Here we round up new and forthcoming children’s titles including a picture book following a Chilean child’s path to school, a movie tie-in release of a YA classic, a YA novel navigating alcoholism, a YA mystery featuring two Black girls in different timelines at a haunted mansion, and many more.
9 Kilometers by Claudio Aguilera, trans. from the Spanish by Lawrence Schimel, illus. by Gabriela Lyon. Eerdmans, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-80-285600-5. Long before the sun rises, a Chilean child starts walking nine kilometers to school, mindful en route of the activity around them. The picture book received a starred review from PW.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. by Judy Blume Atheneum, $9.99 paper; ISBN 978-1-665-92131-2. The tie-in edition of this iconic 1970 novel brings the coming-of-age story of 12-year-old Margaret Simon to new readers.
Chaos Theory by Nic Stone. Crown, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-593-30770-0. Andy befriends classmate Shelbi and as their relationship develops, the pair deal with the fallout of Andy’s drinking.
Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury. McElderry, $21.99; ISBN 978-1-66-590349-3. Via dual perspectives told a decade apart, two Black teens, Daisy and Brittney, strive to uncover the secrets of a haunted house.
A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat. First Second, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-626-72415-0; $14.99 paper; ISBN 978-1-250-85104-8. Caldecott Medalist Santat follows a teen’s arc from invisible to invincible through momentous high school first experiences during a class trip to Europe. The graphic novel received a starred review from PW.
Finally Seen by Kelly Yang. Simon & Schuster, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-5344-8833-5. When Lina Gao reunites with her parents in America, her expectations of her new life differ from the reality.
Friends Beyond Measure by Lalena Fisher. HarperCollins, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-0632-1052-3. Best friends Ana and Harwin chart their similarities and differences through varying charts, graphs, and maps. The picture book received a starred review from PW.
Gina and the Last City on Earth by Judd Winick. Random House, $13.99; ISBN 978-0-593-48809-6. In the ninth addition in the Hilo graphic novel series, it’s up to Gina to save the world alongside her friends.
The Greedy Worm by Jeff Newman. Simon & Schuster, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-4424-7195-5. A fallen apple grants a selfish worm the chance to learn about community care.
The Headmaster’s List by Melissa de la Cruz Roaring Brook, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-250-82738-8. After a car crash leaves one teen dead, Spencer, another victim of the crash who holds a coveted spot on their schools’ Headmaster’s List, investigates the cause of the accident.
The House Swap by Yvette Clark. HarperCollins, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-06-303453-2. A house swap allows 11-year-olds Allie and Sage to bond over their feelings of displacement within their respective families.
[I’ll Take Everything You Have] by James Klise. Algonquin, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-6162-0858-5. In 1934 Chicago, Joe winds up working a dangerous job with his cousin to make ends meet, and his future is endangered when his job threatens his newfound queer family and his own identity.
Immortality: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz. Wednesday Books, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-250-86101-6. In the sequel to Anatomy: A Love Story, Hazel Sinnett is released to British King George IV to care for his daughter and encounters a dangerous social club that threatens her safety.
The Island by Natasha Preston. Delacorte, $12.99; ISBN 978-0-593-48149-3. True crime vlogger Paisley and five other teen social media influencers are invited to an exclusive first look at a new amusement park situated on an artificially built island, and fight for their lives as their group is picked off one by one.
Kill Joy by Holly Jackson. Delacorte, $12.99; ISBN 978-0-593-42621-0. In the final book of the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, Pip tackles a new case while attending a murder mystery party.
Last Violent Call by Chloe Gong. McElderry, $19.99 ISBN 978-1-66593-451-0. Gong pens two new novellas featuring characters from her previous duologies These Violent Delights and Foul Lady Fortune.
Lola at Last by J.C. Peterson. HarperTeen, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-06-306018-0. In this Pride and Prejudice-inspired novel, rising high school senior Lola Barnes is forced to reckon with the consequences of a public scandal.
Maple and Rosemary by Alison James, illus. by Jennifer K. Mann. Holiday House/Porter, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-8234-4967-5. A tree and girl experiencing isolation form a lifelong bond.
Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind by Misa Sugiura. Labyrinth Road, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-5935-6406-6. Japanese American 12-year-old Momo Arashima must procure a magical artifact to save the world from demons who have escaped the underworld.
Nightbirds by Kate J. Armstrong. Penguin/Paulsen, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-593-46327-7. Mathilde, part of the teen witches dubbed Nightbirds who exchange protection from powerful anti-magic citizens for bestowing temporary doses of their abilities to wealthy men, discovers that the system she and the Nightbirds have been led to believe is for their safety may have been a lie. The YA book received a starred review from PW.
The Night Frolic by Julie Berry, illus. by Jaime Zollars. Little, Brown, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-316-59183-6. After falling asleep, children take a journey across the lands with new animal companions for a celebration.
Not an Easy Win by Chrystal D. Giles. Random House, $16.99; ISBN 978-0-593-17521-7. After being expelled from school, 12-year-old Lawrence finds comfort when he begins to learn chess at a local recreation center. The middle grade book received a starred review from PW.
Pilar Ramirez and the Curse of San Zenon by Julian Randall Holt, $16.99; ISBN 978-1-250-77412-5. In the sequel to Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa, Pilar travels to the Dominican Republic and attempts to hunt an escaped demon while harnessing her bruja powers.
PrestonPlayz: The Mystery of the Super Spooky Secret House by PrestonPlayz, illus. by Dave Bardin HarperAlley, $21.99; ISBN 978-0-06-306514-7. On a dare, Preston and his friends stay overnight at a haunted house.
Remind Me to Hate You Later by Lizzy Mason Bloomsbury, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-5476-0918-5. After her best friend Jules dies by suicide, Nat tries to expose how Jules’s mother’s social media obsession affected her daughter’s self-worth.
She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran. Bloomsbury, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-5476-1081-5. Jade Nguyen’s trip to Vietnam to visit her estranged father takes a deadly turn when she uncovers the history of the house they’re staying in.
Silver Linings by Fiona Woodcock. Greenwillow, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-06-299590-2. Best friends Pip and Parker help each other see the brighter side of situations that have gone awry.
Something Wild by Molly Ruttan. Penguin/Paulsen, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-5931-1234-2. Hannah faces stage fright ahead of her big violin performance.
The Story of the Saxophone by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illus. by James E. Ransome. Holiday House, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-82343-702-3. This picture book tells the story of Joseph-Antoine Adolphe Sax (1814–1894), the Belgian inventor of the saxophone, and highlights his effects on music. The picture book received a starred review from PW.
The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa. Random House, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-59337-801-4. In 1820, nonbinary 16-year-old pirate Mar León and their father encounter El Diablo, who plans to steal their souls, and after Mar escapes, attempts to save their father from a soulless fate. The YA book received a starred review from PW.
When Sea Becomes Sky by Gillian McDunn. Bloomsbury, $16.99; ISBN 978-1-5476-1085-3. Bex and her brother try to solve the mystery of a human-sized metal statue found in the marsh that could affect their city’s plans to build a new bridge.
For more children’s and YA titles on sale throughout the month of February, check out PW’s full On-Sale Calendar.
