Here we round up new and forthcoming children’s titles including a picture book about a barnyard band, the story of a successful squirrel, a graphic novel about social media idolatry, a middle grade novel about two friends from different worlds, and many more.

Acoustic Rooster’s Barnyard Boogie Starring Indigo Blume by Kwame Alexander, illus. by Tim Bowers. Sleeping Bear, $16.99; ISBN 978-1-5341-1114-1. Happy to contribute to her community but suffering cold feet at the prospect of headlining the Garden City Community Festival, Indigo dreams herself into the swinging barnyard of Acoustic Rooster and his punnilly named musical friends in this picture book.

Girl Versus Squirrel by Hayley Barrett, illus. by Renee Andriani. Holiday House/Ferguson, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-8234-4251-5. Pearl is trying to turn her backyard into a bird oasis, but a wily squirrel keeps outwitting her, swiping peanuts from a feeder that she has taken particular pride in creating. The picture book earned a starred review from PW.

Lois Lane and the Friendship Challenge by Grace Ellis, illus. by Brittney Williams. DC Comics, $9.99; ISBN 978-1-4012-9637-7. This middle grade graphic novel about young Lois Lane touches on the dangers of social media idolatry and emotional processing avoidance.

A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan. Clarion, $16.99; ISBN 978-0-358-11668-4. Told in alternating voices, Faruqi and Shovan’s nuanced tale about the thrill of budding friendship is relatable without sacrificing challenging topics, such as casual racism and financial difficulties.

Cut Off by Adrianne Finlay. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-358-00645-9. Finlay (Your One and Only) keeps the action going in her sophomore YA novel, thanks to an intriguing setup, a sparky romance, and rapid-fire narration from multiple points of view.

Newton and Curie: The Science Squirrels by Daniel Kirk. Abrams, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-4197-3748-0. This picture book frames plainspoken, relatable explanations of core physics concepts and the scientific method alongside detailed, digitally colored pencil drawings that capture the soft texture of fur and the toothy smiles of anthropomorphized squirrels.

Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland. Simon Pulse, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-5344-4863-6. Every new moon, Artemisia “Sia” Martinez drives into the desert to light candles for her mother, who went missing after being deported three years ago by a racist sheriff. The YA novel earned a starred review from PW.

Not an Alphabet Book: The Case of the Missing Cake by Eoin McLaughlin, illus. by Marc Boutavant. Candlewick, $16.99; ISBN 978-1-5362-1267-9. Bear had planned to walk readers through “a simple alphabet book.” But this admirable intention is put aside as he instead searches for the nefarious thief who has absconded with the “completely delicious, tongue-jinglingly chocolaty cake” that previously accompanied the letter C.

No Ordinary Jacket by Sue-Ellen Pashley, illus. by Thea Baker. Candlewick, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-5362-0966-2. A beloved jacket lives many lives and is passed along owners in this gentle picture book illustrated with collage art.

Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar. HarperTeen, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-06-289462-5. Thakrar’s Hindu mythology-inspired fantasy debut centers on Sheetal Mistry, a brown-skinned, silver-haired 16-year-old from Edison, N.J., who has celestial heritage.

Crabapple Trouble by Kaeti Vandorn. Random House Graphic, $12.99; ISBN 978-1-9848-9680-3. The Forest Fairy Kingdom’s summertime fair is coming up, and its produce-headed orchard denizens are excited to show off their skills at its annual competition. The low-conflict plot in this early reader graphic novel effectively normalizes the experience of anxiety, offering strategies to deal with fretful feelings.

The Blue House by Phoebe Wahl. Knopf, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-984893-36-9. A father and son learn to let go of their cherished home, while adapting to a new space, in this story following the many emotions that moving evokes. The picture book earned a starred review from PW.

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