Beginning each boldly illustrated spread with the phrase “Black hands,” previous collaborators Boston Weatherford and Christie (Freedom in Congo Square) present a history, both passionate and sobering, of how the African diaspora has shaped America. Pages begin with hands that “survived the Middle Passage.../ only to face the auction block” and end with those that “point the way/ for more to follow.” All-caps phrases describe hands that built infrastructure (“laid the foundation,” “plowed this land”), revolutionized art (“penned,/ literary testaments”), nursed the sick (“comforted,/ and consoled”), and more, while illustrations and supporting lines provide further detail. On one spread, Black laborers erect a municipal building as a frocked figure observes (“Black hands... forged iron for gates closed to them” and “fashioned ball gowns/ for First Ladies”). Elsewhere, scents of soul food emanate from pots, hands birth the blues and jazz, and figures innovate and elect politicians. Textural artwork, created with acrylic gouache on illustration board, combines collage-style composition with stylized patterns and portraiture. A list of historical references concludes. Ages 4–8. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

Tynion and Dialynas (the Wynd series) reteam to launch a tense, high-concept graphic novel series. Students attending Milwaukee’s Bay Point Preparatory High School are navigating evergreen teenage challenges—Sanami Ota listens to Karen Jacobs’s college anxieties, Calder MaCready streaks past student council president Maria Ramirez, Principal Beaumont argues with several teens—when all 452 students and 64 faculty members are inexplicably transported to a hostile alien moon. There, the new arrivals struggle to survive among carnivorous extraterrestrial predators and other abducted groups while attempting to build new societies. As science-minded Bay Point teen Adrian Roth leads the charge in unraveling the mystery of their capture, sensitively written subplots explore the intersectionally diverse characters’ backstories: gentle Ben Stone wrestles with coming out as gay to his demanding father while harboring feelings for Adrian, who is straight, and Sanami, a skilled survivalist raised off the grid, must bridge the cultural gap with conventionally raised Karen, who may hold the key to their rescue. Claustrophobic artwork in otherworldly purples and greens renders an exceptionally eerie alien world, amplifying narrative tension and the characters’ feelings of disorientation in a story that deftly fuses science fiction, survival adventure, and adolescent drama. Ages 14–up. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

Brazilian creators Santana, making her debut, and Petreca (Ye) deliver a high-energy, punk-infused paranormal graphic novel adventure brimming with riot grrrl spirit. After purple-haired skateboarder Violeta, 13, discovers her late grandfather Bilu’s cassette player already loaded with a tape, she plays the mysterious object backward—and unleashes monsters upon her hometown of Hollow Hill, which is already plagued by sinkholes, flash floods, and hurricanes. Armed with her supernatural cassette player and accompanied by her cosplay-loving BFF Alan, Violeta juggles homework and battling creatures determined to impose rigid control on Hollow Hill citizens. The creators balance monster mayhem with familiar adolescent concerns, including Violeta’s fraught reunion with a childhood friend. Alan’s comedic antics and dedication to obtaining material for the pair’s podcast—which chronicles their fantastical adventures—provide levity, while a school-wide invasion by status-obsessed shadow bugs offers sharp, satirical commentary on authority. Vibrant artwork fuses manga-style action with retro street-art flair, and punk lyrics are woven directly into the story, with battle scenes choreographed to classic tracks such as Bikini Kill’s “Rebel Girl.” As the protagonists, portrayed with various skin tones, skate, rock out, and fight bureaucratic monsters, their adventure manifests in a joyful celebration of chaos, individuality, and the power of chosen family. Ages 8–12. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

Lukens (Love at Second Sight) skillfully blends a cozy adventure with a pensive exploration of perception and heroism in this tender romantasy. Questing is a source of entertainment for the royal court, and 17-year-old Ellinore is celebrated throughout the Kingdom of Avoury as the top quester, having completed courageous tasks related to monster hunting as well as the retrieval or destruction of magical items. Only Ellinore knows that her reputation is built on illusion, and that her victories have been carefully embellished to win gold and provide for her family. Exhausted by the charade, she announces her retirement, only to be thrust back into peril when her twin brother Zig stakes his life on her ability to recover the horn of the legendary Elder Beast. Joined by Zig and Ellinore’s rival Princet Aven, Ellinore embarks on a dangerous journey that will force her to reckon with her deception. The heroine’s preference for negotiation over brute force underscores her moral strength and distinguishes her from her kingdom’s violent history. While the main mission takes time to gain traction, Lukens keeps readers engaged via Ellinore and Aven’s witty banter and the protagonist’s struggle to balance her public persona with her true self. Characters are described as having various skin tones. Ages 14–up. Agent: Eva Scalzo, Speilburg Literary. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

In the spirit of Being Ace, Dyer (These Bodies Ain’t Broken) and Thor (This Is How We Roll) gather 13 writers, including Isa Fiel, Laura Pohl, and Rukman Ragas, to present an impassioned anthology about aromantic teens that explores a range of experiences across varying genres. An introduction by Julie Sondra Decker suggests that the stories included are meant to push back against the notion that “romance is what makes stories interesting”: in some selections, characters confront societal pressures to conform, while others embrace their identities from the jump. “Kimberly Ma Meets Her Match” by Ann Zhao introduces a high school robotics student whose matchmaking survey goes awry when a classmate tries to opt out, landing her in everyone’s results as a 0% match. And Claudie Arseneault’s “Flying Solo” envisions a dystopian future in which a fighter pilot is grounded after refusing to telepathically pair with a partner to combat giant humanoid puppets. This unforgettable curation offers what Decker’s introduction calls “a gentle education on aspects of aromanticism we didn’t consciously understand,” as each story matter-of-factly approaches aromantic experiences and amplifies their importance as part of queer culture. Ages 14–up. Agent: (for Dyer) Amy Collins, Talcott Notch Literary. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

Via distinctive and emotionally resonant verse, Adams crafts an evocative story about identity, devotion, and belonging. Seventeen-year-old Aouli Elizabeth Smith dreads attending Catholic Mass with her intimidating father, passive mother, and dismissive older sister. Relief comes in the form of her great-aunt’s home, a hub for the Hawaiian community in Hawk Valley, Wash., where her father occasionally softens. There, Aouli meets peer Nalu, also Hawaiian, who helps her feel accepted into and connected with her heritage (“It feels so good to be the same as him”). Tension mounts as Aouli wrestles with the aftermath of her father’s extramarital affair, her own persistent feelings of invisibility, and a complicated romantic entanglement involving her sister’s crush. She begins to rebel against her father’s rigid expectations, including mandatory church and youth group attendance, but as she forges her own path, she jeopardizes her deepening relationship with Nalu, whom she bonded with through these spaces. When a rumor spread by her best friend threatens this relationship further, Aouli must decide if she’s brave enough to chart her own path. Measured and profound language—arranged in short lines, cascading stanzas, and block formations that reflect emotional shifts—conveys Aouli’s internal growth and cultural awakening with aching assuredness. A glossary and author’s note conclude. Ages 13–up. Agent: Sara Crowe, Sara Crowe Literary. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

A genderqueer teen is hunted by a terrifying manifestation of their trauma in this gruesome thriller by Plett (Wavelength), set 10 years after a near-apocalypse triggered by a sudden phenomenon that animated machines and turned them violent. After Cedar’s mother dies under mysterious circumstances and their father and brother abandon Cedar and vanish underground, the 18-year-old flees to Sawblade Lake to live with their grandmother. There, Cedar finds a community of queer teens and the tentative promise of finally having found a place to belong—until Cedar realizes that they are being haunted by a shadowy, vengeful creature that begins murdering Sawblade Lake residents. To survive and protect their newfound family, Cedar must confront the past they tried to escape and unravel the creature’s origins. Visceral worldbuilding alongside irreverent, realistic dialogue skillfully captures the novel’s intimate emotional core against a backdrop of spine-tingling horror, while leisurely paced prose culminates in a tense, inventive narrative that blends queer identity, survival, and mystery. Main characters cue as white. Ages 12–up. Agent: Amy Tompkins, Transatlantic Agency. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

In this raw and heartbreaking historical novel set in the same world as Furia, Méndez intertwines political history with speculative storytelling, drawing on firsthand accounts of life under Argentina’s 1976 military coup. Alternating between present-day narration from an unnamed angel and flashbacks charting the rise of Río Babel, a teenage rock band whose love of music collides with the brutality of a repressive government, the story opens with a grim scene: the angel, tasked with escorting souls to the afterlife, must help a young girl remember her name to keep her soul from disappearing. Prompted by the girl’s familiarity with Río Babel, the angel recounts the band’s tragic tale. Río Babel’s teenage members, including brothers Daniel and Adrián, dream of rock stardom when their song “Lágrimas de Marrano” unexpectedly becomes a rallying cry for rebels against Argentinian government dictatorship. But when 15-year-old bandmate Herminia disappears, the stakes rise, forcing the teens to prioritize survival and anonymity over recognition as violence spreads throughout Argentina. Narrative timeline shifts are somewhat abrupt; still, the novel’s central motif of music as salvation amid oppression resonates throughout a haunting, morally urgent tale of art, resistance, and memory. Characters are described as having various skin tones. Ages 12–up. Agent: Linda Camacho, Gallt & Zacker Literary. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

Sixteen-year-old Chloe Lovejoy’s junior year becomes complicated when she inherits the title—and powers—of Mother Nature in Clark’s charming contemporary fantasy. After Chloe’s grandmother reveals that the role of Mother Nature has been passed down through generations of Lovejoy women, Chloe is immediately thrust into training. As she learns to control the globe’s weather and other natural phenomena, Chloe’s grandmother dies suddenly, leaving her without an experienced Mother Nature to help her hone abilities capable of triggering tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. Balancing these overwhelming powers alongside a strained relationship with her distant, alcohol-dependent mother, who forsook her own Mother Nature duties; a budding romance with a choir classmate; and her own self-deprecating belief that she’s a “lackluster” teen, Chloe struggles to meet the expectations of her new role. Predictable plotting and spare writing make both emotional moments and the overarching magic system feel underdeveloped, resulting in an intriguing yet brief story that offers limited exploration of inherited responsibility and adolescent growth. Chloe is described as having pale skin. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jane Hamilton, Jane Hamilton Literary. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

Kemp (Omega Morales and the Curse of El Cucuy) presents a thoughtful reflection on the trials, triumphs, and transformative power of friendship in this endearing, magical offering. Fourteen-year-old Cat believes that her family’s bookstore is guided by her great-great-great-grandmother’s spirit. While searching for the next book that she and her three best friends—Ana, Mari, and Sofia—will read for their book club, Cat relies on her ancestor’s help to choose a volume that will resonate with the whole group. Each teen faces new challenges as they enter high school: Ana struggles to balance academic and familial expectations while navigating a fledgling romance that sparks conflict with her mother; hot-tempered Cat contends with her parents’ fighting and her own heightened emotions after losing a coveted role in the school play; Mari copes with her mother’s recently diagnosed kidney disease through art; and as Sofia grapples with understanding her sexuality, her experimenting with spells and fortune-telling draws disapproval from her religious grandmother. As misunderstandings and hurt feelings fracture the girls’ friendship, they’re forced to confront whether their bond can survive the changes ahead. Alternating third-person narration relays nuanced portrayals of adolescent relationships. Mari’s chapters include b&w comics panels by Moreno (But I’m a Pumpkin!), while others are punctuated by text exchanges and excerpts of Sofia’s spells. A book list concludes. A Spanish-language edition publishes simultaneously. Ages 10–up. Author’s agent: Andrea Morrison, Writers House. Illustrator’s agent: Adriana Dominguez, Aevitas Creative Management. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink