September brings along sequels and follow-ups that are perfect to pack for back-to-school season, including a chicken duo’s race in outer space; the return of a Greek half-god and his venture to attend college; a robot’s attempts to stave off the effects of climate change; and more.
Picture Books and Graphic Novels
The 156-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffith, illus. by Terry Denton (Feiwel and Friends, Sept. 12
$14.99; ISBN 978-1-250-85018-8). In the latest installment of the Treehouse Books, the day before Christmas is quickly approaching, and Andy and Terry haven’t prepared for the holidays or finished their new book. When Santa makes a sudden crash-landing, they must find a way to save Christmas and get their book done on time.
ABCs of Kindness at Christmas by Patricia Hegart, illus. by Summer Macon (Rodale Kids, Sept. 12 $8.99 board book; ISBN 978-0-593-64771-4). The eighth book in the Books of Kindness series celebrates the gratitude and warmth surrounding the holiday season.
All Tide Up by John Patrick Green (First Second, Sept. 26 $12.99; ISBN 978-1-250-84989-2). In the seventh installment in the InvestiGators series, Mango and Brash discover an abandoned cruise ship at sea and race to uncover the cause before another ship befalls a similar fate.
Beak to the Future by Tom Angleberger (Walker Books US, Sept. 12 $12.99 ISBN 978-1-5362-2322-4). The second adventure in the Two-Headed Chicken series takes the chicken to outer space after losing an important item in the multiverse and follows along their dangerous encounters as they attempt to retrieve it.
Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Lost Christmas! by Alastair Heim (Random House, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-593-56316-8). In a new sequel to the holiday classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, the Grinch hopes to prove to the residents of Whoville just how much he’s changed by competing in the Christmas Crown for making the best Christmas tree. When plans for his tree go awry, the Grinch learns that the spirit of the holiday is less about winning and more about community.
Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas by Matt Tavares (Candlewick, Sept. 5 $17.99; ISBN 978-1-5362-3013-0). The night before Christmas Eve, reindeer Dasher finds herself stranded from home and enlisting the help of a child, in this sequel to the picture book Dasher.
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh! by Mo Willems (Union Square Kids, Sept. 5 $18.99; ISBN 978-1-4549-5277-0). The ninth book in the Pigeon series follows an excited Pigeon trying to complete all wintry activities, most notably taking a ride in an iconic sleigh.
Elves Are the Worst! by Alex Willan (Simon & Schuster, Sept. 12 $18.99; ISBN 978-1-665-92179-4). Gilbert the Goblin hopes to prove that goblins can work just as hard as elves by breaking into Santa’s workshop in the latest in The Worst! series.
I Don’t Want to Read This Book Aloud by Max Greenfield, illus. by Mike Lowery (Putnam, Sept. 19 $18.99; ISBN 978-0-593-61658-1). Actor Greenfield and illustrator Lowery follow up their picture book collaboration I Don’t Want to Read This Book with this sequel highlighting the anxieties of reading aloud.
If Animals Went to Work by Ann Whitford Paul, illus. by David Walker (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Sept. 19 $18.99; ISBN 978-0-374-39057-0). The latest in the If Animals Kissed Good Night picture book series considers the jobs a group of animal friends would take if they were to start working.
Penguin and Ollie by Salina Yoon (Bloomsbury, Sept. 5 $18.99; ISBN 978-1-681-19350-2). In the latest installment in the Penguin series, the titular protagonist makes a new friend who has a habit of camouflaging himself, and Penguin helps him feel more confident about been seen.
Proud Mouse by Idina Menzel and Cara Mentzel, illus. by Jaclyn Sinquett (Disney Hyperion, Sept. 12 $17.99; ISBN 978-1-3680-8099-6). In the sequel to Loud Mouse, co-written by actor and singer Menzel and her sister, Cara Lee struggles with living in her big sister’s shadow on her first day of school.
Skeletina and the Greedy Tooth Fairy by Susie Jaramillo (Roaring Brook, Sept. 5 $18.99; ISBN 978-1-250-87201-2). In the follow-up to Skeletina and the In-Between World, Skeletina helps a child get back her many missing teeth from an overzealous Tooth Fairy.
Spell of a Time by Sophie Escabasse (Random House Graphic, Sept. 5 $13.99 paper; ISBN 978-0-593-56593-3). During a field trip to Coney Island, Effie and Garance learn of a missing mermaid and attempt to find her in the fourth graphic novel in the Witches of Brooklyn series.
¡Vamos! Let’s Go Read! by Raúl the Third (HarperCollins/Versify Sept. 12 $16.99; ISBN 978-0-358-53936-0). The newest addition to the World of ¡Vamos! series follows Lobo and his friends as they attend a book festival, with hopes of finding a perfect book for each of them before the festival ends.
Vlad, the Fabulous Vampire by Flavia Z. Drago (Candlewick, Sept. 12 $17.99; ISBN 978-1-5362-3332-2). Vlad the Vampire overcomes his embarrassment over his pink cheeks that make him look human in the third installment in The World of Gustavo series.
When You Adopt a Pugicorn: The Christmas Wish by Matilda Rose, illus. by Tim Budgen (Abrams Appleseed, Sept. 19 $12.99; ISBN 978-1-4197-6671-8). The fifth book in the When You Adopt A series follows newly adopted Pugicorn, who wants to make Christmas perfect for his new family.
Novels
Archibald Finch and the Curse of the Phoenix by Michel Guyon (Andrews McMeel, Sept. 26 $24.99; ISBN 978-1-52487-136-9). In the latest in the Archibald Finch series, Archibald believed he’d left the world of magic, but will have to return when he spots a dangerous monster looming in London.
Arazan’s Wolves by John Flanagan (Viking, Sept. 5 $18.99; ISBN 978-0-593-46384-0). Rangers Maddie and Arazan investigate the mysterious uptick in dire wolf attacks in the sixth book of the Ranger’s Apprentice: The Royal series.
A British Girl’s Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak by Laura Taylor Namey (Atheneum, Sept. 26 $19.99 ISBN 978-1-66591-533-5). In this companion to A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, Flora escapes to Miami after the death of her mother and struggles to make commitments about her future or her love life.
A Crown So Cursed by L.L. McKinney (Feiwel and Friends, Sept. 19 $18.99; ISBN 978-1-250-75454-7). The third book of The Nightmare-Verse series finds Alice and her friends facing off against powerful new Nightmares and trying to decode eerie dreams.
The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan (Disney Hyperion, Sept. 26 $19.99; ISBN 978-1-3680-9817-5). In this new book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, half-god Percy must complete dangerous trials to gain recommendation letters from the gods for college.
Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose by Nancy Springer (Wednesday, Sept. 5 $20; ISBN 978-1-250-88573-9). The disappearance of an American book publisher sets off an urgent investigation as Enola and her brother Sherlock Holmes take on the case in the ninth book of the Enola Holmes series.
Foul Heart Huntsman by Chloe Gong (S&S/McElderry, Sept. 26 $21.99; ISBN 978-1-665-90561-9). In the sequel to Foul Lady Fortune, spy Rosalind Lang has been caught and her partner Orion has been taken by adversaries. Her only option is to utilize her publicity for a national tour that will bring her closer to him.
The Memory Thieves by Dhonielle Clayton (Holt, Sept. 26 $17.99; ISBN 978-1-250-17497-0). In this second book in the Conjureverse series, Ella, Brigit, and Jason return to the Arcanum Training Institute, only for a magical sickness to take hold, and Ella is accused of having something to do with it.
Penny Draws a School Play by Sara Shepard (Putnam, Sept. 5 $14.99; ISBN 978-0-593-61680-2). The second installment of the Penny Draws series follow Penny navigating big changes in her life by doodling in her journal to help her cope with her feelings.
Public Enemy Number One by Zoe Tokushige, illus. by Jennifer Naalchigar (Philomel, Sept. 19 $14.99; ISBN 978-0-593-46581-3). Airi is enjoying being a part of the school play, until someone begins pulling pranks and everyone assumes it’s her. In the second book of the Airi Sano, Prankmaster General series, Airi will have to prove she’s not the one behind the pranks.
Quest Kids and the Dark Prophecy of Doug by Mark Leiknes (Union Square Kids, Sept. 26 $16.99 ISBN 978-1-4549-4628-1). The Quest Kids turn their efforts from searching for Ned’s parents to finding and stopping a prophecy in the second book of the Quest Kids series.
Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem by Roseanne A. Brown (Disney/Rick Riordan Presents, Sept. 12 $17.99; ISBN 978-1-3680-6646-4). While working with her aunt to stage a heist to procure a powerful magical artifact, Serwa is forced to confront the battle for power within her own family in the second book of the Serwa Boateng series.
The Siren, the Song, and the Spy by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (Candlewick, Sept. 26 $19.99; ISBN 978-1-5362-1805-3). In the companion to The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea, Genevieve questions the loyalties of those around her as the Sea and Empire wage a brutal war.
Storm of Olympus by Claire M. Andrews (Little, Brown, Sept. 5 $18.99; ISBN 978-0-316-49801-2). In the third and final book in the Daughter of Sparta series, Daphne fears that her new powers are signs of a larger prophecy that claim she will be the cause of the downfall of Olympus and Sparta.
Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure by Rachel Renée Russell (Aladdin, Sept. 26 $14.99; ISBN 978-1-534-48048-3). Everyone is relying on Nikki’s French skills to get them to Paris in the 15th installment of the Dork Diaries series.
This Winter by Alice Oseman (Scholastic Press, Sept. 5 $17.99; ISBN 978-1-338-88513-2). Oseman’s second Heartstopper novella takes place over the holiday season, as Nick and Charlie welcome home Charlie’s older sister Tori.
Top Story by Kelly Yang (Scholastic Press, Sept. 5 $17.99; ISBN 978-1-338-85839-6). Mia faces a myriad of troubles at her journalism camp, including well-connected campmates, drifting apart from her best friend, and jealousy over a crush in the fifth book of the Front Desk series.
The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown (Little, Brown, Sept. 26 $17.99; ISBN 978-0-316-66941-2). In the third Wild Robot book, Roz struggles to help save the animals on the island when rising sea levels force them all inward and everyone begins to fight over resources.
