in Albert’s fairy tale noir debut, The Hazel Wood.
MACMILLAN/HENRY HOLT
Henry Holt preps the sleigh for Santa Baby by Jonathan Stutzman, illus. by Heather Fox, in which Santa makes a risky wish to regain his youth; They Threw Us Away: The Teddies Saga Book 1 by Daniel Kraus, chronicling the perilous journey of a group of teddy bears to escape the garbage dump where they’ve been pitched; Rise Up! How You Can Join the Fight Against Racism by Crystal Fleming, an overview of the roots and legacies of racial bias and white supremacy in the U.S.; and As the Shadow Rises by Katy Rose Pool, second in the Age of Darkness YA fantasy series.
MACMILLAN/HENRY HOLT/GODWIN
Godwin Books is alight with Flamer by Mike Curato, in which Aidan navigates bullying, friendships, and his own journey of self-discovery at summer camp during the summer between middle school and high school.
MACMILLAN/HENRY HOLT/OTTAVIANO
Christy Ottaviano Books flurries into fall with Snow Friends by Margery Cuyler, illus. by Will Hillenbrand, a tale of friendship, dogs, and the fun to be had on a snowy day; Hello, Arnie: An Arnie the Doughnut Story by Laurie Keller, starring the beloved frosted-with-sprinkles protagonist; Marie Tharp: The Woman Who Mapped the Ocean Floor by Josie James, shining a light on this STEM pioneer; Rise of the Slugs: King of the Mole People Book 2 by Paul Gilligan, which finds Doug, King of the Mole People, struggling to balance chaos at school and in the underworld; and Playing with Fire by April Henry, a teen thriller following a group of kids trapped in the Oregon forest by a raging fire.
MACMILLAN/IMPRINT
Imprint invites readers in for Vampires Never Get Old, ed. by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker, 10 vampire stories offering fresh takes on the genre by YA authors; Let’s Get Sleepy! by Tony Cliff, about young cats on the hunt for a mouse named sleepy; The Dare Sisters by Jess Rinker, in which three sisters join forces to hunt for Blackbeard’s legendary treasure; White Fox by Sara Faring, the tale of twin sisters who return to a remote island when their father is ill, only to learns that their famous long-missing mother may have been murdered; and Stella’s Stellar Hair by Yesenia Moises, following a brown girl’s interplanetary journey to get help with her hair from her fabulous aunties throughout the solar system.
MACMILLAN/ROARING BROOK
Roaring Brook Press blasts the Febreze for Fart Quest by Aaron Reynolds, featuring three hapless heroes on an epic adventure; The Little Fox by Jorma Taccone, illus. by Dan Santat, capturing a father’s love that transcends time and space; We Believe in You by Beth Ferry, illus. by Molly Idle, in which animals inspire their little ones to follow their dreams; The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He, a sci-fi fantasy following a grieving girl who considers having her memories of her dead sister excised, until she receives an encrypted file that raises the possibility that her sister is still alive; and Skyhunter by Marie Lu, set in a fantasy world broken by war where danger lurks around every corner.
MACMILLAN UK/KINGFISHER
Kingfisher dons a hardhat for Big Bulldozers and Colossal Cranes by Tony Mitton, illus. by Ant Parker, new additions to the Amazing Machines series; The Ultimate Gamer Guide: Career Mode by Craig Steele, mapping out what it takes to make a career out of playing video games; The Curious Book of Animal Lists by Tracey Turner, a compendium of animal facts and stats; and Sam Quigley’s Exploding Beetles and Inflatable Fish by Tracey Turner, introducing Sam Quigley, the fact-obsessed owner of two stick insects named Twiggy and Wiggy.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS
National Geographic Kids packs its medical bag for Wild Vet Adventures: Saving Animals Around the World with Dr. Gabby Wild by Gabby Wild and Jennifer Szymanski, introducing the anatomy, behavior, and care and feeding of more than 80 wild animals; Girls Can!: Smash Stereotypes, Defy Expectations, and Make History! by Marissa Sebastian and Tora Shae Pruden, profiles of women—famous and not—who have made their mark in leadership, sports, the arts, and the sciences; Top Secret by Crispin Boyer, sharing the lowdown on classified cases and some tricks of the spy trade; and Kids vs. Plastic: Finding the Pollution Solution to Bottles, Bags, and Other Single-Use Plastics by Julie Beer, featuring interviews with researchers and suggesting practical ways kids can cut down their plastic footprint.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS/UNDER THE STARS
Under the Stars is on the prowl with The Tiger’s Nest by Trudi Trueit, illus. by Scott Plumbe, which finds the kids from the Explorer Academy series undertaking a rescue mission; Absolute Hero by Valerie Tripp, illus. by Geneva Bowers, the inaugural title in the Izzy Newton and the S.M.A.R.T. Squad middle grade series about five friends who use their collective skills and the power of science to bring order to their school; and The Trials of Hairy-Clees by Crispin Boyer, illus. by Andy Elkerton, joining the Zeus the Mighty series about Zeus the hamster and his “god squad.”
NEW HARBINGER
New Harbinger hails fall with the following self-help titles for teens: Gaming Overload Workbook: A Teen’s Guide to Balancing Screen Time, Video Games, and Real Life by Randy Kulman; Your Life, Your Way: Skills to Help Teens Gain Perspective, Manage Emotions, and Build Resilience Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by Joseph Ciarrochi and Louise Hayes; Real Talk About Sex and Consent: What Every Teen Needs to Know by Cheryl Bradshaw; Be Brave, Be You for Teens: Self Compassion Skills to Help You Stop Being So Hard on Yourself by Karen Bluth; and Executive Functioning Skills for Teens: Six Super Skills to Improve Focus, Stay Organized, and Reach Your Goals by Lara Honos-Webb.
NOBROW/FLYING EYE
Flying Eye Books flips its tail for The Secret Lives of Mermaids by Sangma Francis, illus. by Anja Suanj, a guide to these mysterious ocean dwellers; Mason Mooney: Paranormal Investigator by Seaerra Miller, which finds teenage Mason taking on the ghosts in the world’s most haunted house; The Planet in a Pickle Jar by Martin Stanev, the tale of two siblings who discover their grandmother’s secret stash of magic jars filled with wonders from around the world; Squid Happens by Isabel Roxas, launching the Adventures of Team Pom series featuring three oddballs who discover their shared passion for synchronized swimming; and The Official Trolberg Book of Beasts and Spirits by Emily Hibbs, a tie-in to the Hilda animated series on Netflix about a blue-haired girl from an enchanted forest.
NORTON
Norton Young Readers tosses the dough for Every Night Is Pizza Night by Kenji López-Alt; illus. by Gianna Ruggiero, in which Pipo sets out to prove that pizza is the best food in the world; Weird, Wild, Amazing!: Exploring the Incredible World of Animals by Tim Flannery, illus. by Sam Caldwell, providing a detailed look at creatures in the natural world; Everything Naomi Loved by Katie Yamasaki and Ian Lender, illus. by Yamasaki, following a girl who paints murals to preserve her favorite memories of her city block, which is undergoing gentrification; Mr. Nogginbody and the Childish Child by David Shannon, a second outing for the ovoid-shaped character, which finds him babysitting a young charge; and Nicky & Vera by Peter Sís, about Nicholas Winton, the British humanitarian who rescued nearly 700 children from Nazi-occupied Prague, and one of the children he saved.
ORCA
Orca watches the clock with Once Upon an Hour by Ann Y.K. Choi, illus. by Soyeon Kim, in which a child is told a bedtime tale about how the 12 animals of the Korean zodiac came together to save a young protagonist; When We Are Kind by Monique Gray Smith, illus. by Nicole Neidhardt, exploring the ripple effects of kindness; Nye, Sand and Stone by Bree Galbraith, illus. by Marion Arbona, featuring a character from an island of sand who confronts the destructive behavior of the citizens of an island of stone; The One with the Scraggly Beard by Elizabeth Withey, illus. by Lynn Scurfield, following a boy who asks his mother about a homeless man he’s seen; and Slow Mow by Deborah Kerbel, illus. by Marianne Ferrer, about a girl who learns patience from her slow-moving brother.
OWLKIDS
Owlkids looks it up with Maurice’s Dictionary: A True Story by Cary Fagan, illus. by Enzo Lord Mariano, about a boy who pursued his education with the help of a treasured dictionary as his family fled from Belgium to Jamaica during WWII; The Paper Boat: A Refugee Story by Thao Lam, a wordless picture book inspired by the author’s experiences, spotlighting the resilience of a family who has to flee their home in Vietnam and cross the ocean by boat; Cone Cat by Sarah Howden, illus. by Carmen Mok, in which a cat discovers that the cone he wears after a trip to the vet gives him superpowers; Raj’s Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Ali, starring a boy who overcomes his fear of using the school bathroom; and My Wild Life: Adventures of a Wildlife Photographer by Suzi Eszterhas, the true story of how the author followed her childhood dream to become a wildlife photographer.
PAGE STREET
Page Street has autumn on a string with The Puppetmaster’s Appentice by Lisa DeSelm, a dark fairy tale retelling in which a girl is tasked with building an assassin for a dark-hearted tyrant; Not Your #Lovestory by Sonia Hartl, focused on the addictiveness of fame and the harsh realities of going viral in a digital world; Far from Normal by Becky Wallace, the story of “normal girl” Maddie who is charged with repairing the image of Major League Soccer’s bad boy Gabe; and Blazewrath by Amparo Ortiz, set in an alternate contemporary world where people compete with dragons in an international sports tournament.
PAGE STREET KIDS
Page Street Kids steps into the salon for My Hair Is Magic! by M.L. Marroquin, illus. by Tonya Engel, featuring a girl celebrating her natural hair; The Flight of the Flibbertigibbety Words: Chasing Inspiration with Young Shakespeare by Donna Guthrie, illus. by Åsa Gilland, in which young William Shakespeare discovers that words can be as evasive as they are inspiring; The Poisoned Apple: A Fractured Fairy Tale by Anne Lambelet, which imagines what happens when the witch’s plan to poison the princess goes wrong; and Where Bone? by Kitty Moss, about a dog desperate to find his missing bone.
PAPERCUTZ
Papercutz heats up with Girl on Fire by Jeremy Whitley, illus. by Jaimie Noguchi, kicking off the School for Extraterrestrial Girls series about a girl outed as an extraterrestrial with powers who is shipped to a school for other girls like her; X-Venture Explorers Volume 1 by Slaium and Meng, illus. by Black Ink Team, featuring a new team of explorers discovering everything they can about the most dangerous animals alive; My Dad Is a Super Secret Agent by Christine Biegel, illus. by Pierre Fouillet, launching the Lola’s Super Club series in which Lola and her friends become super heroes to save Lola’s secret-agent father, James Blond; and The Pyramid of Cheops and The Great Wall of China by Fabrice Erre, illus. by Sylvain Savioa, the initial volumes of the Thread of History series about two modern-day kids who travel back in time to discover the wonders of the world.
PEACHTREE
Peachtree takes the mic with Sing! (Like No One’s Listening) by Vanessa Jones, in which Nettie gets accepted to the same prestigious performing arts school where her late superstar mother went; Eek!: A Noisy Journey from A to Z by Julie Larios, illus. by Julie Paschkis, which introduces each letter using sounds and onomatopoeia; Madeline Finn and the Therapy Dog by Lisa Papp, following Madeline and her dog Star as the pooch takes his therapy dog test at a local retirement community and the duo make new friends; William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad by Don Tate, shining a light on the man who worked for the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, where he collected stories of those who had traveled north to freedom and helped reunite families; and Mr. Penguin and the Catastrophic Cruise by Alex T. Smith, the third outing for the adventurous Mr. Penguin and his sidekick Colin the spider.
PEACHTREE PETITE
Peachtree Petite ushers in the season with Curious About Mammals by Cathryn Sill, illus. by John Sill, offering a first glimpse into the world of mammals, including common characteristics, what they eat, and where they live.
PENGUIN WORKSHOP
Penguin Workshop deals with FOMO in Are You Eating Candy Without Me? by Draga Jenny Malesevic, illus. by Charlotte Brujin, in which four kids fear the adults who love them may be eating candy without them; The Invisible Alphabet by Joshua David Stein, illus. by Ron Barrett, a look at things unseen, from air to zero; This Town Is Not All Right by M.K. Krys, which follows Beacon and his twin sister Everleigh as they move from L.A. to a small town and realize something downright creepy is happening there; Lux by Ashley Woodfolk, first in a four-book series featuring a group of high school girls in Harlem navigating family, friendship, and what their futures may hold; and Brick X Brick by Adam Ward, providing tutorials, trivia, and more from the Lego Master Builder and host of the Brick X Brick podcast.
PENGUIN YOUNG READER LICENSES
Penguin Young Readers Licenses steps back in time with Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum: A Night at the Museum: A Sticker and Activity Book by Gabriella DeGennaro, featuring Xavier, his friends, and historical figures featured in the PBS Kids series inspired by Brad Meltzer’s Ordinary People Who Changed the World books; and these media tie-ins to various brands: Care Bears: Care Out Loud; Llama Llama Holiday Helper by Anna Dewdney, illus. by J.J. Harrison; and Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader: Science Class.
PENGUIN/DIAL
Dial goes out on a limb for Leif and the Fall by Allison Sweet Grant and Adam Grant, illus. by Merrilee Liddiard, featuring Leif the leaf, who is afraid of falling from the tree and hurting himself when autumn arrives; Wreck This Picture Book by Keri Smith, offering an interactive exploration of different ways to think about a book; I Am Anne Frank by Brad Meltzer, illus. by Christopher Eliopoulos, a picture book biography focusing on the courage and hope Frank showed during the Holocaust; Darius the Great Deserves Better by Adib Khorram, in which Darius navigates life after coming out; and Kevin the Unicorn: Why Can’t We Be Friends? by Jessika von Innerebner, the story of two unicorns who try to force a friendship.
PENGUIN/DUTTON
Dutton has its head on a swivel for The Woods Are Always Watching by Stephanie Perkins, following two teens on a backpacking trip that goes very wrong; Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour, in which Mila goes to a remote farm in California and grapples with the ghosts from her traumatic past; Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh, the story of a young woman trying to find her place amidst the demands of African-American and Nigerian cultures; and City of the Uncommon Thief by Lynne Bertrand, a YA fantasy set in a quarantined city of mile-high iron towers, where people have lost their connection to animals and have become obsessed with making things.
PENGUIN/GROSSET & DUNLAP
Grosset & Dunlap puts another leaf in the table for Thanksgiving, Here I Come! by D.J. Steinberg, illus. by Sara Palacios, a collection of poems celebrating this holiday; The ABCs of Christmas by Jo Parker, illus. by Flora Waycott, presenting the Nativity story within an alphabet book; The Holiday Hurry by Matt Mitter, illus. by Jannie Ho, following the Little Engine that Could as he rushes to deliver presents before Christmas Day; and Pawtriot Dogs #1 by Samuel P. Fortsch, illus. by Manuel Gutierrez, kicking off a series spotlighting military rescue dogs.
PENGUIN/KOKILA
Kokila walks into the waves with The Ocean Calls by Tina Cho, illus. by Jess X. Snow, about a Korean girl and her haenyeo (free diving) grandmother, or “granny mermaid”; Fauja Singh Keeps Going by Simran Jeet Singh, illus. by Baljinder Kaur, the true story of Singh’s grit and determination as he broke records to become the first 100-year-old person to run a marathon; Bronxtones by Alex Rivera, introducing readers to the colors of the Bronx; My Rainbow by DeShanna and Trinity Neal, illus. by Art Twink, in which a mother creates a rainbow-colored wig for her transgender daughter; and Ten Ways to Hear Snow by Cathy Camper, illus. by Kenard Pak, which celebrates snow and pays homage to The Snowy Day, featuring a Lebanese-American family.
PENGUIN/PAULSEN
Nancy Paulsen Books dials 9-1-1 for Emergency Monster Squad by Dave Horowitz, looking at a day in the life of two EMS workers who drive an “amboolance” and rush to the aid of injured monsters; Felix and the Monsters by Josh and Monica Holtsclaw, illus. by Josh Holtsclaw, a story about the power of music to break down barriers, featuring a lonely guard and his keytar keyboard; Letters from Cuba by Ruth Behar, a tale inspired by the author’s family history, about a Jewish girl who flees Poland on the eve of WWII and makes a new life for herself in Cuba, working to rescue the rest of her family; I Am by Derrick Barnes, illus. by Gordon C. James, paying homage to the strength, character, and beauty of black boys; and Dark Was the Night by Gary Golio, illus. by E.B. Lewis, spotlighting legendary Texas musician Blind Willie Johnson.
PENGUIN/PHILOMEL
Philomel drifts into fall with Escape to Reverie by Lorelei Savaryn, featuring a 12-year-old girl who visits a magical circus where dreams and nightmares come to life, in hopes of finding her missing brother; The Shadow War by Lindsay Smith, in which five teens in Nazi Germany during WWII attempt to access dark energy from a world parallel to our own to bring down the Third Reich; Wonderful You by Lisa Graff, illus. by Ramona Kaulitzki, depicting all different kinds of families awaiting the arrival of their little ones; You Know How to Love by Rachel Tawil Kenyon, illus. by Mary Lundquist, celebrating our ability to make the world a kinder and happier place; and This Is How We Fly by Anna Meriano, which follows Ellen as she joins a muggle Quidditch team during the summer after senior year and falls in love.
PENGUIN/PUTNAM
Putnam puts one foot in front of the other with Closer to Nowhere by Ellen Hopkins, a novel-in-verse about one boy’s search for a place to belong after losing his mother and moving in with relatives who may not want him; Sanctuary by Paola Mendoza and Abby Sher, set in a near-future dystopia where a girl and her brother must escape a xenophobic American government; Kingston and the Magician’s Lost and Found by Harold Hayes Jr., Craig Phillips, and Theo Gangi, launching a middle-grade series starring a young magician determined to bring back Brooklyn’s lost magic and find his missing father; Little Sisters by Melissa de la Cruz and Margaret Stohl, retelling the classic Little Women as a tale in which Jo March must decide her true feelings for her best friend Laurie; and The Companion by Katie Alender, the story of an orphaned teenager tasked with being a companion to a girl who became catatonic under suspicious circumstances.
PENGUIN/RAZORBILL
Razorbill preheats the oven for The Tiny Chef by Adam Reid, Rachel Larsen, and Ozi Akturk, about a pint-size stop-motion Instagram star on a quest to find his missing recipe book; Something Happened to Ali Greenleaf by Haley Krischer, a debut YA novel following two teenage girls coping with the fallout of a sexual assault; The Valley and the Flood by Rebecca Mahoney, marking the author’s debut with the story of Rose, a teen who discovers she is the prophesied bringer of a disastrous flood; and Mellybean and the Giant Monster by Mike White, first in a middle-grade graphic-novel series starring an optimistic puppy who is magically transported to another world and befriends a grumpy monster.
PENGUIN/VIKING
Viking opens the throttle for fall with Girl on a Motorcycle by Amy Novesky, illus. by Julie Morstad, profiling Anne-France Dautheville, a French journalist who became the first woman to ride a motorcycle around the world solo; The Last Kids on Earth #6 by Max Brallier, illus. by Douglas Holgate, which finds Jack and the gang trying to thwart evil monster Thrull’s plans to doom the planet forever; Haven and the Falling Giants by Kate Rhoses and Jen Xu, a middle-grade fantasy graphic novel featuring Haven, a rebellious outcast in a rigid class-divided society; Thirteens by Kate Alice Marshall, in which three 13-year-olds must break their town’s centuries-old pact with a dark secret society before they disappear from this world forever; and How It All Blew Up by Arvin Ahmadi, the story of a teen who explores his sexuality during a trip abroad in Rome, while balancing his conservative Muslim family’s expectations for who he should be.
PENGUIN/WORLD OF ERIC CARLE
World of Eric Carle grows with the following titles: Happy Halloween from the Very Busy Spider: A Lift-the-Flap Book by Eric Carle; and The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Snowy Hide & Seek: A Finger Trail Lift-the-Flap Book by Eric Carle.
PIXEL + INK
Pixel + Ink orders anchovies for Dolphin Girl 1: Trouble in Pizza Paradise by Zack Smith, kicking off a middle-grade graphic-novel series about a superhero in training in the small town of Deerturbia, Mich.; Stealing Greenwich by Brittany Geragotelis, first in the Infamous Frankie Lorde series, in which Frankie tries to do good deeds when she is sent to Greenwich, Conn., to live with her police officer uncle while her father serves time for theft; and Twig and Turtle 1: Big Move to a Tiny House and Twig and Turtle 2: Toy Store Fiasco by Jennifer Jacobson, kicking off a chapter book series about two sisters who move to a new tiny house in Colorado.
PRINCETON ARCHITECTURAL PRESS
Princeton Architectural Press buzzes into fall with What Do You Want, Little Fly? by Marianne Dubuc, about a kitten who inadvertently steps on a fly and is determined to rouse the little creature; and Thank You, Miyuki by Roxane Marie Galliez, illus. by Seng Soun Ratanavanh, in which Miyuki asks her grandfather to teach her how to mediate as they observe the garden together.
PUFFIN CANADA
Puffin Canada takes a turn toward fall with Red Fox Road by Frances Greenslade, about a 13-year-old girl who becomes stranded in the wilderness during her family’s vacation when the GPS leads them astray; and The Barren Grounds by David Robertson, following two Indigenous children who find a portal to a new world where they have to learn the traditional ways to survive.
PUFFIN TEEN CANADA
Puffin Teen Canada cuts loose, footloose with Barry Squires, Full Tilt by Heather Smith, starring Barry, who desperately wants to join the Full Tilt Dancers troupe, but whose family doesn’t think he has what it takes.
QUARTO/WIDE EYED EDITIONS
Wide Eyed Editions watches for meteors with Illumisaurus by Lucy Brownridge, illus. by Carnovsky, which allows readers to observe three separate layers of the dinosaur world—the dinosaurs, the prehistoric landscape and plants—by viewing illustrations through a three-colored lens.
RANDOM HOUSE
Random House snaps its super-elastic waistband with Attack of the Underwear Dragon by Scott Rothman, illus. by Pete Oswald, in which an aspiring knight of the Round Table must sharpen his skills before battling the dreaded and quite rude Underwear Dragon; The Smartest Kid in the Universe by Chris Grabenstein, introducing 12-year-old Jake, who easts jellybeans that are the world’s first ingestible information pills; Superpowered: Transform Anxiety into Courage, Confidence, and Resilience by Shefali Tsabary and Renee Jain, providing a toolkit of methods for recognizing anxious behaviors, identifying the causes of worried thinking, and finding strength by reclaiming one’s inner superpowers; Max Meow: Cat Crusader by John Gallagher, launching a graphic novel series featuring a cat who becomes a superhero after biting a radioactive space meatball; and American Royals II: Majesty by Katharine McGee, which finds Beatrice struggling to learn to love the man her father deemed worthy of the crown.
RANDOM HOUSE GRAPHIC
RH Graphic swims into the season with The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen, in which Tiến tries to figure out how to tell his Vietnamese-American parents that he’s gay when he’s not sure they know enough English to understand him; Donut Feed the Squirrels by Mika Song, featuring squirrels scheming to acquire some snacks from the donut truck that has arrived at their park; The Witches of Brooklyn by Sophie Escabasse, following Effie, who moves to Brooklyn to live with her great aunts and discovers that they have been keeping magical secrets from her; and Séance Tea Party by Reimena Yee, the story of Lora, who reconsiders her desire not to grow up when she meets the ghost her age who lives in her house.
RANDOM HOUSE/CROWN
Crown loads up on stamps for Dear Justyce by Nic Stone, a companion to Dear Martin, in which incarcerated African-American teen Quan writes letters to Justyce about his experiences in the American judicial system; The Talk by Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson, published in partnership with Just Us Books, a collection of essays, letters, poems, and stories illuminating the honest, sometimes difficult conversations parents of diverse children have to keep their kids safe and empowered; Max and the Midknights: Battle of the Bodkins by Lincoln Peirce, bringing new challenges and adventures for Max at knight school; How We Got to the Moon by John Rocco, offering a look at the 400,000 workers—and their innovations—that made the Apollo 11 moon landing mission a success; and Lord Help Me by Emme Muñiz, about the power of everyday prayer in a child’s life.
RANDOM HOUSE/DELACORTE
Delacorte makes mango lemonade with When Life Gives You Mangoes by Kereen Getten, the story of a girl who, after a hurricane, can’t remember anything from her previous summer; The Cousins by Karen M. McManus, featuring three cousins invited to spend the summer with their estranged grandmother at her exclusive island resort who learn that their family’s history is filled with dark secrets; Some Kind of Animal by Maria Romasco Moore, about two girls with a secret no one would believe, and the desperate lengths they go to protect each other from the outside world; Soul Lanterns by Shaw Kuzki, in which a 12-year-old girl realizes that the horrors people suffered during the bombing of Hiroshima must never happen again, and those lost must be remembered; Goodbye Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea, closing out the series of books about a group of students, now in eighth grade, and their beloved teacher.
RANDOM HOUSE/DOUBLEDAY
Doubleday fills the fall bill with A Very Quacky Christmas by Frances Watts, illus. by Ann James, in which a duck and a tortoise enlist the farm animals to make Christmas presents for animals around the world; Find Fergus by Mike Boldt, introducing a bear who wants to play hide-and-seek with readers, but can’t really get the hang of it; and The Wheels on the Bus at Christmas by Sarah Kieley, following those who board the bus at the North Pole for a rendition of the favorite song.
RANDOM HOUSE/GOLDEN
Golden Books spins the dreidel with Hanukkah: The Festival of Light by Bonnie Bader, illus. by Joanie Stone, offering a glimpse at how and why people celebrate this Jewish holiday; and Christmas ABCs: A Golden Alphabet Book by Andrea Posner-Sanchez, illus. by Eloise Wilkin, Richard Scarry, and others, featuring holiday-themed art from classic Little Golden Books.
RANDOM HOUSE/KNOPF
Knopf huffs and puffs for A Wolf for a Spell by Karah Sutton, in which a wolf forms an unlikely alliance with a witch on a perilous quest to save their forest home; The Way Back by Gavriel Savit, inspired by Jewish folklore, the tale of two young people sent on a journey through the Far Country when the Angel of Death comes strolling through their shtetl one night; Hatch: The Overthrow, Book 2 by Kenneth Oppel, following three kids who are the only ones immune to a strange toxin that spread when alien plants took root around the globe, and how they deal with a new alien threat; Imogene Comes Back! by David Small, the sequel to Imogene’s Antlers, starring a girl who mysteriously sprouts antlers overnight; and The Power of One by Trudy Ludwig, illus. by Mike Curato, about a child who kicks off an extensive chain reaction of kindness when she reaches out to a classmate who seems lonely.
RANDOM HOUSE/LAMB
Wendy Lamb Books takes cover with In a Flash by Donna Jo Napoli, which follows two Italian sisters living in Japan at the Italian embassy during WWII who become separated from their father when Italy surrenders to the allies and Italian citizens are taken prisoner.
RANDOM HOUSE/RODALE KIDS
Rodale Kids gets in the spirit with Christmas Every Day by Isabel Otter, illus. by Alicia Más, sharing the message that generosity, kindness, hope, and community are relevant year-round; and 123s of Kindness by Patricia Hegarty, illus. by Summer Macon, a concept book presenting numbers and the value of sharing gratitude.
RANDOM HOUSE/SCHWARTZ & WADE
Schwartz & Wade jumps rainbows with Margaret’s Unicorn by Briony May Smith, featuring a girl who cares for an abandoned baby unicorn; Mistletoe: A Christmas Story by Tad Hills, about a mouse named Mistletoe who makes the perfect gift for her best friend; Fern & Otto: A Story About Two Best Friends by Stephanie Graegin, introducing Fern the bear and Otto the cat, as they enter a fairytale world in hopes of finding an exciting story to write; Night Walk to the Sea: A Story About Rachel Carson by Deborah Wiles, illus. by Daniel Miyares, a tale inspired by true events, in which the naturalist introduces her young nephew to the beauty of the world at night; and Dream Street by Tricia Elam Walker, illus. by Ekua Holmes, which visits the street that the author and her illustrator cousin grew up on and their special childhood community.
RED CHAIR
Red Chair Press pirouettes into fall with Maria Tallchief: Native America’s Prima Ballerina by Jeri Cipriano, illus. by Scott R. Brooks, joining the Look! Books Beginning Biography series; Fashion Rules: A Closer Look at Clothing in the Middle Ages by Gail Skroback Hennessy, illus. by Tracy Sabin, spotlighting the rules for how a person could dress during the Middle Ages to indicate their place in society; The Rocking Dead by Dana Sullivan, the second Dead Max Comix title following 7th-grader Max as he deals with bullies, girls, and his dead-dog muse, Dead Max; The Riddle of the Sycamore Seed by Ken Bowser, one of five launch titles in the Jesse Steam series, in which Jesse and her friends use STEAM skills to solve mysteries; and Noodle Helps Gabriel Say Goodbye by Caryn Rivadeneira, illus. by Priscilla Alpaugh, the next Helper Hound book featuring an emotional support golden doodle who helps a boy cope with the loss of his grandfather.
RED CHAIR/ONE ELM
One Elm hails fall with The One Great Gnome by Jeff Dinardo, illus. by Jhon Ortiz, about an 11-year-old heroine who enters the world of trolls, elves, and gnomes and negotiates a peace after centuries of mistrust; and Silent Journey by Carl Watson, illus. by Andrew Bosley, in which a 13-year-old deaf gymnast is determined to reconcile his father and uncle when he learns of the family secret that came between them.
SCHOLASTIC
Scholastic pledges allegiance with For Which We Stand by Jeff Foster, illus. by Julie McLaughlin, an infographic handbook about how the government really works; and these various media tie-ins: Marvel Avengers Assembly #1: Orientation by Preeti Chhibber and James Lancett; RWBY: Fairy Tales of Remnant by E.C. Myers; Creepshow: The Taker by Elley Cooper; and Peppa Pig: A Magical Christmas by Cala Spinner.
SCHOLASTIC EN ESPAÑOL
Scholastic en Español says “bienvenido” to the following fall titles in Spanish: El día terrible de Rita y Rafi (Rita and Ralph’s Rotten Day) by Pete Oswald; El amigo mágico de Iris (Bo’s Magical New Friend) by Rebecca Elliott; La bruja de Karen (Baby-sitters Little Sister Graphic Novel #1: Karen’s Witch) by Katy Farina; Mañanaland (Mañanaland) by Pam Muñoz Ryan; and Hombre Perro: Por quién rueda la pelota (Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls) by Dav Pilkey.
SCHOLASTIC PAPERBACKS
Scholastic Paperbacks provides series additions with Superstore Surprise (Geronimo Stilton #76) by Geronimo Stilton; Bad Guys #12 by Aaron Blabey; My Friend Slappy (Goosebumps Slappy World #12); Icing on the Snowflake (Diary of an Ice Princess #6) by Christina Soontornvat, in which Ice Princess Lina is going to be a flower girl in the skies; and Circus Time! (Hotdog!#3) by Anh Do, following Hot Dog and his pals into the Big Top.
SCHOLASTIC FOCUS
Focus makes a fall pit stop for The Racers: How an Outcast Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Beat Hitler’s Best by Neal Bascomb, the story of how an unlikely band of ragtag racers defeated Hitler’s greatest Grand Prix driver; and Sisters of the War: Life, Loss, and Hope in Syria by Rania Abouzeid, in which journalist Abouzeid follows two pairs of sisters on opposite sides of the Syrian civil war.
SCHOLASTIC PRESS
Scholastic Press wades into fall with Flooded by Ann E. Burg, offering six different children’s stories—some inspired by first-person accounts—of the dark truth behind the Johnstown Flood of 1889; The Bridge by Bill Konigsberg, which plays out four possible scenarios of what could happen when two teens go to the same bridge at the same time to jump from it and end their lives; Flying Over Water by N.H. Senzai and Shannon Hitchcock, featuring two girls in Florida during the 2017 Muslim ban—one a Muslim fleeing civil war, the other an American—who show their community how to rise above differences through compassion and friendship; Three Keys by Kelly Yang, the follow-up to Front Desk, which finds a new immigration law threatening everything Mia Tang loves; Poisoned by Jennifer Donnelly, a YA fantasy reimagining of “Snow White”; Addy’s Cup of Sugar: A Stillwater Story Based on an Ancient Buddhist Tale by Jon J Muth, the story of how Addy seeks Stillwater’s advice when her beloved kitten is hit by a car; and Eleanor Makes Her Mark by Barbara Kerley, illus. by Edwin Fotheringham, spotlighting Eleanor Roosevelt’s White House years and role of First Lady.
SCHOLASTIC/ACORN
Acorn waves its wand for the following illustrated early readers: A Magic Spark (Fairylight Friends #1) by Jessica Young, illustrated by Marie Vanderbemden; The Great Bunk Bed Battle (Fox Tails #1) by Tina Kügler; Let’s Bee Thankful (Bumble and Bee #3) by Ross Burach; Poppleton at Christmas (Poppleton #5) by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Mark Teague; and Cheer Up (Unicorn and Yeti #4) by Heather Ayris Burnell, illustrated by Hazel Quintanilla.
SCHOLASTIC/BRANCHES
Branches starts its engine for the following early chapter books: Built for Speed (Layla and the Bots #2) by Vicky Fang, illus. by Christine Nishiyama; Sprite’s Secret by Tracey West, illus. by Xavier Bonet; Jurassic Peck (Kung Pow Chicken #5) by Cyndi Marko; The Goblin Princess (Unicorn Diaries #4) by Rebecca Elliott; and Fortress of the Stone Dragon (Dragon Masters #17) by Tracey West, illustrated by Daniel Griffo.
SCHOLASTIC/BLUE SKY
Blue Sky writes a thank-you note for How Do Dinosaurs Show Good Manners? by Jane Yolen, illus. by Mark Teague, starring young dinosaurs testing their best etiquette.
SCHOLASTIC/CARTWHEEL
Cartwheel opens its heart with I Love You to the Moon and Back by Sandra Magsamen, reminding little ones how much they are cherished; Little Happy Dreamer by Peter H. Reynolds, empowering young readers to dream big; My Tickle Toes, illus. by Carolina Buzio, a multi-sensory Together Time book; and Fly Guy and Fly Girl in Night Fright by Tedd Arnold, launching a new series in which Fly Guy and Fly Girl take a trip to the zoo.
SCHOLASTIC/CHICKEN HOUSE
Chicken House curls up in the den for White Fox by Chian Jiatong, the tale of a white fox searching for a moonstone that has the power to make animals human.
SCHOLASTIC/GRAPHIX
Graphix digs in its heels for 7 Good Reasons Not to Grow Up by Jimmy Gownley, in which a romantic mix-up threatens to jeopardize the wonder-boy image Kirby has worked hard to create for himself; Bunbun & Bonbon by Jess Keating, spotlighting the friendship between a lonely bunny and a fancy candy; Squizzard (Squidding Around #1) by Kevin Sherry, introducing a bossy squid with a big personality; The Invasion (Animorphs #1) by K.A. Applegate, illus. by Chris Gine, kicking off the graphic novel adaptations of the popular sci-fi series; and Twins by Varian Johnson, illus. by Shannon Wright, exploring the bonds of twins who are also best friends.
SCHOLASTIC/ORCHARD
Orchard studies the blueprints for Building Zaha: The Story of Architect Zaha Hadid by Victoria Tentler-Krylov, showcasing the distinct techniques and designs of the late Iraqi-British architect; Everything Awesome About Sharks and Other Underwater Creatures by Mike Lowery, an informative and humorous guide for the shark-obsessed; All Because You Matter by Tami Charles, illus. by Brian Collier, offering a love letter to black and brown children everywhere, reminding them of how much they matter; Love from Giraffes Don’t Dance by Giles Andreae, illus. by Guy Parker-Rees, celebrating love, music, and believing in yourself; and No Fuzzball! by Isabella Kung, featuring the antics of feline Fuzzball, who is clearly queen of the house, always keeping the attention of her subjects.
SCHOLASTIC/POINT
Point choreographs a fall list with K-Pop Confidential by Stephan Lee, in which a Korean-American girl wins a chance to move to Seoul and become a K-Pop idol, but discovers that the strict rules of the training are tougher than she expected.
SIMON & SCHUSTER
Simon & Schuster presents The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed, featuring a wealthy black teenager whose family gets caught in the vortex of the Rodney King Riots in 1992 Los Angeles; All This Time by Mikki Daughtry and Rachael Lippincott, reteaming the authors behind Five Feet Apart for a tale introducing a boy who wakes up from a coma after a traumatic accident and faces the question whether you can find true love when everything around you is a lie; Kenny & the Book of Beasts by Tony DiTerlizzi, the follow-up to Kenny & the Dragon; and Unicorns Are the Worst! by Alex Willan, the story of a grumpy goblin’s life with his new next-door neighbors—unicorns.
S&S/ALADDIN
Aladdin hits high notes with Sky Song by Abi Elphinstone, about a cursed girl and a young inventor searching for an ancient song with the power to fell a wicked queen; Clouds by Angie Simpson and Ali Simpson, illus. by Lucy Fleming, in which a mother remembers treasured times with her daughter; The Escape by Kate O’Hearn, in which two kids find themselves trapped in the heart of the Bermuda Triangle; Whispering Pines by Heidi Lang and Kati Bartkowski, kicking off a series following two tweens who band together to save their home when otherworldly forces descend on their town of Whispering Pines; and My Life in the Fish Tank by Barbara Dee, the story of Zinny, whose life is turned upside down after her brother’s bipolar diagnosis.
S&S/ATHENEUM
Atheneum pulls on its long johns for Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North by Dan Bar-el, illus. by Kelly Pousette, featuring new adventures for Duane the polar bear and his friends; A Sled for Gabo by Emma Otheguy, illus. by Ana Ramírez González, in which a loving community helps a boy who is new in town discover the joys of his first snowy day; Kamala Harris by Nikki Grimes, illus. by Laura Freeman, a peek into the childhood and life of California senator and former presidential candidate; and Tune It Out by Jamie Sumner, about a girl who has the voice of angel but is terrified of singing in front of a crowd.
S&S/ATHENEUM/DLOUHY
Caitlin Dlouhy Books goes big with Saucy by Cynthia Kadohata, about a girl and her ever-growing pig named Saucy; Click, Clack Good Night by Doreen Cronin, illus. by Betsy Lewin, in which all the farm’s animals are fast asleep, except for Duck; Long Way Down Graphic Novel by Jason Reynolds, illus. by Danica Novgorodoff, an adaptation of this bestselling YA title; Your Corner Dark by debut author Desmond Hall, featuring an 18-year-old who must join his uncle’s drug gang to save his father; and The Three Billy Goats Gruff—The Full Story by Richard Jackson, illus. by Katherine Tillotson, offering a spin on the classic tale that reveals how the brothers Gruff became famous.
S&S/BEACH LANE
Beach Lane makes a flap with The Chicken Who Couldn’t by Jan Thomas, about a chicken who attempts to make it home after falling out of the farmer’s truck; The Farmer and the Monkey by Marla Frazee, the follow-up to The Farmer and the Clown, in which the farmer receives an unexpected guest; Cat Dog by Mem Fox, illus. by Mark Teague, rcounting the hijinks of a cat, a dog, and a mouse; We Disagree by Bethanie Deeney Murguia, featuring a mouse and a squirrel who can’t see eye-to-eye on anything; and Round by Jennifer Ward, illus. by Lisa Congdon, exploring the idea that “nature all around is round.”
S&S/MCELDERRY
Margaret McElderry Books plans a fall menu with Double the Danger and No Zucchini by Betsy Uhrig, in which a self-proclaimed reluctant reader helps his aunt turn her boring children’s book into an exciting one; The Lost Book of the White by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu, second in the Eldest Curses trilogy set in the Shadowhunters world; Lies Like Poison by Chelsea Pitcher, about a girl charged with a murder she conspired to commit—but didn’t—who tries to uncover the truth and clear her name; Recommended for You by Laura Silverman, the story of self-proclaimed non-reader Jake and fellow bookstore employee Shoshanna facing off in a battle for the holiday top bookseller bonus; and Magic Dark and Strange by Kelly Powell, focused on a girl with the ability to raise the dead who must solve the mystery behind a magical timepiece to stop a series of murders.
S&S/MILLNER
Denene Millner Books mixes a fall palette for If Dominican Were a Color by Sili Recio, illus. by Brianna McCarthy, showcasing the colors of Hispaniola and the joy of being Dominican; and Me and Mama by Cozbi Cabrera, a celebration of a mother-daughter relationship.
S&S/SIMON PULSE
Simon Pulse turns the spotlight on Shine by Jessica Jung, the debut novel from a real-life K-pop legend, featuring a Korean-American teen who is thrust into the competitive technicolor world of K-pop; Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland, a genre-bending novel about a Mexican-American teen who discovers profound connections between immigration, folklore, and alien life; Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith, the tale of a young woman who is recruited to an all-female academy for witches and caught in a decades-long struggle for the magical control of Manhattan against a male order of wizards; Legendborn by Tracy Deonn, which sets the legend of King Arthur in a modern-day private school secret society; and These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong, presenting a debut novel that reimagines Romeo and Juliet in 1920s Shanghai.
S&S/WISEMAN
Paula Wiseman Books wins a face-off with Breaking the Ice: The True Story of the First Woman to Play in the National Hockey League by Angie Bullaro, illus. by C.F. Payne, showcasing the achievements of Manon Rhéaume, the first and only woman to play in the NHL; Marjory Saves the Everglades by Sandra Neil Wallace, illus. by Rebecca Gibbon, the little-known story of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, who saved the Florida Everglades from development and ruin; Max & Ruby and the Babysitting Squad by Rosemary Wells, in which Louise and Ruby open their new business; and Blackboard Panda by Amy June Bates, celebrating how individuals see and experience the world differently.
SOURCEBOOKS
Sourcebooks pricks up its ears for Scritch Scratch by Lindsay Currie, in which Claire is haunted by a boy who appeared on her father’s ghost-themed Chicago tour bus; Wishes and Wellingtons by Julie Berry, about a girl who discovers a foul-tempered djinni in a sardine tin at her London boarding school; The Nightmare Thief by Nicole Lesperance, following 12-year-old Maren who works in her family’s dream shop where dreams cannot be given to a person without their consent; and The Last Lie by Patricia Forde, concluding the story begun in The List, featuring the Wordsmith, who has wicked plans to eliminate language once and for all.
SOURCEBOOKS EXPLORE
Sourcebooks Explore stretches into the season with Your Fantastic Elastic Brain at Night by JoAnn Deak and Terrence Deak, exploring all the things your brain does while you sleep; No Reading Allowed: The WORST Read-Aloud Book Ever by Raj Haldar and Chris Carpenter, illus. by Bryce Gladfelter, tackling homophones, homonyms, and tricky punctuation; Me and White Supremacy: Young Readers’ Edition by Layla F. Saad, offering a 28-day challenge that teaches readers how to dismantle the privilege and prejudice within themselves; and My First Cookbook by Danielle Kartes, introducing simple recipes and instructions.
SOURCEBOOKS FIRE
Sourcebooks Fire rocks some rhinestones for Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala, in which Raffy and his ex-boyfriend navigate their feelings as they team up for a cosplay competition; Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards, following Mira as she hitches a ride to her hometown with a group of friendly college kids after their flight is canceled and learns that the kids don’t know each other and one is plotting to harm them; Lightbringer by Claire Legrand, closing out the Empirium trilogy that began with Furyborn, which finds Reille and Eliana racing to their prophesied destinies; Even If We Break by Marieke Nijkamp, about a weekend getaway that takes a deadly turn for a group of friends who all harbor their own secrets; and We Were Restless Things by Cole Nagamatsu, in which Noemi receives texts from her friend who mysteriously drowned in the woods the previous summer telling her he was killed.
SOURCEBOOKS JABBERWOCKY
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky sticks to it with Ten on a Twig by Lo Cole, featuring 10 birds in a counting bedtime story; Where Arrr My Books?: Pirate Nell’s Tale to Tell: A Storybook Adventure by Helen Docherty, illus. by Thomas Docherty; and Off to See the Sea, a picture book by Nikki Grimes, illus. by Elizabeth Zunon, in which a mother creates a magical adventure for her child to make bathtime more fun.
SOURCEBOOKS WONDERLAND
Sourcebooks Wonderland greets readers with Hello You! by Sandra Magsamen, which helps readers understand the importance of connection, and how to get started by saying hello.
TIMBUKTU LABS
Timbuktu Labs welcomes the season with Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Immigrant Women Who Changed the World by Elena Favilli, recognizing the courage and achievements of extraordinary immigrant women from the past and present.
TUNDRA
Tundra says “hold my tiara” for Princesses vs. Dinosaurs by Linda Bailey, illus. by Joy Ang, a showdown to determine the real stars of this picture book; Happy Narwhalidays by Ben Clanton, in which Narwhal and Jelly celebrate the holidays with gifts and a visit from the Merry Mermicorn; The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt by Riel Nason, illus. by Byron Eggenschwiler, featuring a ghost made of a heavy quilt, different from his friends who are lightweight sheets; The Barnabus Project by the Fan Brothers and Devin Fan, the tale of Barnabus, a failed experiment who breaks out of the lab where he was created and puts himself in danger; and Ten Little Dumplings by Larissa Fan, about a family in Taiwan with 10 boisterous sons and one daughter who must make her own way in the world after being lost in the shuffle.
TYNDALE
Tyndale walks in the light with Redemption by Kingstone Media Group, a graphic novel Bible featuring artwork by DC and Marvel comic book artists; The Defiance by Laura Gallier, wrapping up the Delusion trilogy about Owen and Ray Anne’s efforts to persuade the residents of their Texas town to turn to God; and Pudge and Prejudice by A.K. Pittman, retelling Pride and Prejudice in 1984 Texas and starring a plus-sized girl who defies stereotypes perpetuated by the students at her high school.
WORKMAN
Workman tries to form a more perfect fall with The U.S. Constitution for Kids: Decoded, Annotated, and Explained Word by Word by Katie Kennedy, illus. by Ken Kirchner, contribution by Kermit Roosevelt, offering young readers a thorough guide to this document; Everything You Need to Ace Chemistry in One Big Fat Notebook by Jennifer Swanson and Everything You Need to Ace Geometry in One Big Fat Notebook by Christy Needham, marking the kids’ series’ expansion into high school subjects; AWKWARD! Your Life in Embarrassing Comics by Charise Mericle Harper, taking a humorous approach to helping kids cope with universally embarrassing situations; and The ABCs of Black History by Rio Cortez, illus. by Lauren Semmer, an alphabet book spotlighting key names, moments, and places in black history.
ALBERT WHITMAN
Albert Whitman goes door knocking with A Vote Is a Powerful Thing by Catherine Stier, illus. by Courtney Dawson, providing a look at the election process and how and why people have fought for the right to vote throughout history; It’s a Pumpkin! by Wendy McClure, illus. by Kate Kronreif, following a group of forest animals who come together after finding a mysterious orange thing in the woods; Song in a Rainstorm: The Story of Musical Prodigy Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins by Glenda Armand, illus. by Brittany Jackson, chronicling the story of a long-overlooked African-American piano prodigy during the 19th century; Way Past Worried by Hallee Adelman, illus. by Sandra de la Prada, in which a boy who is nervous about his friend’s birthday party helps someone else with their own worry; and Jayla Jumps In by Joy Jones, spotlighting one girl’s quest to shine at double Dutch, get her mom healthy, and find her place in her big quirky family.
ALBERT WHITMAN TEEN
AW Teen lends an ear to I Hope You’re Listening by Tom Ryan, which finds Dee using her popular true crime podcast and the help of a new friend to determine whether the case of a girl who’s gone missing has any connection to the abduction of Dee’s best friend 10 years ago.
ZONDERKIDZ
Zonderkidz goes underground for Pugtato Finds a Thing by Sophie Corrigan, in which Pugtato’s “spuddies” help him identify the strange thing he’s dug up in his garden; Tiny Truths Wonder & Wisdom by Joanna Rivard and Tim Penner, presenting little lessons on being thankful, making good choices, and asking great questions; and Arcade and the Dazzling Truth Detector by Rashad Jennings, the newest time-traveling, globe-trotting adventure for Arcade and his friends.
