Sequels hitting shelves this month include the return of a beloved character after 35 years, the conclusion to a battle for humanity, a quirky duo of penguin spies, and much more.
Picture Books and Comics
The Farmer and the Monkey by Marla Frazee (S&S/Beach Lane, Sept. 22 $17.99; ISBN 978-1-5344-4619-9)
In this wordless follow-up to Caldecott Honoree Frazee’s The Farmer and the Clown, after the farmer’s new friend baby clown returns to the circus he expects to resume his quiet life, until he discovers that a playful circus monkey has followed him home.
Fast Friends by John Cena, illus. by Howard McWilliam (Random House, Sept. 29 $18.99; ISBN 978-0-593-17934-5)
When Elbow Grease and his monster truck brothers become jealous of Chopper’s talents, they must learn to work together and welcome a new friend into the group. Cena launched a special pre-order campaign to connect with fans during the pandemic.
Field Trip to the Ocean Deep by John Hare (Holiday House/Ferguson, Sept. 8 $17.99; ISBN 978-0-8234-4630-8)
In this wordless picture book, a follow-up to Field Trip to the Moon, students board a school bus/submarine on a voyage under the sea.
Hello, Arnie! by Laurie Keller (Holt/Ottaviano, Sept. 29 $18.99; ISBN 978-1-250-10724-4)
In the fifth book in the Adventures of Arnie the Doughnut, Arnie is excited to say hello to his pastry friends in the bakery. But there is a new pastry he’s never met before. Who could it be?
Imogene Comes Back! by David Small (Knopf, Sept. 15 $17.99; ISBN 978-0-593-12374-4)
Thirty-five years after her transformation in Imogene’s Antlers, Imogene returns in this sequel. First she discovers she has sprouted a giraffe’s neck, followed by a curious new feature every day.
Julia’s House Moves On by Ben Hatke (First Second, Sept. 29 $18.99; ISBN 978-1-250-19137-3)
In the sequel to Julia’s House for Lost Creatures, Julia and her fantastic friends are back for another adventure and this time they are ready to move on. But where will they go? The book earned a starred review from PW.
Take the Plunge by John Patrick Green (First Second, Sept. 29 $9.99; ISBN 978-1-250-21998-5)
Secret agents Mango and Brash are plunged into a new mystery in the second book of the InvestiGators series. S.U.I.T. is under attack and it is up to Mango and Brash to go undercover underground to search for the criminal Crackerdile, but their plan backfires.
Novels
As the Shadow Rises by Katy Rose Pool (Holt, Sept. 1 $19.99; ISBN 978-1-250-21177-4)
In the second installment of the Age of Darkness series, the world is hurtling toward its prophesized end and the Last Prophet’s vision reveals the key to stopping the Age of Darkness: finding the long-lost sources of magic taken from a slain god.
Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin (HarperTeen, Sept. 1 $18.99; ISBN 978-0-06-287805-2)
After narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Dames Blanches, Lou, Reid, Coco, and Ansel are back in the sequel to Serpent & Dove and on the run with nowhere to hide. They need strong allies but protection comes at a price, and the group is forced to embark on separate quests to build their forces.
Dear Justyce by Nic Stone (Crown, Sept. 29 $18.99; ISBN 978-1-984829-66-5)
In the sequel to Dear Martin, incarcerated teen Quan writes letters to Yale student Justyce about his experiences in the American juvenile justice system. Through a series of flashbacks, Quan’s story takes form. See our profile on author Stone.
The Fourth Suit by Neil Patrick Harris (Little, Brown, Sept. 15 $16.99; ISBN 978-0-316-39195-5).
In the finale of The Magic Misfits series, Ridley’s harsh criticisms have put her in a precarious position with the group even as their longtime enemy Kalagan looms. Read more about the actor-turned-author’s series here.
The Glass Queen by Gena Showalter (Inkyard, Sept. 29 $18.99; ISBN 978-1-335-08028-8)
In the second book of the Forest of Good and Evil trilogy, the forces of good and evil take center stage as Cinderella goes to war with Everly and Roth in an attempt to overthrow her stepfamily and stake her claim as the rightful Dragon Queen.
Golden Egg by Sam Hay, illus. by Marek Jagucki (Feiwel and Friends, Sept. 15 $13.99; ISBN 978-1-250-18863-2)
Two young adventure-loving and gadget-obsessed penguins must compete in the Golden Egg Games while also finding a legendary criminal who escaped from the Frosty Bureau of Investigation, in this third book of the Spy Penguins series.
Gold Wings Rising by Alex London (FSG, Sept. 1 $18.99; ISBN 978-0-374-30689-2)
In the finale of The Skybound Saga, Kylee and Brysen must fight for their lives and their humanity. After the Siege of the Six Villages, the ghost eagles have trapped Uztaris on both sides of the conflict. At the same time, the ghost eagles have been creating schemes that are more terrible than imagined.
Greythorne by Crystal Smith (HMH, Sept. 1 $18.99; ISBN 978-1-328-49631-7)
Princess Aurelia’s life is upended in the sequel to Bloodleaf as the kingdom she thought she saved falls to ruin. With no place to call her own, she returns to Greythorne Manor only to find hidden sinister secrets.
The Lost Book of the White by Cassandra Clare (S&S/McElderry, Sept. 1 $24.99; ISBN 978-1-4814-9512-7)
In the second book in The Eldest Curses series, Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood are living together in a fabulous loft while their new son is learning to walk. But when two old acquaintances break into the apartment and steal the Book of White, Magnus and Alec have to drop everything to get it back.
Majesty by Katharine McGee (Random House, Sept. 1 $18.99; ISBN 978-1-984830-21-0)
As America adjusts to the idea of a queen on the throne in this sequel to American Royals, Beatrice grapples with everything she lost since she gained the crown. Meanwhile, the rest of the royal family try to adjust to this new life.
Real Pigeons Nest Hard by Andrew McDonald, illus. by Ben Wood (Random House, Sept. 1 $13.99; ISBN 978-0-593-11950-1)
In the third book in the Real Pigeons series, the crime-fighting squad can’t rest with a bone-crunching vulture on the loose, a child running amok, and a long-lost family to find.
The Sound of Danger by Mac Barnett, illus. by Mike Lowery (Orchard, Sept. 1 $12.99; ISBN 978-1-338-59426-3)
Mac B., kid spy is back in the fifth installment of Barnett’s series. Mac is the only one who can retrieve a priceless violin that has been stolen, taking him on a top-secret museum night watch. But when he ends up as a prisoner, is the mission lost for good? Read our profile on the author here.
The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi (Wednesday Books, Sept. 22 $18.99; ISBN 978-1-250-14457-7)
Returning to the world of The Gilded Wolves, Séverin and his team members might have successfully thwarted the Fallen House, but victory came at a terrible cost. Their hunt leads them to Russia, and a string of unsolved murders makes the crew question whether an ancient myth is actually true. See our q&a with Chokshi on the series.
A Tale of Witchcraft by Chris Colfer (Little, Brown, Sept. 29 $18.99; ISBN 978-0-316-52356-1)
In the latest addition to A Tale of Magic, Brystal and her friends have saved the world but a mysterious new witch at the academy has begun to recruit faeries with dark intensions. Elsewhere, an old dangerous clan is bent on exterminating magic forever.
Three Keys by Kelly Yang (Scholastic Press, Sept. 15 $17.99; ISBN 978-1-338-59138-5)
The story of Mia and her family, which began in Front Desk, continues at the Calivista Motel where Mia is finally able to run the front desk and is finally getting somewhere with her writing. But sixth grade comes with its own challenges, including a new immigration law that could threaten everyone in Mia’s life.
The Vanderbeekers Lost and Found by Karina Yan Glaser (HMH, Sept. 15 $16.99; ISBN 978-0-358-25619-9).
The Harlem family is back in the fourth novel of the Vanderbeekers series. The Vanderbeekers are busy making sure that the person sleeping in the community garden gets enough to eat, but when they discover that person’s true identity, they learn what it means to care for someone in an impossible situation.
Wayward Witch by Zoraida Córdova (Sourcebooks Fire, Sept. 1 $17.99; ISBN 978-1-4926-5068-3)
In the conclusion of the Brooklyn Brujas trilogy, Rose discovers her father’s memory loss is a lie; as she rushes to his side the two are pulled through a portal into the land of Adas, where she is tasked with saving the magical land.
The Willoughbys Return by Lois Lowry (HMH, Sept. 29 $17.99; ISBN 978-0-358-42389-8)
The Willoughbys are back after more than a decade, but just as they make friends, selling sweets becomes illegal and the family’s fortune is put in jeopardy. To make matters worse, Richie’s horrible grandparents are on their way back home.
