Hitting shelves next week are a picture book about two monstrous siblings, an in-depth biography of an influential female scientist, and the YA origin story of an infamous fairy tale villain.

Merrow by Ananda Braxton-Smith. Candlewick, $16.99; ISBN 978-0-7636-7924-8. Twelve-year old Neen Marrey has been raised on stories of merrow (mermaids). When Neen was a toddler, her fisherman father drowned and her mother disappeared soon after, leaving Neen with the belief that her mother simply rejoined her true family, the merrow that live below the sea. The book earned a starred review from PW.

Jess, Chunk, and the Road Trip to Infinity by Kristin Elizabeth Clark. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-374-38006-9. Jess, a transgender teen who recently graduated from high school, embarks on a cross-country road trip to crash her father’s wedding, joined by her best friend, Chunk.

How Do You Say? / Como Se Dice? by Angela Dominguez. Holt, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-62779-496-1. Two look-alike giraffes mirror each other’s behavior and exchange simple words in Spanish and English in this picture book tribute to language.

Little Ducks by Denise Fleming. Beach Lane, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-4814-2422-6. Fleming infuses a nursery song with the vivid hues of her signature pulp-painting illustrations in this picture book about a family of ducks.

Dungeonology by Matt Forbeck. Candlewick, $24.99; ISBN 978-0-7636-9353-4. In this densely illustrated addition to the Ologies series – which includes a foldout map, booklets, and other interactive elements – readers get an introduction to the world of Dungeons and Dragons.

The Door That Led to Where by Sally Gardner. Delacorte, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-399-54997-7. This YA thriller blends time travel, intrigue, and social commentary when a teen discovers a portal to the 1830s and encounters a murderous plot.

Alphonse, That Is Not OK to Do! by Daisy Hirst. Candlewick, $15.99; ISBN 978-0-7636-8103-6. Natalie and Alphonse are a pair of monster siblings – she has frilly ears and webbed feet, while he has rabbit ears and pointy teeth – but they live and act like ordinary children. The book earned a starred review from PW.

Little Big Girl by Claire Keane. Dial, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-8037-3912-3. In this picture book from the granddaughter of Family Circus creator Bil Keane, a young girl prepares to be a big sister.

Dead Girls Society by Michelle Krys. Delacorte, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-553-50802-4. In this standalone YA thriller novel, a teen is invited to play a secret game of dares for the chance of winning $100,000. The struggles of the characters involved – including disability – add depth to the game.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer. Feiwel and Friends, $19.99 (464p) ISBN 978-1-250-04465-5. This standalone YA novel tells the story of Catherine, the spirited daughter of royalty, before she was the Queen of Hearts.

Florence Nightingale: The Courageous Life of the Legendary Nurse by Catherine Reef. Clarion, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-544-53580-0. Veteran biographer Reef (Noah Webster: Man of Many Words) provides a portrait on how revolutionary Nightingale’s work was. The book earned a starred review from PW.

Poles Apart by Jeanne Willis, illus. by Jarvis. Nosy Crow, $15.99; ISBN 978-0-7636-8944-5. In this picture book, a family of penguins get lost on their way to a picnic. Drifting along on an iceberg, they reach the North Pole, where polar bear wearing a bowler hat offers to lead them home.

For more children’s and YA titles on sale throughout the month of November, check out PW’s full On-Sale Calendar.