Here we round up new and forthcoming children’s titles, including a middle grade novel about tweens attending a school for students with special powers, a picture book following a child who loves to win, a picture book biography of a musical icon, and more.
The 66th Rebirth of Frankie Caridi by Johnny Marciano, illus. by Ashley Mackenzie. Penguin Workshop, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-593-66094-2. Thirteen-year-old Frankie and her brother Lucie attend the isolated Pythagorean Institute, a school for students with genetic powers. When Frankie is plagued by strange dreams that feel like memories, she’s forced to confront the reality that she may be less “normal” than she thought.
Bijan Always Wins by Adib Khorram, illus. by Michelle Tran. Dial, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-593-32530-8. Bijan, a child who proclaims he wins at everything, learns how to appreciate friendship over his successes.
Bridges Instead of Walls: The Story of Mavis Staples by Mavis Staples and Carole Boston Weatherford, illus. by Steffi Walthall. Rocky Pond, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-593-62469-2. Staples and Boston Weatherford collaborate to recount the extraordinary musical life of Staples, tracing her childhood years singing gospel music to her eventual success in Hollywood.
Clever Crow by Chris Butterworth, illus. by Olivia Lomenech Gill. Candlewick, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-5362-3542-5. This picture book assemblage of corvid portraits forms a survey of varying crow types. The picture book received a starred review from PW.
The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller. Feiwel and Friends, $24.99; ISBN 978-1-250-84077-6. Chrysantha Stathos must face off against a mysterious stranger who plans to lay claim to her inheritance in the companion novel to The Shadows Between Us.
The Haunted States of America by Ellen Hopkins et al., illus. by Solomon Hughes. Holt/Godwin, $16.99; ISBN 978-1-250-81941-3. Highlighting horrific lore from each state, this anthology invites 52 authors, including Daniel Barlekamp, Ellen Hopkins, Rae Rose, and more to craft haunting stories across the U.S.
How to Die Famous by Benjamin Dean. Little, Brown, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-316-51960-1. Actor Abel seizes the chance to costar in the reboot of the hit teen dramedy Sunset High to investigate the off-set drama. He learns that Sunset High’s makers and players all harbor dangerous secrets that will prove deadly for one teen star.
I Am La Chiva!: The Colorful Bus of the Andes by Karol Hernández, illus. by Lorena Alvarez Gómez. Dial, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-5935-2920-1. Hernández foregrounds La Chiva, “a colorful rustic bus used as public transportation in rural areas of Colombia,” as it picks up passengers en route to the mercado in town. The picture book received a starred review from PW.
The Imaginoodles by Christopher Eliopoulos. Rocky Pond, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-5936-9848-8. Anthropomorphized hedgehog Henry learns to come out of his shell with the help of rambunctious chipmunk Chester, who reminds him that play is all about enjoyment.
Invisible Isabel by Sally J. Pla, illus. by Tania de Regil. Quill Tree, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-06326-885-2. Isabel Beane doesn’t feel like she fits in, a feeling cemented further when she isn’t invited to Monica’s birthday party.
It's Only a Game by Kelsea Yu. Bloomsbury, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-5476-1335-9. Marina Chan and fellow gamers are invited by an anonymous developer to beta-test a new game. When the CEO of the gaming company is murdered, the teens must beat the new game or risk being charged with the murder—or worse.
A Magic Fierce and Bright by Hemant Nayak. Simon & Schuster, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-6659-2181-7. Adya Sachdev, who can communicate with machines using magic, learns that her twin sister Priya is in danger and puts together a rag-tag team to rescue her.
Peach Heaven by Yangsook Choi. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-3743-9130-0. After a storm sends peaches raining down from the skies, young Yangsook finds a way to help farmers who have lost their crops.
Sunrise Nights by Brittany Cavallaro and Jeff Zentner. Quill Tree, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-06-332453-4. High schoolers Florence, a dancer, and Jude, a photographer, meet while participating in the traditional “sunrise night,” the last day of art camp, and bond over their shared love and conviction for their craft. The YA book received a starred review from PW.
The Tugboat and the Silver Moon by Kersten Hamilton, illus. by Barry Gott. Viking, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-5935-2839-6. Strong winds cause a cargo ship to get stuck sideways in a canal, and protagonist Tug awaits the help of the silver moon’s tide to free the ship.
A Whisper of Curses by J. Elle. Bloomsbury, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-5476-0674-0. In the sequel to A Taste of Magic, Kyana finds herself under a curse and travels to a magical camp to seek help, only to be trapped there.
For more children’s and YA titles on sale throughout the month of July, check out PW’s full On-Sale Calendar.
