Here we round up new and forthcoming children’s titles including a stormy picture book, a mixed-race teen’s story, a book about distractions, and a romp in a circus.
When the Storm Comes by Linda Ashman, illus. by Taeeun Yoo. Penguin/Paulsen, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-399-54609-9. “What do you do when the clouds roll in,/ When the wind chimes clang and the weather vanes spin?” In verse that rolls like a sea shanty, Ashman (Take Your Pet to School Day) watches as animals and people ride out a storm in this picture book.
The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-06-299029-7. In this uplifting coming-of-age YA novel told in accessible verse, Atta (I Am Nobody’s Nigger, for adults) chronicles the growth and glory of Michael Angeli, a mixed-race kid from London, as he matures from a child to a man and explores his sexuality. The book earned a starred review from PW.
Attack of the Stuff by Jim Benton. Papercutz, $14.99; ISBN 978-1-5458-0499-5. In this illustrated middle grade novel, the protagonist struggles with objects that attempt to communicate with him.
Orphan Eleven by Gennifer Choldenko. Random/Lamb, $16.99; ISBN 978-0-385-74255-9. With Lucy’s undaunted determination and boundless compassion, this middle grade book set at a circus offers a tale of hope and survival.
Ray by Marianna Coppo, trans. from the Italian by Debbie Bibo. Tundra, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-7352-6577-6. When closet lightbulb Ray is put into a lantern and travels with the family on a camping trip, the world opens up for him in this picture book.
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna. Delacorte, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-9848-4869-7. Formidable heroines and a thoughtful feminist mythology distinguish debut author Forna’s West Africa-inspired fantasy YA trilogy launch.
Hello from Renn Lake by Michele Weber Hurwitz. Random/Lamb, $16.99; ISBN 978-1-984896-32-2. Hurwitz’s (Ethan Marcus Makes His Mark) middle grade book intersperses scientific facts about algae blooms and pollution with a story of activism and nature appreciation.
Prairie Days by Patricia MacLachlan, illus. by Micha Archer. S&S/McElderry, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-4424-4191-0. Elaborate sun-filled spreads by Archer (Daniel’s Good Day) illuminate Newbery Medalist MacLachlan’s farm-life memories in this picture book. The book earned a starred review from PW.
Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith. HarperTeen, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-06-294317-0. In this YA rom-com with a social justice twist, a trans teen and a cheerleader fall for each other.
Camp by L.C. Rosen. Little, Brown, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-316-53775-9. This fun, inclusive YA novel that’s sex-, romance-, and LGBTQ-positive takes place at a queer summer camp in Connecticut.
The Paper Girl of Paris by Jordyn Taylor. HarperTeen, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-06-293662-2. Taylor’s suspenseful debut tells the story of Adalyn Bonhomme, a teenage French Resistance worker in Paris during WWII, in her own words and as uncovered by her grandniece, 16-year-old American Alice Prewitt.
Together We Grow by Susan Vaught, illus. by Kelly Murphy. S&S/Wiseman, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-5344-0586-8. Inviting dialogue about the need for inclusivity, Vaught (Things Too Huge to Fix by Saying Sorry) offers a lyrical narrative in concise rhyming couplets that are fleshed out in dramatic mixed-media illustrations by Murphy (The Slowest Book Ever). The picture book earned a starred review from PW.
For more children’s and YA titles on sale throughout the month of May, check out PW’s full On-Sale Calendar.
