ABRAMS
Abrams saddles up for My Daddy Is a Cowboy by Stephanie Seales, illus. by C.G. Esperanza, which finds Daddy telling stories to his daughter about what it means to be a cowboy during their horseback ride; Signs of Hope: The Revolutionary Art of Sister Corita Kent by Mara Rockliff, illus. by Melissa Sweet, a picture book biography of this groundbreaking artist, teacher, and Catholic nun; The Mango Tree (La mata de mango) by Edel Rodriguez, in which two small boys from an island village spend their days in a mango tree until one is swept away in a storm and wakes up in a new, unfamiliar land; Bao’s Doll by Bo Lu, featuring Mama and Bao, who come to a deeper understanding of their bond when Bao is caught stealing; and If You Run Out of Words by Felicita Sala, about a father reassuring his daughter of the fantastical lengths he’d go to in order to show his love.
ABRAMS/AMULET
Amulet combs the beach for Seashell Key by Lourdes Heuer, illus. by Lynnor Bontigao, first in a young chapter book series about a diverse community of kids living in a beautiful seaside town; Science Minds (Black Lives #1) by Tonya Bolden, illus. by David Wilkerson, which begins a graphic novel series celebrating the lives of Black innovators; The Harrowing by Kristen Kiesling, illus. by Rye Hickman, in which a psychic teen hunts potential killers until she discovers the boy she loves is her next target; The Vanishing Station by Ana Ellickson, about an underground magic system in San Francisco and a girl who will do anything to protect the ones she loves; and Gooseberry by Robin Gow, the story of a nonbinary child searching for family who finds it with a sweet rescue dog named Gooseberry.
ABRAMS/APPLESEED
Appleseed pricks up its ears for Onomatopanda by Janik Coat, in which a panda introduces onomatopoeia from waking up to the loud brrrrring of an alarm clock to the twang of a guitar; EidTale: An Eid al-Fitr Adventure by Aaliya Jaleel, following a brother and sister through their neighborhood as they deliver gifts to favorite neighbors and friends before they meet up with their family for prayer and a big, celebratory dinner; Fiesta: A Festival of Colors by Duncan Tonatiuh, a bilingual concept book of colors featuring a street fiesta; Your Legacy: First Words to Empower by Schele Williams, illus. by Tonya Engel, reminding readers that their ancestors passed down the best of themselves; and The ABCs of Persian Food by Sunny Sanaz Shokrae, illus. by Ly Ngo Helsig, spotlighting Persian foods from Anar to Zereshk.
ABRAMS/CAMERON KIDS
Cameron Kids gets a lift from Hope Is the Thing with Wings by Emily Dickinson, illus. by Tatyana Feeney, a new adaptation of this beloved poem; Mama’s Library Summers by Melvina Noel, illus. by Daria Peoples, in which Mama takes her two daughters to the library every summer to pick out books about Black people so they can see the struggles, strength, and hope of people who look like them; Churro Stand by Karina González, illus. by Krystal Quiles, spotlighting Lucia and her brother as they accompany their mother to sell churros on the bustling streets of New York City; My Park to Playa by Nell Cross Beckerman, illus. by Sophie Diao, featuring families from all over a city enjoying the trail that begins inland and winds its way through various neighborhoods, parks, and open space to the beach; and Else B. in the Sea: The Woman Who Painted the Wonders of the Deep by Jeanne Walker Harvey, illus. by Melodie Stacey, profiling the pioneering woman artist who painted the never-before-seen creatures described by scientist William Beebe on his 1930s bathysphere expeditions for the Department of Tropical Research.
ABRAMS/MAGIC CAT
Magic Cat is ready to say “who’s there?” with Knock Knock by Rob Hodgson, a first joke book for kids; In the Garden: A Magic Flaps Book by Will Millard, illus. by Rachel Quiqi, exploring life in a garden via five interactive nature stories; Picture Puzzler: A Natural History Hide-and-Seek by Rachel Williams, illus. by Ksenia Bakhareva, in which readers travel to the world’s wildest places to solve picture riddles and search for camouflaged animals; Lessons from Our Ancestors: Uncovering Ancient World Wisdom by Raksha Dave, illus. by Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong, following archaeologist and broadcaster Dave as she shines a light on forgotten histories and misrepresented stories; and Happy Halloween, Little Black Cat by Amanda Wood, illus. by Bec Winnel and Vikki Chu, about a black cat who learns that even though Halloween feels spooky sometimes, there’s nothing to fear with friends by our side.
AKASHIC
Akashic has Saturday night fever with How Deep Is Your Love by Bee Gees, illus. by J.L. Meyer, telling the tale of two bunny mermaids who meet on a rock and descend into the water together.
ALGONQUIN
Algonquin Young Readers has a good hair day with Floof by Heidi McKinnon, tracking a fluffy cat through its day of mischief; Clever Creatures of the Night by Samantha Mabr, in which Case’s best friend Drea goes missing and Case is drawn into the bizarre, cultlike—and possibly murderous—behavior of Drea’s roommates; If I Promise You Wings by A.K. Small, in which 17-year-old Alix balances her fashion internship at Paris’s premier feather boutique with her relationships, including an emotional love triangle; and Winnie Nash Is Not Your Sunshine by Nicole Melleby, which finds 12-year-old Winnie weighing her family’s expectations with her dream to go to Pride in New York City during her summer stay with her grandmother.
AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION/MAGINATION
Magination Press finds its groove with Rhythm by Jackie Azúa Kramer, illus. by Taia Morley, featuring a girl who observes her community through the changing rhythm of each season; Meltdown! by David Griswold, illus. by Merle Goll, in which robots help kids explore big emotions; All the Pieces of My Dad by Hallie Riggs, illus. by Adriana Predoi, designed to help children understand the loss of a loved one to drug overdose; Quiet as Mud by Jane Yolen, illus. by Nicole Wong, which offers a poem about being an introvert in a big, loud world; and How I Feel When I Hear NO by Ronit Farzam, illus. by Bonnie Lui, which finds a child using imaginative metaphors to explore his anger when his mother tells him “no.”
AMICUS/AMICUS INK
Amicus Ink drafts a sturdy spring season with Nature’s Architects by Amber Hendricks, illus. by Gavin Scott, in which a pair of birds, a colony of ants, and a beaver construct homes to protect their young; Sparrow Takes Flight by Hendricks and Scott, featuring a juvenile sparrow taking its first flight; Unicycle Dad by Sarah Hovorka, illus. by Alicia Schwab, which finds Sarah’s unicycle-riding father struggling to make ends meet as Sarah and her brother struggle to master the unicycle and help out at home; and Was It a Cat I Saw? by Laura Bontje, illus. by Emma Lidia Squillari, a wordplay-filled quest to find a cat who runs away.
ANDERSEN PRESS USA
Andersen Press USA keeps its head with Grumpy Hat by Nicola Kent, in which Ravi wakes up with a bright red grumpy hat stuck to his head after going to bed upset; Four Bad Unicorns by Rebecca Patterson, following unicorn-obsessed sisters who decide to become bad unicorns when their bossy friend takes over their favorite game—and Frankie’s wheelchair; The Trouble with Earth by Alex Latimer, taking a look at Earth’s atmosphere and surmising why the other planets didn’t invite Earth on their vacation; and Wolves in Helicopters by Sarah Tagholm, illus. by Paddy Donnelly, following young rabbit Hop who tries to overcome her wolf-filled nightmares.
ARCTIS BOOKS USA
Arctis packs its bags for The Year I Followed My Father to the Other Side of the World, by Stéphanie Lapointe, illus. by Marianne Ferrer, trans. by Ann Marie Boulanger, continuing the adventures of Franny who lives in Japan with her father and wonders if it’s possible to love two boys at the same time; The Voyage and The Pioneers by Bjørn Sortland and Timo Parvela, illus. by Pasi Pitkänen, trans. by Owen F. Witesman, two new entries in the Kepler62 series following Marie, Joni, and Ari who are sent to another planet to see if life is sustainable there; King Bro! by Jenny Jägerfeld, trans. by B.J. Woodstein, about a trans boy grappling with the right to be who he is; and Little Sisters by Tomo Miura, trans. by Nanette McGuinness, about an only child who imagines many siblings.
ASTRA YOUNG READERS
Astra Young Readers gets to Scotland afore ye with Loch Ness Uncovered by Rebecca Siegel, providing an account of the world’s most famous monster hoax—the Loch Ness Monster—and a cautionary tale on the dangers of misinformation; You Make Me Sneeze! by Sharon G. Flake, illus. by Anna Raff, starring a serious cat and a silly duck who try to solve the mystery of Duck’s allergies; Outdoor Farm, Indoor Farm by Lindsay H. Metcalf, illus. by Xin Li, shining a light on how both outdoor and indoor farms sustainably grow the food we eat throughout the year; Ready for Absolutely Anything by Laurel Gale, illus. by Anne Wildorf, about a brave girl who prepares for every catastrophe, from zombie attacks to exploding volcanoes; and Jump for Joy by Karen Gray Ruelle, illus. by Hadley Hooper, in which a child and a dog each search for a new best friend—and find each other.
ASTRA/CALKINS CREEK
Calkins Creek ties on an apron for The Fabulous Fannie Farmer: Kitchen Scientist and America’s Cook by Emma Bland Smith, illus. by Susan Reagan, spotlighting the beloved chef who created a quintessentially American cookbook; Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem: The Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava by Gary Golio, illus. by E.B. Lewis, celebrating the life and career of this Black photographer who captured the everyday beauty of Harlem in his images; One of a Kind: The Life of Sydney Taylor by Richard Michelson, illus. by Sarah Green, the true story of how Sarah Brenner, a poor girl from New York City’s Lower East Side, became Sydney Taylor: dancer, actor, and children’s book author; Shackled: How Two Corrupt Judges Defiled Justice, Made Millions, and Harmed Thousands of Children by Candy J. Cooper, presenting the story of the “kids-for-cash” scandal in Pennsylvania, one of the country’s most serious violations of children’s rights; and Skybound: Starring Mary Myers as Carlotta, Daredevil Aeronaut and Scientist by Sue Ganz-Schmitt, illus. by Iacopo Bruno, introducing this aeronaut and inventor whose scientific work improved hot air balloons and our understanding of flight and weather.
ASTRA/HIPPO PARK
Hippo Park follows its nose for Haiku Kaiju Ah-choo by George McClements, the tale of a friendly monster who knocks down buildings and the boy who comes to his rescue; Pepper and Me by Beatrice Alemagna, about a girl who carries on an imaginary conversation with the scab that forms on her knee after a nasty fall; Itty Bitty Betty Blob by Constance Lombardo, illus. by Micah Player, in which a little pink monster blob discovers magical pink puffs to help her face the pressure of the annual school event; and Little and Big by Anne Gutman and Georg Hallensleben, which finds two lemur brothers and their mother debating the advantages of being little and big in the rich landscapes of Madagascar.
ASTRA/KANE
Kane Press has a hole burning in its pocket with Birthday Bling: Spending by Catherine Daly, illus. by Genevieve Kote, beginning an early chapter series for kids that explains financial topics; A Tour of the Human Body: Amazing Numbers of Fantastic Facts by Jennifer Barne, taking a closer look at human anatomy; Like No Other: Earth’s Coolest One-of-a-Kind Creatures by Sneed B. Collard III, illus. by Christopher Silas Neal, showcasing 13 unusual animals, many of them rare or endangered; Heather Whirl, Weather Girl: Heather and the Wildfires by Linda Oatman High, illus. by Kris Aro McLeod, a second climate adventure for Heather and her friends, who lend a hand to put out a raging wildfire; and Eureka! The Biography of an Idea: Video Games by Cheryl Kim, illus. by Olga Lee, examining the invention of video games.
ASTRA/MINERVA
Minerva starts at the beginning with First of All by Daniil Kharms, illus. by Chris Raschka, trans. by Ilya Bernstein, a new translation of a classic Russian tale about a solo walk in the countryside that turns into a madcap road trip as more characters join; Simone by Pulitzer Prize winner Viet Than Nguyen, illus. by Minnie Phan, in which a Vietnamese American girl finds her life transformed when she and her Mà must evacuate their home after a wildfire; This Is a Window by Lauren Paige Conrad, about a group of neighborhood kids who build a playtime world out of everyday household and backyard objects; and Come Closer Tatita and Tata, Tatita, Tata by Imapla, the English and Spanish editions of a tale following a girl whose five senses take her on a journey through sweet memories of her tatita (grandmother).
ASTRA/TOON
Toon Books checks the mirror with Pretty Ugly by David Sedaris, illus. by Ian Falconer, in which Anna Van Ogre’s lovely monster face turns into that of a sickeningly adorable, rosy-cheeked girl—and it’s not switching back; and Night Stories: Folktales from Latin America by Ricardo Siri Liniers, featuring a selection of updated classic Latin American folktales.
ASTRA/WORDSONG
Wordsong ties on its cape for Superhero Tryouts: Poems from Eyeglasses, Wheelchairs, and Other Helpers by Laura Purdie Salas, illus. by Meridth McKean Gimbel, featuring a collection of poems in which a variety of tools that help humans, such as eyeglasses, wheelchairs, and fidget toys, audition to be superheroes.
BAKER & TAYLOR/PAW PRINTS
Paw Prints drifts off with Dream Warriors by Jesse Byrd, illus. by Yonson Carbonell, featuring a team of Dream Warriors, magical beings who battle from “nap to night” to keep sleeping people safe from a cohort of nightmares; The Museum Lives in Me by Victoria Scott-Miller, illus. by Francisco Santoya, exploring concepts of self-discovery, empowerment, and the power of art, as inspired by our world’s museum collections; Code Word by Lynn Joseph, illus. by Annalize McLean, about a mother’s gentle solution to allay her anxious son’s fears and build resilience; Look Up! by Brittani Goldofini, illus. by Amanda Romanick, in which Fontaine the pigeon and his pals lead a revolution that forces people to put down their phones and connect with nature and one another; and The Ghost of Blanes Museum by Lau Moraiti, telling the story of a lonely ghost named Clara, and the friendship she forms with a doting security guard at the museum in Uruguay that was once her home.
BAREFOOT
Barefoot Books fires up the oven for Old Clothes for Dinner by Nathalie Alonso, illus. by Natalia Rojas Castro, which finds Magaly scrambling to hide her old clothes before they end up on her dinner plate when her Cuban abuela cooks a dish called ropa vieja; I’ll See You in Ijebu by Bunmi Emenanjo, illus. by Diana Ejaita, in which a Catholic city girl from Lagos, Nigeria, travels into the countryside to spend Eid al-Adha with her Muslim extended family; Our Nipa Hut: A Story in the Philippines by Rachell Abalos, illus. by Gabriela Larios, which finds Yelena and Papa’s traditional nipa hut home put to the test when a typhoon roars towards the Philippines; Marley’s Pride by Joëlle Retener, illus. by DeAnn Wiley, about a nonbinary child with big anxieties who must overcome their fear of crowds when their Zaza is up for an award at Pride; and How Starling Got His Speckles by Keely Parrack, illus. by Antonio Boffa, telling a story of why starlings have speckled wings and form murmurations, and how a young bird named Star discovers that there is more strength and power in community than in being all alone.
BEAMING BOOKS
Beaming Books blasts off with Journey to the Stars: Kalpana Chawla, Astronaut by Laurie Wallmark and Raakhee Mirchandani, illus. by Maitreyi Ghosh, a biography of the first Indian American female astronaut; Rainbow Allies: The True Story of Kids Who Stood Up to Hate by Nancy Churnin, illus. by Izzy Evans, telling the true story of a gay couple who were the victims of a hate crime and how the children in their neighborhood responded with rainbow flags and love; Emma’s Awesome Summer Camp Adventure by Amy Webb and her daughter, illus. by Merrilee Liddiard, in which Emma, a girl with limb differences, Charley, and their new friends face obstacles and overcome fears of trying new things at Camp Waterfall, an inclusive and accessible summer camp; Easter on the Farm by Phyllis Alsdurf, illus. by Lisa Hunt, featuring a family experiencing the joy of all spring has to offer over Easter weekend; and If My Hair Had a Voice by Dana Marie Miroballi, illus. by Patricia Grannum, following a Black girl on an emotional journey from disappointment in her natural hair to an appreciation for the long history of Black hair.
BERBAY
Berbay serves up The Most Delicious Soup and Other Stories by Mariana Ruiz Johnson, five interconnected stories set in a vibrant animal community that tap into childhood joys and challenges; and Sharkman and Blowfish: World Domination by David Woodland, kicking off a chapter book series about Sharkman’s latest attempt to take over the world, with the help of his sidekick/personal assistant/best friend Blowfish.
BITTY BAO
Bitty Bao bubbles over with the following bilingual board books in English and Mandarin with Zhuyin and Pinyin by Lacey Benard and Lulu Cheng, illus. by Benard: Boba Emotions, in which a boba tea drink teaches children about a wide spectrum of emotions; It’s Hot Pot Time, presenting everything one needs to know about enjoying the simmering broth of hot pot; Foodie Detectives, a mystery introducing new foods; Night Market, which takes readers through the sights, foods, and activities at a Taipei night market; and culinary-themed counting book Skewers.
BLACK DOG & LEVENTHAL
Black Dog & Leventhal welcomes spring with A Child’s Introduction to Asian American and Pacific Islander History by Naomi Hirahara, illus. by Sarah Demonteverde, offering a look at the impact and influence that AAPI individuals have made on U.S. culture.
BLOOMSBURY
Bloomsbury flaps into spring with Hummingbird Season by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic, about a boy who has gone mute due to Covid-19 emotional distress trying to find his voice and locate his favorite hummingbird when it disappears during a California wildfire; Kat & Mouse: I Like Cheese! by Salina Yoon, the first volume in a series featuring the antics of two unlikely friends; Sick!: The Twists and Turns Behind Animal Germs by Heather L. Montgomery, following the scientists who are studying animals and the pathogens that attack them; Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Bayron, a retelling of “Snow White” in which a girl with the ability to communicate with animals and conjure weapons from nature seeks to defeat an ancient monster; and Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo, the tale of an ostracized teen who’s pulled into a web of lies when she attempts to find her former best friend who has mysteriously disappeared.
CANDLEWICK
Candlewick checks out the season with Secret Library by Kekla Magoon, the story of 11-year-old Dally, who inherits a secret message and a map from her beloved grandfather, which enable her to discover an ancient vault where the volumes to be checked out are not merely books, but portals to adventure; Orris and Timble by Kate DiCamillo, illus. by Carmen Mok, the first in a projected trilogy of early-reader books about the blossoming friendship between a misanthropic rat and a naïve owl; Louder Than Hunger by John Schu, a fictionalized account of the author’s experiences of living in residential treatment facilities as a young teen with an eating disorder; and I’m in Charge! by Stephanie Allain Bray and Jenny Klion, illus. by Marissa Valdez, which helps to instill the idea of boundaries and ownership of young readers’ bodies.
CANDLEWICK/WALKER US
Walker Books US spins the season right round with Animal Albums from A to Z, by Cece Bell, a tongue-in-cheek title in which each letter of the alphabet is represented by a hand-lettered and illustrated record album cover ; Monti and Leo: A Newcomer in Pocketville by Sylvie Kantorovitz, in which new-to-the-village Leo Lizard faces antagonism until he is befriended by Monti Mole; Madame Badobedah and the Old Bones by Sophie Dahl, illus. by Lauren O’Hara, the latest caper for Mermaid Hotel residents Mabel and her best friend Madame Badobedah; Incredibly Penelope by Lauren Myracle, an update of A Little Princess that takes place in a Southern boarding school where Penelope Goodheart, the wealthy goddaughter of a reality TV star, learns that being a good person doesn’t come with much fanfare when money runs out; and Frankie & Friends: The Big Protest by Christine Platt, illus. by Alea Marley, which finds aspiring reporter Frankie and her stuffed-animal news crew looking at racial equality protests from a child’s POV.
CANDLEWICK/MIT KIDS PRESS
MIT Kids Press gets its hands dirty with Before the Seed by Susannah Buhrman-Deever, illus. by Gina Triplett and Matt Curtius, providing a look at how most flowering plants and their pollinators are adapted to help each other bloom and survive; Cosmic Collisions: Asteroid vs. Comet by Marc Kuchner, illus. by Matt Schu, the kickoff to a nonfiction series narrating the oncoming collision of two of space’s most epic bodies; Calculating Chimpanzees, Brainy Bees, and Other Animals with Mind-blowing Mathematical Abilities by Stephanie Gibeault, illus. by Jaclyn Sinquett, addressing animals’ number sense and other surprising mathematical abilities; Great Gusts: Winds of the World and the Science Behind Them by Melanie Crowder and Megan Benedict, illus. by Khoa Le, celebrating 14 winds of the world—from Italy’s swaggering maestro to Libya’s fierce ghibli— with poetry and science; and One Long Line: Marching Caterpillars and the Scientists Who Followed Them by Loree Griffin Burns, illus. by Jamie Green, offering a firsthand look at two scientists studying the same caterpillar but generations apart, an example of how scientists build on each other’s knowledge and make discoveries.
CANDLEWICK/MITEEN PRESS
MITeen Press ushers in the season with Discovering Life’s Story: The Evolution of an Idea by Joy Hakim, the second in her four-book series about the history of life sciences.
CANDLEWICK/BIG PICTURE
Big Picture Press follows the docent with Arboretum (Welcome to the Museum) by Tony Kirkham, illus. by Katie Scott, in which the retired head of the Arboretum at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew sheds light on the vital role trees play in every part of human life; and Paper World: Ocean, illus. by Gail Armstrong, in which flaps and die-cuts offer an interactive look at the world’s oceans.
CANDLEWICK/TEMPLAR
Templar is abuzz with Bee and Whale, board books by Maggie Li featuring these creatures in their natural habitats; Dream Big by Emma Dodd, about a large lion encouraging a small lion cub to have big dreams; and The Ever-Changing Earth by Grahame Baker-Smith, in which two children thousands of miles apart are connected in the journey through the evolution of Earth’s surface from water world to ice age to the landscape we know today.
CANDLEWICK/CANDLEWICK STUDIO
Candlewick Studio turns its eyes upward for Something About the Sky by Rachel Carson, illus. by Nikki McClure, recounting the journey of clouds across the sky and emphasizing themes of conservation.
CAPSTONE/CAPSTONE EDITIONS
Capstone Editions steps right up to The Kindness Booth by Laura K. Murray, illus. by Andreana Boatta, in which Mya devises a plan to spread some sunshine to the neighbors in her apartment complex; Always Together by Patricia Kreiser, the story of two otters who are inseparable until one of them is left behind; Fire Flight: A Wildfire Escape by Cedar Pruitt, illus. by Chiara Fedele, bringing readers inside the journey of a screech owl that fled the flames to ride along with a firefighting helicopter during the 2020 California Creek wildfire; I Am on Indigenous Land by Cheryl Minnema, illus. by Sam Zimmerman, exploring the beauty and resources of ancestral lands of 13 Indigenous groups of North America; and Paper Wishes by Tara Knudson, illus. by Kirsti Beautyman, the tale of a girl who uses origami to stay connected to loved ones channeling all their love into a heartfelt paper wish.
CAPSTONE/PICTURE WINDOW
Picture Window Books takes the prize with Blue-Ribbon Radishes by Kimberly Derting and Shelli R. Johannes, illus. by Kristen Humphrey, in which Poppy is determined to win a blue ribbon for her cucumbers at the county fair; and Little Red Writing Hood by Maya Myers, illus. by Eleanor Howell, which finds Rosie struggling to come up with good story ideas when her friend Wolfie has a million of them.
CAPSTONE/STONE ARCH
Stone Arch Books battles the hangries with Feed the Beast by Michael Anthony Steele, illus. by Mike Laughead, in which 13-year-old gamer Mason simultaneously quests for ingredients to satisfy a fierce dragon in a videogame while finding food IRL that his eight-year-old brother will eat for dinner; Roo and the Big Garden Redo by Steve Foxe, illus. by Daniela Barros, which follows Tiny Folk friends Roo and Aco as they’re forced to pack up their teensy houses until the humans finish redoing their garden; and Reeya Rai and the King’s Treasure by Anita Nahta Amin, illus. by Farimah Khavarinezhad, starring Reeya and her friends who stumble upon an old stepwell that may be the key to discovering one of India’s ancient lost treasures.
CHARLESBRIDGE
Charlesbridge invites Roy G. Biv to its spring list with All About Color by Elizabeth Rusch, illus. by Elizabeth Goss, exploring the art, science, and emotion of color; If Lin Can: How Jeremy Lin Inspired Asian Americans to Shoot for the Stars by Richard Ho, illus. by Huynh Kim Liên and Phùng Nguyên Quang, spotlighting NBA superstar and beacon of Asian American pride Jeremy Lin; Lola Meets the Bees by Anna McQuinn, illus. by Rosalind Beardshaw, which finds Lola learning about urban beekeeping and the importance of bees; Mahogany: A Little Red Riding Hood Tale by JaNay Brown-Wood, illus. by John Joven, a Black contemporary twist on the classic tale; and Archie Celebrates an Indian Wedding by Mitali Banerjee Ruths, illus.by Parwinder Singh, in which Archie helps Emma, who isn’t Indian, learn everything she needs to know when Archie’s Uncle Poppy and Emma’s Auntie Julie get married.
CHOOSECO
Chooseco divvies up its spring list with Fraction Action by Chris Matthews, illus. by María Pesado, inviting readers into a video rental adventure where they choose one of two-action packed movies to get sucked into while brushing up on their fractions; and Unicorn Spy by Deborah Lerme Goodman, which offers readers the opportunity to go undercover as a unicorn.
CHRONICLE
Chronicle wags its tail for They All Saw a Dog by Brendan Wenzel, taking readers on a walk alongside a dog—and all the creatures who see it; All About US by Matt Lamothe, which visits 50 real kids from across the 50 states to observe their everyday lives; Museum in a Box by Hervé Tullet, providing an art activity project and a multi-sensory art exhibition all in one; Hello Hello Colors by Brendan Wenzel, launching a concept board book series based on the images from Wenzel’s Hello Hello; and Juneteenth Is by Natasha Tripplett, illus. by Daniel J. O’Brien, following a girl’s celebration of Juneteenth as she embraces family traditions and the joys of the holiday.
CHRONICLE/TWIRL
Twirl puts on its hardhat for Ultimate Spotlight Building a House by Anne Blanchard, illus. by Didier Balicevic, an interactive introduction to a construction site with moveable parts on every spread; Do You Know? Farm by Camille Babeau, illus. by Charlotte Ameling, Hélène Convert, et al., which encourages readers to find out more about the activities on a farm; and Peek-a-Boo Who? by Elena Selena, inviting readers to lift the flaps and see who’s playing peek-a-boo.
CICADA
Cicada makes room in the closet for Shoes! Shoes! Shoes!: A Book About Trousers Shoes by Laura Winstone, providing a look at footwear through history; Stones and Bones: Fossils and the Stories They Tell by Rob Wilshaw, illus. by Sophie Williams, exploring all the incredible things that we can learn from fossils; The Egg Incident by Ziggy Hanaor, illus. by Daisy Wynter, which finds cautious Humphrey the egg going on an excursion with adventurous Princess Jeal; and All About Flags! by Robin Jacobs, illus. by Ben Javens, an atlas of flags from around the world.
CREATIVE EDITIONS
Creative Editions gathers round for Aunt Sue’s Stories by Langston Hughes, illus. by Gary Kelley, which finds Aunt Sue cuddling a child on her porch during summer nights and telling the true stories of enslaved Black people; Mela by Maddalena Schiavo, illus. by Eleonora Pace, in which a rescue dog and her new owner learn how to trust each other and become a family; See This Little Dot by Jane Yolen, illus. by Laëtitia Devernay, describing the functions of a humble dot; and Mix a Pancake by Christina Rossetti, illus. by Monique Felix, an ode to the enjoyment of pancakes.
DISNEY/DISNEY HYPERION
Disney Hyperion plays its queen of hearts with Off with Their Heads by Zoe Hana Mikuta, a bloody, vengeful, sapphic Korean-inspired re-imagining of Alice in Wonderland; Breonna Boyd Is a Legend by Leah Johnson, the sequel to Ellie Engle Saves Herself, which finds Breonna’s world turned upside down by her newfound powers; Beyond the Isle of the Lost: Wonderland by Melissa de la Cruz, the latest Descendants book and prequel to the forthcoming Disney Channel movie; Penelope Rex and the Problem with Pets by Ryan Higgins, in which dinosaur Penelope gets a pet saber tooth tiger named Mittens; and For You, I Will by Elle Duncan, illus. by Laura Freeman, in which the ESPN anchor offers an ode to her daughter.
DISNEY/DISNEY PRESS
Disney Press delivers some pearls of wisdom with Grandmas Are Magic by Yamile Saied Méndez, illus. by Minji Kim, celebrating the grandmother and grandchild relationships from iconic Disney and Pixar films; The Lost by Lauren DeStefano, the second book in the Disney Villains-focused Dark Ascension series, centering on the origin story of Captain Hook and his sister Marlene; Agent Stitch: A Dance of Detectives by Steve Behling, illus. by Arianna Rea, first in a globe-trotting adventure series featuring the blue alien Stitch and his friends; and Disney Princess: Princesses Love School! by Marie McNish, featuring Disney Princesses in a school setting.
DISNEY/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS
National Geographic Kids raises the Jolly Roger for How to Survive in the Age of Pirates by Crispin Boyer, offering tips on surviving swashbuckling adventures, avoiding deadly diseases, and escaping the ruthless renegades of the high seas; Explorer Academy: Vela the Double Agent by Trudi Trueit, illus. by Scott Plumbe, in which Sailor York and the gang uncover an elusive animal smuggling ring in a new five-book series arc; Weird but True! Know-It-All U.S. Government by Michael Burgan, illus. by Josh Lynch, which journeys deep into the U.S. Capitol to explain how our government works, revealing surprising secrets, hidden history, and sometimes laugh-out-loud laws; and 1,000 Facts About Sharks by Sarah Wassner Flynn, showcasing all things shark; and Can’t Get Enough Cat Stuff by Mara Grunbaum and Bernard Mensah, collecting facts, stories, and photos.
DISNEY/RICK RIORDAN PRESENTS
Rick Riordan Presents has an antidote at the ready for A Drop of Venom by Sajini Patel, a feminist retelling of the Medusa myth steeped in Indian mythology.
EERDMANS
Eerdmans rushes into spring with Water: Discovering the Precious Resource All Around Us by Olga Fadeeva, trans. by Lena Traer, exploring water at work in our world, from the Great Lakes to rainstorms to the water from our taps; Guts for Glory: The Story of Civil War Soldier Rosetta Wakeman by JoAnna Lapati, introducing Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, who served in the Union army disguised as a man; Bless Our Pets: Poems of Gratitude for Our Animal Friends, edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illus. by Lita Judge, offering poems in praise of the creatures who bring joy into our everyday lives; Home by Isabelle Simler, trans. by Vineet Lal, an anthology that looks inside the dwellings of 27 different animals; and What Makes Us Human by Victor D.O. Santos, illus. by Anna Forlati, which invites readers to discover how—across time and place—language has impacted human culture and history.
ENSLOW PUBLISHING/WEST 44 BOOKS
West 44 joins the club with Sign Me Up by C.H. Williams, the story of new girl in town Alyssa, who finds camaraderie with a local roller derby team after leaving behind her days as a solitary ice skater in rural Alaska; The Last Star Chaser by Demitria Lunetta, in which 16-year-old Zenna finds herself separated from her parents and in charge of her younger brother when the vacation ship Star Chaser crash lands on a hostile planet; Samson & Domingo by Gume Laurel III, following Samson, the star player of Weslaco North’s football team, and Domingo, a French horn player for rival Weslaco South’s marching band, who fall in love; The Memory Vampires by Ryan Wolf, about a family that uncovers sinister monsters in their new peaceful seaside community; and Tell Me Why the Jack Pine Grows by D.J. Brandon, which finds Meadow struggling with anxiety and a secret she feels she can’t share—until a friend experiences the same strange, scary encounter.
FEEDING MINDS
Feeding Minds Press gives a green thumbs-up to The Soil in Jackie’s Garden by Peggy Thomas, illus. by Neely Daggett, in which Jackie grows her favorite snack from a seed and returns plant scraps to the ground to create new soil so the cycle can start again.
FLORIS
Floris drops a rope ladder for This Is My Treehouse by Guillaume Guéraud, illus. by Alfred, in which a child embarks on adventures when their treehouse becomes a gateway to fantastical other worlds; Finding the Way to Faraway Valley by Cecilia Heikkila, which finds Grandpa and little bear going on a voyage to try to locate Faraway Valley, a special, hard-to-find place full of wild and wonderful creatures that they’ve only seen on a postcard; The Bumblebee Garden by Dawn Casey, illus. by Stella Lim, following Ben, who helps in Grandpa’s garden through the year and learns all about the life cycle of the bumblebees; and Cloudlanders by Christopher Mackie, about best friends Kurt (an eight-foot mushroom with a fear of heights) and Flicker (a tiny, tough-talking gemstone faerie), who try to save their imperiled island floating above a flooded Earth.
FLYAWAY BOOKS
Flyaway tries spring on for size with The Dress in the Window by Robert Tregoning, illus. by Pippa Curnick, in which a boy longs for a dress that he sees in a shop window and rejoices when his mother gives it to him for his birthday; and Saving Delicia by Laura Gehl, illus. by Patricia Metola, which finds Kari creating a seed bank when she learns that the last delicia tree is in danger of extinction.
FREE SPIRIT
Free Spirit speaks up with Quiet Violet Finds Her Voice by Gabrielle Nidus, illus. by Stephanie Dehennin, in which Violet saves Chef Delaclaire’s cookies when she calls out a lesson about measurement that has gone haywire; Dominique’s Thrifted Treasures by Margarett McBride, which finds Pawpaw showing Dominique, a nonbinary child, a whole new meaning of hand-me-down clothes; Everyday Adventures with Molly and Dyslexia by Krista Weltner, starring Molly, and her personified dyslexia, Lexi, who face challenges head-on and find creative solutions; I Love Harriet Kippley by Jenny Lynn Pease, illus. by Alessia Girasole, about a girl who when tasked by her teacher with drawing a picture of something she loves, draws herself; and How to Train Your Amygdala by Anna Housley Juster, illus. by Cynthia Cliff, the story of an anthropomorphized amygdala character who leads readers through information about this brain structure, how it can sometimes get confused, and simple ideas to calm and train it.
GECKO PRESS
Gecko tunes up with Sounds Good! 50 Instruments and How They Sound by Ole Könnecke and Hans Könnecke, offering an interactive introduction to musical instruments, with sound samples to listen to via QR code; Good Night, Good Beach by Joy Cowley, illus. by Hilary Jean Tapper, a bedtime book distilling the essence of summer at the beach; Lionel Is Just Like Dad by Éric Veillé, following a lion cub who proudly tries to be just like Dad in a mischievous game of copycat; and The Observologist: A Handbook for Mounting Very Small Scientific Expeditions by Giselle Clarkson, which provides a creative guide to the small creatures and natural wonders we find when we take time to open our eyes to the world around us.
GREYSTONE
Greystone Kids reveals the fungus among us with Mushrooms Know by Kallie George, illus. by Sara Gillingham, pairing a poem and scientific information about mushrooms; Let’s Go! by Julie Flett, in which a neurodivergent boy takes up skateboarding; Be a Nature Explorer! by Peter Wohlleben, illus. by Bell Wuthrich, featuring 52 educational and easy-to-do activities and crafts that kids can take outside; and The Rise of Wolf 8: Young Reader’s Edition by Rick McIntyre and David Poulsen, telling the story of a real alpha male wolf who lived in Yellowstone, alongside facts about wolves and their environment.
GREYSTONE/ALDANA LIBROS
Aldana Libros takes the field with Ace by Payam Ebrahimi, illus. by Reza Dalvand, about a creative boy who struggles to fit in among his strong, athletic family.
HARPERCOLLINS
HarperCollins checks under the hood with The Blue Pickup by Natasha Tripplett, illus. by Monica Mikai, about a girl who loves fixing automobiles with her grandfather on their beloved island of Jamaica; Ramadan Kareem by M.O. Yuksel, celebrating the joys and traditions of the holiday of Ramadan around the world; Solar Bear by Beth Ferry, illus. by Brendan Wenzel, presenting a call to action on the climate crisis and the danger it poses to various species, featuring a band of bears; Can You Hear the Plants Speak? by Nicholas Hummingbird and Julia Wasson, illus. by Madelyn Goodnight, focusing on the lessons we learn from our plant relatives when we listen to what they have to teach us; Danté Plays His Blues by Allen R. Wells, illus. by Shamar Knight-Justice, centering a boy who learns the power of music for expressing his sadness (and joy), after he and his mother lose their housing and must move in with the boy’s uncles in a different neighborhood; The Squish by Breanna Carzoo, starring Squish the sand castle who keeps getting knocked down by the waves—and keeps getting back up again; and What Love Looks Like by Laura Obuobi, illus. by Anna Cunha, spotlighting the love between a Black father and his daughter.
HARPERALLEY
HarperAlley makes the grade with A for Effort by Jarad Greene, which finds Jay stepping out of his comfort zone to earn an A in theater; Ant Story by Jay Hosler, introducing Rubi, a misunderstood ant who is one of a kind in a world with a countless number of ant species; Homebody by Theo Parish, a YA graphic novel memoir about the nonbinary experience; Lightfall: The Dark Times by Tim Probert, in which new threats emerge from the shadows as Bea and Cad continue their quest to restore light and warmth to their world; and Sunhead by Alex Assan, following high schooler Rotem who feels a little less alone and more like herself when classmate Ayala takes an interest in her latest obsession and their relationship deepens.
HAPERFESTIVAL
HarperFestival plans a B.I.G. spring with Legends of Hip-Hop: Biggie Smalls Opposites by Pen Ken, illus. by Saxton Moore, the third entry in the board book series featuring famous rappers and concepts; Pete the Cat’s Wacky Taco Wednesday by Kimberly and James Dean, which finds Pete the Cat and his family making wacky tacos when their local tacqueria is closed on Taco Tuesday; Ty’s Travels: Show Time by Kelly Starling Lyons, illus. by Niña Mata, in which the musical instruments in his classroom inspire Ty’s vivid imagination; and Gigi and Ojiji: Perfect Paper Cranes by Melissa Iwai, about Gigi’s frustrating attempts to make a paper crane at the Japan Day Festival.
HARPERTEEN
HarperTeen feels the heat with Icarus by K. Ancrum, reimagining the tale of Icarus as a star-crossed love story between a young art thief and the son of the man he’s been stealing from; ASAP by Axie Oh, in which aspiring K-pop idol Sori and internationally famous Nathaniel fight for their second chance at love; The Someday Daughter by Ellen O’Clover about Audrey, a teen girl forced to spend the summer with her celebrity mother, hiding their strained relationship while on a book tour, and confronting her growing feelings for a new guy; Darker by Four by June CL Tan, following a girl consumed with revenge, a boy born without magic, and a reaper looking for his lost king; The Seven by Joya Goffney, exploring the sisterhood formed between seven teen Black girls, all from different walks of life; Balking in a Winter Wonderland by Jason June, a contemporary YA novel; and Beneath These Cursed Stars by Lexi Ryan, launching a romantic duology set in the world of Ryan’s These Hollow Vows series.
HARPERCOLLINS/BALZER + BRAY
Balzer + Bray floats into spring with Out of Body by Nia Davenport, a twisty YA thriller that explores themes of friendship and identity; My Thoughts Have Wings by Maggie Smith, illus. by Leanne Hatch, which addresses anxiety at bedtime; Flyboy by Kasey LeBlanc, in which Asher’s dream of a magical circus where he can fly and be his real self—a boy—seems to be becoming reality; The Fox Maidens by Robin Ha, serving up a queer, feminist retelling of the Fox Maiden myth; and Three Colors of Hope by Ritu Hemnani, a debut historical middle grade novel in verse about a boy and his family who are forced to flee their home and become refugees after the British Partition of India.
HARPERCOLLINS/CLARION
Clarion keeps its head for Medusa by Katherine Marsh, introducing Ava, who attends a boarding school for the descendants of Greek monsters and uncovers a terrible secret that could change the world forever; Nana in the Country by Lauren Castillo, presenting an intergenerational exploration of country life; The Iguanodon’s Horn: How Artists and Scientists Put a Dinosaur Back Together Again and Again and Again by Sean Rubin, spotlighting the scientific process and the role of artists in science; Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry, the story of precocious 11-year-old Sophie who sets out on a journey into a landscape of history and shared stories to save her elderly neighbor (who is also her dearest friend); and Your House Is Not Just a House by Idris Goodwin, illus. by Lorraine Nam, a rhyming read-aloud empowering kids to embrace their imagination.
HARPERCOLLINS/GREENWILLOW
Greenwillow howls at the spring moon for The Wolf Effect: A Wilderness Revival Story by Rosanne Parry, illus. by Jennifer Thermes, exploring the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone Park and its cascade effect; The Princess Protection Program by Alex London, in which runaway Princess Rosamund discovers the Princess Protection Program, where fugitive fairy-tale princesses escape unwanted affections, untimely ends, and all the other perils of their stories; Brandon and the Baby by Brian Pinkney, which finds Brandon learning to love the new sibling who steals their parents’ attention; Merdaddy by Wednesday Kirwan, in which Merbaby and Merdaddy have so much fun under the sea—until Merdaddy says it’s time to get out of the bathtub; and Sabrena Sails the Seven Seas by Karuna Riazi, in which 12-year-old Sabrena’s family have always claimed to be descendants of the legendary sailor Sinbad—and now the sea is calling Sabrena back.
HARPERCOLLINS/HEARTDRUM
Heartdrum sets the table for When We Gather: A Cherokee Tribal Feast by Andrea Rogers, illus. by Madelyn Goodnight, describing one Cherokee child’s family tradition of gathering wild onions for a big community meal; Circle of Love by Monique Gray Smith, illus. by Nicole Neidhardt, in which Molly, an Indigenous/First Nations girl, participates in her Intertribal community center and experiences love and hope in its many shapes and forms; Looking for Smoke by K.A. Corbell, introducing Mara, who has felt like an outsider since moving to the Blackfeet Reservation and who befriends three other teens affected by the murder of a girl during the Indian Days powwow; Aaniin, I See Your Light by Dawn Quigley, illus. by Nanibah Chacon, shining a light on Ojibwe—and universal—values inspired by the Seven Grandfathers Teachings; and Red Bird Danced by Dawn Quigley, the story of Ariel and Tomah, who live in a large urban housing project and find beauty and strength in their friendship and their intertribal community.
HARPERCOLLINS/TEGEN
Katherine Tegen Books oohs and aahs for Fireworks by Matthew Burgess, highlighting the simple delights of a summer day in New York City, culminating in a spectacular fireworks display; How the Boogeyman Became a Poet by Tony Keith Jr., a YA memoir in verse tracing Tony’s journey from being a closeted gay Black teen battling poverty, racism, and homophobia to becoming an openly gay first-generation college student who finds an unexpected freedom in poetry; Spider in the Well by Jess Hannigan, about a newsboy who is sent to the forest wishing well to uncover what might be blocking the town’s wishes, only to discover a spider has been intercepting wishes and collecting gold coins for himself; Dark Parts of the Universe by Samuel Miller, following a group of teens who discover a dead body while playing an app-based adventure game that sends players to seemingly random locations, unlocking a much deeper mystery about their small town; Emergency Quarters by Carlos Matias, illus. by Gracey Zhang, centered on a Dominican American boy who receives an emergency quarter from his mother every day and has to curb the temptation to spend like his friends do, until there’s one thing he simply can’t resist.
HARPERCOLLINS/QUILL TREE
Quill Tree takes cover with Severe and Unusual Weather by Jessie Ann Foley, which finds Nadine moving to her grandmother’s small town where she’s partnered with an outcast at her new school for a project about the secrets surrounding the tornado that shattered the community; Sona and the Golden Beasts by Rajani LaRocca, focusing on Sona’s quest to save the life of someone she loves as she realizes that the fate of her homeland, along with the lives of five sacred beasts, might depend on her; The World Divided by Piper by Caela Carter, in which Piper finds strength in her friends in her gifted and talented program and some female solidarity as she faces the changes of puberty; Made in Asian America: A History for Young People by Erika Lee and Christina Soontornvat, providing a history of Asian Americans that shows how generations of Asian immigrants and their American-born descendants have transformed the U.S.; and The Ping-Pong Queen of Chinatown by Andrew Yang, the tale of high school students Felix and Cassie who form a friendship while filming a mockumentary and find their bond tested when the film’s tone becomes more serious and uncomfortable.
HAPERCOLLINS/VERSIFY
Versify hangs out on the stoop with Brownstone by Samuel Teer, illus. by Mar Julia, featuring a biracial Latinx teenager who spends the summer fixing up an old building with the Guatemalan American father she barely knows; Side Quest: A Visual History of Roleplaying Games by Samuel Sattin, illus. by Christina Stewart, taking a closer look at what RPGs are, why they matter, and how readers can get involved; The Traffic Stop: A Versify Anthology of Contemporary Short Stories, edited by Erika N. Turner, a collection of YA short fiction by multiple authors exploring American racism through the lens of horror, drama, science fiction, and fantasy; and ¡Vamos! Let’s Go Trick or Treat by Raúl the Third, in which Little Lobo and Bernabé have a Halloween-themed adventure in their bustling border town.
HARPERCOLLINS/WALDEN POND
Walden Pond pinky swears on The Sibling Code by John David Anderson, in which Mason has one day to convince his beloved older sister, who has run away, to come home so he can put his family back together; Harriet Tells the Truth by Elana K. Arnold, which finds Harriet setting out to discover whether the residents of Marble Island are being poisoned; Not Quite a Ghost by Anne Ursu, following Violet who, after falling ill, finds herself isolated in the mysterious attic bedroom of her family’s new house—and begins to suspect she isn’t alone there; and The Creepening of Dogwood House by Eden Royce, about a boy named Roddie who starts to uncover the terrifying secrets of his family home after his mother dies and he’s adopted by an aunt he barely knows.
HELVETIQ
Helvetiq raises its antennae for Insectorama by Lisa Voisard, profiling 30 different insects with detailed illustrations and interesting facts; I, Glasses by Caroline Stevan, illus. by François Vigneault, which focuses on glasses and what a wonderful invention they are; and This Is Not a Book About Dinosaurs by Mélina Schoenborn, illus. by Felipe Arriagada-Nunez, which finds a squirrel trying to highlight information about his species when a cheeky dinosaur bursts into the pages of the book.
HIGHLIGHTS
Highlights Press keeps its eyes peeled for Find the Kind by Samantha Berger, illus. by Marina Verola, a search-and-find title encouraging readers to spot a variety of objects—and images of kindness in every scene; and the following puzzle and activity titles: Silliest Hidden Pictures Puzzles Ever; The Highlights Big Book of Activities for Little Kids; and Dad Jokes: The Cheesiest, Corniest Joke Book Ever!
HIGHWATER PRESS
HighWater Press feels the power of one with Little by Little: You Can Change the World by Sonya Ballantyne, a YA graphic novel depicting the childhood of Indigenous public speaker, writer, and community advocate Michael Redhead Champagne; We Need Everyone by Michael Redhead Champagne, offering activities designed to help people identify and celebrate their gifts; Little Moons by Jen Storm, focused on the shifting relationships within an Indigenous family, and beading; Kodiaks by David A. Robertson, featuring an 11-year-old Indigenous hockey player; and The Bee Mother by Brett D. Huson, seventh in the Mothers of Xsan series centering the Gitxsan people of Northwestern British Columbia and how animals, people, and nature are intertwined.
HOLIDAY HOUSE
Holiday House hitches up the wagon with One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome, a middle-grade novel in verse exploring the Black homesteader movement through the eyes of 12-year-old Lettie, her mother, and a teenage teacher heading west with a company of covered wagons in 1879; I Would Love You Still by Adrea Theodore, illus. by Ken Wilson-Max, in which a trip to the zoo inspires a parent to list all the ways they love their child; Table Titans Club by Scott Kurtz, set in the same universe as his Eisner Award-winning webcomic PvP and starring a fantasy-obsessed nerd with the legendary confidence—and temper—of a Valkyrie, and her tabletop gaming friends; The Secret of Cleopatra’s Needle by Dan Gutman, following five kids from different historical periods involved in creating Cleopatra’s Needle in ancient Alexandria and then moving the colossal monument to New York’s Central Park in the 19th century; and Pretty Dead Girls by Megan Cooley Peterson, which finds “true crime princess” Bettina, whose serial killer father allegedly murdered her mother, returning to her town’s hottest cold case when more girls turn up dead.
HOLIDAY HOUSE/FERGUSON
Margaret Ferguson Books faces the season with Not a Smiley Guy by Polly Horvath, illus. by Boris Kulikov, in which Ernest’s parents try everything they can think of to get him to smile, but don’t succeed; and The Last Apple Tree by Claudia Mills, the story of neighbors Sonnet and Zeke who have an antagonistic relationship until they work together on an oral history project for school, in which they interview Sonnet’s grandfather and learn some tragic history about Sonnet’s family.
HOLIDAY HOUSE/PORTER
Neal Porter Books pulls on its waders for Big Bear and Little Bear Go Fishing by Amy Hest, illus. by Erin E. Stead, in which two bears go on an unhurried fishing expedition, blueberry scones in tow; If You Want to Ride a Horse by Amy Novesky, illus. by Gael Abary, providing a guide to visualizing, caring for, and riding your dream horse, whether real or imaginary; Nothing. John Cage and 4’33” by Nicholas Day, illus. by Chris Raschka, telling the story of composer Cage’s famous and polarizing piece, which consists of 4 minutes and 33 seconds of empty sheet music; Bunny Should Be Sleeping by Amy Hest, illus. by Renata Liwska, which finds Bunny checking on Dad when Dad forgets to check on Bunny at bedtime; and With Dad by Richard Jackson, illus. by Brian Floca, focusing on a boy’s recollection of the camping trip he once shared near Michigan’s Au Sable river with his soldier father.
IDW
IDW gallops into spring with My Little Pony: Classics Reimagined—The Unicorn of Odd by Jeremy Whitley, illus. by Jenna Ayoub, inspired by The Wizard of Oz; My Little Pony: Camp Bighoof by Stephanie Cooke, illus. by Kate Sherron, in which the Mane 5 have taken over an old camp, named after the elusive Bighoof, to teach young fillies about their powers; and Taka by Ryan Jampole, following anti-hero Taka who must hide her identity under the mantle Mech Fighter in order to defend her city from a horde of evil robots.
IDW/TOP SHELF
Top Shelf Productions slathers on the sunscreen for Surfside Girls: The Clue on the Reef by Kim Dwinell following Sam and Jade as they uncover a mystery at the Surfside Days Festival; and Korgi: The Completed Tale by Jared Cullum, in which Ivy and her Korgi pup Sprout leave their woodland village to learn about themselves, escape the forces of evil, and uncover the ancient mysteries behind their magical world.
INKYARD
Inkyard Press stands strong with The Temptation of Magic by Megan Scott, beginning a contemporary YA fantasy trilogy about a girl searching for a hidden message in an art collection that would destroy the Wake, a shadowy organization that governs all supernatural creatures; What Is This Feeling? by Robby Weber, which finds high school theater star Teddy unexpectedly experiencing chemistry with tech crew member Sebastian when they are paired up for a scavenger hunt during the drama club’s trip to New York City; The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick by S. Isabelle, the story of a young Black woman living in 1860s England who yearns for a writing career and independence rather than love or marriage, but is forced into London society when she receives an unexpected inheritance; Accidental Demons by Clare Edge follows Type 1 diabetic witch Bernadette whose magic—and her family’s safety—is threatened when each drop of blood she needs to test her blood sugar accidentally pulls a demon through the Veil; and I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang, about a teenage art student who makes a wish to become her enviably perfect cousin Jessica, only to wake up in Jessica’s body and discover firsthand the cost of being the “model” student at an elite, cutthroat academy.
KANE MILLER
Kane Miller takes a spring road trip with Explore! America’s Great Journeys by Joe Yogerst, illus. by Hannah Bailey and Nic Jones, highlighting historically significant journeys throughout the diverse regions of the U.S.; Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf by Craig Barr-Green, illus. by Francis Martin, in which Gina decides to enter the story land of “Little Red Riding Hood” to fix what she’s decided are the Wolf’s three big mistakes; Mythical Beasts, A Shine-a-Light Book by Carron Brown, illus. by George Ermos, exploring legendary creatures via the see-through-page format; I’m a Dirty Dinosaur Hide-and-Seek by Janeen Brian, illus. by Ann James, marking the return of the little muddy dinosaur in an interactive lift-the-flap title; and Good Game! by Bernd Penners, illus. by Henning Löhlein, in which readers can play ball with the five reusable stickers.
KAR-BEN
Kar-Ben takes a bite out of spring with The Apple Argument by Jane Yolen, illus. by Anita Barghigiani, a tale inspired by the biblical Garden of Eden; Everybody’s Book: The Story of the Sarajevo Haggadah by Linda Leopold Strauss, illus. by Tim Smart, which explores the history of the famous illustrated Passover text; A Feather, a Pebble, a Shell by Miri Leshem-Pelly, about a girl’s hikes through the varied landscapes of Israel, during which she looks for small bits of nature to hold in her hand; Jewish Mindfulness for Kids by Blanca Sissa, illus. by Camila Carrossine, encouraging children to use everyday items to inspire mindfulness; and Sophie’s Monster Goes to Shul by Sandy Asher, illus. by Alexandra Colombo, in which the imaginary monster in Sophie’s closet follows her everywhere, even to shul.
KIDS CAN
Kids Can Press plans a plant-based list with Frankie D, Vegan Vampire by S.B. Dutra, illus. by Tiffani Brown, in which Frankie keeps his vampire identity a secret when his family goes vegan and moves to a mid-sized American city, leaving their vampire life in Transylvania behind; Queer History A to Z by Robin Stevenson, illus. by Vivian Rosas, exploring the history of queer activism in North America and the fight for equality for LGBTQ+ individuals; A Bindi Can Be… by Suma Subramaniam, illus. by Kamala Nair, about a girl learning how to make a bindi in the traditional way and discovering what it means to her; The Unlucky Kid by Bob Holt, collecting three tales about Quin, for whom one thing after another goes horribly—and hilariously—wrong; and Garbage Gulls by Dorson Plourde, illus. by Isabella Fassler, following two brothers as they find an abandoned car in a strip mall parking lot and use French fries to lure seagulls to them, imagining they’re at the ocean.
LANTANA
Lantana is filled to the brim with A Hat Full of Sea by Maudie Smith, illus. by Jen Khatun, which stars a girl who is determined to brighten her grandfather’s hospital ward by bringing the outside world inside; The Great Henna Party by Humera Malik, illus. by Sonali Zohra, in which a girl plays a name game with her family, hiding the name of the person she loves the most in the henna patterns drawn on her hand at her cousin’s wedding party; My Momo-la Is a Museum by Mamta Nainy, illus. by Violet Kim, featuring a child who takes a trip around the museums of the city with his Tibetan grandmother in search of stories, only to find that the best stories can be found closer to home; and Ellie and the Marriage List by Tricia Seabolt, illus. by Lucy Rogers, the first book in a series about a 10-year-old girl with Down Syndrome who faces her fears and finds her voice over the course of one eventful summer.
LERNER
Lerner finds its way to where the air is sweet with Grow Your Colors: Planting and Eating Healthy Foods with Sesame Street by Jennifer Cook, introducing the basics of planting a garden and eating healthy; and eight volumes in the Sesame Streets Habitats series by Charlotte Reed, exploring the various natural habitats of our world.
LERNER/CAROLRHODA
Carolrhoda soars into spring with Touch the Sky by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic, illus. by Chris Park, capturing the unforgettable moment when a boy learns how to pump on a swing; Best Believe: The Tres Hermanas, a Sisterhood for the Common Good by NoNieqa Ramos, illus. by Nicole Medina, which presents the true story of the Tres Hermanas—Evelina Antonetty, Lillian López, and Elba Cabrera—who moved from Puerto Rico to New York City as children and grew up to be pioneers of the Bronx community; Cruzita and the Mariacheros by Ashley Granillo, in which a Mexican American girl discovers a deeper connection to her heritage and community as she takes mariachi lessons against her will and tries to save her family’s struggling bakery; The Color of Sound by Emily Barth Isler, which finds musical prodigy Rosie giving up the violin, upsetting her ambitious mother but making room in her life for new experiences, including a glitch in space-time that lets her meet her mother as a 12-year-old; and The Rock in My Throat by Kao Kalia Yang, illus. by Jiemei Lin, chronicling Yang’s experiences as a Hmong refugee child navigating life at home and school in America while carrying the weight of her selective mutism.
LERNER/CAROLRHODA LAB
Carolrhoda Lab ushers in the season with Eyes Open by Lyn Miller-Lachmann, in which an aspiring poet growing up under a dictatorship in 1960s Portugal must find her own voice and choose her own battles after her dissident boyfriend is imprisoned and her family loses its status; and Pangu’s Shadow by Karen Bao, which finds Ver and Aryl, rival apprentices at the most prestigious biology lab in the Pangu Star System, becoming the prime suspects in their teacher’s murder.
LERNER/GRAPHIC UNIVERSE
Graphic Universe has its 1s and 0s in order for The Robot Makers: Coding Camp Chaos by Podoal Friend, illus. by Hong Jong-hyun, which finds the robot soccer crew and their rivals competing at coding camp, and explaining coding basics to readers; Just Another Story: A Graphic Migration Account and Spanish edition Una historia más: Un relato gráfico de migración by Ernesto Saade, following 19-year-old Carlos, who joined his mother on the perilous journey north leaving their life in El Salvador; Hotelitor: Luxury-Class Defense and Hospitality Unit by Josh Hicks, in which 18-year-old intern Anne must save the guests on a luxury spaceship when aliens attack and leave them stranded in deep space; and the six-volume Climate Crisis series of graphic guides by Stephanie Loureiro and Christina Hill, illus. by Ash Stryker, David López, and Julie Lerche.
LERNER/MILBROOK
Millbrook Press embraces the ick with Haiku, Ew!: Celebrating the Disgusting Side of Nature by Lynn Brunelle, illus. by Julia Patton, haiku spotlighting 14 animals and the exceptionally gross things they do; and Mami King: How Ma Mon Luk Found Love, Riches, and the Perfect Bowl of Soup by Jacqueline Chio-Lauri, illus. by Kristin Sorra, the true story of an intrepid young man, Ma Mon Luk, who left China for the Philippines in 1918, desperate to earn a living—and the approval of the parents of the women he loved—and succeeded beyond his wildest dreams thanks to mami, his delicious take on chicken noodle soup.
LERNER/ZEST
Zest widens the lens for The Gender Binary Is a Big Lie: Infinite Identities and Expressions by Lee Wind, examining gender identity and representation throughout history and around the world including how cultures both past and present debunk the idea of a gender binary; Votes of Confidence, 3rd Edition: A Young Person’s Guide to American Elections by Jeff Fleischer, an updated explanation of how the U.S. election process has evolved throughout history and into the present, and why understanding it matters; and The Weeds Were Wicked: Poisonous Plants by Rebecca E. Hirsch, which focuses on the strange and remarkable stories of poisonous plants.
LEVINE QUERIDO/ARTHUR A. LEVINE
Arthur A. Levine checks the security footage for The Art Thieves by Andrea L. Rogers, a YA speculative novel about a group of time-traveling art thieves who preserve the great works of mankind for a post-apocalyptic world; Mani Semilla Finds Her Queztal Voice by Anna Lapera, which follows a 12-year old Filipina-Guatemalan girl who slowly transforms from quiet bystander into budding activist when she discovers letters between her mother and her disappeared-journalist aunt; Paul’s Bunion, and Other Totally True and Still Terrifically Tall Tales by Dawn Quigley, illus. by Chief Lady Bird, featuring three tall tales—Paul Bunyan, Babe the Blue Ox, and Sally Ann Thunder—retold from a Native perspective; Worthy: The Brave and Capable Life of Joseph Pierce by Andrea Wang, illus. by Youa Vang, based on the mostly forgotten true story of a Chinese boy who was sold into slavery and worked to free himself, eventually becoming a corporal during the American Civil War and later, an American citizen; and Shane by Darcie Little Badger, a prequel to the bestselling Elatsoe, in which a young Shane searches for her mother and a lost child who have been spirited away by a mysterious faery ring.
LEVINE QUERIDO/EM QUERIDO
Em Querido raises its gaze for Tilted Sky by Yao Emei, trans. by Kelly Zhang, about a boy in China searching for a home and a family, whose resourcefulness and generous heart carry him through.
LIL’ LIBROS
Lil’ Libros writes a prescription for spring reading with Dr. Ochoa’s Stellar World: Art by Ellen Ochoa, illus. by Citlali Reyes, a STEAM concept book focusing on the world of art; and the following bilingual titles: Medias naranjas/Better Half: Lucy & Desi, illus. by Ellia Ana Hill, celebrating one of Hollywood’s most loved comedic pairs, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz; Love Is Still Winning/El amor siempre triunfará by Fabienne Doucet, illus. by J de laVega, showcasing all the ways love wins in a world that struggles with prejudice and racism; and My First 100 Words: Dinosaurs/Dinosaurious and My First 100 Words: Ocean/Océano, illus. by Hazel Quintanilla, two board books introducing first concepts.
LITTLE BEE
Little Bee Books greets the season with Hello by Viola Wang, a tale based on the Chinese creation myth in which Nüwa, the only person on Earth, says hello to the new friend he created and something magical begins to happen; Toypurina: Tongva Leader, Medicine Woman, Rebel by Cheyenne M. Stone and Glenda Armand, illus. by Katie Dorame, which introduces Toypurnia who organized a rebellion in 1785 against the Spanish rule in Tongva, fighting for herself, her people, and their way of life; A Song for Nolan by Rushie Ellenwood, illus. by Sally Chen, which finds nonbinary child Nolan standing up for themself by requesting a skate for everyone, not just boys or girls, at a roller rink birthday party; Seeker of Truth by Srividhya Venkat, illus. by Danica Da Silva Pereira, telling the story of Kailash Sharma, Nobel Prize winner and activist against caste discrimination and child labor; and Uncle Bobby’s Family by Sarah Brannen, the follow-up to Uncle Bobby’s Wedding, in which Uncle Bobby and Jaime’s family gets a little bigger when they adopt Ryan.
LITTLE BEE/YELLOW JACKET
Yellow Jacket lets down its hair for Rapunzela by Ella McLeod, weaving together inner-city life and a wildly dangerous fairy tale universe in a modern retelling of “Rapunzel”; and Jaime by L.D. Lapinski, about nonbinary child Jaime’s efforts to change the system when they are asked to decide between going to a boys’ or girls’ school.
LITTLE, BROWN
Little, Brown raises the curtain on spring with Waiting in the Wings by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton, illus. by EG Keller, which finds Mr. and Mrs. Puddleduck raising their new chicks in a cozy planter by a busy theater in a sunny seaside village; Bridge to Bat City by Ernest Cline, which finds 12-year-old Opal grieving the loss of her mother and moving in with her Uncle Roscoe on the family farm where she befriends a group of orphaned, music-loving bats; The Prisoner’s Throne by Holly Black, concluding the Stolen Heir YA fantasy duology; Soul Step by Jewell Parker Rhodes and Kelly McWilliams, illus. by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu, a picture book by a mother-daughter duo about the bonds of sisterhood formed through the performance of traditional step; and The Curious Why by Angela DiTerlizzi, illus. by Lorena Alvarez, the follow-up to The Magical Yet.
LITTLE, BROWN/JIMMY PATTERSON
Jimmy Patterson Books is back on the case with Minerva Keen’s Detective Club #2 by James Patterson, in which Minerva and her detective club friends begin to suspect that their teacher has been replaced by a pod person.
LITTLE, BROWN/LB INK
LB Ink stretches some new canvases for Art Club by Rashad Doucet, which finds art student Dale starting an after-school art club and trying to prove all the naysayers—his stubborn vice principal in particular—wrong; Upstaged by Robin Easter, in which Ash doesn’t know how to handle their feelings when their crush starts spending time with her male costar during their last summer at theater camp; The Bizarre Bazaar: Mirror Town by Daniel Nayeri, illus. by Liz Enright, following a boy named Able who stumbles—literally—into Mirror Town, a world where he gets everything he ever wanted—except he can never leave; We Walked in Clouds by Deborah Noyes, illus. by Melissa Duffy, a graphic illustrated history of the Salem Witch Trials; and Absolute Zeros: Camp Launchpad from Einhorn’s Epic Productions, by Greg Smith and Michael Tanner, illus. by Gabrielle Gomez, chronicling the fate of Camp Launchpad, the best space camp in Florida, as it tries to keep its doors open facing competition from the trendy new space camp next door.
LITTLE, BROWN/OTTAVIANO
Christy Ottaviano Books rides the rapids with The Wild River and the Great Dam by Simon Boughton, revealing the history behind the construction of Hoover Dam—and its lasting political and environmental effects on the Colorado River and the American West; Remembering Rosalind Franklin by Tanya Lee Stone, illus. by Gretchen Ellen Powers, exploring the life of this groundbreaking chemist whose research was critical in discovering the double helix structure of DNA; Uno Más, One More by Silvia Lopez, illus. by Olivia Sua, which finds Don Manuel and Doña Lila—along with their children and many neighbors—celebrating a fiesta in their one-room casita, in a Hispanic retelling of the popular Scottish folktale “Always Room for One More”; The World-Famous Nine by Ben Guterson, in which Zander and his friend discover that a series of inscriptions hidden throughout the walls of the fabled Nine—a spectacular skyscraper shopping plaza—lead to a stolen magical object that protects the store’s very existence; and Freshman Year by Sarah Mai, a YA graphic novel debut, inspired by the author’s time at the University of Minnesota, chronicling the angst, humor, and self-doubt universal to the experience of transitioning into college.
LITTLE ISLAND
Little Island Books lifts the veil between worlds for Ghostlord by Philip Womack, in which Meg agrees to free the ghost of a boy and uncovers mysteries spanning time and space; and The Slug and the Snail by Oein de Bharduin, illus. by Olya Anima, retelling a traditional Irish Traveller tale about accepting differences and learning to choose your own path.
MACMILLAN/FARRAR, STRAUS AND GIROUX
FSG Books for Young Readers stirs the pot with A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal, about a collector of secrets who gets embroiled in a high-stakes heist, a dark underworld of vampires, an unexpected romance, and a conspiracy that threatens to expose her own greatest secret; Three Summers: A Memoir of Sisterhood, Summer Crushes, and Growing Up on the Eve of the Bosnian Genocide by Amra Sabic-El-Rayess with Laura L. Sullivan, the true story of five young cousins who grow closer than sisters as ethnic tensions escalate over three summers in 1980s Bosnia; You’re Going to Love This Book by Jory John, illus. by Olivier Tallec, a humorous interactive picture book; and Greenwild Book 2 by Pari Thomson, the second volume of a fantasy trilogy filled with friendship, adventure, and natural magic.
MACMILLAN/FEIWEL AND FRIENDS
Feiwel and Friends lets us in on the fun with Harold the Iceberg Is Not a Superfood by Lisa Wyzlic, illus. by Rebecca Syracuse, in which Harold the iceberg lettuce worries he’ll never measure up to an amazing new vegetable in town; Oddbird’s Chosen Family by Derek Desierto, which finds Oddbird at a special celebration with good friends; The Spindle of Fate by Aimee Lim, focused on Evie Mei, who enters the Chinese netherworld to try and bring her recently deceased mother back after discovering that she was the head of a Guild of magical weavers; Kisses and Conspiracies by Abigail Hing Wen, the story of how Tan Lee’s babysitting task becomes a life or death job when Tan’s ex returns to town, with thugs on her heels; and Flawless Girls by Anna-Marie McLemore, about a young woman who discovers a sinister and terrifying history at her prestigious finishing school.
MACMILLAN/FIRST SECOND
First Second finds its spring sparkle with Unicorn Boy by Dave Roman, in which Brian grows a full-blown, singing unicorn horn on his head and must embrace his new magical power to rescue his best friend from shadowy creatures from another realm; Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol, following 13-year-old Jane on a quest to rescue her crush who is kidnapped from their 18th-century maritime village by a beautiful mermaid; Bunt! Striking Out on Financial Aid by Ngozi Ukazu, illus. by Mad Rupert, which finds freshman Molly and nine other art students challenged with winning a single game of softball, so they can receive a massive athletic scholarship; Call Me Iggy by Jorge Aguirre, illus. by Rafael Rosado, telling the story of a boy searching for his place in his family, his school, his community, and country as the political climate in America changes during the 2016 election; and Continental Drifter by Kathy MacLeod, centered on Kathy’s struggles to fit in at summer camp and in her rural Maine town, wondering if she truly belongs in America, Thailand, or anywhere.
MACMILLAN/FLATIRON
Flatiron slays the season with The Black Girl Survives in This One, edited by Desiree S. Evans and Saraciea J. Fennell, a YA anthology of horror stories centering Black girls who battle monsters, both human and supernatural, and who survive to the end; and The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert, about a girl who uncovers dangerous secrets and eerie local lore surrounding disappearances in her small town, where three high school students and a teacher go missing, with no other link apparent among them.
MACMILLAN/GODWIN
Laura Godwin Books motors into spring with In Repair by A.L. Graziadei, in which Nathaniel’s plan to make a name for himself during his first year at college is derailed when a figure from his past shows up unexpectedly; Wildflower Emily by Lydia Corry, a graphic novel focusing on famed poet Emily Dickinson’s childhood; The Haunted States of America by assorted SCBWI members, featuring the scariest local lore from authors in each state of the U.S. as well as Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico; and Freedom on the Sea by Michael Boulware Moore, illus. by Bryan Collier, the tale of how Robert Smalls led a group of 16 enslaved people to freedom in 1862 by stealing a confederate steamship, written by Robert Smalls’s great-great-grandson.
MACMILLAN/HENRY HOLT
Henry Holt is on a spring high with How Lucky Am I? by Scott Hoying and Mark Manio, illus. by Steph Lew, following a mayfly as he sets out to explore all the beauty, wonder, and love the world has to offer, all within his brief 24-hour lifespan; Coyote Lost and Found by Dan Gemeinhart, a companion novel to The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise, in which Coyote discovers that her father, Rodeo, neglected to scatter her mother’s ashes, so they gear up for another epic cross-country road trip to retrace their steps and recover the book with a handwritten secret location that details where she’d like to be laid to rest; There’s No Such Thing as Vegetables by Kyle Lukoff, illus. by Andrea Tsurumi, exposing vegetables for what they truly are—leaves, roots, flowers, and stalks; The One That Got Away with Murder by Trish Lundy, about a teen with a dark past who gets pulled into a murder investigation after discovering her new hookup and his brother have a pair of dead ex-girlfriends; and What Can a Mess Make? by Bee Johnson, depicting a day in the life of two sisters and celebrating childhood, free play, and the messy magic of imagination.
MACMILLAN/NEON SQUID
Neon Squid plunges into spring with A Stinky History of Toilets: Flush with Fun Facts and Disgusting Discoveries by Olivia Meikle and Katie Nelson, illus. by Ella Kasperowicz, providing a humorous visual history of toilets and how humans have done their business; We Need to Talk About Death by Sarah Chavez, illus. by Annika Le Large, designed to help grieving children understand what happens when we die, and celebrates the traditions people around the world use to honor the dead; Queens of the Jungle by Carly Anne York, illus. by Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong, spotlighting incredible female animals—from elephant matriarchs who rule their families, to lionesses who make some of the most feared hunting squads on the savanna; The Big Book of Useless Knowledge, containing more than 250 random facts readers won’t likely encounter at school; and The Museum: The Inside Story by Dustin Growick, illus. by Laura Martín, going behind the scenes at the museum, where readers meet curators and volunteers, put together a space exhibition, and learn about the science behind how everything works.
MACMILLAN/ODD DOT
Odd Dot colors the season with Crayon Adventures by Alberto Lot, featuring 100 unique activities for one player or more; Counting on Mom, illus. by Valentina Jaskina, encouraging readers to count and celebrate all the mothers around them; and Little Seasons: Spring Seeds by Mirka Hokkanen, introducing the life cycle of seeds and exploring the season of spring.
MACMILLAN/PRIDDY
Priddy hails spring with the following novelty and early concept books created by Roger Priddy: Let’s Learn & Play!: Dinosaurs; My Best Friend Is a Dragon; and Priddy Explorers: Human Body.
MACMILLAN/ROARING BROOK
Roaring Brook Press flutters into the season with Butterfly on the Wind by Adam Pottle, illus. by Ziyue Chen, about a Deaf girl who creates a magical butterfly with sign language and sends it on a journey around the world; The Girl Who Sang: A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival by Estelle Nadel with Bethany Strout, illus. by Sammy Savos, providing a first-hand account of Nadel’s fight for survival as a girl during World War II; Emma, Full of Wonders by Elisha Cooper, focusing on Emma the dog, whose dreams of a cool roll in the grass, a warm spring walk, and food all come true one day; The Last Bloodcarver by Vanessa Le, a debut YA romance featuring a magical medical system and a lush fantasy world inspired by Vietnam; and Icon and Inferno by Marie Lu, the second volume of the Stars and Smoke series following superstar-turned-spy Winter Young and his partner, secret agent Sydney Cossette.
MACMILLAN/WEDNESDAY BOOKS
Wednesday Books burns bright with Hope Ablaze by Sarah Mughal Rana, about a Muslim teen finding her voice in post-9/11 America; Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli, the first volume of a romantic fantasy featuring a witch vigilante protecting her kind and a dashing witch hunter on her trail; Ellie Haycock Is Totally Normal by Gretchen Schreiber, following Ellie who worries that the version of her life at home and school as a typical student, will soon collide with the portion of her life she spends in the hospital navigating an illness; Canto Contigo by Jonny Garza Villa, which finds the star of his hometown mariachi group transferring schools his senior year and encountering a tenacious current lead of the new group who has a very familiar (and very kissable) face; This Day Changes Everything by Edward Underhill, featuring two teens who spend one life-changing day lost in New York City, trying to get back to their respective high school marching bands in time for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
NORTHSOUTH
NorthSouth waddles into spring with A Penguin Like Me by Marcus Pfister, about a new penguin with a red beak who arrives from a different colony and realizes that he’s not the only one who feels different; Rumi–Poet of Joy and Love by Rashin, celebrating the light and life of the beloved Persian mystical poet; Big Sister, Long Coat by Nelly Buchet, illus. by Rachel Katstaller, in which a girl realizes neither rain nor a series of setbacks can put a damper on the day spent with her big sister; Walter Falter by Kai Lüftner, illus. by Wiebke Rauers, in which a drum-less moth longs to be a drummer and see his favorite band perform; and Avocado Magic by Taltal Levi, which finds young Ellie’s father comparing her to the pit of an avocado—small and full of life—as readers see both Ellie and a new avocado plant growing up.
NORTON YOUNG READERS
Norton storms into spring with A Place for Rain by Michelle Schaub, illus. by Blanca Gómez, in which a spring storm brings the chance for a classroom to build their own rain garden; The Smoke That Thunders by Erhu Kome, a debut YA fantasy woven through with Urhobo and West African mythology, following 16-year-old Naborhi, who begins having strange dreams and learns that she is being guided by the gods; Rising from the Ashes: Los Angeles, 1992. Edward Jae Song Lee, Latasha Harlins, Rodney King, and a City on Fire by Paula Yoo, telling the story of the 1992 L.A. uprisings through the eyes and experiences of the families of Rodney King, Latasha Harlins, shooting victim Edward Jae Song Lee, and dozens of business owners, journalists, police officers, firefighters, activists, and other community members; Link + Hud: Sharks and Minnows by Jarrett Pumphrey, illus. by Jerome Pumphrey, which finds Link and Hud forming their own swim team when they are rejected by the neighborhood one; and Bridge by Rex Ogle, the final chapter in Ogle’s memoir trilogy telling the his story of grappling with his sexuality as a teen and his journey toward self-acceptance and healing.
NOSY CROW
Nosy Crow starts the stopwatch with The Quickest Bedtime Story Ever! by Louise Fitzgerald, illus. by Kate Hindley, which encourages readers to complete a bedtime checklist that includes plumping up the pillows and tucking in the toys, as parents warm up their best reading voices; Mummies Unwrapped by Tom Froese in partnership with the British Museum, presenting a factual guide that unwraps the secrets of the mummification process; She’ll Be the Sky by Ella Risbridger, illus. by Anna Shepeta, showcasing inspirational poems by women and girls; Hen in the Bed by Katrina Charman, illus. by Guilherme Karsten, which finds a speckled hen asking her animal friends to roll over (and over) until she eventually has the bed all to herself; and How to Be a Vet and Other Animal Jobs by Dr. Jess French, illus. by Sol Linero, introducing various jobs that involve working with animals, including veterinarians, horse trainers, wildlife rehabilitators, and bug wranglers.
NUBEOCHO
NubeOcho rustles up a spring snack for A Hungry Mummy by José Carlos Andrés, illus. by Gómez, in which Nessa realizes that the mummy scaring all the tourists visiting the pyramids in Egypt isn’t dangerous, just hungry; and Rose, A Very Special Fairy by Susana Torrubian, illus. by Giulia Orecchia, about a fairy who learns to understand that everyone is entitled to their own kind of wish.
ORCA
Orca pages Dr. Dolittle for Animal Minds: What Are They Thinking? by Dana L. Church, examining how animals think and the ways scientists study their cognitive abilities; Alone Together: A Curious Exploration of Loneliness by Petti Fong, illus. by Jonathan Dyck, exploring loneliness and the lessons we can learn about connection even when we’re alone. We’re Happy You’re Here by Julie Wilkins, illus. Brady Sato, celebrating the joy of preparing to welcome a child; The Pie Reports by Hayley Lowe, in which a girl connects with her grandfather over a shared love of pie and learns to hold space for him through his progressive illness, despite living an ocean apart; and The Day Dancer Flew by Tiffany Stone, illus. by Brittany Lane Ferguson, the story of a child’s beloved horse who gets airlifted to safety when the family’s farm floods in a storm.
OWLKIDS
Owlkids wades into the season with Rumie Goes Rafting by Meghan Marentette, in which Rumie and their uncle build a raft so they can sail down the stream and find out where it leads; Otis & Peanut #2 by Naseem Hrab, illus. by Kelly Collier, the second volume in the graphic novel series about best friends Otis and Peanut; The Blue Bowl by Flo Leung, a food-focused exploration of family, tradition, and the experience of living between two cultures; Woolly Bear by Katie Arthur, following two young sisters who befriend a woolly bear caterpillar living in their garden; and The Little Regent by Yewande Daniel-Ayoade, illus. by Ken Daley, about a girl who becomes the temporary ruler, or regent, of her village, according to the Yoruba tradition of regency in West Africa.
PAGE STREET
Page Street sashays into spring with Don’t Be a Drag by Skye Quinlan, a sapphic enemies-to-lovers rom-com following an anxious teen spending the summer in NYC who becomes a drag king to teach a rival drag performer a lesson; My Throat an Open Grave by Tori Bovalino, in which Leah’s baby brother is taken by the Lord of the Wood and she faces the dangers of the forest to write a song that will win him back; The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray by Christine Calella, about the asexual daughter of a notorious pirate queen and her anxious half-sister braving the sea and its pirates to find themselves; Out of Blue Comes Green by M.E. Corey, the story of a trans boy who makes space for himself in his conservative midwestern town while pursuing what every other teenage boy wants—a girlfriend and a successful rock band; and Helga by Catherine Yu, a gender-bent retelling of Frankenstein blending comedy and body horror.
-PAGE STREET/PAGE STREET KIDS
Page Street Kids clips on a leash for Walkies: A Dog’s Tale by Estrela Lourenço, a wordless story in which Kid grumpily takes Dog for a walk on a rainy day; Kadooboo!: A Silly South Indian Folktale by Shruthi Rao, illus. by Darshika Varma, about a boy who mixes up the name of a delicious dish he is carrying home to his mother; Piano Wants to Play by Colleen Kong-Savage, in which Piano shares how its relationship with young musician Amy changes throughout life but endures; Ollie, the Acorn, and the Mighty Idea by Andrew Hacket, illus. by Kaz Windness, which finds a boy’s mighty wish to become a tree and confront his bully become reality when he swallows an acorn; and Building a Beak: How a Toucan’s Rescue Inspired the World by Becca McMurdie, illus. by Diana Hernández, the true story of Grecia, an injured toucan who was given a groundbreaking new beak and became a symbol for the international wildlife protection movement.
PAPERCUTZ
Papercutz has it both ways with Double Booking by Chas! Pangburn and Kim Sheare, illus. by Nic Touris, following siblings Otto and Nan on an adventure to Egypt, with each recounting their own experience; Winx Club #1: Welcome to Magix, adapting the animated series about regular “Earth Girls” who magically become fairies to fight villains; Magical History Tour Volume 14: Gladiators by Fabrice Erre, illus. by Sylvain Savoia, in which modern-day kids Annie and Nico learn about the infamous Roman warriors; The Loud House Volume 20: “Totally Not a Loud” by The Loud House Creative Team, featuring new stories from the world of the animated series; Smurf Tales #9: The Hero Smurf and Other Stories by Peyo, including a whodunnit tale never published in the U.S. starring Benny Breakiron.
PEACHTREE
Peachtree spells things out with Albert’s ABCs by Henry Cole, which finds big brother Albert alphabetically chronicling his interactions with younger brother Baxter and the feelings that result; The Girl Who Loves Bugs by Lily Murray, illus. by Jenny Løvlie, about bug enthusiast Evie’s plan to bring her insect friends indoors, which ends in a disastrous family dinner; Somebody Needs to Do Something About That Monster by Doug Cenko, following a lovable blue monster’s quest to help the grumpy townsfolk; King & Kayla and the Case of the Downstairs Ghost by Dori Hillestad Butler, illus. by Nancy Meyers, in which King and Kayla investigate what is making that dark shape and that scary noise in Jillian’s basement; and The Bard and the Book by Ann Bausum, illus. by Marta Sevilla, telling the unlikely true story of the 400-year-old book that ensured William Shakespeare and his plays weren’t lost to history.
PEACHTREE TEEN
Peachtree Teen mixes a spring elixir with The Absinthe Underground by Jamie Pacton, set in a Belle Époque-inspired city where struggling artist Sybil and her best friend Esme are pulled into the glittering world of an underground nightclub and enlisted by a green fairy to steal a magical object from the Fae realm; The Misdirection of Fault Lines by Anna Gracia, the tale of three Asian American teen girls—the underdog, the social media darling, and the defiant ex-friend—from different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds who compete against each other at an elite tennis summer camp; and Sky’s End by Marc J. Gregson, a dystopian fantasy about an exiled teenager competing in a gauntlet in the sky to kill terrifying monsters, reclaim power, and rescue his sister from his murderous uncle.
PENGUIN/DIAL
Dial leaves the nest with Ready to Soar by Cori Doerrfeld, a story of learning to stay true to yourself, rather than what others want you to be; Just Another Epic Love Poem by Parisa Akhbari, in which a best friendship chronicled in a never-ending, jointly written poem ignites into an epic romance; The Breakup Lists by Adib Khorram, about a stage manager who can find a reason to break up with anyone and the jock-turned-actor who puts his cynicism to the test; The Night War by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, following a Jewish girl in WWII-era Chenonceaux, France, who has lost everything but her life and must decide whether to risk even that to bring others to freedom; and Lucky Scramble by Peter Raymundo, a graphic novel featuring six competitive cubers facing off at the Speed Cubing national championships.
PENGUIN/DUTTON
Dutton welcomes Chronically Dolores by Maya Van Wagenen, starring 14-year-old Dolores Mendoza as she navigates changing friendships, family drama, and chronic illness the summer before her freshman year of high school; The Swifts: Gallery of Rogues by Beth Lincoln, which finds Shenanigan Swift and her sisters traveling to Paris in order to solve the mystery of a missing relative and a series of high-profile art gallery heists; The Truths I Can Tell by Allison Sweet Grant, in which recent high school graduate Elizabeth tries to outrun her past by isolating in a remote cabin as a days-long snowstorm and blackout bears down upon her; Pretty/Furious by E.K. Johnston, a tale of friendship and revenge; and Pieces of a Girl by Stephanie Kuehnert, the author’s memoir of her harrowing and ultimately hopeful 1990s adolescence.
PENGUIN/FLAMINGO BOOKS
Flamingo gets prickly with Porcupine and Cactus by Katie Frawley, illus. by Alex Willmore, focusing on a porcupine who befriends a cactus in the desert; Proper Badger by Lauren Glattly, illus. by Rob Sayegh Jr., which finds Badger causing mayhem when he has trouble containing his badger-like tendencies; Sleepy Sheepy and the Sheepover by Lucy Ruth Cummins, illus. by Pete Oswald, the sequel to Sleepy Sheepy, featuring Sleepy Sheepy at his very first sleepover at Grammy and Grampy’s house; and A Book Is a Friend by Kaz Windness, illus. by Heather Brockman Lee, a story about the way books shape us and become part of who we are.
PENGUIN/KOKILA
Kokila takes notes for Rules for Rule Breaking by Talia Tucker, following two Korean American teens forced into a shared college visit road trip where they discover that the reasons they’ve been rivals their entire lives are signs they’re a perfect pair; Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renée Watson, illus. by Ekua Holmes, featuring semi-autobiographical poetry and essays focusing on Watson’s experience growing up as a Black girl that encourages readers to embrace their future with a shared sense of anger, celebration, and sisterhood; Bless the Blood by Walela Nehanda, a poetry and essay collection about slam poet and activist Nehanda’s healing journey and experiences facing medical racism after being diagnosed with leukemia in their early 20s; Fake Chinese Sounds by Jing Jing Tsong, the story of a Chinese American girl navigating identity, bullying, and the messy process of learning to be comfortable in your skin; Summer at Squee by Andrea Wang, which finds a Chinese American tween attending a Chinese cultural overnight camp where she explores new friendships and first crushes, and grows a bigger love for and understanding of her community.
PENGUIN/PAULSEN
Nancy Paulsen Books journeys into spring with Across So Many Seas by Ruth Behar, the story of four girls from different generations of a Jewish family, beginning with ancestors forced to flee Spain during the Inquisition who eventually end up in Cuba and then Miami; And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps, a novel in verse about a boy and the tough turn of events that have left him impoverished, hungry, and struggling to hide the fact that he’s living by himself in his mobile home community; What’s New, Daniel? by Micha Archer, in which an inquisitive boy finds growth and change all around him when he makes it his mission to find out what’s new with the creatures in his local park; A Garland of Henna by Varsha Bajaj, illus. by Archana Sreenivasan, which finds a girl’s mother and grandmother teaching her about family tradition and the art of making beautiful henna tattoos; and The Day Madear Voted by Wade Hudson, illus. by Don Tate, following a Black family as they celebrate milestones in the right to vote and the rise of Black candidates.
PENGUIN/PHILOMEL
Philomel sizes up the season with The Girl Who Was Too Big for Her Book by Geena Davis, about finding your voice and celebrating your strengths, no matter how big (or small) you are; Perla, The Mighty Dog by Isabel Allende, illus. by Sandy Rodriguez, which finds a plucky rescue dog teaching her new human, Nico Rico, how to be brave; Magnolia Wu: NYC Sock Detective by Chanel Miller, the story of a girl who introduces a new friend to her New York City community by returning lost socks from her parents’ laundromat; The Wrong Book by Drew Daywalt, illus. by Alex Willmore, an irreverent volume in which the narrator is just plain wrong on every page; and In and Out the Window by Jane Yolen, illus. by Cathrin Peterslund, presenting the largest anthology of Yolen’s poetry, with more than 100 poems for all occasions.
PENGUIN/PUTNAM
Putnam goes off the grid with Wild Places by Hayley Rocco and John Rocco, a picture book biography of broadcaster and documentarian David Attenborough and his growing advocacy for the rewilding of the planet; Daughters of the Lamp by Nedda Lewers, about a girl who, after arriving in Egypt to visit her extended family, learns she’s the keeper of Ali Baba’s legendary treasure; The Encanto’s Daughter by Melissa de la Cruz, the first book in a romantic fantasy duology, featuring a young woman who must claim her place as queen of a faerie realm; Happiness According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney, focusing on what makes everyone’s favorite classroom hamster the most happy, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The World According to Humphrey; and Kill Her Twice by Stacey Lee, in which three Chinese American sisters in 1930s L.A.’s Chinatown investigate the murder of their neighborhood friend, now a Hollywood starlet, when the police seem indifferent—or worse, involved in a coverup.
PENGUIN/RAZORBILL
Razorbill looks back with Six Minutes Before by Brittany Geragotelis and Gen-Z Media, the launch title in a middle grade adventure series which asks what if the world’s deadliest weapons just happened to be a bunch of kids; Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer, a zombie post-apocalyptic sapphic romance debut; One Day in June: A Story Inspired by the Life and Activism of Marsha P. Johnson by Tourmaline, illus. by Charlot Kristensen, in which a modern narrator tells their grandchild about their friend Marsh, a Black trans woman and activist; Lola and the Troll by Connie Schultz, illus. by Sandy Rodriguez, about a girl who decides to be brave and befriend a bully; and These Deadly Prophecies by Andrea Tang, introducing a teenage sorcerer’s apprentice who has to solve her boss’s murder in order to prove her innocence.
PENGUIN/RISE X PENGUIN WORKSHOP
Rise X Penguin Workshop claps for spring with My Hands Can by Ammi-Joan Paquette, illus. by Sabrena Khadija, the first in a line of board books showcasing the power and potential our bodies hold; Mamas and Babies by Christie Matheson, presenting a collection of nonfiction anecdotes showing the love between animal mothers and their babies; Play with Me by Kat Chen, illus. by Lorraine Nam, launching a series of board books modeling balanced and shared play through playdates; Rocks Are All Around by Lisa Varchol Perron and Taylor Perron, illus. by David Scheirer, providing an informative celebration of rocks; and Rebuild: A First Conversation About Justice by Jessia Ralli and Megan Madison, illus. by Sharee Miller, an introductory conversation about the concept of justice, and the responsibilities and benefits of being part of a healthy community.
PENGUIN/ROCKY POND
Rocky Pond scratches its head for Puzzled by Pan Cooke, a graphic novel memoir about growing up with undiagnosed OCD; Roar-Choo! by Charlotte Cheng, illus. by Dan Santat, featuring patient Phoenix, who nurses rambunctious Dragon through a cold; Gaga Mistake Day by Emma Straub, illus. by Jessica Love, in which a visit from Grandma guarantees silliness and creativity; Growing Up Under a Red Flag by Ying Chang Compestine, illus. by Xinmei Liu, sharing the author’s story of her childhood during the Cultural Revolution in China; and Telephone of the Tree by Alison McGhee, which finds Ayla beginning to understand that what we love will always be with us as she’s faced with the aching loss of her best friend.
PENGUIN/VIKING
Penguin turns up the radio for Every Time You Hear That Song by Jenna Voris, in which a teen girl hunts for a time capsule left by a late, great country music star, while said musician rises to fame and success in an alternating timeline; Punk Rock Karaoke by Bianca Xunise, centering Ariel Grace Jones who catches the attention of the lead singer of a local punk band, while grappling with the choices for her own post-graduate future; Rocket Ship, Solo Trip by Chiara Colombi, illus. by Scott Magoon, which finds Rocket embarking on her first solo mission to place a satellite into orbit; Seoul Food by Erin Danielle Russell, illus. by Tamisha Anthony, which finds a girl celebrating her Black and Korean heritages by creating a delicious new dish; and Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts by Adam Sass, about a teen boy cursed to doom any romantic relationship, who must spend the summer working to repair his family’s rundown B&B with his former crush and current enemy.
PENGUIN/WORLD OF ERIC CARLE
World of Eric Carle expands with the following titles by Eric Carle: Mister Seahorse’s Ocean Friends: A Touch-and-Feel Book; Why Does It Rain? Weather with The Very Hungry Caterpillar; I Love My Sister with The Very Hungry Caterpillar; I Love My Brother with The Very Hungry Caterpillar; and The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Peekaboo Easter.
PIXEL+INK
Pixel+Ink flashes its badge for National Archive Hunters: The French Four by Matthew Landis, a series-starter following 10-year-old twins racing to find out who’s stealing artifacts from the U.S.’s most famous museums before their family is framed for the crime; Sky and Ty by Steve Breen, in which cowgirl Sky and her T. rex partner launch their new Pony Express-like delivery service; The Second Favorite Daughters’ Club by Colleen Oakes, the tale of two girls who scheme to undermine their love-hoarding sisters in an effort to gain their parents’ affection; Missy and Mason: Missy Wants a Mammoth by Pam Vaughan, illus. by Ariel Landy, which finds Missy trying to convince her older brother about a new pet during a trip to the natural history museum; and Croc and Gator: Swamp Ranger School by Lisa Katzenberger, beginning the adventures of no-nonsense Croc and goofball Gator, who are learning how to be good stewards for their swamp home.
PLATYPUS/SCIENCE, NATURALLY!
Science, Naturally! sets up its telescope for Skytime: Twinkle, Twinkle, Nighttime Sky by Elizabeth Everett, illus. by Beatriz Castro, offering a twist on the classic rhyme to inspire kids to explore planets, galaxies, constellations, comets, and more; Talking Science by Mary Wissinger, illus. by Lilia Miceli, about the International System of Units, the seven measurements that make up the universal language of science; and How Do You See the World? by Noureddine Melikechi, illus. by Michelle Simpson, a guide featuring explanations of how the eye works, what causes different eye conditions, how to take care of your eyes, and the tools and corrections that can help people with vision impairments.
QUARTO/LINCOLN
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books goes big with Colossal Words for Kids by Colette Hiller, containing 60 humorously illustrated rhymes, each one teaching a specific word, its meaning, and spelling; Here Be Dragons by Susannah Lloyd, illus. by Paddy Donnelly, about a hapless knight and the not-so-invisible dragon he is trying to find; Grandma’s Scarf by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, focusing on a grandmother dreaming about her unborn grandchild and wondering what they will be like one day; Wonderful Me by Nancy Shapiro, offering 24 simple ways for children to help look after themselves; The Body Confidence Book by Phillippa Diedrichs, a guide for young people everywhere to help them accept and respect their bodies.
QUARTO HAPPY YAK
Happy Yak whips up Scrambled Eggs, a novelty board book in which kids mix and match the split pages to make eggy characters; The Secret Life of Bugs by Moira Butterfield, in which a friendly ladybug delivers information about bug life; Monsters at School by Laura Baker, illus. by Nina Dzyvulska, following mischievous monsters on their first day of school; The Hoys by Kes Gray, a pirate-themed picture book; and Torla and Smorla: The Lower Than Average Cloud by Gray, which finds Torla the giraffe walking into a cloud requiring her smaller-than-average friend to guide her safely home.
QUARTO/IVY KIDS
Ivy Kids digs into spring with The Secret Gardeners, focusing on human connection through the action of gardening; and My Friend Tree by Dawn Casey, about a boy and a girl who grow up bonded with their friend, an old oak tree.
QUARTO/QUARRY BOOKS
Quarry Books takes cover for Extreme Weather for Kids by Matthew Cappucci, teaching readers about extreme weather patterns; and The Kitchen Pantry Scientist: Women in Science by Liz Lee Heinecke, the next entry in this activity-biography series.
QUARTO/WIDE-EYED EDITIONS
Wide-Eyed Editions grows with Wild Languages of Mother Nature: 48 Stories of How Nature Communicates by Gabby Dawnay, featuring stories about the numerous ways that creatures and plants communicate with each other; Only in Florida by Heather Alexander, a new addition to the 50 States series; Rewild the World at Bedtime by Emily Hawkins, which shows that when left to thrive, Mother Nature has the wisdom and power to heal our world; USA in 50 Things by Heather Alexander, a visual encyclopedia and first reference book showcasing the United States; and Human Body by Isabel Thomas, taking readers on a science search-and-find adventure.
QUARTO/WORDS & PICTURES
Words & Pictures begs “Can we keep him?” with What’s That Pet?! by Russell Kane, in which comedian Kane provides information about various pets; and Ramadan & Eid al-Fitr by Sara Khan, exploring how Ramadan is observed and Eid al-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims around the world.
RANDOM HOUSE BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS
Random House brings the hammer down on the past with History Smashers: The Salem Witch Trials by Kate Messner, revealing the real story of how suspicion of the supernatural led to the execution of dozens of women, a few men, and even two dogs in Salem, Mass.; The Magical In-Between by Laan Cham, which finds Pink crash-landed in a new world where she must navigate the complex emotions of being caught in the middle of an argument; Dogs with Jobs by Alex Garyn and Bryan Reisberg, about how real-life internet-famous Maxine the Fluffy Corgi found the perfect job; and Raashi’s Rakhis by Sheetal Sheth, in which Raashi is intent on turning the traditionally boy-focused holiday of Raksha Bandhan into a joyful time for every child.
RANDOM HOUSE GRAPHIC
Random House Graphic rides shotgun with Next Stop by Debbie Fong, in which middle schooler Pia goes on a road trip with a family friend to visit weird and wacky roadside attractions in the hope that one of them might provide some answers to how to mend her broken family; Hilo Book 10: Rise of the Cat by Judd Winick, following Hilo’s best friend Polly as she tries to get to the bottom of strange goings on at her magical Boarding School for Bad Kids; Kira and the (Maybe) Space Princess by Megan Brennan, in which Kira’s wish on a shooting star results in a cat-unicorn-space-princess called Caitcorn crashing into Kira’s backyard; Sweet Valley Twins: Choosing Sides by Francine Pascal, illus. by Claudia Aguirre, continuing the adventures of Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield in the graphic novel adaptations of the beloved series; and First Test Graphic Novel by Tamora Pierce, illus. by Becca Farrow, featuring the fantasy tale of Kel’s training to be a female knight in the realm of Tortall—first in the Protector of the Small series—depicted in graphic novel format.
RANDOM HOUSE STUDIO
Random House Studio gets sand between its toes with If You Spot a Shell by Aimee Sicuro, spotlighting an imaginative day at the beach; Bubblegum Bison Needs a Bath by Scott Rothman, illus. by Pete Oswald, which finds Bubblegum Bison’s bright pink fur no longer bright as she’s in desperate need of a bath; and Grumpy Monkey Spring Fever by Suzanne Lang, illus. by Max Lang, in which Jim Panzee wakes up with a bad case of spring fever and feeling very silly.
RANDOM HOUSE/SCHWARTZ
Anne Schwartz Books swabs the decks for Ahoy! by Sophie Blackall, in which a child coaxes their parent away from emails and chores into a high-seas adventure, without leaving their living room; This Baby. That Baby. by Cari Best, illus. by Rashin Kheiriyeh, featuring two big-city babies who live in buildings opposite one another and wave to each other from their respective windows; Mango Memories by Sita Singh, illus. by Nabi Ali, following an Indian girl as she harvests mangoes with her family and hears each member share their favorite recollection from the first time each went mango-picking; Born Naughty: My Childhood in China by Tony Johnston with Jin Wang, illus. by Anisi Baigude, which finds the author recounting her hardscrabble, adventurous, and joyful childhood growing up in a tiny mud hut in Inner Mongolia; and Tiny Jenny by Briony May Smith, the tale of a mischievous fairy born to a family of wrens who sets out to earn her fairy wings.
RANDOM HOUSE/BRIGHT MATTER
Bright Matter Books stays the course with Unstoppable Us, Vol. 2: Why the World Isn’t Fair by Yuval Noah Harari, illus. by Ricard Zaplana Ruiz, continuing the exploration of the early history of humankind.
RANDOM HOUSE/CROWN
Crown dishes out India on a Plate! by Archana Sreenivasan, an alphabet of Indian food; Mamie Fights to Go to School by Traci Huahn, illus. by Michelle Jing Chan, inspired by the true story of Mamie Tape, a Chinese American student growing up in San Francisco in the 1880s whose parents fought for her to attend the local all-white school, eventually taking a case to the California Supreme Court; The Magic Paintbrush by Kat Zhang with Eric Darnell, illus. by Phoebe Zhong, featuring Amy, a Chinese American girl who picks up an ancient paintbrush and unwittingly unleashes the power to make her art real—and sometimes dangerous; The Colliding Worlds of Mina Lee by Ellen Oh, in which Korean American Mina Lee’s life is disrupted when she finds herself sucked into the world of her own webcomic; and What’s Eating Jackie Oh? by Patricia Park, about a Korean American teen who struggles to balance her dream to become a chef with the cultural expectations of her family, all while entering the competitive world of a TV cooking show.
RANDOM HOUSE/DELACORTE
Delacorte shakes things up with Snowglobe by Soyoung Park, trans. by Jougmin Lee Comfort, set in a frozen dystopian world where residents of the last warm place on Earth, the domed city of Snowglobe, are filmed 24/7, and their lives are broadcast to those who live outside; Paper Dragons by Siobhan McDermott, kicking off a fantasy series about a girl who wins an invitation to train as an apprentice to the immortals; Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus, in which Kat’s con-artist mother has agreed to complete one last heist before going clean for good and the job takes a deadly turn; These Bodies Between Us by Sarah Van Name, following four best friends who spend the summer before their senior year in their small North Carolina beach town learning how to make themselves invisible; and Seasick by Kristin Cast and Pintip Dunn, about two former friends and their wealthy classmates who set out on a celebratory yacht trip that turns deadly.
RANDOM HOUSE/DR. SEUSS
Dr. Seuss Publishing plans a purrfect spring list with How to Love a Kitten by Michelle Meadows, illus. by Sawyer Cloud, in which Lily discovers a litter of kittens born on her family’s horse farm and learns to care for them while finding them new homes; Green Machines and Other Amazing Eco-Inventions by Michelle Meadows, illus. by Aristides Ruiz, which finds the Lorax introducing readers to nine eco-inventions; Cooking with the Sneetches by Astrid Holm, illus. by Erik Doescher, following the Sneetches as they spend a day at the beach, roasting hot dogs and toasting marshmallows; and If I Drove an Ice Cream Truck by Alastair Heim, illus. by Tom Brannon, in which the Cat in the Hat imagines what it would be like to drive an ice cream truck of his own invention with Thing One and Thing Two on board as his crew.
RANDOM HOUSE/DOUBLEDAY
Doubleday is dressed to the nines with Elijah’s Easter Suit by Brentom Jackson, illus. by Emmanuel Boateng, in which a boy goes on a quest for the perfect Easter church outfit, inspired by elders from his community; The Elephant and the Sea by Ed Vere, which finds Gabriel the elephant building his own right-sized lifeboat so he can join the crew he admires so much; The Wild by Yuval Zommer, a modern fable about protecting our planet; Miss McDonald Has a Farm by Kalee Gwarjanski, illus. by Elizabet Vuković, offering a female-forward spin on the traditional children’s song “Old MacDonald”; and Duck Duck Taco Truck by Laura Lavoie, illus. by Teresa Martínez, which follows a duck vs. goose showdown of two food trucks competing to be top dog, er, duck.
RANDOM HOUSE/GOLDEN
Golden Books celebrates the season with Diwali: A Festival of Joy by Anita Yasuda, illus. by Darshika Varma, looking at the joyous and colorful ways people mark Diwali, the Festival of Lights; My Little Golden Book About Vikings by Andi Stjern, illus. by Don Clark, offering a bounty of information on Vikings, from their longships and longhouses to their days-long feasts and their gods, including Thor and Odin; and three Little Golden Book Biographies: Elton John by Jennifer Dussling, illus. by Irene Chan; Lionel Messi by Roberta Ludlow, illus. by Nomar Perez; and Princess Diana by Sonali Fry, illus. by Hollie Hibbert.
RANDOM HOUSE/JOY REVOLUTION
Joy Revolution doesn’t mince words with 10 Things I Hate About Prom by Elle Gonzalez Rose, following a teen who agrees to help her best friend prompose to the most popular girl in school, then decides that sabotaging all his big-hearted attempts is a much better plan; The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew, a dual-POV sci-fi romance debut in which a cunning criminal dealing happiness illegally flees a futuristic Boston with the ambitious rookie enforcer charged with bringing her to justice in hot pursuit.
RANDOM HOUSE/KNOPF
Knopf crams for Liar’s Test by Ambelin Kwaymullina, in which a teen heroine competes in a deadly contest to win a crown and right the wrongs done to her people; The Last Stand by Antwan Eady, illus. by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey, the story of how the community gathers around Papa when he can’t make it to his produce stand at the farmer’s market; Built to Last by Minh Lê, illus. by Dan Santat, in which two friends who love to build things together find that sometimes everything has to fall apart in order to appreciate the things that are truly built to last; Benny Ramirez and the Nearly Departed by José Pablo Iriarte, starring Benny, the only talentless person in the very talented Ramírez family, who can see the ghost of his famous musician grandfather when he moves into the deceased man’s house; and Dead Girls Don’t Say Sorry by Alex Ritany, which asks, “What does it mean when your best friend is dead and your instinct is relief?”
RANDOM HOUSE/LABYRINTH ROAD
Labyrinth Road dons its shades for Momo Arashima Breaks the Mirror of the Sun by Misa Sugiura, the sequel to Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind, in which a 12-year-old girl must steal an ancient relic, work with new friends, and embrace and control her own dangerous power to defeat a new threat; School for Invisible Boys by Shaun David Hutchinson, focusing on a sixth-grade boy who literally becomes invisible, only to realize there may be far more dangerous threats in his school than bullies; Ariel Crashes a Train by Olivia A. Cole, about a teenage girl who learns that there is a name for the violent fantasies that invade her mindObsessive Compulsive Disorder—and that she’s not broken, and not alone; Farrah Noorzad and the Rings of Fate by Deeba Zargarpur, the tale of a 12-year-old girl who tempts fate itself and discovers her true heritage when a birthday wish gone wrong traps her jinn father in a magical ring; and Daydreamer by Cam Roberson, following a 12-year-old boy growing up surrounded by economic challenges, violence in his building and neighborhood, and his own struggles with learning disabilities who finds safety in a world of faerie creatures who may or may not be real.
RANDOM HOUSE/MAKE ME A WORLD
Make Me a World greets the season with Lucha of the Forgotten Spring by Tehlor Kay Mejia, the fantasy follow-up to Lucha of the Night Forest, in which Lucha faces unexpected villains and a romance that tears her heart apart; and Are You Nobody Too? by Tina Cane, a novel in verse about a Chinese adoptee to white parents who is adjusting to a new middle school in Chinatown after a year of Covid isolation.
RANDOM HOUSE/RODALE KIDS
Rodale Kids gets back to nature with Mrs. Peanuckle’s Organic Farm Alphabet by Mrs. Peanuckle, illus. by Jessie Ford, teaching kids about organic farming; and ABCs of Love for Dad by Patricia Hegarty, illus. by Summer Macon, in which a cast of animal characters showcase everyday moments of love between father and child.
RANDOM HOUSE/UNDERLINED
Underlined counts the lifeboats for Cursed Cruise by Victoria Fulton and Faith McClaren, which finds the Ghost Gang invited to record onboard the RMS Queen Anne, a transatlantic luxury ocean liner with a colorful past of violent deaths of hundreds of passengers—souls who bought a one-way ticket to the afterlife (and never disembarked); and Escape Room 2.0 by Maren Stoffels, trans. by Laura Watkinson, about four teenagers in a life-threatening escape room and a game master with dark motives.
RED COMET
Red Comet lifts every voice with We Sing from the Heart: How The Slants Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court by Mia Wenjen, illus. by Victor Bizar Gómez, the true story of Simon Tam and his battle to claim the name of his band; Extinctopedia by Serenella Quarello, illus. by Alessio Alcuni, presenting extinct animals, those in danger of extinction, and ways to become involved in conservation efforts, illustrated in the style of 19th-century naturalist notebooks and manuals of zoology; and Really Bird Really Scared: A Really Bird Story by Harriet Ziefert, the next outing for Really Bird, who wakes up early and gets scared the sun is not going to rise.
RED COMET/LITTLE COMET
Little Comet rolls over for Play Time! An interactive Tummy Time Board Book by Mama Makes Books, a concertina board book for babies with interactive holes to stimulate imaginative play.
RUNNING PRESS KIDS
Running Press Kids grabs extra towels for Zara’s Wash Day by Zenda Walker, illus. by Princess Karibo, with a foreword by Lupita Nyong’o, in which Mama takes Zara on a cultural journey to help her understand the significance of various hairstyles for people of African descent; My Guncle and Me by Jonathan Merritt, illus. by Joanna Carillo, the story of how Henry’s Guncle tries to teach Henry that it’s what makes us different that actually makes us special; Just Like My Family by Ashely Molesso and Chess Needham, celebrating all types of families and breaking gender stereotypes; Saturday Magic: A Hoodoo Story by Nyasha Williams and Kenda Bell-Spruill, illus. by Sawyer Cloud, highlighting the rich history of Hoodoo and the beauty we can find in everyday magic; and M Is for Mystical by Emma Mildon, illus. by Sara Ugolotti, an A-Z guide to spirituality.
SCHOLASTIC PRESS
Scholastic Press drops a pin for Meet Me on Mercer Street by Booki Vivat, in which aspiring artist Kacie comes back from summer vacation to discover that her best friend is nowhere to be found and her neighborhood has changed; Free Period by Alexis Larkin, following two troublemaking best friends who must use their pranking skills to fight for period products for all students who menstruate; Force of Nature: A Novel of Rachel Carson by Ann E. Burg, illus. by Sophie Blackall, a novel in verse about marine biologist and author Carson, whose landmark book Silent Spring launched the global environmental movement; I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang, about the upheaval in Sadie’s life when her email drafts are inadvertently sent to the entire school, many of which were hate emails directed at her rival, Julius Gong; Your Blood, My Bones by Kelly Andrew, in which Wyatt intends to burn the family farmhouse she’s inherited to the ground—along with all its ghosts—until she makes a shocking discovery in the basement: her childhood best friend, Peter, chained and left for dead; Moo Hoo by Audrey Perrott, illus. by Ross Burach, introducing Milton, a bawling bull who, with the help of a weepy sheep learns to embrace his tears; Chicken Little and the Very Long Race by Sam Wedelich, which finds Chicken Little going toe to toe with the legendary Hare in a humorous reimagining of the fable; and There’s No Such Thing as… Mermaids by Lucy Rowland, illus. by Katy Halford, about a girl who is determined to prove to her big sister that mermaids do exist.
SCHOLASTIC EN ESPAÑOL
Scholastic en Español waves ¡hola! to Hombre Perro: Veinte mil pulgas de viaje en submarino (Dog Man #11: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea) by Dav Pilkey.
SCHOLASTIC FOCUS
Scholastic Focus cracks the code with The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II by Candace Fleming, the true story of the teenage girls who were called up to work at the top-secret Station X in Bletchley Park during World War II, where they decoded Nazi messages, made sense of wireless sound waves, and ran the unwieldy bombe machines; The Monarch Effect: Surviving Poison, Predators, and People by Dana L. Church, taking a closer look at the lifecycle of and discoveries made about the monarch butterfly through the efforts of nations, everyday people, Western science, and Indigenous knowledge, and how the relationship between humans and monarchs affects the planet; and The Girl Who Fought Back: Vladka Meed and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising by Joshua M. Greene, spotlighting Jewish resistance fighter Vladka Meed, who played a crucial role in the planning of the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto uprising.
SCHOLASTIC LICENSING
Scholastic Licensing sharpens its pencils for the following media tie-ins: One Piece: The Official How to Draw; Gabby’s Dollhouse: Treasure Hunt by Gabhi Martins; and Monpoke: Pikachu’s First Friends by Rikako Matsuo.
SCHOLASTIC PAPERBACKS
Scholastic Paperbacks hits the snooze button for Monday (Worst Week Ever #1) by Eva Amores and Matt Cosgrove, the kickoff to a seven-part series about Justin Chase’s start at a new school; Lulu Flutters (Forever Fairies #1) by Maddy Mara, set in the Forever Forest, where four new fairies have sprouted and are ready for adventure; No Filter by Kelley Skovron, in which young photographer Jinx must uncover the truth behind the strange lurking shadow figure appearing in her shots; Cruz Life #1 by Reese Eschmann, following Caitlin Cruz and her brother as they set sail on an epic summer adventure when their father is hired as the resident doctor on a cruise ship; and Find Your Porpoise by M.C. Ross, the sequel to A Dog’s Porpoise, which finds Lars and Bangor reuniting as tourists flock to Ogunquit, Maine, to witness the unlikely friendship between the dog and harbor porpoise.
SCHOLASTIC/ACORN
Acorn opens its umbrella for the following illustrated early readers: Rain Is Wet! (Best Buddies #3) by Vicky Fang, illus. by Luisa Leal; Help the Kind Lion (The Inside Scouts #1) and Help the Brave Giraffe (The Inside Scouts #2) by Mitali Banerjee Ruths, illus. by Francesca Mahaney; The Orange Wall (Rainbow Days #3) by Valerie Bolling, illus. by Kai Robinson; and I Am a Leader! (Princess Truly #9) by Kelly Greenawalt, illus. by Amariah Rauscher.
SCHOLASTIC/BRANCHES
Branches packs a basket for the following illustrated early chapter books: Fairytale Puppy Picnic (The Party Diaries #4) by Mitali Banerjee Ruths, illus. by Aaliya Jaleel; Rise of the Green Flame (Kwame’s Magic Quest #1) by Bernard Mensah, illus. by Natasha Nayo; Invasion of the Pugs (Pets Rule! #5) by Susan Tan, illus. by Wendy Tan Shiau Wei; Cave of the Crystal Dragon (Dragon Master #24) by Tracey West, illus. by Graham Howells; and Bo and the Witch (Unicorn Diaries #10) by Rebecca Elliott.
SCHOLASTIC/CHICKEN HOUSE
Chicken House does a risk assessment with The Kill Factor by Ben Oliver, which focuses on a new game show disguised as a juvenile reform program that offers young criminals their only chance at freedom—but the offenders’ lives are in the hands of the viewers, and only one will come out alive.
SCHOLASTIC/GRAPHIX
Graphic hangs back with Timid by Jonathan Todd, in which Cecil must stand up for himself and figure out who his real friends are when a cartoon he drew is misused and gets him into serious trouble; Facing Feelings: The Art of Raina Telgemeier, An Exhibition Catalogue by Raina Telgemeier, a catalogue documenting the Telgemeier exhibit at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, including all displayed original artwork, commissioned essays, and an interview with the artist; Fairest of All: A Graphic Novel (Whatever After #1) by Sarah Mlynowski and Anu Chouhan, adapting the Whatever After series about a girl and her brother who fall into different fairy tales and disrupt the stories with humorous—and empowering—results; Pearl by Sherri L. Smith and Christine Norrie, following Amy, a Japanese American girl who lives in Hawaii, who questions her loyalty when she is enlisted to translate English radio transmissions for the Japanese military after the attack on Pearl Harbor during Amy’s visit with her family in Hiroshima; Shiny Misfits by Maysoon Zayid and Shadia Amin, in which Bay Ann Musa’s classmate goes viral for supposedly coming to her rescue, but Bay Ann is determined to reclaim the spotlight on her own terms; I Survived the Battle of D-Day, 1944 by Lauren Tarshis, illus. by Brian Churilla, the story of 11-year-old Paul, whose mother is in the French Resistance, and who finds himself in the middle of the battle of D-Day; Moon Girl: Wreck and Roll: A Marvel Original Graphic Novel by Stephanie Williams, illus. by Asia Simone, which finds Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur chasing down a band of thieves on skates; and Rainbow: Volume 1 by Sunny and Gloomy, featuring overly imaginative teenager Boo who has always escaped her daily grind by living with her head in the clouds, until she meets the girl of her daydreams.
SCHOLASTIC/ORCHARD
Orchard Books practices patience with Not Yet: The Story of an Unlikely Skater by Zahra Lari and Hadley Davis, illus. by Sara Alfageeh, about young Zahra Lari, who goes from dreaming of ice skating in her socks to going after her dream and gliding on an ice rink; We Who Produce Pearls: An Anthem for Asian America by Joanna Ho, illus. by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya, an ode to Asian America and a call to action to take up space; The Poison Garden by Christy Mandin, embracing the theme of finding joy in being wonderfully weird; My Saree by Gita Varadarajan, illus. by Archana Sreenivasan, following Divya, who wants to wear a saree at her school’s Heritage Night, but her mother says she’s not quite ready; and Otter Oughta Know by Karyn Friedman-Everham, illus. by Michael Robertson, featuring an otter in the water, unaware that there’s a gator in the water, too.
SHADOW MOUNTAIN
Shadow Mountain gets ready to battle big bads in Grimmworld by Michael Brent Collings, which crosses the familiar scary fairy tale world of the Brothers Grimm with horror elements of Stranger Things.
SHAMBHALA/BALA KIDS
Bala Kids feels a good spring list coming on with The Vibes Book by Hannah Clarke, illus. by Aki, following a child who realizes the different ways that “vibes” can affect our experience of the world, and what happens when you start to notice all the magical energy around you.
SIMON & SCHUSTER
Simon & Schuster tickles its taste buds with Just Try It by Phil Rosenthal and Lily Rosenthal, illus. by Luke Flowers, following Netflix star and father Rosenthal’s urging to just try everything once; Finally Heard by Kelly Yang, the sequel to Finally Seen, which featured 10-year-old Lina leaving China to join her family in Los Angeles after five years apart; and Evil Spy School the Graphic Novel by Stuart Gibbs, illus. by Anjan Sarkar, which finds superspy kid Ben Ripley recruited to the dark side as an undercover agent at SPYDER’s evil spy school.
SIMON & SCHUSTER/ALADDIN
Aladdin finds its flow with Unstuck by Barbara Dee, about a girl who sets out to write the perfect fantasy novel in her creative writing class, but discovers some unexpected twists and turns, both on and off the page; City Spies #5 by James Ponti, in which the City Spies take on New York City; Gigi Shin Is Not a Nerd by Lyle Lee, introducing 12-year-old Gigi, who forms a business with her best friends to support her artistic dreams; Maple’s Theory of Fun by Kate McMillan and Ruthie Prillaman, launching a diary-style illustrated series following Maple McNutt, an anxious, science-minded sixth grader; and Finding Normal by Stephanie Farris, centering on Temple’s efforts to embrace a new normal and try to help her family and community when her neighborhood floods after a horrible storm.
SIMON & SCHUSTER/ATHENEUM
Atheneum adjusts its goggles for Deep Water by Jamie Sumner, a verse novel that spans one girl’s marathon swim over 12 miles and six hours—the time it’ll take her to get her mother to come back; Cloud Puppy by Kelly Leigh Miller, introducing Cloud Puppy, part cloud and part puppy, who can make rainbows, float whenever she wants, and is into comics and video games; The Heart Never Forgets by Ana Ot, illus. by Hayden Goodman, focused on a girl paying tribute to the memory of her grandfather during a West African masquerade festival; The No-Girlfriend Rule by Christen Randall, which finds high school senior Hollie joining an all-girls RPG group—and developing a crush—after her boyfriend excludes her from participating in his guys’ game; and A Suffragist’s Guide to the Antarctic by Yi Shun Lai, in which Clara’s fight for suffrage turns into one of survival when her crew’s Antarctic expedition ship gets stuck in the ice.
SIMON & SCHUSTER/ATHENEUM/DLOUHY
Caitlyn Dlouhy Books fills a cartridge for Vape by Cynthia Kadohata, which puts the vaping culture in our country in the crosshairs; and eXpets by Mark Tatulli, kicking off a graphic novel series featuring a reluctant dog, thousands of missing kittens, and a lot of stink; Winter’s Fire by Anthony Peckham, the sequel to The Children of the Black Glass, in which Tell and Wren return with new friends.
SIMON & SCHUSTER/BEACH LANE
Beach Lane feeds its sweet tooth with Cinnamon Bun, I Love You One by Amy Schwartz, a one to 10 counting book that’s full of treats; Sourgrass by Hope Lim, illus. by Shahrzad Maydani, which tells the story of two friends who, whether they’re right next door or far apart, find a way to keep their friendship alive; Tiny Habitats: Log Life by Amy Hevron, first in a series of nonfiction picture books, beginning with the world of nurse logs; This Wolf Was Different by Katie Slivensky, illus. by Hannah Salyer, following a wolf pup born in the forest who was different from its siblings; and The Cozy Home by Ame Dyckman, illus. by Mark Teague, the launch title in a series chronicling the adventures of pals Bat, Cat, and Rat.
SIMON & SCHUSTER/LITTLE SIMON
Little Simon takes direction with Left Hand, Right Hand by Dori Elys, illus. by Ekaterina Trukhan, designed to teach young readers to differentiate their right hand from their left, while exploring fun textures; Hey Now, Little Man by Dori Elys, illus. by Chris Park, introducing the concept that there isn’t just one way to be yourself; Catch Zoo Later (The Very Worst Ever #3) by Andy Nonamus, featuring students who find they’re not as wild about their field trip to the zoo after the animals escape; It’s Your Time to Shine by Dianne White, illus. by Nanette Regan, delivering the empowering message to readers that now is their time to go off into the world and be the bold and brave person they are; and ’90s Baby by Hannah Eliot, illus. by Alyssa Nassner, showcasing flashbacks from that decade, including bucket hats, pagers, and plenty of slang.
SIMON & SCHUSTER/MCELDERRY
Margaret K. McElderry Books straps on a headlamp for Night Compass by Amanda Foody, in which Barclay and his friends must race to find the Legendary Beast of the Tundra before it’s too late; Otherworldly by F.T. Lukens, following a skeptic and a supernatural being who sign a crossroads deal to achieve their own ends, only to fall for each other; Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek, the story of a girl with dangerous magic who makes a risky bargain with a demon to be free of her monstrous power; Painting the Game by Patricia MacLachlan, the final middle-grade novel from the late Newbery Medalist, focusing on a baseball player and his family; and Tender Beasts by Liselle Sambury, which finds Sunny searching for the real killer when her brother becomes the prime suspect in a murder at Sunny’s private school.
SIMON & SCHUSTER/MILLNER
Denene Millner Books can’t resist the cuteness with Not My Cat by Stacey Patton, illus. by Acamy Schleikorn, the true story that went viral on Facebook of a solitary homeowner who insisted she was much too busy to adopt a stray cat—until the cat adopted her; Willis Watson Is a Wannabe by Carmen Bogan, illus. by Cheryl Thuesday, which finds Willis trying to model the real everyday heroes all around him; and Yaya and the Sea by Karen Good Marable, illus. by Tonya Engel, following a family’s trip to the sea in search of renewal on the first day of spring.
SIMON & SCHUSTER/MTV BOOKS
MTV Books gets fired up for Hot Boy Summer by Joe Jiménez, in which four gay teens in Texas have the summer of their lives while discovering the true meaning of friendship.
SIMON & SCHUSTER/SALAAM READS
Salaam Reads clears some table space for Drawing Deena by Hena Khan, introducing a Pakistani American girl who dreams of being an artist, struggles with anxiety, and learns to stand up for herself.
SIMON & SCHUSTER/SIMON SPOTLIGHT
Simon Spotlight zips its lips for Biggest Secret Ever! by Wanda Coven, illus. by Anna Abramskaya, in which Heidi Heckelbeck befriends a popular girl who has a big secret; I Love My Mommy by Maria Le, which finds the students at the CoComelon Patch Academy sharing the many reasons they love their mothers; Angelina Ballerina Chapter Book 3 by Katharine Holabird, illus. by Helen Craig, the latest original Angelina Ballerina chapter book; and It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown! by Charles M. Schulz, centering on Sally as she shows Charlie Brown it’s the little things in life that matter.
SIMON & SCHUSTER/WISEMAN
Paula Wiseman Books makes good trouble with Fighting with Love by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illus. by James E. Ransome, spotlighting the groundbreaking civil rights leader John Lewis; Ruby’s Tools for Making Friends by Apryl Stott, in which Ruby the fox uses her tools to overcome her social anxiety during a class project at her new school; Brave Baby Hummingbird by Sy Montgomery, illus. by Tiffany Bozic, taking a closer look at a hummingbird’s early life and how they make their way into the world; and No Cats in the Library by Lauren Emmons, in which a stray cat finds a new home in the library after a girl reads aloud to her.
SKYHORSE/SKY PONY PRESS
Sky Pony Press takes the reins with Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Horses and Ponies for Kids by Kirsten Lee and Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Dogs and Puppies for Kids by Lynn Guelzow, two guides designed to help children avoid common mistakes of first-time horse and pony/dog and puppy owners and learn how to build relationships with their new four-legged friends.
SKYHORSE/WORLD ALMANAC
World Alamanc is in survival mode with World Almanac Guide to Getting Out Alive, in which the editors of the World Almanac offer tips and tricks for getting through everything from an avalanche or a shark attack to stress at school or fighting with friends.
SLEEPING BEAR
Sleeping Bear Press loads up for the season with Junia, The Book Mule of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson, illus. by David Gardner, reimagining her novel for adults The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek from the perspective of Junia, the brave mule of a Kentucky packhorse librarian; Just Flowers by Erin Dealey, illus. by Kate Cosgrove, which finds Izzy happily taking the outcast blooms from their grumpy perfectionist neighbor’s garden to brighten up the town; and A Little Bit of Everything by Meghana Narayan, illus. by Michelle Carlos, in which a girl shares the wisdom that a person is made up of their cultures and experiences—their past and present—with a new sibling.
SOARING KITE
Soaring Kite Books embraces the season with I Love My Body: My First Book on Body Positivity by Ceece Kelley, illus. by Betania Zacarias, and I Love My Body: My First Book on Self-Regulation by Prasha Sooful, illus. by Zacarias, two board books espousing positive selfcare; A Ramadan to Remember by Marzieh A. Ali, illus. by Najwa Awatiff, in which a boy struggles to find a new Muslim friend his age to celebrate Ramadan with after a recent move; and More Than You Imagine by Thelia Hutchinson, illus. by Adriana Predoi, focused on a parent sharing their love and support to build their child’s confidence.
SOHO TEEN
Soho Teen does a kickflip for Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada, in which closeted teen “bad boy” skateboarder Wesfalls for a ballet dancer named Tristan and blows up the reputation he never wanted in the first place; and When Mimi Went Missing by Suja Sukumar, which finds Tanvi in a race to uncover what happened to her cousin who disappeared after they had a big fight, and to learn what’s behind a letter left on Tanvi’s bed giving her a week to confess to a crime she doesn’t remember committing.
SOURCEBOOKS YOUNG READERS
Sourcebooks Young Readers flashes an amusement park FastPass for The Funhouse Riddle by Lindsay Currie, telling the tale of a 12-year-old mathematician and her best friends who team up to find a hidden treasure in an abandoned 1940s funhouse before her family loses their home; and It Watches in the Dark by Jeff Strand, following twins who seek medical help in a remote village after their father is in a canoeing accident, only to discover the scarecrow that stands watch in town may have a stronger hold over the residents than expected.
SOURCEBOOKS EXPLORE
Sourcebooks Explore is on a roll with Minda’s Record Setting Race by Minda Dentler, the true story of Minda Dentler, the first female wheelchair athlete to complete the Ironman World Championship triathlon; Thank You, Library by Lisa Katzenberger, illus. by Rob Sayegh Jr., which finds a child celebrating the countless wonderful things they experience during a visit to the library; Dinosaurs in Space by Todd Sturgell, featuring dinosaurs running rampant in space and some real science and scientific theories explaining how they might have ended up there; and The Amazing Power of Girls by Maria Marianayagam, illus. by Skylar White, following seven powerful girls who explain scientific forces in their own words.
SOURCEBOOKS FIRE
Sourcebooks Fire raises a glass to The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste, set in a country divided between witchers and humans, where an 18-year-old Black brewer of love potions must protect her sister after her mother is killed, and is coerced into making powerful potions to persuade and enslave D.C.’s most influential politicians; This Book Kills by Ravena Kaur Guron, which finds Jess at the center of an investigation when one of the most popular and richest kids in her school turns up dead, and it’s revealed that he died in the same way as a character in a short story she wrote; Seeds of Vengeance by Addie Thorley, in which Indira takes her late crown-princess sister’s place as a captive bride in the enemy nation to find out how she died; Midnight Melody by Lily Meade, about a Black teen at a boarding school for sirens who discovers that the power of her voice comes at a price even greater than her life; and The Ones Who Came Back Hungry by Amelinda Bérubé, the story of how Jo, rocked by the sudden death of her popular older sister, stumbles on the impossible: her sister, standing barefoot in the backyard—alive, but not breathing, and driven by an appetite for jealousy.
SOURCEBOOKS JABBERWOCKY
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky stomps to the head of the class with Dinosaurs in My School by Timothy Knapman, illus. by Sarah Warburton, in which a boy’s typical day at school is turned upside down when a band of dinosaurs that only the students can see creates chaos in the classroom; Five Words that Are Mine by Melissa Seron Richardson, illus. by Addy Rivera Sonda, about a young Latina skateboarder who is reminded of her strength when she must come up with five words to describe herself for a school assignment; Don’t Push the Button: On the Farm by Bill Cotter, an interactive animal-themed board book starring Larry the lovable purple monster; and The World Is Awaiting You by Marianne Richmond, encouraging every child to charge into the world with confidence, courage, and kindness.
SOURCEBOOKS WONDERLAND
Sourcebooks Wonderland is ready for its chores with Little Purple Tractor by Erin Guendelsberger, illus. by Annelouise Mahoney, in which Little Purple Tractor, always teased by the other farm vehicles for being different, visits a construction site where he learns his strengths and finds his confidence; Why We Need Granddaughters by Gregory E. Lang, illus. by Lisa Alderson, about the special, loving bond only grandparents and granddaughters share; How to Catch a Mamasaurus by Alice Walstead, illus. by Andy Elkerton, following the How to Catch Kids as they try to trap the Mamasaurus, a one-of-a-kind creature whose love, kindness, and awesomeness have no limits; Pup and Dragon: How to Catch a Dinosaur by Alice Walstead, illus. by Paul Gill, in which Pup and Dragon hatch a plan to win first prize at the science fair by catching a real dinosaur; and Sweet Dreams, My Honey by Rose Rossner, illus. by Sydney Hanson, a pun-filled bedtime book.
SOURCEBOOKS/DUOPRESS
Duopress fluffs its pillow for Hello, Bedtime, illus. by Jannie Ho, depicting a typical bedtime routine in black-and-white images; José Feeds the World by David Unger, illus. by Marta Álvarez Miguéns, the true story of award-winning chef and activist José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, a disaster-relief organization that uses the power of food to nourish communities after catastrophe strikes; Pop Out at the Zoo, illus. by Anna and Daniel Clark, providing information on eight zoo animals alongside pages with chunky press-out pieces that can be used to build the creatures; Tons of Palabras: Fiestas by Estelí Meza, spotlighting dozens of fiestas and joyful celebrations across Latin American countries; and Future Lab: Tomorrow’s School, illus. by Rodrigo Cordeiro, offering a peek at what a school will look like in the near future, where robots help teachers and kids can race a cheetah in a virtual gym.
TIGER TALES
Tiger Tales marvels at Each of Us Is a Miracle by Jane Chapman, exploring the idea of finding joy and wonder in the world around us, and in the simple things that are also miraculous; Imperfectly Perfect by Perry Emerson, illus. by Hoang Giang, in which Maria learns to embrace the beauty of broken things and seize the opportunity they offer for healing and reconciliation; The Ocean Gardener by Clara Anganuzzi, following Ayla and her marine biologist mother as they set out to save the endangered corals in a story inspired by real events; Strong by Anganuzzi, featuring Maurice, a gentle dragon who prefers looking at flowers to breathing fire; and Waiting for the Stars by Jonny Lambert, chronicling Mouse’s first time staying up late to look at the stars with her friends.
TUNDRA
Tundra hops into spring with Buns Gone Bad (Fluffle Bunnies #1) by Anna Humphrey, illus. by Irma Kniivila, the origin story of the terrifying group known as The Fluffle: three bad-bunny kingpins who will take on all comers to be the rulers of the park; Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Lin, following Kurara, a servant with secret magical abilities who lives aboard the Midori, a flying ship serving the military elite of the Mikoshiman Empire; And Then There Was Us by Kern Carter, in which a mother’s death forces a teen girl to reevaluate their tumultuous relationship; The Good Little Mermaid’s Guide to Bedtime by Eija Sumner, illus. by Nici Gregory, about a good little mermaid who doesn’t want to go to bed; and Words with Wings and Magic Things by Matthew Burgess, illus. by Doug Salati, featuring poems that celebrate the power of words to awaken the imagination and alchemize the everyday.
WATTPAD WEBTOON/WATTPAD
Wattpad Books keeps its options open with 30 Day Trial Period by Autumn Morrow, an LGBTQIA+ romance about two polar opposites who are challenged to date for 30 days to fix their bad dating habits; Hunted by Bella Higgin, the third volume following vampire Ludovic and human Roux, who are on the hunt to bring renegade vampires to justice, all while denying their complicated feelings for one another; Across the Line by Nicole Nwosu, continuing Macy and Sam’s story as they explore life in university—and whether or not they have a future together; Seastorm by Kimberly Vale, concluding the Kingdom of Bones pirate fantasy trilogy; and Of Poisons and Princes by Brianna Joy Crump, the sequel to Of Cages and Crowns, in which a magically gifted girl joins her kingdom’s rebellion and finds herself torn between a prince and a rebel leader.
WATTPAD WEBTOON/WEBTOON UNSCROLLED
Webtoon Unscrolled clears the halls for The God of High School Vol. 2 by Yongje Park, following a high school student and Taekwondo specialist who enters The God of High School, a fighting tournament that promises the winner anything they want; Noblesse Vol. 2 by Jeho Son, illus. by Kwangsu Lee, about a man who wakes up from an 820-year sleep and starts his new life as a student in a high school founded by his loyal servant, Frankenstein; True Beauty Vol. 4 by Yaongyi, next up in the romance graphic novel series featuring a high schooler who sees her social standing skyrocket when she masters the art of makeup from online videos; Tower of God Vol. 4 by S.I.U., focused on a mysterious tower that encloses a range of environments offering those brave enough to enter wealth and power—or perhaps death; and Cursed Princess Club Vol. 4 by LambCat, starring young royal Gwendolyn who is learning to love herself and find her place in a world obsessed with princes, beauty, and happily-ever-afters.
WORKMAN
Workman sees nothing but net with Who Got Game?: Basketball by Derrick Barnes, presenting basketball stories and facts about the pioneering players and coaches who made history and shaped hoops culture around the world; The Solvers: Mission 1: The DivMulti Ray Dilemma by Jon Chad, launching a series starring a crew of crime-fighting kid superheroes armed with the power of math; The ABCs of Queer History by Seema Yasmin, illus. by Lucy Kirk, an alphabet book written in verse that highlights and celebrates queer history in the U.S.; Indestructibles: Sesame Street: Cookie Monster Finds a Snack by Amy Pixton and Sesame Street, in which Cookie Monster shares snacks with his friends; and Here I Am, I Am Me: An Illustrated Guide to Mental Health by Cara Bean, which takes readers on a graphic novel adventure through the brain to explore different aspects of mental health.
WORTHY KIDS
WorthyKids gets cozy for Daddy, Tell Me a Story by Kathleen L. Bostrom, illus. by Ela Smietanka, celebrating the special bond between fathers and daughters in a bedtime story gone awry; When Isaac Hears the Rain by Julie Thompson, about a boy who embraces the unexpected joys that a rainy day can bring; Sticks vs. Stones by Rosanne L. Kurstedt, illus. by Agnes Saccani, the story of a building competition that spins out of control and two friends who begin to see things from each other’s perspective; and Sashiko’s Stitches by Sanae Ishida, following a girl who learns to process and express her big emotions through the ancient craft of Japanese embroidery.
