Here we round up new and forthcoming children’s titles including a YA book featuring a promposal gone awry, a picture book going beyond surface level feelings, a middle grade book about struggling to manage responsibilities, a middle grade verse memoir highlighting a unique living experience, and more.
As You Walk On By by Julian Winters. Viking, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-593-20650-8. After an epic promposal for track star Theo Wright fails, Theo befriends a misfit group of teens hiding out at a party who help each other become more honest versions of themselves. The YA book received a starred review from PW.
Beneath by Cori Doerrfeld. Little, Brown, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-316-31226-4. A child takes a walk with his grandfather while he’s upset and discovers that, like him, there is complex life beneath the surface in nature.
Figure It Out, Henri Weldon by Tanita S. Davis. HarperCollins/Tegen, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-06-314357-9. Juggling a new school environment, feeling excluded in classroom learning, and preparing for soccer tryouts, middle schooler Henri must learn how to manage all her new responsibilities.
The In-Between by Katie Van Heidrich. Aladdin, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-66592-0124. In this verse memoir, Van Heidrich recounts a period of her childhood when she lived in a motel with her single mother and siblings.
The Infinite Questions of Dottie Bing by Molly B. Burnham, illus. by Fanny Liem. Dial, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-593-40666-3. Ten-year-old Dottie decides to help her grandfather Walter navigate the grief of losing his wife by building a treehouse in her honor.
Ice Cream Man: How Augustus Jackson Made a Sweet Treat Better by Glenda Armand and Kim Freeman, illus. by Keith Mallett. Crown, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-593-56322-9. This picture book offers readers a look into the life of a Black ice cream vendor whose cooking expertise made him a success.
Just Jerry: How Drawing Shaped My Life by Jerry Pinkney. Little, Brown, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-316-38385-1. The late Caldecott Medalist shares his childhood during WWII and his journey toward becoming an award-winning illustrator. The middle grade memoir received a starred review from PW.
The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh. Roaring Brook, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-250-31360-7. Thirteen-year-old Matthew discovers a picture of his great-grandmother that leads to revelations about her past and how it affects his present.
Manifest by Brittany Cavallaro. HarperCollins/Tegen, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-06-284029-5. In the sequel to Muse, after escaping the grip of her father, Claire finds herself once again losing control of her life to another powerful man, King Washington, and must choose between returning to a confining role or fighting to change the system that places her in that position.
Mister Kitty Is Lost! by Greg Pizzoli. Little, Brown, $16.99; ISBN 978-0-3160-5654-0. The picture book’s narrator has lost Mister Kitty and asks readers to help them find their pet.
Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson. S&S/McElderry, $14.99; ISBN 978-1-665-93561-6. In the sequel to Sorcery of Thorns, Thorn Manor is trapping its residents inside leaving Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and former rival Silas to uncover the mansion’s secrets before a prestigious ball.
Noticing by Kobi Yamada, illus. by Elise Hurst. Compendium, $17.95; ISBN 978-1-970147-89-6. A girl’s friendship with a painter allows her to slow down and pay close attention to the world around them.
The Puttermans Are in the House by Jacquetta Nammar Feldman. HarperCollins, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-063-03443-3. A large Jewish family’s personal relationships are put to the test when a natural disaster forces them into close proximity.
Queen Among the Dead by Lesley Livingston. Zando, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-63893-018-1. In the kingdom of Eire where magic is outlawed, Neve, a princess, and Ronan, an outlaw, come together against a shared enemy and get Neve onto the throne.
Seven Percent of Ro Devereux by Ellen O’Clover. HarperTeen, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-06-325503-6. Ro’s matchmaking app has gone viral, and to prove the app’s efficiency, she uses it to find her own match, but when she is paired with Alistair, her former best friend, the pair fake date to maintain the legitimacy of her work.
Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame by Meg Long. Wednesday, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-250-78512-1. Teenage genopath Remy Castell, who has been genetically engineered to become the perfect spy, ventures across planets to seek revenge against her ex-partner, but gets involved in a brewing civil war.
This Is Not a Personal Statement by Tracy Badua. Quill Tree, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-06321-775-1. After failing to get into her dream college, Perla fakes her acceptance and attends anyway in hopes of gaining a spot the following semester, but her lies to her family and her new friends threaten to unravel.
We Are Allies! by Taimani Emerald. Macmillan/Feiwel and Friends, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-250-82858-3. This instruction manual shows young readers how they can take action to help others experiencing hardship.
World Made of Glass by Ami Polonsky. Little, Brown, $16.99; ISBN 978-0-316-46204-4. Set in 1987, this middle grade novel follows seventh grader Iris Cohen, whose father is dying of AIDS. The middle grade book received a starred review from PW.
For more children’s and YA titles on sale throughout the month of January, check out PW’s full On-Sale Calendar.
