ABRAMS
Abrams stands tall with Be a Tree! by Maria Gianferrari, illus. by Felicita Sala, exploring all the way that trees and humans resemble each other; Little Things: A Story About Acts of Kindness by Christian Trimmer, illus. by Kaylani Juanita, featuring a chain reaction of good deeds; The Tossy-Turny Princess and the Pesky Pea by Susan Verde, illus. by Jay Fleck, which offers readers some calming tools for drifting off to sleep; The Boy and the Sea by Camille Andros, illus. by Amy June Bates, in which a boy brings all his important questions to the sea while on the shore beside his home; and Blue Floats Away by Travis Jonker, illus. by Grant Snider, about a young iceberg who floats away from his parents and strikes out on his own.
ABRAMS/AMULET
Amulet tests its wings with The Chance to Fly by Ali Stroker and Stacy Davidowitz, in which a Broadway fan and wannabe actress who uses a wheelchair gets an opportunity to audition for a community theater role; Athena: Tales of Great Goddesses by Imogen Greenberg, illus. by Isabel Greenberg, introducing the life and adventures of the goddess of wisdom; Tales of Atlantis: The Accidental Invasion by Gregory Mone, a sci-fi tale focused on science concepts and the legend of this undersea city; Between Perfect and Real by Ray Stoeve, about a high school student who is becoming more confident about identifying as a trans man; and Jelly by Clare Rees, in which Martha and her friends have been drifting on a giant killer jellyfish, and none of them are sure what traumatic event landed them there.
ABRAMS/APPLESEED
Appleseed brightens up the season with Colors! by Matthew Reinhart, a concept pop-up book; Comparrotives by Janik Coat, in which a humorous parrot introduces comparative adjectives; One Springy, Singy Day! by Renée Kurilla, following a cast of children as they play throughout their day; and You Are Fantastic (A Hello!Lucky Book) by Sabrina Moyle, illus. by Eunice Moyle, offering a celebration of individuality.
ABRAMS/MAGIC CAT
Magic Cat is ready for anything with The Adventurous Guide to Earth’s Forbidden Places by Patrick Makin, illus. by Whooli Chen, which whisks readers via magic carpet to 19 real-life, off-limits locales around the globe; How to Talk to a Tiger by Jason Bittell, illus. by Kelsey Buzzell, exploring the various ways animals communicate; If You Go Down to the Woods Today by Rachel Piercey, illus. by Freya Hartas, featuring poems that track the wonder of nature in a woodland throughout the year; and Little Wordsmith: 365 Smart Words by Meredith Rowe, illus. by Monika Forsberg, focused on a word a day in 52 scenes that depict the four seasons.
AKASHIC
Akashic Books carries a tune with three additions to the LyricPop line of books, which adapts song lyrics in picture-book format: Where Is My Mind? by Black Francis, illus. by Alex Eben Meyer, about a child searching for its mind after a skateboarding accident; (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding and Steve Cropper, illus. by Kaitlyn Shea O’Connor, showcasing a hungry cat trying to obtain a fish dinner; and Humble and Kind by Lori McKenna, illus. by Katherine Blackmore, in which children and families join together in various activities.
AKASHIC/BLACK SHEEP
Black Sheep looks to the future with How Did Humans Go Extinct? by Johnny Marciano, illus. by Paul Hoppe, which finds Plib discovering upsetting theories about why his favorite species—humans—went extinct 10 million years ago.
ALGONQUIN
Algonquin is takin’ it to the streets with Kids on the March by Michael G. Long, telling the story of children and teens throughout the 20th and 21st centuries who have rallied to fight for liberty, justice, and equality; How Do You Live? by Genzaburo Yoshino, trans. by Bruno Navasky, with a foreword by Neil Gaiman, the first English translation of a 1937 coming-of-age tale now being developed as a film by Hayao Miyazaki; Enduring Freedom by Trent Reedy and Jaward Arash, featuring the dual narratives of a teenaged American Army private and an Afghan boy living under the horrors of the Taliban leading up to and following the tragic events of 9/11; Up All Night: 13 Stories Between Sunset and Sunrise, ed. by Laura Silverman, a collection of tales from YA authors focusing on this magical time frame; and How to Become a Planet by Nicole Melleby, introducing an 11-year-old girl named Pluto, recently diagnosed with depression and anxiety, who finds support in the forms of a new friend, a new tutor, and the voice of the Hayden Planetarium Astronomy Question and Answer Hotline.
APA/MAGINATION PRESS
Magination Press rolls out the welcome mat with Home for a While by Lauren Kerstein, illus. by Natalia Moore, in which Calvin is treated with respect and kindness when he moves into a foster home; Pockets Full of Rocks: Daddy Talks About Depression by Yair Engelberg, illus. by MacKenzie Haley, featuring a father offering direct answers to his daughter’s questions in an effort to explain what he is going through; That Missing Feeling by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, illus. by Forza Morena, which finds Mia’s grandfather helping her balance the missing feeling she has when she’s not with her mother or father, who are divorced; Baby Blue by Judi Abbott, the story of how Baby Blue realizes the world is full of new things to discover when he meets Baby Yellow; and The Friendship Book by Wendy Moss, a guide to help kids discern what they want out of their friendships, how to be good friends, and more.
ANDERSEN PRESS USA
Andersen calls up spring with Old MacDonald Had a Phone by Jeanne Willis, illus. by Tony Ross, a cautionary tale about the proliferation of mobile phones on the farm; Elmer and the Lost Treasure by David McKee, which finds Elmer the patchwork elephant and his friends on a quest to locate the Lost Treasure of the Jungle; A Fox Called Herbert by Margaret Sturton, featuring Herbert the rabbit who knows he was born to be a fox; and Two Can Play by Sturton, in which Puss doesn’t want to help Cat with the gardening, but would still like to share in the delicious food from Cat’s harvest.
ARBORDALE
Arbordale swoops into the season with I Am Hatzegopteryx by Timothy J. Bradley, offering an in-depth look at this pterosaur, or flying prehistoric reptile; and Natural or Not? A Compare and Contrast Book, which explores natural resources, where they come from, and how humans manipulate these resources to create useful things.
BAREFOOT BOOKS
Barefoot goes with the flow with Yoga Tots: Calm Bunny and Yoga Tots: Strong Puppy by Tessa Strickland, illus. by Esteli Meza, featuring a sequence of yoga poses designed to help a toddler feel confident and strong; and I Like the Snow and I Like the Wind by Sarah Nelson, illus. by Rachel Oldfield, books that explore the multi-sensory experience of these elements.
BEAMING BOOKS
Beaming Books grabs a pen for Mightier Than the Sword by Rochelle Melander, illus. by Melina Ontiveros, pairing the stories of people whose writing transformed history with writing exercises designed to help young people change their world; Still Stace by Stacey Chomiak, an illustrated coming-of-age memoir following Chomiak’s journey to embracing her queer Christian identity; A Kid’s Guide to Saving the Planet by Paul Douglas, illus. by Brianna Gooch, in which a noted meteorologist presents the daunting problems of climate change and offers solutions; Bear’s Bicycle by Laura Renauld, illus. by Jennie Poh, follows woodland friends as they prepare for Summer Scoot, a festival on wheels; and Poet Pilgrim Rebel by Kate Munday Williams, illus. by Tania Rex, profiling Anne Bradstreet, a devout Puritan writer who became America’s first published poet.
BLOOMSBURY
Bloomsbury howls at the moon for Wolfboy by Andy Harkness, about how feeling hangry can turn a sweet kid into a snarling, growling Wolfboy; Love Is a Revolution by Renée Watson, which finds 16-year-old Nala drawn to Tye, who leads a group of “super woke” activist teens; Boy from Buchenwald by Robbie Waisman and Susan McClelland, the memoir of a Holocaust survivor and his experience with 472 other boys at a rehabilitation center that gave them the opportunity to learn how to live again; Jump In! by Shadra Strickland, celebrating community as various people in the neighborhood join in a game of Double Dutch on a spring day; and Player vs. Player by Alexis Need, the story of Emilia’s carefully balanced double life as a popular field hockey star by day and the only female member of a highly competitive eSports team by night.
BOYDS MILLS & KANE/BOYDS MILLS PRESS
Boyds Mills Press sprouts a spring list with Grow by JoAnn Early Macken, illus. by Stephanie Fizer Colman, celebrating how young animals and people grow into unique individuals; Little Scoot by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, illus. by Edson Ikê, in which a tiny tugboat overcomes her fears of a turbulent storm to save a stranded barge; Sometimes It’s Bright by Annie Ruygt, about a girl discovering the joy of creativity during a walk through the city; The Secret Life of the Sloth by Laurence Pringle, illus. by Kate Garchinsky, following a year in the life of a sloth; and Reckless: A Rewind Novel by Carolyn O’Doherty, the final volume in the Rewind trilogy.
BOYDS MILLS & KANE/CALKINS CREEK
Calkins Creek is on the case with The Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Saved the Trees by Heather Lang, illus. by Jana Christy, chronicling Lowman’s efforts to preserve the rainforest treetops ecosystem; Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls Answer the Call: The Heroic Story of WWI Telephone Operators by Claudia Friddell, illus. by Elizabeth Baddeley, introducing the crew of 32 telephone operators who became the first female combatants of World War I; Lincoln Clears a Path: Abraham Lincoln’s Agricultural Legacy by Peggy Thomas, illus. by Stacy Innerst, spotlighting the positive change driven by Lincoln’s passion for agricultural and his country; The View from Pagoda Hill by Michaela MacColl, the story of a Chinese American girl who struggles to fit into her new world when she must leave Shanghai and move to America with her father in the late 1800s; and Race Against Time: The Untold Story of Scipio Jones and the Battle to Save Twelve Innocent Men by Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace, detailing how a self-taught attorney who was born enslaved leads a series of court cases to save 12 black men unjustly sentenced to death.
CANDLEWICK
Candlewick looks up for The Rock from the Sky by Jon Klassen, in which Armadillo has a bad feeling when his friend Turtle asks him to come over and stand in Turtle’s favorite spot; The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person by Frederick Joseph, providing a collection of readings designed to help young people discuss issues of race and privilege; Amber and Clay by Laura Amy Schlitz, focusing on a curse that binds two children—one as precious as amber, the other as common as clay—in the world of ancient Greece; Merci Suárez Can’t Dance by Meg Medina, the sequel to her Newbery-winning Merci Suárez Changes Gears, which finds Merci trying to find her rhythm while dealing with family, friendship, and love in her seventh grade year; and Welcome Back, Maple Mehta-Cohen by Kate McGovern, following Maple who worries that everyone will find out she struggles with reading when she must repeat fifth grade.
CANDLEWICK ENTERTAINMENT
Candlewick Entertainment sets up a stand at the seashore for Sophie’s Seashell Scramble, illus. by Lucia Gaggiotti, a lift-the-flap pattern matching book starring Sophie the otter; and media tie-ins Peppa Pig and the Earth Day Adventure; and Gigantosaurus: Where’s Giganto? and Gigantosaurus: Five-Minute Stories.
CANDLEWICK STUDIO
Candlewick Studio grabs a sketch pad for Drawn Across Borders by Georgia Butler, a look at drawings made on front lines, in refugee camps, and on the move, and the stories they depict; Masters of Disguise: Camouflaging Creatures and Magnificent Mimics by Marc Martin, featuring 12 elusive creatures in a seek-and-find format; and A World of Plants by Martin Jenkins, illus. by James Brown, an exploration of plants that spans more than 25 different topics.
CANDLEWICK/BIG PICTURE PRESS
Big Picture figures on a fine season with Molly’s Mathematical Adventure by Eugenia Cheng, illus. by Aleksandra Artymowska, an interactive mystery in a world where nothing is quite as it seems; Creature Features: Oceans, illus. by Natasha Durley, celebrating the diversity of sea creatures; Reptiles Everywhere by Camilla De La Bedoyere, illus. by Britta Teckentrup, taking a look at some of the many habitats where reptiles live; Fungarium: Welcome to the Museum by Ester Gaya, illus. by Katie Scott, defining what fungi are and how vital they are to the world’s ecosystem; and Colossus by Colin Hynson, illus. by Giulia Lombardo, revealing some of the greatest feats of engineering history.
CANDLEWICK/NOSY CROW
Nosy Crow looks beyond sugar and spice with What Are Little Girls Made Of? by Jeanne Willis, illus. by Isabelle Follath, featuring nursery rhymes retold with a feminine twist; Look What I Found in the Woods! by Moira Butterfield, illus. by Jesús Verona, a guide to the plants and creatures of the forest; Bad Cat! by Nicola O’Byrne, in which destructive kitty Fluffykins must learn to apologize for his bad manners; Charlie Chooses by Lou Peacock, illus. by Nicola Slater, which finds Charlie faced with deciding on the perfect birthday gift; and Wanda’s Words Got Stuck by Lucy Rowland, following a shy witch who must find her voice in order to save her classmates during a magic contest at school.
CANDLEWICK/TEMPLAR
Templar blows into spring with Wild Is the Wind by Grahame Baker-Smith, chronicling the path of the wind across the world, as witnessed by a migrating swift; Raj and the Best Vacation Ever by Sebastien Braun, focusing on a father-son camping trip; My Nana’s Garden by Dawn Casey, which finds a girl grieving the loss of her grandmother, who kept a wondrous garden; Free by Sam Usher, in which a boy and his grandfather return a bird they have rehabilitated to its home; and The Boy Who Knew Nothing by James Thorp, illus. by Angus Mackinnon, about a boy determined to find out the name for the strange pink creatures he finds in the dress-up box.
CANDLEWICK/WALKER BOOKS US
Walker Books US welcomes Oddity by Eli Brown, illus. by Karin Rytter, following the daughter of a murdered physician who vows to protect the magic Oddity he left behind in an alternate 19th century where the U.S. is at war with France; All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O’Donoghue, which finds Maeve the talk of the school for her astute tarot readings, until a classmate draws an unfamiliar card and then disappears; Leonard (My Life as a Cat) by Carlie Sorosiak, following an alien in the form of a stray cat who must choose whether to return to his planet or remain with his new human friend; and The Secret Starling by Judith Eagle, illus. by Josephine Rioux, a Gothic mystery set in the 1970s following an orphan who makes discoveries about her family in the dilapidated mansion where her cruel guardian has abandoned her.
CAMERON KIDS
Cameron Kids puts down roots with Little Sap by Jan Hughes, illus. by Ruth Hengeveld, the story of a young tree that can’t wait to grow tall and strong; And I Paint It by Beth Kephart, illus. by Amy June Bates, in which N.C. Wyeth’s daughter Henriette walks with her father and paints the world as she sees it; The Poet of Piney Woods by Bob Raczka, illus. by The Brace Union, following a misunderstood wolf who writes poems about his forest home and friends; Love Tails by Rob Sayegh, introducing a variety of dog breeds and dog tails; and They Call Me River by Maciek Albrecht, about a river and the life cycle of water from raindrop to ocean.
CAPSTONE
Capstone raises the rainbow flag for People of Pride by Chase Clemesha, presenting 25 brief biographies of LGBTQ Americans including Ellen DeGeneres and George Takei; Greatest Superpower by Alex Sanchez, in which 13-year-old Jorge and his family face lots of change when their father comes out as transgender; Hello, Mandarin Duck by Bao Phi, illus. by Dion MBD, about a neighborhood’s efforts to guide a seemingly lost duck to the pond; First Day of Unicorn School by Jess Hernandez, illus. by Mariano Epelbaum, which finds Milly excited to attend a school for unicorns though she is a donkey wearing a party hat; and Gifts of the Magpie by Sam Hundley, featuring a big-hearted bird whose confusion over homonyms can sometimes complicate her efforts to help her friends.
CHARLESBRIDGE
Charlesbridge hits the hay with Summertime Sleepers: Animals That Estivate by Melissa Stewart, illus. by Sarah S. Brannen, discussing animals that take a prolonged sleep during hot or dry periods; We Are Still Here! by Traci Sorell, illus. by Frané Lessac, in which 12 contemporary Native American kids present laws, policies, struggles, and victories in Native history; Flip! How the Frisbee Took Flight by Margaret Muirhead, illus. by Adam Gustavson, exploring the many ways people have been flipping flying discs for centuries; We Laugh Alike/Nos reimos igual by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, illus. by Alyssa Bermudez, the story of two groups of children at the playground—one that speaks only Spanish; one that speaks only English—who discover that laughing and playing is universal; and Baby Loves Political Science: Presidency! by Ruth Spiro, illus. by Greg Paprocki, an introduction to the executive branch of the U.S. government.
CHARLESBRIDGE TEEN
Charlesbridge Teen dreams of freedom with Beyond the Blue Border by Dorit Linke, trans. by Elisabeth Lauffer, telling the story of two teens in 1989 so desperate to leave oppressive East Germany that they attempt their only, very treacherous, escape route—swimming across the Baltic Sea.
CHRONICLE
Chronicle pricks up its ears for It’s So Quiet by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illus. by Tony Fucile, about one little mouse’s struggles to get to sleep amidst a symphony of nighttime sounds; Ivy and Bean 12: Get to Work! by Annie Barrows, illus. by Sophie Blackall, following Ivy and Bean on an exhilarating treasure hunt that is part of Career Day at their school; Have You Ever Seen a Flower? by Shawn Harris, inviting readers to look at a flower and imagine the possibilities it holds; Poop Song by Eric Litwin, illus. by Claudia Boldt, a silly song that adds an encouraging animal-centric twist to the subject of toilet training; and The Rule of Threes by Marcy Campbell, which finds sixth-grader Maggie’s world disrupted when her father brings home a half-brother she never knew she had.
CHRONICLE/TWIRL
Twirl selects a perfect outfit for Miki Gets Dressed by Stephanie Babin, illus. by Julie Mercier, a novelty outing featuring pull tabs and a pop-up; Rain Forest Animals by Sandra Laboucarie, illus. by Emilie Lapeyre, offering an interactive peek at the creatures living in this habitat; The Pop-Up Guide to Space by Sophie Dussaussois, illus. by Charline Picard, launching the Pop-Up Guide nonfiction series; Dinosaurs and the Prehistoric World by Pascale Hedelin, first in the Do You Know? series, and Whose Baby Is This? by Stephanie Babin, illus. by Camille Tisserand, challenging readers to match up parent and baby animals.
CICADA
Cicada plays tour guide with Atlas of Amazing Architecture by Peter Allen, visiting more than 50 lesser known buildings around the world that are architecturally noteworthy; The Pocket Chaotic by Ziggy Hanaor, illus. by Daniel Gray-Barnett, the tale of a young kangaroo whose mom is very messy; and Tell Tail by C.K. Smouha, illus. by Kate Brosnan, featuring a pup with an unruly tail that signals to everyone how he’s feeling.
CINCO PUNTOS
Cinco Puntos makes a wish with Falling Stars by Shirley Reva Vernick, the story set during World War II of a girl in rural Oregon and a girl in southern Japan whose lives are connected by a tragic incident that led to the only war casualties in the continental U.S.
DC
DC puts its lips together and blows with Whistle by E. Lockhart, illus. by Manuel Preitano, in which Willow gains superpowers and struggles with whether she should use them to expose corruption; Nubia: Real One by L.L. McKinney, illus. by Robyn Smith, following 17-year-old Nubia, who doesn’t know she is Wonder Woman’s twin sister; Zatanna: The Jewel of Gravesend by Alys Arden, illus. by Jacquelin de Leon, the tale of a girl in Brooklyn who gets caught in the middle of a feud between two magicians; Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Mass, adapted by Louise Simonson, illus. by Samantha Dodge, featuring Selina Kyle/Catwoman as she takes Gotham by storm forming alliances with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn; and Dear Super-Villains by Michael Northrop, illus. by Gustavo Duarte, about curious kids who write to members of the Legion of Doom asking them about life on the dark side.
DISNEY PRESS
Disney Press is black and white and read all over with a Disney Live Action Cruella original YA novel by Maureen Johnson, timed to the release of Walt Disney Picture’s forthcoming film Cruella, featuring a teenaged fashionista Cruella de Vil during the late 1960s punk-rock movement in London.
DISNEY/DISNEY HYPERION
Disney Hyperion is at the ready with I’m On It! by Andrea Tsurumi, presenting a humorous early reader about the ups and downs of friendship; I Have a Girl Dad by Elle Duncan, a picture book celebrating the father-daughter bond, inspired by ESPN sports anchor Duncan’s viral story about Kobe Bryant; Go the Distance by Jen Calonita, the 11th Twisted Tale volume, in which Meg must complete a dangerous quest in order to earn a spot on Mount Olympus; The Bruce Swap by Ryan T. Higgins, featuring a visit from Bruce the bear’s fun cousin Kevin; and Curse of the Specter Queen by Jenny Elder Moke, introducing a female-driven mystery adventure set in the 1920s and filled with ciphers and ancient relics.
DISNEY/MARVEL
Marvel packs travel snacks for Groot’s Summer Adventure! by Brendan Deneen, illus. by Cale Atkinson, following the Guardians of the Galaxy on a road trip encompassing fun summer activities.
DISNEY/RICK RIORDAN PRESENTS
Rick Riordan Presents looks to the night sky for The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim, spotlighting an adopted Korean American girl who discovers her heritage and her magic on a perilous journey to save her witch clan family; and Aru Shah and the City of Gold by Roshani Chokshi, the fourth tale in the Hindu-based Pandava fantasy-adventure series.
ENCHANTED LION
Enchanted Lion hops into spring with Sato the Rabbit by Yuki Ainoya, trans. by Michael Blaskowsky, spotlighting Sato, a rabbit who discovers the magic hidden in the most ordinary of situations; One Day by Lee Jeok, trans. by Asuka Minamoto, illus. by Kim Seung-yeon, following a grieving boy through his day as he realizes the presence of a loved one can be felt even after they are gone; and The Three Water Drop Brothers by Lee Eun-hee, trans. by Asuksa Minamoto, illus. by Yoon Mi-sook, chronicling the journey of three raindrops as they travel through the water cycle.
ENDLESS MOUNTAINS/KALANIOT BOOKS
Kalaniot Books takes the reins with Soosie, the Horse That Saved Shabbat by Tami Lehman-Wilzig, in which Soosie delivers challahs to her Jerusalem neighbors just in time for Shabbat; A Snake, a Flood, a Hidden Baby by Meir Shalev, trans. by Ilana Kurshan, illus. by Emanuele Luzzati, retelling six popular stories from the bible; Sarah’s Solo by Tracy Brown, illus. by Paula Wegman, which finds Sarah getting caught up in the hypnotic music and dance of her family’s Jewish wedding traditions; and Not So Fast, Max: A Rosh Hashanah Visit with Grandma by Annette Schottenfeld, illus. by Jennifer Kirkham, about Max, Emily, and their spunky grandmother, who are creating some new Rosh Hashanah traditions.
FAMILIUS
Familius opens its arms wide for Hugga Loula by Nancy Dearborn, illus. by Huang Junyan, introducing Loula, who helps the people in her life with doses of hugs just when they are most needed; Mommy Ever After by Rebecca Fox Starr, illus. by Sara Ugolotti, inspired by the Mommy Ever After blog and community focused on family supporting each other through all sorts of emotions; A Spring Stroll in the City by Cathy Goldberg, illus. by Melanie Hall, showcasing an array of diverse spring holiday celebrations; The Chameleon’s True Colors by Yuliya Pankratova, which finds Chameleon borrowing colors from other creatures as he searches for a true color of his own; and Next Stop: Kindergarten by Brooke Jorden, illus. by Julia Back, a rhyming board book reviewing the academic and social skills achieved by most preschoolers before they move into kindergarten.
FLORIS
Floris straps on a headlamp for Night Walk by Marie Dorléans, about a family’s midnight adventure outdoors; Sam and the Gnome’s Red Hat by Admar Kwant, in which Sam creates gifts for his magical forest friends; and Evie and the Strawberry Surprise by Stefanie Dahle, the third installment in the series about a fairy and her friends who care for the plants and animals of Wildberry Acres.
FLORIS/KELPIES
Kelpies keeps things to a whisper with The Spellbinding Secret of Avery Buckle by Hannah Foley, in which Avery, who is part girl and part cat, learns that she is the only one who can uncover a forgotten magical secret and bring back a great lost wizard.
FLYAWAY BOOKS
Flyaway is down by the river with Hiding Baby Moses by Judith L. Roth, illus. by Melanie Cataldo, retelling the Old Testament story of how baby Moses is hidden from Pharaoh; Walking toward Peace: The True Story of Peace Pilgrim by Kathleen Krull, illus. by Annie Bowler, introducing Peace Pilgrim, the real-life female activist and spiritual leader who traveled around America promoting peace; and Arthur and the Forgetful Elephant by Maria Girón, in which Arthur meets a friendly elephant suffering from memory loss and after a playful day together helps him reunite with his family.
FREE SPIRIT
Free Spirit shows off its green thumb with Jayden’s Impossible Garden by Mélina Mangal, illus. by Ken Daley, the story of Jayden’s efforts to create a community garden and prove to Mama that nature and beauty can be found even in the city; We Listen to Our Bodies (We Say What’s OK #1) by Lydia Bowers, launching a series for preschoolers that teaches the foundations of consent; and I Love You All the Time (All the Time #1) by Deborah Farmer Kris, a series starter that focuses on the special relationship between children and their caregivers.
GECKO
Gecko assembles a search party for Where Is the Dragon? by Leo Timmers, featuring three silly knights and a clever dragon; A Mother Is a House by Aurore Petit, offering a baby’s view of the first year of life, from birth to first steps; Pablo by Rascal, about a chick introducing the five senses as he pecks his way out of his shell; and Can You Whistle Johanna? by Ulf Stark, illus. by Anna Hoglund, featuring two boys and the man they adopt as a grandfather.
GROUNDWOOD
Groundwood takes the self-guided tour with Percy’s Museum by Sara O’Leary, illus. by Qin Leng, in which a boy who moves from the city to the country discovers unexpected wonders in nature; What the Kite Saw by Anne Laurel Carter, illus. by Akin Duzakin, telling the tale of a boy who finds solace flying his kite from the rooftop after soldiers take his father and brother away; Malaika’s Surprise by Nadia L. Hohn, illus. by Irene Luxbacher, about Malaika’s special birthday, where she receives a visit from Grandma, and a new sibling; Mii maanda ezhi-gkendmaanh: Maanda mzinigan dbaadjigaade gikinoonowin/This Is How I Know: A Book About the Seasons by Brittany Luby, illus. by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, trans. by Alvin Ted Corbiere and Alan Corbiere, following an Anishinaabe child and elder as they explore the seasons; and Travels in Cuba by Marie-Louise Gay and David Homel, depicting the adventures of Charli and his family as they explore a tropical island full of contradictions and secrets.
HARPERCOLLINS
HarperCollins brings the sour cream for It’s Raining Tacos by Parry Gripp, illus. by Peter Emmerich, adapted from the hit kids’ song about tacos raining from the sky; What Would You Do in a Book About You? by Jean Reidy, illus. by Joey Chou, encouraging readers to reach for their dreams; What If, Pig? by Linzie Hunter, about an anxious pig who learns that his friends will always love him no matter what; The Alpactory: Read, Pack, Go! by Ruth Chan, featuring a silly factory of alpacas; The Nice Dream Truck by Beth Ferry, illus. by Brigette Barrager, a bedtime book where dreams appear as an array of ice cream flavors and toppings; Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh, the story of a Korean American girl who discovers pride in her identity when she takes on a school project about her grandparents’ experiences as lost children during the Korean War; The Last Bear by Hannah Gold, in which a lonely girl befriends the last living polar bear on an Arctic island; Glitter Gets Everywhere by Yvette Clark, following 10-year-old Kitty, who faces difficult transitions after her mother dies when her father moves them from London to New York; Living the Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman, offering confidence-boosting advice and the stories of real-life girls of action.
HARPERALLEY
HarperAlley buzzes into spring with The Way of the Hive by Jay Hosler, exploring the life cycle of the honey bee via a coming-of-age story about a bee named Nyuki; Jop and Blip Wanna Know: Can You Hear a Penguin Fart on Mars? by Jim Benton, featuring two robots who use logic and humor to answer questions that spark their curiosity; The Ghoul Next Door by Cullen Bunn and Cat Farris, in which a boy befriends a ghoul; and Warriors: Winds of Change created by Erin Hunter, written by Dan Jolley, illus. by James L. Barry, following a former deputy of WindClan who stages a coup and embroils the four warrior cat clans in a deadly battle.
HARPERFESTIVAL
HarperFestival keeps the coop cozy for Five Little Chicks by Dan Yaccarino, following a flock of newly hatched chicks as they explore the farm together; Pete the Cat Parents’ Day Surprise by James Dean, tying into the Amazon Prime TV show about Pete and his friends; My Happy Easter by Mariana Herrera, illus. by Molly Fehr, a seasonal board book shaped like an egg; It’s Big Brother Time!/It’s Big Sister Time! by Nandini Ahuja, illus. by Catalina Echeverri, designed to help siblings prepare for the changes that come with the arrival of a new baby; and Peek-a-Poop by Anne Lamb, illus. by Sofie Kenens, a lift-the-flap potty training book depicting magical poops and the creatures that make them.
HARPERTEEN
HarperTeen grabs the tissues for Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney, an #OwnVoices romance about a teen girl who loses her diary and is blackmailed into doing embarrassing tasks to get it back; Unsettled by Reem Faruqi, telling the hopeful immigration story of Nurah, who moves with her family from Karachi, Pakistan to Peachtree City, Ga.; Jay’s Gay Agenda by Jason June, following high school senior Jay, who is out, at his new school where he is able to be part of a thriving LGBTQ community and experience the relationship milestones on his list; Once Upon a Quinceañera by Monica Gomez-Hira, which finds Carmen stuck performing at her spoiled cousin’s over-the-top quinceañera; Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart, a Jamaican-inspired fantasy about two rival witches who must enter into a deadly alliance; The Key to You and Me by Jaye Robin Brown, presenting the romantic tale of Piper, who has been out for years, and Kat who is still trying to figure everything out; An Emotion of Great Delight by Tahereh Mafi, in which a Muslim American teen struggles to hold onto hope and her beliefs in the wake of 9/11 and a family tragedy; and Hot British Boyfriend by Kristy Boyce, featuring a girl who joins her high school study abroad trip in hopes of finding the perfect boyfriend.
HARPERCOLLINS/BALZER + BRAY
Balzer + Bray translates its spring list with Love in English by Maria Andreu, spotlighting 16-year-old Argentinian immigrant Ama, who finds that the rules of English may be confounding, but love has no rules; Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli, in which Kate and her best friend Anderson have a shared romantic interest that may ruin their friendship; Pumpkin by Julie Murphy, a companion to Dumplin’ and Puddin’ which finds drag aficionado Waylon nominated for Prom Queen as a joke, but deciding to compete anyway; The Shape of Thunder by Jasmine Warga, about two former best friends who devise an outrageous plan to heal themselves and their heartbroken families a year after a school shooting; and Ophie’s Ghosts by Justina Ireland, the story of a girl in Depression-era Pittsburgh who discovers she can see ghosts and must decide what her responsibility to them is.
HARPERCOLLINS/GREENWILLOW
Greenwillow climbs the family tree with Grandmas Are Greater Than Great by James Solheim, illus. by Derek Desierto, presenting a picture of how life has changed over the course of time while the love of a grandmother has remained constant; America by Daria Peoples-Riley, an #OwnVoices picture book tackling questions of belonging and acceptance; Billy Miller Makes a Wish by Kevin Henkes, the stand-alone companion to The Year of Billy Miller, which picks up with Billy during his eventful summer after second grade; Long Lost by Jacqueline West, following Fiona, who upon moving to Lost Lake, finds a mysterious book about two sisters 100 years ago; and The Leopard Behind the Moon by Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev, in which Ezomo encounters the leopard believed to have killed his father and enlists two friends to embark on a journey past the village boundaries set by their elders.
HARPERCOLLINS/HEARTDRUM
Heartdrum doesn’t want to grow up with Sisters of the Neversea by Cynthia Leitich Smith, a contemporary retelling of Peter Pan featuring two stepsisters—one English, one Muscogee Creek—who must find their way home from an island populated by fairies, kidnapped children, and a monstrous boy named Peter; Ancestor Approved, edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith, intersecting stories in which Native kids and their families from Nations across the continent meet at the Dance for Mother Earth Powwow in Michigan to celebrate Native pride; Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-to-Be Best Friend by Dawn Quigley, kicking off a chapter book series starring a spunky seven-year-old girl on an Ojibwe reservation; and Healer of the Water Monster by Brian Young, about a boy who encounters a creature from traditional Navajo beliefs when he visits his grandmother at her home on the Navajo reservation.
HARPERCOLLINS/INKYARD
Inkyard takes flight with The Iron Raven by Julie Kagawa, book one in the Iron Fey fantasy trilogy, in which infamous prankster Puck finally has a chance to tell his story and stand with allies new and old; Sing Me Forgotten by debut YA author Jessica S. Olson, a gender-bent magical retelling of The Phantom of the Opera; These Feathered Flames by Alexandra Overy, first in a debut duology that reimagines the Firebird folktale; Counting Down with You by Tashie Bhuiyan, a romantic YA debut in which a reserved Bangladeshi teenager has 28 days to make the biggest decision of her life after agreeing to fake date her school’s resident bad boy; and The Witch King by debut author H.E. Edgmon, about a trans witch who must face his traumatic past and the royal fiancé he left behind to save a fae kingdom.
HARPERCOLLINS/QUILL TREE
Quill Tree Books pedals into spring with Bartali’s Bicycle: The True Story of Gino Bartali, Italy’s Secret Hero by Megan Hoyt, illus. by Iacopo Bruno, a picture-book biography of a renowned Italian cyclist and secret champion in the fight for human rights during World War II; Game Changer by Neal Shusterman, following a high school linebacker who finds himself in a series of parallel lives that he barely recognizes as his; A Sitting in St. James by Rita Garcia-Williams, in which the longtime mistress of a Louisiana plantation decides to sit for a portrait and sets off a chain of events tying into the personal stories of all the residents on the plantation; Small Room, Big Dreams: The Journey of Julián and Joaquin Castro by Monica Brown, illus. by Mirelle Ortega, chronicling the lives of the Mexican American twin brothers who rose from poverty to become political leaders on the national stage; and Night at Never’s End by Joseph Fink, about a girl who defies her parents to go trick-or-treating one last year and discovers that her town is under the thrall of a mysterious supernatural presence.
HARPERCOLLINS/TEGEN
Katherine Tegen Books casts its ballot for The (Un)Popular Vote by Jasper Sanchez, about a transmasculine teen who runs for student body president against the wishes of his politician father; Chunky by Yehudi Mercado, a tale inspired by the author’s childhood, following a boy who is accompanied by his imaginary friend Chunky as he tries out different sports to please his athletic father; Muse by Brittany Cavallaro, the story of a girl who confers powers with her touch and plans to escape the men trying to control her in a reimagined 19th-century American monarchy; Are You a Cheeseburger? by Monica Arnaldo, spotlighting a raccoon who plants a seed he finds in the trash in hopes of growing a cheeseburger plant; Does Earth Feel? by debut author-illustrator Marc Majewski, asking questions about our planet that combine themes of environmentalism and emotional intelligence; and One Jar of Magic by Corey Ann Haydu, in which a girl discovers family secrets after she disappoints her famous father by capturing only one jar of magic.
HARPERCOLLINS/WALDEN POND
Walden Pond Press rubs its eyes for The House That Wasn’t There by Elana K. Arnold, a tale of two kids discovering that they each might hold the key to helping the other, and featuring teleporting kittens and a taxidermy possum named Mort; and Hollow Chest by Brita Sandstrom, about a boy in WWII-era London who must find a way to help his soldier brother who has been preyed upon by War Wolves, ancient beasts who consume the hearts of those broken by war.
HAZY DELL
Hazy Dell Press boots up with I’m Programmed to Love You by Elias Barks, illus. by Gemma Román, which finds a mother robot explaining how she’s equipped to love and nurture her robot child; I Love You More Than Plunder by Kyle Sullivan, illus. by Nicole Miles, following a father pirate telling his daughter that he loves her even more than the most exciting aspects of his job; and I Believe in You by Elias Barks, illus. by George Bletsis, celebrating the support that a Loch Ness Monster parent shows their child.
HIGHLIGHTS
Highlights Press is seeing double with Noah’s Ark by Teresa Bateman, illus. by Laura Huliska-Beith, retelling the Bible story with illustrations that are also Hidden Picture puzzles; We’re Better Together by Eileen Spinelli, illus. by Ekaterina Trukhan, focused on how community-mindedness and working together make the world a better place; Where Is Bear? and A House for Mouse by Jody Jensen Shaffer, illus. by Clair Rossiter, two Highlights Puzzle Readers; and Dear Highlights by Christine French Cully, taking a look at the thousands of letters from kids Highlights magazine has received over the past 70 years.
HOLIDAY HOUSE
Holiday House says “cheese” for Amira’s Picture Day by Reem Faruqi, illus. by Fahmida Azim, in which Amira can’t wait to stay home from school to celebrate Eid, but doesn’t want to miss school picture day; Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado, introducing an aspiring writer who is smart, funny, Puerto Rican, and fat, a lot of things her mostly white Connecticut suburb frowns on; Go Be Wonderful! by Donna Gephart, illus. by Francesca Chessa, featuring parents, family, and neighbors rallying around Daisy as she starts school; Houdini and Me by Dan Gutman, following 11-year-old Harry, who lives in Harry Houdini’s old New York City home and receives a text from someone claiming to be the great magician offering to take him back in time to experience Houdini’s tricks for himself; and Six Feet Below by Ena Jones, about two siblings who must pretend their great grandmother is still alive until they get her will into the right hands.
HOLIDAY HOUSE/FERGUSON
Margaret Ferguson Books calls “olly olly oxen free” with Girls and Boys Come Out to Play by Tracey Campbell Pearson, in which Mother Goose invites neighborhood children to meet favorite nursery rhyme characters.
HOLIDAY HOUSE/PORTER
Neal Porter Books leaps into spring with Follow That Frog by Philip C. Stead, illus. by Matthew Cordell, which finds eccentric Aunt Josephine relating an action-packed tale of her lifelong pursuit of a rare giant frog to the curiously croaking stranger who comes to her door; Daisy by Jessixa Bagley, about a young warthog teased by her classmates who takes comfort in collecting lost and forgotten things; Watercress by Andrea Wang, illus. by Jason Chin, in which a roadside stop to gather wild watercress leads to a girl’s mother sharing a story of her family’s time in China; Bear Outside by Jane Yolen, illus. by Jen Corace, exploring the many ways a girl expresses herself as she imagines that she wears a bear as her personal protective shell; and The Hospital Book by Lisa Brown, chronicling the experiences of a girl who comes down with appendicitis and has to go to the hospital.
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
HMH sets the alarm clock for Time for School, Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle, illus. by Jill McElmurry, in which Blue meets a new friend: a bright yellow school bus; Wow in the World: The How and Wow of the Human Body by Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz, presenting an illustrated tour of the human body based on the kids’ podcast Wow in the World; It Doesn’t Have to Be Awkward by Dr. Drew Pinsky and Paulina Pinsky, a guide to sex, relationships, and consent in the #MeToo era; The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni, about a girl forced to heal prisoners of war who must wager her life in a series of elemental trials; and Little Bat at Night School by Brian Lies, first in a picture book series about a young bat eagerly awaiting his first night at school.
HMH/CLARION
Clarion grabs a fork for Oh Look, a Cake! by Jonathan McKee, about a sloth, a lemur, a giant cake, and what happens when you don’t share; Even and Odd by Sarah Beth Durst, featuring a half-magic girl and her sister who courageously confront a self-serving wizard; The One Thing You’d Save by Linda Sue Park, illus. by Robert Sae-Heng, a series of linked poems that capture the diverse voices of middle school students answering the question of what you’d save if your house was on fire; Secrets of the Sea: The Story of Jeanne Power, Revolutionary Marine Scientist by Evan Griffith, illus. by Joanie Stone, introducing the 19th-century woman who pioneered the use of aquariums to study ocean life; and Losing Home by Kenan Trebincevic and Susan Shapiro, the story of a Muslim boy’s refugee journey from war-torn Bosnia to the U.S., based on author Trebincevic’s own experience.
HMH/ETCH
Etch sees dead people with Ghost Roast by Shawnee and Shawnelle Gibbs, in which the 15-year-old daughter of a ghost hunter discovers her own ability to communicate with spirits; ParaNorthern and the Chaos Bunny A-hop-calypse by Stephanie Cooke, illus. by Mari Costa, in which Abby the witch and her three friends—a wolf-girl, a ghost, and a pumpkinhead—band together to save their supernatural town from an invasion of rabid chaos bunnies; Before They Were Artists: Famous Illustrators as Kids by Elizabeth Haidle, providing a look at the childhood experiences of such iconic illustrators as Maurice Sendak and Jerry Pinkney; Clash by Kayla Miller, fourth in the Click series featuring middle schooler Olive and her friends; and Sherlock Bones and the Sea Creature Feature by Renee Treml, a new case for the detective bird skeleton and his ragtag mystery-solving team.
HMH/VERSIFY
Versify rocks a fierce look with How to Wear a Sari by Darshana Khiani, illus. by Joanne Lew-Vrietoff, in which a fashionable kid is determined to prove she can do anything she puts her mind to, including donning a colorful sari; Tag Team and Training Day by Raúl the Third, colored by Elaine Bay, the debut entries in the El Toro and friends early reader series starring the Mexican wrestling star El Toro and featuring English and Spanish words throughout; and Your Mama by NoNieqa Ramos, illus. by Jacqueline Alcántara, offering a sweet twist on the age-old “yo mama” joke, celebrating mothers everywhere.
IDW
IDW plans a spooking spring with Goosebumps: The Secret of the Swamp by Marieke Nijkamp, about a differently-abled preteen who uses her gaming skills to survive a turf war between wolf hunters and werewolves; and Chibi-Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis by Stan Sakai and Julie Fujii Sakai, in which a rabbit samurai must save a village of mythical creatures from the dreaded Salamander King.
KANE MILLER
Kane Miller shakes its sillies out with 1,2,3 Do the Dinosaur by Michelle Robinson, illus. by Rosalind Beardshaw, an invitation from Tom and his dinosaur pals to get moving—until it’s time for “one, two, three and everybody snore!”; Family Heroes: Keeping Things Going by Harriet Evans, illus. by Fontini Tikkou, celebrating parent heroes who do all sorts of essential jobs; Yoga Animals at the Seashore by Christiane Kerr, illus. by Julia Green, in which seashore animals help Crab feel more confident, optimistic, and happy through the power of yoga; That’s a Job?: I Like the Outdoors... What Jobs Are There? by Carron Brown, illus. by Roberto Blefari, providing a peek at outdoor career options; and The Book Buddies by Sally Rippin, illus. by Aki Fukuoka, in which the stars of two popular book series, Billie B. Brown and her best friend Jack, appear together in this story where they have fun working together on the school reading challenge.
KAR-BEN
Kar-Ben hits a high note with The Singer and the Scientist by Lisa Rose, illus. by Isabel Muñoz, illuminating the friendship between African American singer Marian Anderson and Albert Einstein, begun when Anderson was turned away from a hotel and Einstein opened his home to her; An Egg for Shabbat by Mirik Snir, illus. by Eleyor Snir, following young Ben’s daily unsuccessful attempts to procure an egg from the chicken pen; And a Cat from Carmel Market by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, illus. by Rotem Teplow, about Bubbe’s eventful shopping trip to the Carmel Market in Tel Aviv; Natan Sharansky, Freedom Fighter for the Jewish People by Blake Hoena, illus. by Daniele Dickmann, a graphic novel biography of the human rights activist who paved the way for Soviet Jews wishing to live in freedom; and The Great Passover Escape by Pamela Moritz, illus. by Florence Weiser, in which Chimp tries to talk his animal pals out of escaping from the Biblical Zoo to find a seder to attend for Passover.
KIDS CAN
Kids Can sits and stays for This Is a Dog Book! by Judith Henderson, illus. by Julien Chung, about a bunny trying to prove he has what it takes to be in a dog book; Poem in My Pocket by Chris Tougas, illus. by Josée Bisaillon, in which the wind pulls the poem a girl has written from her pocket and scatters the words in the air, comically changing the street signs; Walking for Water: How One Boy Stood Up for Gender Equality by Susan Hughes, illus. by Nicole Miles, about a Malawi boy who created a way for his twin sister to continue to go to school; Sloth and Squirrel in a Pickle by Cathy Ballou Mealey, illus. by Kelly Collier, the story of how a disastrous turn at the pickle factory leaves Sloth and Squirrel with hundreds of jars of mislabeled pickles and one big idea; and Her Epic Adventure: 25 Daring Women Who Inspire a Life Less Ordinary by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, illus. by Salini Perera, profiling 25 female adventurers from around the world who made their mark on history.
LANTANA
Lantana howls at the moon for Coyote’s Soundbite: A Poem for the Planet by John Agard, illus. by Piet Grobler, in which smooth-talking Coyote tries to infiltrate an environmental conference of earth-goddesses; Anita and the Dragons by Hannah Carmona, illus. by Anna Cunha, a tale about an immigrant family and belief in the American Dream; Escape: One Day We Had to Run by Ming & Wah, illus. by Carmen Vela, presents a collection of personal narratives of determination and resilience with a positive focus on how refugees and migrants add value to a community.
LEE & LOW
Lee & Low busts a move with The Electric Slide and Kai by Kelly Baptist, illus. by Darnell Johnson, in which Kai is determined to master the dance steps of the Electric Slide like the rest of his family; Crazy Legs: A B-Boy from the Boogie Down Bronx by Linda J. Acevedo, illus. by Frank Morrison, presenting a portrait of pioneering break dancer Richard Colón; Butterfly for a King: Saving Hawai’i’s Kamehameha Butterflies by Cindy Trumbore and Susan L. Roth, illus. by Roth, the true story of efforts to restore the native Hawaiian butterfly’s declining population; If I Were a Tree by Andrea Zimmerman, illus. by Jing Jing Tsong, following two siblings who journey into the woods; and Kyoshi’s Walk by Mark Karlins, illus. by Nicole Wong, featuring a young aspiring poet and his grandfather, who ponder where poems come from.
LEE & LOW/TU
Tu Books finds its perch with The Witch Owl Parliament (Clockwork Curandera #1) by David Bowles and Raúl the Third, illus. by Stacey Robinson and Damian Duffy, a series-launching, graphic-novel reimagining of Frankenstein set in colonial Mexico.
LERNER
Lerner raids the fridge with Hack Your Kitchen: Discover a World of Food Fun with Science Buddies by Percy Leed, photos by Niki Ahrens, coaching young scientists on how to explore scientific principles and properties using tools and ingredients from their own kitchens; Parents Here and There: A Kid’s Guide to Deployment by Marie-Therese Miller, presenting helpful information for children approaching life with a deployed parent; Taking Care of Me: Healthy Habits with Sesame Street by Mari Schuh, which finds Sesame Street friends helping readers learn about the good choices they can make every day; Crayola Art of Coding: A Celebration of Creative Mindsets by Kiki Prottsman, introducing the basics of computational thinking and coding; and Crayola STEAM Teams: Creativity, Innovation, and Teamwork by Kevin Kurtz, taking a look at the many ways to use STEAM to solve problems.
LERNER/CAROLRHODA
Carolrhoda raises its voice for Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford, illus. by Floyd Cooper, offering a closer look at the 1921 Tulsa race massacre; My Ex-Imaginary Friend by Jimmy Matejek-Morris, in which 11-year-old Jack thinks he’s outgrown his imaginary friend, until his family hits a crisis; Rissy No Kissies by Katey Howes, illus. by Jess Engle, featuring a love bird who doesn’t like kisses and wants to show everyone that there’s no one right way to share affection.
LERNER/CAROLRHODA LAB
Carolrhoda Lab tells all with The Secret Life of Kitty Granger by G.D. Falksen, following 16-year-old Kitty, a working-class girl on the autism spectrum in 1967 London who is recruited to spy for the British government.
LERNER/GRAPHIC UNIVERSE
Graphic Universe is in the starting block for The Wolf in Underpants at Full Speed by Wilfrid Lupano, illus. by Mayana Itoïz and Paul Cauuet, which finds Wolf ready for race day in the forest and a surly chickadee feeling left out; Brontë by Manuela Santoni, a graphic novel vision of the lives of the three legendary women writers as they pursue independence through art in the 19th century; The Spy Who Raised Me by Ted Anderson, illus. by Gianna Meola, featuring Josie, who discovers that her mother secretly programmed her to be a secret operative and that she can infiltrate any building and move like a martial artist; Seekers of Aweto: The Hunt Is On by Nie Jujn, following Xinyue and his brother as they seek a rare plantlike treasure along the Silk Road; and The Winter of Walking Stone by Haiko Hörnig, illus. by Marius Pawlitza, the story of Henrietta Achilles who saves her house and her friends from a magical flood, then must face an army of strange walking statues heading her way.
LERNER/MILLBROOK
Millbrook Press has high level clearance for Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer by Traci Sorell, illus. by Natasha Donovan, spotlighting the first female engineer to design classified projects for Lockheed Air Corporation; Beyond: Discoveries from the Outer Reaches of Space by Miranda Paul, illus. by Sija Hong, exploring the marvels of interstellar space; and How to Build an Insect by Roberta Gibson, illus. by Anne Lambelet, inviting readers into a workshop where they learn the essentials of insect anatomy.
LERNER/ZEST
Zest Books wags its tail for When Dogs Heal: Powerful Stories of People Living with HIV and the Dogs That Saved Them by Jessie Freidin, Robert Garofolo, and Zach Stafford, photos by Freidin, presenting a unique portrait of HIV that features a message of hope; #MeToo and You: Everything You Need to Know About Consent, Boundaries, and More by Halley Bondy, exploring the nuances of emotions, comfort, and discomfort in sexually charged and emotionally abusive situations; No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves by Lee Wind, which examines primary source letters, poems, and more to rethink the lives and loves of historical figures.
LEVINE QUERIDO/LEVINE
Arthur A. Levine Books gets the 411 with Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask by Anton Treuer, in which the Ojibwe author and professor answers essential questions for Native and non-Native young readers alike; Shy Willow by Catherine Min, the tale of a very shy rabbit who bravely ventures out into the world to deliver a birthday wish from a small boy to the moon; Rabbi Osnat and Her Dove by Sigal Samuel, illus. by Vali Mintzi, the true, little-known story of a girl in 17th-century Kurdistan who grew up to become the first female rabbi; and Middletown by Sarah Moon, following eighth grader Eli, who is in love with her closest girl friend, and is also facing a family crisis at home.
LEVINE/QUERIDO/QUERIDO
Em Querido sizes up the season with The Big House and the Little House by Yoshi Ueno, illus. by Emiko Fujishima, about the friendship that develops between a shy bear and a timid mouse who live on the same road; Alien Nation by Sandro Bassi, depicting an unforgettable subway ride in an alien world; Popcorn Bob by Maranke Rinck, illus. by Martijn van der Linden, in which a popcorn-loving kid has a series of misadventures with a magical un-popped kernel that turns into a little man with arms, legs, and a cowboy hat; What Ollie Saw by Joukje Akveld and Sieb Posthuma, starring a pig who prefers to see the world as he imagines it to be rather than as it is; and Immortal Boy by Francisco Montaña Ibáñez, trans. by David Bowles, presenting two intertwining stories of Bogotá: one of a family of five children left on their own, and the other of a girl in an orphanage who will do anything to befriend the mysterious Immortal Boy.
LITTLE BEE
Little Bee orders extra relish for Halal Hotdogs by Susannah Aziz, in which Musa gets to choose her favorite thing for her family’s meal after they attend Jummah Prayer; Prince & Knight: Tale of a Shadow King by Daniel Haack, illus. by Stevie Lewis, which finds a shadow creeping over the kingdom, destroying the happiness of the Prince and his Knight who plan to marry and live happily ever after; Escape from the Titanic by Mary Kay Carson, illus. by Nigel Chilvers, spotlighting survivors who escaped from the sinking Titanic; Two Grooms on a Cake by Rob Sanders, illus. by Robbie Cathro, in which the two grooms on a cake topper relate the love story of their real-life counterparts; and Graduation Groove: On My Way to First Grade by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook, illus. by Addy Rivera Sonda, celebrating rising first graders with a groovy send-off.
LITTLE BEE/BUZZPOP
BuzzPop hitches a ride to Riverdale with Archie: Betty’s Diary and Everything I Know I Learned from Archie, peeks into the lives of Archie, Betty, and their Riverdale friends; WWE: You’re a Superstar, featuring activities modeled after the antics of superstar wrestlers; and Nature Cat: Ocean Commotion, which finds Nature Cat and his pals traveling through the world’s oceans.
LITTLE BEE/YELLOW JACKET
Yellow Jacket steps up to the plate for Much Ado About Batting by Rajani LaRocca, a contemporary retelling of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, starring a girl who believes in the magic of baseball and math; Murder on the Baltimore Express by Suzanne Jurmain, the story of Abraham Lincoln’s ride to his inauguration in Washington, D.C. as some people plan to stop him from becoming president at any cost; and The Thieving Collectors of Fine Children’s Books by Adam Perry, about a young bookworm who has stolen and read a rare and lost book coveted by two evil collectors, who will now need to steal the story from his mind to complete their collection.
LITTLE, BROWN
Little, Brown chomps into spring with Shark Summer by Ira Marcks, a debut graphic novel following Gayle, who’s spending the summer on Martha’s Vineyard when a Hollywood director starts filming a blockbuster action film there; Fred Gets Dressed by Peter Brown, about the joys of dressing up; I’ll Meet You in Your Dreams by Jessica Young, illus. by Rafael López, honoring the ever-evolving relationship of a parent and child across time; Indivisible by Daniel Aleman, in which Mateo returns home from school one day to find his parents have been deported; and Simon Be Rhymin’ by Dwayne Reed, featuring a young rapper whose rhymes help bring his community together.
MACMILLAN/FARRAR, STRAUS & GIROUX
FSG spins for My Dad Is a DJ by Kathryn Erskine, illus. by Keith Henry Brown, a picture-book tale of divorce, Black identity, and music; Beach Toys vs. School Supplies by Mike Ciccotello, about finding the balance between work and play; Thank You, Dr. Salk!: The Scientist Who Beat Polio and Healed the World by Dean Robbins, illus. by Mike Dutton, showcasing Jonas Salk and his creation of the polio vaccine; In the Key of Us by Mariama Lockington, featuring two girls, both grappling with grief and questions of identity, who meet at a summer music camp where they begin a gentle romance; and What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo, a YA fantasy about a teen girl whose return to her wild, monstrous family sets off a series of events that cause her to confront the darkness inside her.
MACMILLAN/FEIWEL AND FRIENDS
Feiwel and Friends switches it up with You Be Daddy by Karla Clark, illus. by Steph Lew, about a tired father who lets his son have a turn being the parent at bedtime; Oddbird by Derek Desierto, celebrating the beauty of being yourself; Upstander by James Preller, following a girl dealing with bullying and a family crisis; Mystery on Magnolia Circle by Kate Klise, in which a girl believes she has witnessed a crime; and Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta, featuring two girls on opposite sides of a war who fall for each other while fighting for a common purpose, in a world where giant mecha robots are piloted by microchip implanted humans.
MACMILLAN/FIRST SECOND
First Second rounds up some coins for Jukebox by Nidhi Chanani, the story of two cousins who find a jukebox that takes them back in time; Salmonberry by Mike Holmes, a memoir-inflected fantasy about a boy who explores an imaginary realm to run away from his family dynamic; Blue, Barry, & Pancakes by Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson, featuring a series of friendship stories for emerging readers starring a bunny, a worm, and a frog; and Bad Sister by Charise Mericle Harper, illus. by Rory Lucey, a middle-grade graphic memoir following a girl who undergoes a crisis of conscience, realizing she is a “bad sister.”
MACMILLAN/FLATIRON
Flatiron carries a torch for Everything That Burns by Gita Trelease, sequel to All That Glitters, in which Camille Durbonnes fears that a dark magic she can’t control might be at the heart of the success of her revolutionary pamphlets, just as magicians are declared traitors to France; Anna K Away by Jenny Lee, sequel to Anna K, which is set over the course of the next summer, as the characters deal with the fallout from Alexia Vronsky’s tragic death; That Way Madness Lies, edited by Dahlia Adler, a collection of Shakespeare’s most notable works reimagined; and Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean, following Izumi, an ordinary Japanese-American girl from northern California who discovers in her senior year that her father is the Crown Prince of Japan, and finds herself caught between two worlds, and two versions of herself.
MACMILLAN/HENRY HOLT
Henry Holt wears shades for Your Future Is Bright by Corey Finkle, illus. by Shelley Couvillion, envisioning the inspiring opportunities the future holds; Fitz and Cleo by Jonathan Stutzman, illus. by Heather Fox, first in a graphic novel series about the adventures of two sibling ghosts; Ghosts of Weirdwood by Christian McKay Heidicker with William Shivering, the second Weirdwood adventure, in which a rift opens between the worlds of the living and dead, and it’s up to a pair of thieves to save their city; Pawcasso by Remy Lai, showcasing the unexpected friendship between a lonely 11-year-old girl and a basket-toting dog who goes grocery shopping on his own; and Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley, in which a Native teen goes to extreme lengths to root out the crime and corruption threatening her community.
MACMILLAN/HENRY HOLT/OTTAVIANO
Christy Ottaviano Books tunes up for Duet by Elise Broach, about a musically gifted bird and a talented young pianist searching for a long-lost Chopin piano; An Equal Shot: How the Law Title IX Changed America by Helaine Becker, illus. by Dow Phumiruk, an introduction to the history and importance of Title IX as civil rights legislature; I Is for Immigrant by Selina Alko, presenting an alphabet spotlighting multiculturalism and how immigrants enrich our communities; Dream and Believe: Life Lessons On and Off the Field by Jennie Finch and Laura Schaefer, providing softball and life advice from two-time pro All-Star softball pitcher and Olympic gold medalist Finch; The Geography of Ginny P. by Caroline Hickey, which finds a lonely military brat struggling to run her own geography camp.
MACMILLAN/HENRY HOLT/GODWIN
Godwin Books pulls on its boots for Mucky Truck by Ammi-Joan Paquette, illus. by Elisa Ferro, in which a little truck gets stuck in the mud, requiring assistance from his other truck friends; Latinitas: Celebrating 40 Big Dreamers by Julia Menendez, celebrating Latinas and Latin American women—famous and lesser known—who followed their dreams; The Lost Little Bird by David McPhail, the tale of a bird who loses his memory and must discover who he is; Rhinos in Nebraska: The Amazing Discovery of the Ashfall Fossil Beds by Alison Pearce Stevens, detailing the discovery of the site in northeastern Nebraska where ash from a long-ago Yellowstone eruption created fossilized bone beds; and Unusual Animal ABC by Catherine Macorol, in which a girl explores the world and meets animal friends.
MACMILLAN/IMPRINT
Imprint waves the checkered flag for Glam Prix Racers by Deanna Kent, illus. by Neil Hooson, beginning a graphic novel series featuring speed, glitter, and teamwork; The Share-y Godmother by Samantha Berger, illus. by Mike Curato, offering a new take on the world of fairy godmothers; All the Tides of Fate by Adalyn Grace, second in a YA high seas fantasy series set in an island kingdom where a fierce heroine is intent on proving her right to the throne; Darling by K. Ancrum, a contemporary thriller set in Chicago and reimagining Peter Pan; and Half Orphan’s Handbook by Joan F. Smith, combining a coming-of-age story and an exploration of grief.
MACMILLAN/ROARING BROOK
Roaring Brook sees both sides with Yes & No by Elisha Cooper, a story of friendship, mindfulness, and living in the moment; I Eat Poop by Mark Pett, starring a dung beetle who learns not to hide the quirks that make him special; Sock on the Loose by Conor McGlaufin, about socks who chase their dreams; The Sea Is Salt and So Am I by Cassandra Hart, following three teens on the cusp of a sea change that will forever shatter the delicate balance between them; and What the World Could Make by Holly McGhee, illus. by Pascal Lemaître, which celebrates generosity, love, and memory.
MACMILLAN/ST. MARTIN’S/WEDNESDAY
Wednesday Books takes aim at spring with Slingshot by Mercedes Helnwein, in which Grace saves the new kid at her Florida boarding school from being beat up; The Project by Courtney Summers, which follows an aspiring young journalist determined to save her sister from a cult; Namesake by Adrienne Young, closing out the Fable fantasy duology; Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler, featuring Lara, who finally lands the guy of her dreams only to have her unexpectedly female summer fling transfer to her school for senior year; and Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield, the story of a girl who discovers family secrets and her own voice when she visits her estranged father in Jamaica in the middle of a category 5 hurricane.
MACMILLAN/TOR/STARSCAPE
Starscape snaps into action for Lost Little Leopard and The Misfit Donkey, the latest Lily to the Rescue titles about Lily the rescue dog helping other animals; and Cooper’s Story by W. Bruce Cameron, a Puppy Tale book in which Malamute-Great Dane puppy Cooper finds his forever home with a boy who uses a wheelchair.
MACMILLAN/TOR TEEN
Tor Teen steps into the light with Witchshadow by Susan Dennard, continuing the Witchland series;, following the latest adventures of Threadwitch Iseult; Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anders, featuring Tina, the human clone of the most brilliant alien commander in all the galaxies; and A Chorus Rises by Bethany C. Morrow, a companion to A Song Below Water, following social media influencer Naema, who has the magical gift of a song that woos anyone who hears it.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS
National Geographic Kids lets loose with Go Wild: Pandas by Margie Markarian, kicking off an animal nonfiction series for preschoolers; 1,000 Facts About Sharks by Sarah Wassner Flynn, featuring information on a variety of sharks and what conservationists are doing to help save them; Ensnared in the Wolf’s Lair: The Plot to Assassinate Hitler and the Ghost Children of His Revenge by Ann Bausum, chronicling the aftermath of the doomed 1944 Valkyrie attempt on Hitler’s life; No Boundaries by Gabby Salazar and Clare Fieseler, in which 25 female explorers and scientists share their greatest successes, failures, and adventures; and Unforgotten: The Wild Life of Dian Fossey and Her Relentless Quest to Save Mountain Gorillas by Anita Silvey, detailing the life and legacy of the groundbreaking primatologist.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS/UNDER THE STARS
Under the Stars goes back to class with Explorer Academy: The Dragon’s Blood by Trudi Trueit, the sixth adventure for Cruz Coronado and the gang, who head to East Asia; and Izzy Newton and the S.M.A.R.T. Squad: Newton’s Flaw by Valerie Tripp, in which Izzy’s friends help her tackle her failing grade in Forensics and solve a media center mystery.
NORTHSOUTH
NorthSouth pulls up a chair for Chick Chat by Janie Bynum, in which Chick finds a friend who is a good listener when she adopts a large egg; Meet Me by the Sea by Taltal Levi, the story of a girl who decides to visit her favorite place in the woods on her own when her parents are too busy to play; and Norman’s First Day at Dino Day Care by Sean Julian, following Norman’s adjustment as he realizes his day care is nothing to fear.
NORTON YOUNG READERS
Norton Young Readers flips its lid for The Hatmakers by Tamzin Merchant, set in an alternate 18th-century London where magic is infused in clothing and 11-year-old Cordelia Hatmaker’s father has disappeared; A Hunter’s Choice by Trent Reedy, in which 12-year-old Hunter prepares for his first hunting trip with his family, but he’s not sure he can kill an animal; The Old Boat by Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey, about an old boat, passed through a boy’s family, that leads him to recognize the importance of nurturing and caring for our homes; From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial That Galvanized the Asian American Movement by Paula Yoo, focusing on a pivotal moment in civil rights history; and Albert Einstein Was a Dope by Dan Gutman, illus. by Allison Steinfield, launching a biography series highlighting unusual facts about famous figures.
NUBEOCHO
NubeOcho squares up to spring with Berta’s Boxes by Dario Alvisi, illus. by Amelie Graux, in which a child deals with emotions by packaging them up into individual boxes; Pepperstorm by Rafael Ordoñez, illus. by Marisa Morea, offering a humorous explanation of why elephants are afraid of mice; and The Incredible Ship of Captain Skip by Alicia Costa, illus. by Cecilia Moreno, featuring a seafaring tale and instructions for making a paper ship.
ONI PRESS
Oni Press treads lightly with Delicates by Brenna Thummler, a follow-up to the graphic novel Sheets, in which Marjorie finds herself unable to tell her new cool crowd about her ghost friend Wendell.
ORCA
Orca leaves the light on for Finding Home: The Journey of Immigrants and Refugees by Jen Sookfong Lee, illus. by Drew Shannon, the debut title in the Orca Think series and an exploration of the history of human migration as well as the issues faced by today’s immigrants and refugees; The Disability Experience: Working Toward Belonging by Hannalora Leavitt, examining the challenges faced by people living with disabilities; Leopold’s Leotard by Rhiannon Wallace, illus. by Risa Hugo, about a boy who initially feels confined by his leotard but finds a way to dance with passion at his recital; The Night Is Deep and Wide by Gillian Sze, illus. by Sue Todd, a bedtime story written in the Italian villanelle poetic form; and Pride Puppy! by Robin Stevenson, illus. by Julie McLaughlin, an alphabet book featuring a family spending the day at the Pride Parade.
OWLKIDS
Owlkids leaps into the season with Frogness by Sarah Nelson, illus. by Eugenie Fernandes, following a child’s attempts to catch a frog in the marsh on a quiet summer evening; THAO by Thao Lam, exploring the challenges of growing up with an unusual name; Journey Around the Sun: The Return of Halley’s Comet by James Gladstone, illus. by Yaara Eshet, presenting the autobiography of Halley’s Comet, which is visible from Earth approximately once every 75 years; Camp Average; Away Games by Craig Battle, the third and final Camp Average book, which finds Mack and André as rookies in a high-stakes game of ball hockey; and The Sorry Life of Timothy Schmoe by Stephanie McLellan, illus. by Zoe Si, a story told in letters of apology from a boy to those he has wronged.
PAGE STREET
Page Street’s number hits with Lucky Girl, focusing on a girl who wins the Lotto jackpot, and suspicion and jealousy spread through her town before she can claim her prize; Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar, in which a teen fakes a relationship with another girl to validate her bisexuality for her skeptical friends; The Haunting of Moon Basin by Alison Ames, which finds four friends’ bonds tested when their town’s rundown mine refuses to let anyone leave; Calling of Light by Lori M. Lee, the sequel to Forest of Souls, in which lightwender Sirscha journeys to the shaman empire; and Ink by Tori Bovalino, the story of two teens who stumble upon an ancient book in a secret tunnel beneath the school library and accidentally release a devil.
PAGE STREET KIDS
Page Street Kids rattles dem bones with If You Ever Meet a Skeleton by Rebecca Evans, illus. by Katrin Dreiling, starring a not-so-scary skeleton who just wants a friend; Princesses Can Fix It! by Tracy Marchini, illus. by Julia Christians, which finds three princesses using their STEAM skills to take on their castle’s alligator problem; and Clovis & the Bullies in the China Shop by Katelyn Aronson, illus. by Eve Farb, about a bull facing off against a crowd of bullies and figuring out how to manage his temper.
PAPERCUTZ
Papercutz switches on the season with Astro Mouse and Lightbulb by Fermin Solis, launching a series starring a mouse and his lightbulb friend as they explore the weird wonders of outer space; The Fly by Lewis Trondheim, a multi-eyed look into the everyday life of a common housefly; The Smurf Tales Volume 1 by Peyo, new stories about the popular blue characters; and The Loud House Summer Special, presenting tales featuring characters from the Nickelodeon show.
PAVILLION
Pavillion waddles to center stage with The Greatest Showpenguin by Lucy Freegard, in which a penguin decides to become a ringmaster rather than perform in her family’s circus; Big City Atlas: Join Penguin on a World Tour of 28 Amazing Cities by Maggie Li, following a penguin tour guide to landmarks, food, and traditions in cities around the globe; William Bee’s Bumper Book of Tractors, Trucks and Trains by William Bee, which finds William, his dog, and a gang of traffic cones teaching readers about things that go; Cool Engineering by Jenny Jacoby, an introduction to the field, featuring timelines, biographies of key figures, and experiments; and While You’re Sleeping by Mick Jackson, illus. by John Broadley, taking a peek at what happens in the world while we’re asleep.
PEACHTREE
Peachtree flocks to spring with Bird Show by Susan Stockdale, introducing an array of birds; Best Friend in the World by Sandra Salsbury, in which quiet, introspective Roland finds the perfect friend, a pinecone; Thingity-Jig by Kathy Doherty, illus. by Kristyna Litten, about an inquisitive bear who ventures into People Town where he finds a bouncy, sit-on-it, jump-on-it “Thingity-Jig”; Mega Predators of the Past by Melissa Stewart, featuring some lesser-known prehistoric creatures; and Nina Soni, Master of the Garden by Kashmira Sheth, illus. by Jenn Kocsmiersky, in which Nina is determined to become a master gardener along with her little sister Kavita and best friend Jay.
PEACHTREE PETITE
Peachtree Petite ushers in the season with Stanley’s Lunch Box and Stanley’s Toy Box by William Bee, two new outings for the busy hamster; and Curious About Insects by Cathryn Sill, illus. by John Sill, a look at the natural world of insects, including their behavior and common characteristics.
PENGUIN
Penguin parses fact from fiction with Are Unicorns Real? and Are Dragons Real? by Ginjer L. Clarke, two nonfiction Level 4 readers presenting the history of these mythical creatures and their real-life counterparts.
PENGUIN WORKSHOP
Penguin Workshop makes an elevator pitch for Project Startup by Heather Alexander with Laura D’Asaro and Rose Wang, illus. by Vanessa Flores, about two sixth graders who start a business selling chips made with crickets; Jude Banks, Superhero by Ann Hood, which finds 12-year-old Jude learning to live in the aftermath of his sister’s death; Dino Detective and Awesome Possum, Private Eye: The Case of the Nibbled Pizza by Tadgh Bentley, introducing the mystery-solving sibling duo of Dino Detective and Awesome Possum on their first case; and Area 51 Interns by James Murray and Carsen Smith, in which four kids whose parents work at the highly classified military base team up to save the day when they get drawn into an underground world of aliens, gadgets, and secrets.
PENGUIN YOUNG READERS LICENSES
Penguin Young Readers Licenses paints a spring picture with a publishing program, including various formats, tying into Bluey, the animated series from Ludo Studio about a Blue Heeler puppy seen in the U.S. on Disney Jr.
PENGUIN/DIAL
Dial wakes up for A New Day by Brad Meltzer, illus. by Dan Santat, about kindness and gratitude; The Anti-Book by Raphael Simon (aka Pseudonymous Bosch), a fantasy quest in which a boy accidentally makes his whole world disappear; The Elephant in the Room by Holly Goldberg Sloan, delivering a story that encompasses the immigration crisis and an animal-friendship tale; Someone Has to Build the Dream by Lisa Wheeler, illus. by Loren Long, paying tribute to the unsung laborers who build our world; and Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore, the fourth volume in the Graceling Realm fantasy series.
PENGUIN/DUTTON
Dutton burns with We Are the Ashes, We Are the Fire by Joy McCullough, painting a portrait in prose and verse of a young woman in the aftermath of her older sister’s sexual assault and the judge’s decision to let the rapist go free; and Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo, relating a story of first love and duty to family set in San Francisco’s Chinatown during the Red Scare of the 1950s.
PENGUIN/FLAMINGO
Flamingo Books greets the season with Hello, World! by Kelly Corrigan, illus. by Stacy Ebert, spotlighting the people you’ll meet and the things you’ll do as you embark on new adventures; I Am Smart, I Am Blessed, I Can Do Anything by Alissa Holder and Zulekha Holder-Young, illus. by Nneka Myers, based on a viral video, the story of one boy’s positive energy and sunny outlook; and Hugo and the Impossible Thing by Renée Felice Smith and Chris Gabriel, illus by Sydney Hanson, in which a brave dog learns that anything is possible with determination and a little help from friends.
PENGUIN/GROSSET & DUNLAP
Grosset & Dunlap picks up steam with Three Little Engines by Bob McKinnon, illus. by Lou Fancher and Steven Johnson, in which the Little Blue Engine learns that just because you think you can doesn’t mean you always will; Thanks from the Little Engine That Could, illus. by Jill Howarth, featuring the titular character expressing gratitude; How to Be Kind in Kindergarten by D.J. Steinberg, illus. by Ruth Hammond, a collection of poems depicting examples of kindness; The Night Before the Dentist by Natasha Wing, illus. by Amy Wummer, about a boy’s first trip to the dentist; and Mr. Men and Little Miss: My Teacher and Me by Adam Hargreaves, which finds the popular series characters paying tribute to teachers.
PENGUIN/KOKILA
Kokila plugs in the clippers for J.D. and the Great Barber Battle by J. Dillard, illus. by Akeem S. Roberts, first in a chapter book series following a boy who turns a terrible home haircut into a thriving barber business; Laxmi’s Mooch by Shelly Anand, illus. by Nabi H. Ali, focusing on an Indian American girl’s journey to accepting her body hair and celebrating her heritage after being teased about her mustache; Fatima’s Great Outdoors by Ambreen Tariq, illus. by Stevie Lewis, the story of an immigrant family’s first camping trip in the Midwest by the outdoors activist and founder of @BrownPeopleCamping; How to Find What You’re Not Looking For by Veera Hiranandani, a historical novel about how middle schooler Ariel Goldberg’s life changes as she’s forced to confront her family’s prejudice when her big sister elopes following the Loving v. Virginia ruling; and The Legend of Auntie Po by Shing Yin Khor, a graphic novel in which 13-year-old Mei reimagines the myths of Paul Bunyan as starring a Chinese heroine, as she works in a Sierra Nevada logging camp in 1885.
PENGUIN/PAULSEN
Nancy Paulsen Books sharpens its spring list with The Hidden Knife by Melissa Marr, featuring a group of young heroes who bond with the creatures of the Netherwhere to seek justice in their world; The Starfish by Lisa Fipps, a debut novel-in-verse starring Ellie, who is tired of being fat-shamed and does something about it; The Light in Me Sees the Light in You by Lori Nichols, which pays tribute to the lasting bonds felt by kindred spirits; I’m Getting a Shark! by Brady Smith, in which a girl is convinced she’s getting a pet shark for her birthday; and The Wonder Walkers by Micha Archer, about two friends who take a walk through nature and see everything in a fresh light.
PENGUIN/PHILOMEL
Philomel’s list takes shape with Rectangle Time by Pamela Paul, about a family cat who does his best to “help” during a father and son’s reading ritual; Please Don’t Read This Book by Deanna Kizis, illus. by Sam Boughton, which begs readers (not) to break the rules; Dream Big by Abigail Harrison, a guide for tweens and teens on how to reach for the stars and plan for success; Trouble in the Stars by Sarah Prineas, featuring a troublesome shape-shifter on the run from the law in outer space, and the crew of misfits they encounter upon their escape; and Singled Out by Andrew Maraniss, serving up the true story of Glenn Burke, the inventor of the high five and the first openly gay major league baseball player.
PENGUIN/PUTNAM
Putnam assembles its squad for Girl Stuff by Lisi Harrison, kicking off a series spotlighting three seventh-grade friends who have a bond strong enough to handle whatever middle school and puberty throw at them; Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Peña, illus. by Christian Robinson, about an artistic African American boy on a long subway ride with his sister to visit their incarcerated mother, drawing pictures of how he imagines the other passengers’ lives to be; Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee, inspired by the true story of 17-year-old British Chinese acrobat Valora Luck, a stowaway on the Titanic; Perfectly Parvin by Olivia Abtahi, following 14-year-old Iranian American Parvin, who sets out to win the ultimate date to homecoming after being dumped; and House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland, in which two of the Hollow sisters uncover their shared dark past as they search for their sister who has gone missing.
PENGUIN/RAZORBILL
Razorbill follows a spring recipe for A Taste for Love by Jennifer Yen, in which Taiwanese American Liza Yang’s mother turns their annual baking competition into a ploy to set Liza up with the perfect Asian American boy; Agent 9, It’s Mission Time! by James Burks, beginning a graphic novel series starring a feline secret agent; Heartbreakers and Fakers by Cameron Lund, following Penny and her nemesis Kai, who accidentally kiss at a party and then hatch a fake dating plan to win back their significant others; Renegade Flight by Andrea Tang, set in the near future at a boarding school for mechadragon pilots-in-training; and The Wide Starlight by Nicole Lesperance, which finds 16-year-old Eli trying to remember what truly happened the night her mother disappeared off a glacier in Norway under the Northern Lights.
PENGUIN/RISE X PENGUIN WORKSHOP
Rise x Penguin Workshop welcomes New House by Dave Wheeler, following a toddler through his move-in day at his family’s new home; Stop Detour Playground: A Book of Road Signs by Toni Buzzeo, illus. by Chi Birmingham, which decodes 35 road signs; When Cloud Became a Cloud by Rob Hodgson, in which Cloud blows, snows, storms, and rainbows through the water cycle; Three Ways to Be Brave: A Trio of Stories by Karla Clark, illus. by Jeff Ostberg, presenting three tales of inner strength: a nighttime thunderstorm, the first day of preschool, and a visit to the doctor’s office; and Who Was Jackie Robinson: A Who Was? Board Book by Lisbeth Kaiser, illus. by Stanley Chow, a biography for very young readers.
PENGUIN/VIKING
Viking gets charged up for The Electric Kingdom by David Arnold, about a group of teens embarking on a journey through a ravaged, post-apocalyptic world; The Impossible Climb by Mark Synnott, adapted for young readers by Hampton Synnott, telling the story of Alex Honnold’s historic free solo ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park; Our Last Echoes by Kate Alice Marshall, in which three teens hunt for clues of a missing mother on a cursed island; The Secret Society of Lady Spies by Veronica Mang, the debut volume in an illustrated chapter book series following three girls who uncover a secret society of some of the most famous spies in history; and Kafka and the Doll by Larissa Theule, illus. by Rebecca Green, a work of historical fiction recounting a gesture of kindness from author Franz Kafka.
PENGUIN/WARNE
Frederick Warne buttons up its blue jacket for Peter’s First Day of School by Beatrix Potter, starring Peter Rabbit; and Spot’s Easter Basket by Eric Hill, a die-cut board book featuring Spot the dog.
PENGUIN WORLD OF ERIC CARLE
World of Eric Carle sees a diamond in the sky with Eric Carle’s Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star and Other Nursery Rhymes by Eric Carle; and the following titles featuring one of his best-known characters: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Breakfast; Thank You, Teacher from the Very Hungry Caterpillar; The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Woodland Hide & Seek; and A Day on the Farm with The Very Hungry Caterpillar, all by Eric Carle.
PENGUIN TEEN CANADA
Penguin Teen Canada calls on all its senses for Tell Me When You Feel Something by Vicki Grant, about a teen who volunteers to be a simulated patient for medical school students and finds herself in a very real coma as other students are struggling to tell the truth.
PETER PAUPER PRESS
Peter Pauper Press casts its line with All the Fish in the World by David Opie, a look at creatures under the sea; and 100 Questions About Dogs: And All the Answers Too! and 100 Questions About Cats: And All the Answers Too! by Simon Abbott, delivering information on these animals.
PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS/PI KIDS
PI Kids expands its Disney Growing Up Stories series with Gilbert Tries Again: A Story About Persistence and June Gets a Job: A Story About Responsibility. The books offer a fresh approach for sharing positive character traits with children.
PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS/SUNBIRD BOOKS
Sunbird Books flies into spring with Unicorns Have Bad Manners by Rachel Halpern, illus. by Wendy Tan Shiau Wei, in which a terribly proper dinosaur attempts to befriend a fork-twirling soup snorfler; A Wisdom of Wombats: More Collective Animal Nouns and the Meanings Behind Them by Kathy Broderick, illus. by David DePasquale, exploring animals and the wonderful words we use to describe them; Stuck Inside by Sally Garland, in whicn Toby has to stay in until his hurt paw heals; and It’s HER Story Rosa Parks by Lauren Burke, illus. by Shane Clester, focusing on the courageous thinker and leader known as the Mother of the Civil Rights Movement.
PIXEL + INK
Pixel + Ink pecks out a list with Hide and Go Beak by Nancy Krulik, the first title in The Great Mathemachicken series about a chicken who loves math; Beatrice Bly’s Rules for Spies #1: The Missing Hamster by Sue Fliess, illus. by Beth Mills, featuring a young spy jotting down clues in her notebook with a sparkly pen; Star and Stripe #1: Grand Opening! by M.J. Offen, introducing bovine siblings Star, a cow, and Stripe, a bull; The Trillium Sisters #1: Triplets Get Charmed by Laura Brown and Elly Kramer, following triplet girls with newly discovered powers and their superpowered pets; and The Great Peach Experiment #1: When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie by Erin Soderberg Downing, focusing on the Peach family, which purchases a peach pie food truck in honor of their recently deceased mother.
PRINCETON ARCHITECTURAL PRESS
Princeton Architectural Press flies the coop with Chickenology: The Ultimate Encyclopedia by Barbara Sandri and Francesco Giubbilini, illus. by Camilla Pintonato, a picture book guide to the world of chickens; Armor and Animals: Explore Art and What Can Colors Do?: Explore Art by Elizabeth Yohlin Baill, two books which explore concepts via the collections of the Philadelphia Museum of Art; The Book of Tiny Creatures by Nathalie Tordjman, illus. by Julien Norwood and Emmanuelle Tchoukriel, focusing on such smaller critters as insects and crustaceans and how they contribute to the inner workings of their surrounding habitats; and Full Moon by Camilla Pintonato, in which forest friends gather together under the stars to celebrate the wonders of a full moon.
PUFFIN CANADA
Puffin Canada fires up the oven for Alice Fleck’s Recipe for Disaster by Rachelle Delaney, in which Alice and her culinary historian father get swept up into a mystery when she competes in a cooking competition that’s being sabotaged.
RANDOM HOUSE
Random House cracks up with Confessions of a Class Clown by Arianne Costner, which finds Jack pondering whether the fame that comes with posting viral videos is worth the price of friendship; The Magic Tree House: Dinosaurs Before Dark Graphic Novel by Mary Pope Osborne, featuring time travelers Jack and Annie in a new format; Hooray for Helpers!: Firefighters, Police Officers, and More Heroes in Action by Mike Austin, celebrating first responders; The Thief of Worlds by Bruce Coville, in which a 12-year-old and his friends must save four magical objects across four linked worlds; and Dog Squad by Chris Grabenstein, the launch title in a humorous series about a stray who helps canine crusaders rescue dogs in peril.
RANDOM HOUSE GRAPHIC
Random House Graphic takes a bite out of the season with Apple Crush by Lucy Knisley, in which Jen doesn’t understand why her friends are so excited about dating and romance; Turtle in Paradise: The Graphic Novel by Jennifer L. Holm and Savanna Ganucheau, adapting the Newbery Honor novel about family and home set in the Florida Keys; Fly by Night by Tara O’Connor, following Dee, who believes a supernatural creature may be responsible for her sister’s mysterious disappearance; and Mel the Chosen by Rachel Aragno, the story of Mel, who wishes she were older—until she enters a fantasy world where she has the opportunity to grow up magically and isn’t sure that’s what she wants.
RANDOM HOUSE STUDIO
Random House Studio solves for spring with Isobel Adds It Up by Kristy Everington, illus. by A.G. Ford, about a girl who loves doing math problems, but can’t figure out why her neighbors make so much noise; Grumpy Monkey Freshly Squeezed by Suzanne Lang, illus. by Max Lang, in which Jim Panzee deals with stress management; A Mouse Came Calling by Nicolo Carozzi, which finds the friendship between a goldfish and a mouse in jeopardy when three not-so-friendly cats want to play, too; Indelible Ann by Meghan P. Browne, a picture book biography of the late Texas governor Ann Richards; and Areli’s American Dream by Areli Morales, illus. by Luisa Uribe, presenting an autobiographical tale about immigration to America from Mexico by DACA recipient Morales.
RANDOM HOUSE/CROWN
Crown sharpens its stakes for Ham Helsing: Vampire Hunter #1 by Rich Moyer, about a boy from a legendary family of monster hunters who gets hired to rid a town of a dangerous vampire; The Ivies by Alexa Donne, following a group of prep school elites who would kill to get into the college of their dreams—literally; We Have Wings by Christopher Myers, with a foreword by Kaneza Schaal, an adaptation of Myers’ and Schaal’s play Cartography, which shares the stories of four contemporary immigrants and refugees; What’s Inside a Flower? And Other Questions About Science and Nature by Rachel Ignotofsky, beginning a nonfiction series that celebrates the beauty of the natural world; and Born Ready by Jodie Patterson, illus. by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow, the companion to Patterson’s adult memoir The Bold World, in which the author chronicles her son’s journey to sharing his true self.
RANDOM HOUSE/DELACORTE
Delacorte puckers up for Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau, the adventures of an American ballerina spending the summer at an intense ballet program in Paris; Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson, which finds young detective Pip and her friends from A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder on a new case; The Pack by Lisi Harrison, following Sadie, who is sent to a school for girls with animal-like magic, where her abilities make her suddenly popular; Thornwood by Leah Cypess, which retells “Sleeping Beauty” from Aurora’s younger sister Briony’s point of view; and Dreyer’s English (Adapted for Young Readers) by Benjamin Dreyer, an informative and witty guide to writing and grammar by Random House’s longtime copy chief.
RANDOM HOUSE/DOUBLEDAY
Doubleday rides into spring with 10 Little Tractors by Annie Bailey, illus. by Florence Weiser, which emphasizes counting and follows 10 busy tractors through their day on the farm; The Wheels on the Bus at Halloween by Sarah Kieley, putting a holiday twist on the children’s song; G My Name Is Girl: A Song of Celebration from Argentina to Zambia by Dawn Masi, spotlighting girls, with each letter of the alphabet representing two girls’ names, a country, and an adjective; Let’s Taco About How Great You Are by Bob Holt, featuring humorous wordplay and puns inspired by food; and T. Rexes Can’t Tie Their Shoes by Anna Lazowski, illus. by Steph Laberis, an alphabet book about all the things kids can do but animals can’t.
RANDOM HOUSE/GOLDEN
Golden Books goes through its closet for Funtime Felt: Let’s Dress Teddy by Danielle McLean, which allows readers to use felt pieces to dress Teddy the bear for various situations; Touch & Learn: Ocean by Becky Davies, illus. by Mei Stoyva, an interactive book featuring felt finger trails to touch; I Want to Be... a Teacher by Becky Davies, illus. by Richard Merritt, providing basic facts about this profession; and Unicorn’s School Day, illus. by Sophie Beer, which shuffles humorous words and images depicting Unicorn’s day at school.
RANDOM HOUSE/KNOPF
Knopf sees red with Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim, kicking off a magical fantasy series inspired by East Asian folklore; Big Feelings by Alexandra Penfold, illus. by Suzanne Kaufman, designed to help children navigate all the emotional challenges they face in their daily lives; The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (As Told to His Brother) by David Levithan, in which Aidan disappears for six days, then suddenly reappears, telling a story that is simply impossible; Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Doom by Matthew Swanson, illus. by Robbie Behr, the first of two books launching a middle grade series about a literal-minded kid who tends to follow the advice he comes across in fortune cookies; and War and Millie McGonigle by Karen Cushman, telling a story of WWII on the American home front through the eyes of Millie, a girl struggling to find her place in her family.
RANDOM HOUSE/LAMB
Wendy Lamb Books storms into the season with Fierce as the Wind by Tara Wilson Redd, the story of a girl who finds new strength when she enters an Ironman-length race after her boyfriend breaks up with her; Tremendous Things by Susin Nielsen, in which Wilbur’s friends give him a Queer Eye-style makeover to build his confidence as he travels to France and tries to win over the Parisian exchange student he has fallen for; Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock, a collection of short stories that connects the lives of teens from small towns in Alaska and the American West; and The Last Rabbit by Shelley Moore Thomas, about four enchanted rabbit sisters on a magical island who can turn back into girls if they leave with a boy in his boat.
RANDOM HOUSE/MAKE ME A WORLD
Make Me a World looks for a place to land with Home Is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo, a novel-in-verse about family, identity, and finding yourself; and My First Day by Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Thi Kim Lien, chronicling the journey of a Vietnamese boy who faces many dangers as he sets out alone in a wooden boat.
RANDOM HOUSE/RODALE KIDS
Rodale Kids experiences a spring growth spurt with Puberty Is Gross, But Also Really Awesome by Gina Loveless, offering information and advice from experts on how to discuss awkward topics with trusted adults; My First Book of Feelings and My First Book of Numbers, two titles in the Montessori Method series inspired by the education model focused on the development of the whole child; and Peaceful Like a Panda: 30 More Mindful Moments for Bedtime, Playtime, and Anytime! by Kira Willey, illus. by Anni Betts, providing mindful exercises designed to teach kids how to manage their bodies, breath, and emotions.
RANDOM HOUSE/SCHWARTZ
Anne Schwartz Books wriggles into spring with The Worm Family Has Its Picture Taken by Jennifer Frank, illus. by David Ezra Stein, in which Emma the worm dresses her family up for a photo shoot; Henry Versus the First 100 Days of School by Emily Jenkins, illus. by Pete Oswald, following a first grader’s adventures throughout his first 100 days of school; Pink, Blue, and You: A Book About Gender by Elise Gravel, offering an introduction to the complex concept of gender; Uma Wimple Charts Her House by Reif Larsen, illus. by Ben Gibson, about a chart-drawing girl who is stumped when she’s asked to make a chart of her own home; and Shirley Chisholm Dared by Alicia D. Williams, illus. by April Harrison, a picture book biography of the first Black woman to be elected to Congress and to run for president.
RANDOM HOUSE/SCHWARTZ & WADE
Schwartz & Wade cultivates a spring list with We Are a Garden by Lisa Westberg Peters, illus. by Victoria Tentler-Krylov, depicting centuries of immigrants who have come to make North America their home; The Little Library by Margaret McNamara, illus. by G. Brian Karas, next up in the Mr. Tiffin series, about a reluctant reader who becomes a book lover after crafting a wood-working project; Violet & Daisy by Sarah Miller, telling the true story of conjoined twins Violet and Daisy Hilton who were the sensation in sideshows in the early 20th century; Regina Is Not a Little Dinosaur by Andrea Zuill, featuring a young dinosaur seeking her independence; and The Water Lady: How Darlene Arviso Helps a Thirsty Navajo Nation by Alice B. McGinty, illus. by Shonto Begay, about a Navajo woman who brings desperately needed water to her people on the reservation every day.
RED CHAIR
Red Chair grabs a bucket for The Question of the Vomit Vortex by Ken Bowser, a Jesse Steam mystery in which Jesse and her friends use STEAM skills to learn about centrifugal and centripetal forces; Be Brave! by Wiley Blevins, paying tribute to first responders and other courageous workers as part of the What a Job series; Bully for You by Dana Sullivan, following seventh grader Max as he deals with bullies, Islamophobia, and racism in the third Dead Max Comix title; and King Tut Helps Ming Stay Weird by Caryn Rivadeneira, illus. by Priscilla Alpaugh, the latest Helper Hound book in which an emotional support dog helps a boy and his classmates cope with fear during a school lockdown drill.
RED CHAIR/ONE ELM
One Elm charts a course with Into the Wind by William Loizeaux, illus. by Laura Jacobsen, about the friendship between a 10-year-old boy and an elderly local artist who shares his passion for sailing off the coast of Maine; and Finding S.A.M. by Mary Bleckwehl, illus. by Berat Pekmezci, featuring a teen on the autism spectrum and his younger brother who desperately seeks normal.
RUNNING PRESS
Running Press pays it forward with A Small Kindness by Stacy McAnulty, illus. by Wendy Leach, in which one simple kind act sets off a chain reaction of altruism across a classroom; Just Be You: Ask Questions, Set Intentions, Be Your Special Self, and More by Mallika Chopra, illus. by Brenna Vaughan, a guide to exploring and developing identity; A Kid’s Guide to Fandom: Exploring Fan-Fic, Cosplay, Gaming, Podcasting, and More in the Geek World! by Amy Ratcliffe; When You Get the Chance by Tom Ryan and Robin Stevenson, in which two queer cousins uncover family secrets and reevaluate romantic relationships while on a road trip to Pride; and Words Composed of Sea and Sky by Erica George, about a poetry-loving girl in contemporary Cape Cod who discovers the diary of a female poet from the 17th century.
SCHOLASTIC
Scholastic checks the Richter scale for Miles Morales: Shock Waves by Justin A. Reynolds, illus. by Pablo Leon, in which an earthquake creates conflict for Miles at home and in his life as Spider-Man; The Magical Reality of Nadia by Bassem Youssef and Catherine R. Daly, illus. by Douglas Holgate, following sixth grader and Egyptian immigrant Nadia as she navigates friendships, racism, and some magic; You Are Enough by Margaret O’Hair and Sofia Sanchez, illus. by Sofia Cardoso, which finds Sanchez, a young model and actress with Down syndrome, reminding kids how important it is to be proud of who they are; and Bendy and the Ink Machine: The Illusion of Living by Adrienne Kress, presenting an in-world memoir from Bendy action-horror game creator Joey Drew.
SCHOLASTIC EARLY LEARNERS
Scholastic Early Learners ushers in the season with the following interactive novelty board books: Five Tiny Ducks; Squeak-a-Moo; and Slide and Find ABC Things That Go.
SCHOLASTIC EN ESPAÑOL
Scholastic en Español says “hola” to the following title in Spanish: La luna dentro de mí (The Moon Within) by Aida Salazar.
SCHOLASTIC FOCUS
Scholastic Focus suits up with The Beekeepers by Dana Church, detailing the lives of bees and how different groups of humans are both hurting them and fighting for their survival; Separate No More: The Long Road to Brown v. Board of Education by Lawrence Goldstone, focusing on the key trials and players in this fight for social justice; and We Must Not Forget: Holocaust Stories of Survival and Rescue by Deborah Hopkinson, sharing the true stories of young Jewish people from different parts of Europe who survived the Holocaust.
SCHOLASTIC PAPERBACKS
Scholastic Paperbacks soars into spring with Sparrow Rising (Skyborn #1) by Jessica Khoury, kicking off a fantasy series about communities formed around bird types; Crocodile Rescue! (Wild Survival #1) by Melissa Cristina Márquez, in which Adrianna travels the globe with her family’s nature show to help save animals; Mackenzie Makes It Work #1 by Lisa Papademetriou, about a girl navigating middle school; Dragon Girls #1-3 by Maddy Mara, featuring three girls who learn they can change into magical dragons and must save an enchanted forest from evil sprites; and Mermicorn Island #1-3 by Jason June, starring Lucky the mermicorn who uses a treasure chest of magic seashells to help his friends find the magic in themselves.
SCHOLASTIC PRESS
Scholastic Press crosses into spring with The Little Blue Bridge by Brenda Maier, illus. by Sonia Sánchez, a STEM-friendly feminist spin on The Three Billy Goats Gruff; Ground Zero by Alan Gratz, telling the parallel stories of a boy at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, and a girl in contemporary Afghanistan who face monumental challenges; Rescue by Jennifer A. Nielsen, in which a girl must crack codes and lead a German family to safety with the help of the French Resistance; The Boy Who Failed Show and Tell by Jordan Sonnenblick, chronicling Jordan’s terrible, no-good fourth-grade year; Muted by Tami Charles, the story of a girl desperate to escape her small town and make it big in music, and the nightmarish role that an R&B legend plays in her plan; The Life I’m In by Sharon G. Flake, a companion to The Skin I’m In, a story about Char, Maleeka’s ruthless bully, who seeks refuge in a human trafficking ring; The Little Butterfly That Could by Ross Burach, paying homage to every child’s struggle to persist through challenges; and Let Liberty Rise!: The True Story of How Schoolchildren Helped Save the Statue of Liberty by Chana Stiefel, illus. by Chuck Groenink, spotlighting the real-life fundraising effort for a pedestal for this monument.
SCHOLASTIC/ACORN
Acorn dives into spring with the following illustrated early readers: Let’s Go Swimming! (Hello, Hedgehog! #4) by Norm Feuti; Ready, Set, Race! (Moby Shinobi and Toby Too #3) by Luke Flowers; Fair and Square (Unicorn and Yeti #5) by Heather Ayris Burnell, illus. by Hazel Quintanilla; and The Giant Ice Cream Mess (Fox Tails #3) by Tina Kügler.
SCHOLASTIC/BRANCHES
Branches sets up an umbrella for these illustrated early chapter books: Eva at the Beach (Owl Diaries #14) by Rebecca Elliott; The Chocolate Fix (Layla and the Bots #3) by Vicky Fang, illus. by Christine Nishiyama; Heat of the Lava Dragon (Dragon Masters #18) by Tracey West, illus. by Graham Howells; Super Rabbit Boy’s Team-Up Trouble (Press Start #10) by Thomas Flintham; and The Pet Store Sprite (Pixie Tricks #3) by Tracey West, illus. by Xavier Bonet.
SCHOLASTIC/CARTWHEEL
Cartwheel keeps its eyes peeled for Can You See What I See?: Hidden Wonders by Walter Wick, a new addition to the search-and-find series; You Are My Sparkly Mermaid by Joyce Wan, about believing in yourself and shining bright; Reach for the Stars, illus. by Carolina Buzio, a multi-sensory cloth book; Mighty Moms by Joan Holub, illus. by Joyce Wan, celebrating mothers who work hard; and God Loves Me, illus. by Virginia Allyn, an introduction to the Bible created in partnership with the American Bible Association.
SCHOLASTIC/CHICKEN HOUSE
Chicken House clears a path to The Mysterious House on Hoarder Hill by Mikki Lish and Kelly Ngai, first in a series about two siblings who discover clues to solving the strange disappearance of their grandmother, which are hidden in their reclusive grandfather’s labyrinth of belongings; The Ash House by Angharad Walker, in which 11-year-old Sol arrives at the Ash House seeking a cure for his complex pain syndrome and finds a community of children long abandoned by their headmaster; The Block by Benjamin Oliver, the second book in the Loop trilogy, following Luka, who is trapped with fellow inmates in a fate worse than death; and Darwin’s Dragons by Lindsay Galvin, about Simon, cabin boy and assistant to Charles Darwin, as he makes a miraculous discovery on a Galapagos island.
SCHOLASTIC/FICKLING
David Fickling Books welcomes spring with This Book Has Alpacas and Bears by Emma Perry and Rikin Parekh, about an alpaca frustrated that all the books he reads don’t have any alpacas in them, just wall-to-wall bears.
SCHOLASTIC/GRAPHIX
Graphix braces itself for Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter, which finds Maggie struggling to find the perfect pet after she discovers she has a severe allergy to fur; Dog Man #10 by Dav Pilkey, the latest adventure for the canine cop who’s part dog, part man; Claudia and the New Girl by Ann M. Martin and Gabriela Epstein, next up in the graphic-novel adaptations of Martin’s Baby-sitters Club series; Banana Fox and the Secret Sour Society by James Kochalka, in which Banana Fox investigates the case of a missing turtle and unearths the schemes of the Secret Sour Society; and Owly #3: Flying Lessons by Andy Runton, featuring Owly’s efforts to overcome his fear of flying so he can rescue Wormy and make a new friend.
SCHOLASTIC/ORCHARD
Orchard puts on its game face with I Really Want to Win by Simon Philip, illus. by Lucia Gagglioti, featuring a competitive girl and her sidekick pup who have their eyes on the prize; Lala’s Words by Gracey Zhang, in which Lala uses her whispered kind words to grow something amazing in a patch of weeds; Ten Spooky Pumpkins by Gris Grimly, which puts a spooky twist on a favorite preschool rhyme; Standing on Her Shoulders by Monica Clark-Robinson, illus. by Laura Freeman, paying tribute to inspiring women throughout history; and The Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round by Wendy Wan-Long Shang, illus. by Lorian Tu, serving up a new spin on “The Wheels on the Bus,” which celebrates food.
SCRIBE/SCRIBBLE
Scribble gallops into spring with Arno and His Horse by Jane Godwin, illus. by Felicita Sala, in which Arno searches high and low for the wooden horse crafted by his grandfather; Beautiful Eggs by Alice Lindstrom, exploring egg-decorating traditions from around the world; and Doodle Cat Is Bored by Kat Patrick, illus. by Lauren Marriott, starring Doodle, a squiggly red feline who’s feeling bored until he finds a thing.
SHAMBHALA/BALA KIDS
Bala Kids gets in touch with its feelings with Happy Puppy, Angry Tiger by Brad and Betsy Petersen, illus. by Betsy Petersen, designed to help children understand their emotions, build empathy, and develop the vocabulary to express themselves; Afraid of the Light: A Story About Facing Your Fears by Albert Strasser, illus. by Flavia Sorrentino, introducing a rabbit named Ditter Von Dapp that is painfully afraid of the light; Kuan Yin: The Princess Who Became the Goddess of Compassion by Maya van der Meer, illus. by Wen Hsu, in which two sisters discover the power of love and the true meaning of compassion; and Mindful Kids Activity Book: 60 Playful Projects, Games, and Exercises to Make Friends with Your Feelings by Louison Nielman, following animal characters as they learn about emotions and how to deal with them.
SIMON & SCHUSTER
Simon & Schuster finds a four-leaf clover with Lucky List by Rachael Lippincott, in which Emily and Blake find their bond deepening as they tick off the items on Emily’s late mother’s senior summer bucket list; Roxy by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman, a thriller exploring the opioid crisis; Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson, following best friends Kat and Stevie as their planned perfect night in New York City before senior year is anything but; Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi, the story of two estranged sisters switching places and committing insurance fraud to save one of their lives; and Charlie Thorne and the Lost City by Stuart Gibbs, the second adventure for Charlie, on her quest to find Charles Darwin’s hidden treasure in South America.
S&S/ALADDIN
Aladdin snatches the season with The Memory Thief by Jodi Lynn Anderson, first in the 13 Witches trilogy about the 13 witches responsible for all the evil in the world and the girl who sets out to defeat them; Golden Gate by James Ponti, second in the City Spies series featuring action, intrigue, exotic locales, and iconic landmarks; Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow by Emma Steinkellner, the next graphic-novel adventure for half-witch middle schooler Moth Hush; That Thing About Bollywood by Supriya Kelkar, in which a Bollywood-loving girl starts to involuntarily burst into glamorous song-and-dance routines in her everyday life; and The Island by Mary Alice Monroe, following three newfound friends on a mandatory dawn beach patrol for sea turtles during a summer on a nature sanctuary island.
S&S/ATHENEUM
Atheneum hides the garlic for Vampenguin by Lucy Ruth Cummins, in which baby Dracula and baby Penguin are not content to stay in their proper places; Across the Pond by Joy McCullough, about a girl trying to reinvent herself after a rough friendship breakup when she moves overseas to Scotland; How to Change Everything by Naomi Klein, a young readers’ guide to battling climate change; Is Was by Deborah Freedman, exploring innocent, everyday change and more far-reaching transformations; and Dreams for a Daughter by Carole Boston Weatherford, illus. by Brian Pinkney, spotlighting a Black mother’s hopes and dreams for her daughter.
S&S/ATHENEUM/DLOUHY
Caitlyn Dlouhy Books chair dances with Jazz for Lunch by Jarrett Dapier, illus. by Eugenia Mello, serving up a celebration of music, food, and family; Dragons in the Canyon by Kathi Appelt, in which Zada (named for Scheherazade) the camel and her friend Zephyr spend their days in the west Texas desert looking for others like them and find a lost pair of American kestrels; I See You See by Richard Jackson, illus. by Patrice Barton, about a pair of siblings who go on a walk where imagination turns the ordinary into the extraordinary; and Old Pearl by Wendy Wahman, following bird-loving Theo, who goes out of his way to feed—and befriend—an old bird with a raggedy wing.
S&S/BEACH LANE
Beach Lane works inch-by-inch and row-by-row for How to Help a Pumpkin Grow by Ashley Wolff, a tale of gardening and unexpected friendship; The Farmer and the Circus by Marla Frazee, concluding the trilogy begun with The Farmer and the Clown, in which the farmer visits his friends at the circus; Early One Morning by Mem Fox, illus. by Christine Davenier, the tale of a boy who goes out one fine morning to collect a few things for his breakfast; Nerdycorn by Andrew Root, illus. by Erin Balzer, featuring Fern, a science-minded unicorn; and Cougar Crossing by Meeg Pincus, illus. by Alexander Vidal, presenting the true story of P-22, the famed “Hollywood Cougar,” who inspired scientists and the people of Los Angeles to work together to protect the city’s wild cougar population.
S&S/LITTLE SIMON
Little Simon says “I love you more” with In My Life by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, illus. by Genevieve Santos, adapting the Beatles song as generations gathering throughout the span of a child’s life; Dragon Kingdom by Jordan Quinn, kicking off the Dragon Wrenly series featuring Ruskin, the scarlet dragon from the Kingdom of Wrenly books; Pup Detectives #1 by Felix Gumpaw, first in a graphic novel series about the pup detectives of Pawston Elementary; Super Turbo by Edgar Powers, the debut graphic novel in a series starring Super Turbo the hamster and other classroom pets of Sunnyview Elementary; and Curls by Ruth Forman, illus. by Geneva Bowers, an ode to African American girls and the beauty of their curls.
S&S/MCELDERRY
Margaret McElderry Books rushes into the season with Bear Can’t Wait by Karma Wilson, illus. by Jane Chapman, in which Bear tries very hard to be patient; Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare, following the Shadowhunters who must catch a killer in Edwardian London; Accidental Apprentice by Amanda Foody, featuring 11-year-old Barclay who must set off on a quest in the mysterious woods after he accidentally bonds with a magical Beast; Girl Before Sophia Jane by Kit Frick, about two teens who discover they share a connection after a streaming service makes a documentary about the dark history of their small town; and Willowweep Manor by Shaenon K. Garrity, illus. by Christopher Baldwin, the graphic-novel tale of a teenager who is swept into a strange new universe and must save it from an all-consuming evil to return home.
S&S/MILLNER
Denene Millner Books rises up with Wings of Ebony by J. Elle, introducing a girl who is half-god and half-human and must learn how to harness her powers if she wants to save her neighborhood.
S&S/SALAAM READS
Salaam Reads has heart eyes for Misfit in Love by S.K. Ali, the sequel to Saints and Misfits which finds Janna and her friends planning for her brother’s nikah, potentially the biggest event of the summer; and Amina’s Song by Hena Khan, the follow-up to Amina’s Voice, about Amina’s courageous move to share her love of Pakistan with her American community through speech and song.
S&S/SIMON PULSE
Simon Pulse says “wish you were here” with Postcards from Summer by Cynthia Platt, about a girl who travels to her late mother’s majestic summertime home to learn of the romance and tragedy that changed her mother’s life forever; Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris, in which a Black teen who has the power to see into the future foresees his younger brother’s imminent death; The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman, launching a sci-fi series featuring a teen girl who navigates an afterlife in which she must defeat an AI entity intent on destroying humanity; A Pho Love Story by Loan Le, following two Vietnamese American teens who fall in love and try to maintain their relationship amid their families’ age-old feud about their competing neighboring restaurants; and One Great Lie by Deb Caletti, exploring questions of who holds power and what happens when the power is abused, in a story set against the backdrop of Venice.
S&S/SIMON SPOTLIGHT
Simon Spotlight sinks its teeth into Alligators and Crocodiles Can’t Chew by Thea Feldman, illus. by Lee Cosgrove, a Super Facts for Super Kids nonfiction Read-to-Read title; and tie-ins to the following franchises: Angelina Ballerina, Baby by Dreamworks, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, and PJ Masks.
S&S/WISEMAN
Paula Wiseman Books turns the page with Book’s Big Adventure by Adam Lehrhaupt, illus. by Rahele Jomepour Bell, the story of a book’s second life when it finds a new reader and loving home; Never Grow Up by Tyler Russell and Karen Kingsbury, the third Baxter Family Children title; Light for All by Margarita Engle, illus. by Raúl Colón, spotlighting the immigrant experience in America; Listen by Gabi Snyder, illus. by Stephanie Graegin, focusing on listening and mindfulness; and Chirp! by Jamie A. Swenson, illus. by Scott Magoon, in which Chipmunk discovers that a friend is someone who will feel your feelings with you.
SLEEPING BEAR
Sleeping Bear shines up an apple for A Teacher Like You by Frank Murphy, illus. by Kayla Harren, an appreciation of the teachers in our lives; Headstrong Hallie by Aimée Bissonette, illus. by David Hohn, spotlighting Hallie Morse Daggett, the first female “fire guard” of the U.S. Forest Service; The Lady of the Library by Angie Karcher, illus. by Rachel Sanson, in which a girl teams up with the ghostly woman who haunts the library to try and save the building from demolition; Ocean Soup by Meeg Pincus, illus. by Lucy Semple, looking at how plastics polluting the ocean make it look like soup, and how to clean it up; and Pop, Pop, Popcorn! by Cynthia Schumerth, introducing the scientific process of creating popcorn.
SOURCEBOOKS FIRE
Sourcebooks Fire looks back with Yesterday Is History by Kosoko Jackson, in which Andre begins traveling through time after receiving a liver transplant and finds himself torn between two boys—one from the past and one from the future; The Castle School (for Troubled Girls) by Alyssa Sheinmel, about a grieving teen shipped off to a boarding school for bad girls who uncovers a sinister mystery; and The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin, featuring Clara, an Everwitch whose magic is the only hope to save a world where witches who have long maintained the climate are losing control.
SOURCEBOOKS KIDS
Sourcebooks Kids renews its passport for World Travelers: Lost Treasure of the Taj Mahal by Raj Haldar, illus. by Bryce Gladfelter, the debut title in a chapter book mystery series exploring etymology and world cultures; Too Crowded by Lena Podesta, about a goldfish who seeks wide open spaces only to be reminded of the importance of home; Except Antarctica by Todd Sturgell, which follows a determined turtle on a quest to reach Antarctica, the only habitat where turtles cannot be found; Sometimes a Question by Lisa Novick, in which the life cycle of a butterfly gives readers a meditation on the power of asking questions; and Sweet Dreams, Little One by Sandra Magsamen, a bedtime book.
TANGLEWOOD
Tanglewood opens its heart with How to Change the World in 12 Easy Steps by Peggy Porter Tierney, illus. by Marie Letourneau, offering simple ways to make a real difference, inspired by Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor’s message of love and forgiveness.
TINY OWL
Tiny Owl gives a hoot with Bloom by Anne Booth, illus. by Robyn Wilson-Owen, a tale of friendship, respect, and kindness, in which an older gentleman realizes his flower won’t bloom without the help of a caring girl.
TUNDRA
Tundra holds its nose for Whose Poo? by Daisy Bird, illus. by Marianna Coppo, which finds two mice discussing what different creatures’ poo would look like; Bubbles by Ben Clanton, first in a new board book series, following Narwhal and Jelly as they discover different types of bubbles; The Secret Fawn by Kallie George, illus. by Elly MacKay, the tale of a girl frustrated with being too young to see all the wonderful things her family can see until she stumbles upon a secret she can keep all to herself; Super Detectives (Simon & Chester Book #1) by Cale Atkinson, the launch of a graphic novel series about Simon the ghost and his human friend Chester solving mysteries; and We Adopted a Baby Lamb by Lori Joy Smith, inspired by a true story spotlighting the latest addition to a family.
TYNDALE
Tyndale listens to Mama with Hush, Little Baby, the nursery rhyme rewritten with a Christian twist; What Do You Say to a Dragon?: A Story About Facing Fear and Anxiety by Lexi Young Peck, illus. by Wendy Leach, offering kids tools to help them express and face their concerns; Merle of Nazareth by Mike Nawrocki, illus. by Luke Séguin-Magee, next in the Dead Sea Squirrels series, in which Merle and Pearl are kidnapped and taken to Bethlehem; and A Gentle Tyranny (Nedé Rising #1) by Jess Corban, kicking off a series set in a matriarchal society in which men have been oppressed as slave labor.
WEST MARGIN
West Margin consults its GPS for More Than One Way West by Elizabeth Goss, chronicling the experiences faced by real children traveling the Oregon and California Trails between 1840 and 1869; Back Home by Dan L. Walker, the sequel to Secondhand Summer, continuing Sam’s story in 1960s Alaska with the homecoming of his older brother, wounded from war; Lucy’s Blooms by Dawn Prochovnic, illus. by Alice Bereton, in which a grandmother guides her granddaughter in growing entries for the annual flower contest; When My Cousins Come to Town by Angela Shanté, illus. by Keisha Morris, about a girl enjoying the annual visit from her cousins for her birthday; and Chickens on the Loose by Jane Kurtz, illus. by John Joseph, following the adventures of chickens running wild all over town.
WHAT ON EARTH BOOKS
What On Earth Books takes a closer look with Zoom: Ocean Adventures by Susan Hayes, illus. by Susanna Rumiz, and Zoom: Space Adventure by Susan Hayes, illus. by Sam Rennocks, launching a nonfiction board book series; Marvelous Machines: A Magic Lens Book by Jane Wilsher, illus. by Andres Lozano, exploring the inner workings of machines and inventions; and Amazing Treasures: 100+ Objects and Places That Will Boggle Your Mind by David Long, illus. by Muti, examining pirate gold, ancient tombs, meteorites and more.
ALBERT WHITMAN
Albert Whitman peeks at spring with Close Your Eyes by Lori Haskins Houran, illus. by Sydney Hanson, next in a series featuring baby animals; A Neighborhood Walk: A Musical Journey by Pilar Winter Hill, illus. by Olivia Duchess, based on the violin prodigy experience finding her musical calling in her Brooklyn neighborhood; A Garden to Save the Birds by Wendy McClure, illus. by Beatriz Mayumi, revealing how a brother and sister learn to help the declining bird population; Shaped By Her Hands: Potter Maria Martinez by Barbara Gonzales and Anna Harber Freeman, illus. by Aphelandra, chronicling the life of the renowned Tewa Pueblo artist; and Summer of Brave by Amy Noelle Parks, the story of how Lilla deals with academic pressure, her parents’ divorce, and a #MeToo encounter.
ALBERT WHITMAN TEEN
AW Teen segues into spring with The Salt in Our Blood by Ava Morgyn, in which Cat questions whether she is dealing with mental illness, like her mother, when she begins to see people who resemble the characters from tarot cards.
WORKMAN
Workman carries a compass for How to Go Anywhere (and Not Get Lost): A Guide to Navigation for Young Adventurers by Hans Aschim, which teaches kids navigation techniques to use while hiking, camping, or exploring the backyard; Everything You Need to Ace Biology in One Big Fat Notebook by Matthew Brown; My First Brain Quest: First Words, launching a board book series inspired by the quiz cards of the same name; Good Night, Spencer! by Michelle Romo, introducing a cat character in a series of die-cut board books; and You Do Not Have to Be Everything: Poems for Girls Becoming Women by Diana Whitney, an anthology that offers young women wisdom and compassion for a formative time in their lives.
ZONDERKIDZ
Zonderkidz lends a hand with Fiona Helps a Friend by Richard Cowdrey, starring Fiona, the hippo at the Cincinnati Zoo, playing dress-up with zoo friends; Pugtato, Let’s Be Spuddies by Sophie Corrigan, in which Pugtato learns what it means to be a friend; Stay This Way Forever by ABC News’s Linsey Davis, designed as a love letter to children celebrating their own special qualities; Built Together by HGTV personality Mina Starsiak, focusing on teamwork; and Bold, Right Life by Kierra Sheard, in which the gospel influencer offers encouragement for young women.
