In this rollicking romp from King (Benny on the Case) and Wolfhard (Stanley Will Probably Be Fine), a series launch, 11-year-old human Baxter “Bax” Brooks awakens one morning to discover that he has grown hair from chin to toe seemingly overnight. After his supportive (if slightly bewildered) parents accept what appears to be his new werewolf identity, Bax is sent to Prodigium Academy, a school for misfit monsters. There, he hopes to continue playing basketball—or beast ball, as the academy’s dean calls it. But the Prodigium Pugs, the only mixed-monster team in the league, holds the worst record of their peers and faces constant interference from the Extremely Inconvenient Phantom, who proves shockingly apologetic about its shoe-stealing antics. Now it’s up to self-described “Bax-squatch” to help his teammates embrace their creaturely differences and turn adversity into victory. Lively dialogue strikes a deft balance of horror and humor while exploring themes of identity, friendship, and resilience, crafting a school story that is as heartening as it is laugh-out-loud. Thin-lined, stylized illustrations showcase an array of monster characters while providing visual gags and energy, appealing to fans of sports, Halloween-y fun, and character-driven adventure. Ages 10–up. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

Migga recalls The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in this sweet, reflective debut about three inseparable friends facing a summer of separation and self-discovery. Incoming high school freshmen Ava, Becca, and Cat have spent every summer together for as long as they can remember, but this year, Ava is traveling to London with her father, Becca is attending sleepaway camp for the first time, and Cat will remain in Chattanooga. Determined to stay connected, the friends commit to talking on the phone, sending letters, and making pieces of a shared scrapbook that they’ll assemble when they reunite. As the summer unfolds, each girl confronts the unspoken fears and habits that have shaped their bond, learning how to make room for change without letting go of one another: Ava navigates London via scavenger hunt alongside her charming British neighbor, Derrick; Becca pushes herself outside her comfort zone by trying activities like kayaking; and Cat tentatively forges new bonds with classmates, including popular girl Janayda. The group’s alternating viewpoints—enhanced by multimedia ephemera, such as the trio’s letters to one another, personal notes, and ticket stubs—offer an intimate look at growing independence and an affirming portrait of friendship in transition. Ava, Becca, and Cat all cue as Black. Ages 10–14. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

Beginning the day before middle schooler Norm starts seventh grade, Gilbert’s warmhearted series kickoff follows a tween struggling to balance fame and authenticity. It’s been one week since a video of Norm’s “whoop whoop dance” went viral—shot and posted online by his father while Norm was groggy following wisdom-tooth surgery. Seemingly overnight, Norm’s cool (and lol-worthy) dance moves make him a minor celebrity, with kids flooding his comments and classmates mobbing him the moment he steps into school on the first day. Initially, Norm hopes his sudden boost in social status will strengthen his bond with his besties Jordan and Mia. But the popular crowd has little interest in including his companions in their admiration of Norm, forcing him to choose between his desire to fit in and his yearning to stay close to his true friends. As his attempts to juggle old loyalties and new attention falter, Norm must decide what he values most. Debut author Gilbert captures the outsize emotional stakes of everyday middle school moments with keen insight, and Norm’s wry, self-aware narration is both amusing and relatable. The result is a timely look at the tension between online identity and real-life relationships—and the cost of trying to maintain both. Publishing simultaneously: Pranks and Prejudice. Ages 8–12. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

Timed to the arrival of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Cervantes (Into the Shadows) scores an energetic, crowd-pleasing mystery steeped in tournament hype. After an embarrassing misunderstanding ends with sixth grader Diez Espada—a struggling soccer player and aspiring detective—taking the fall for popular classmate Rio Salvatierra’s pilfering of the school mascot costume, Rio unexpectedly extends to Diez an invitation to the year’s most exclusive party in Miami, hosted by her well-connected parents. Held at the glamorous Las Palmas hotel, where Diez’s father works as a valet manager, the event boasts celebrities, professional athletes, and its biggest attraction: the World Cup Trophy. During the party, the trophy vanishes amid the chaos after a storm knocks out the power. Fortunately, among the attendees is famed Detective Enzo, whom Diez’s late librarian and mystery-loving mother greatly admired, prompting the tween to spring into action, eager to assist in the investigation. Cervantes interweaves glamour, sports, and even a talking bird into an exhilarating whodunit helmed by a sympathetic, charismatic protagonist. Sensitive ruminations on grief and remembrance, emphasized through Diez’s honoring his mother by following in her literary footsteps, anchor this suspenseful adventure. Main characters are Latinx; Spanish dialogue is woven throughout. Ages 8–12. Agent: Adriana Dominguez, Aevitas Creative Management. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

A tween attending circus camp learns about challenging himself and the power of teamwork in this bighearted novel by Diaz (Farewell Cuba, Mi Isla). After Mario Gallegos’s parents catch the 12-year-old covertly using their credit cards to buy limited edition sneakers, they send Mario from their Ohio home to spend the summer in New Mexico with his abuela. She momentarily lifts Mario’s spirits upon revealing that she has a surprise for him—maybe Abuela enrolled him in basketball camp! When the surprise turns out to be attending a local circus camp, he only agrees to go after she offers to buy him the coveted sneakers. Though initially reluctant to participate, he soon warms to the activities (unicycling, trapeze, acrobatics) and his fellow campers, including the camp owner’s daughter Luna, who is grappling with body image and parental criticism; Betina, a gifted clown weighed down by anxiety and the pressure to please; and Ricky, an aspiring stilt walker whose yearning to speed through safety training impedes his progress. As the children hone their performance skills, they begin to trust one another. But their newfound community is imperiled when the camp’s landlord hikes the rent and demands back payment. Grounded emotional interactions between mostly Latinx characters meaningfully render tweens reconciling issues with self-perception against a unique, high-flying backdrop. Spanish and Portuguese dialogue is organically woven throughout; a glossary concludes. Ages 8–12. Agent: Kristin Ostby, Salky Literary. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

A reluctant camper navigates wilderness adventures with his mother in a nimble picture book by Ho (Becoming Boba) and Mesquita (Giraffe in Space and Other Silly Poems). Though Mama is deeply enthusiastic about the outdoors, young Oliver dreads driving long distances in the jam-packed car and pitching a tent where bats, bears, or bugs might lurk. Yet Mama’s energy—particularly her joyous declaration, “Now this is a room with a view!”—makes camping memorable. Kid-like language (“a billion gazillion infinity times ten”) relates the Sturm und Drang of outdoor adventuring (marshmallow mishaps) alongside its charms (s’mores), while spatter-textured, digitally finished acrylic and gouache illustrations depict the duo’s world in rich jewel tones. It’s an affectionate look at ups and downs that strengthen a familial bond. The characters are portrayed with brown skin. An author’s note, tips for adventuring, and a listing of U.S. national parks conclude. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Caryn Wiseman, Andrea Brown Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Jemiscoe Chambers-Black, Andrea Brown Literary. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

Inspired by a real brown bear—a denizen of Alaska’s Katmai National Park & Preserve, and repeat Fat Bear Week champion—this sturdy picture book advocates industrial-strength patience and unflappable self-knowledge. After hibernating through the Alaskan winter, bears awaken with bellies like “hollow pockets, growling to be filled,” Scanlon (The Family Tree) and Brockenbrough (A Gift of Dust) write. The animals trudge to the river where salmon are running, their red and green bodies glinting in mid-leap. Meanwhile, the eponymous icon remains in his cave, drooling and emitting a luxuriant snore of “SSSNNNNNNRRRRKKKK.” When he finally rouses, it looks like Otis may have missed his chance to fatten up. But while “other bears are younger. Faster. Stronger,” Otis doesn’t worry. Across digital drawings that resemble contemporary animation, Laberis (the It’s Not Easy Being series) portrays the bear as rakish, rumpled, and wise: he waits for the perfect spot, eats unhurriedly, and occasionally naps, knowing that “what does matter is being a bear in his own way, in his own time.” It’s an energy worth bearing in mind when the world demands keeping up. Back matter offers contextualizing information. Ages 4–8. Authors’ agents: (for Brockenbrough) Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary; (for Scanlon) Erin Murphy, Aevitas Creative Management. Illustrator’s agent: Anne Moore Armstrong, Bright Agency. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

In a picture book about the unsung heroes tackling necessary work, Bernstrom (the Bear, Bee series) and Verdad (The Dream Catcher) introduce a chipper yellow dump truck who garners relentless criticism. Both hauler and handyman, Dump keeps Toyville running, but the other playthings complain: “Dump Truck wasn’t neat./ In fact, he was dirty/ and smelled like wet feet.” Moreover, the truck’s cleanup efforts sometimes cause minor collateral damage, like getting dust on Giggly, a tattooed teddy bear in a tutu who leads the opposition. To the toys, Dump is chaotic, messy, and—most tellingly—“strange,” and they write up new rules that bar him from working. After Toyville falls apart, though, Dump decides he’s done following the guidelines and returns to his job. Bold acrylic, paper, and digital collage illustrations offer a crafts-like energy that reinforces the story’s straightforward message about valuing those who take on essential work—and individual process, too. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Brenda Bowen, Book Group. Illustrator’s agent: Adriana Dominguez, Aevitas Creative Management. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

A prehistoric portal offers more than diversion in this inventive picture book from Funk (the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series) and Kurilla (Today at School). A pale-skinned dinosaur enthusiast, dressed in a full-body costume, would rather do anything than tackle the to-do list tacked up on their bedroom wall. Punchy dinosaur puns chronicle avoidant behaviors: “Dino soar” accompanies the child’s tossing a purple triceratops stuffie in the air; “Dino score” attends a blue stegosaurus being stuffed into a basketball hoop. When “Dino BORE” sets into the pastel-hued bedroom scenes, the protagonist assembles art supplies and draws a “Dino door” to escape into an imaginary world bursting with cuddly reptiles who party on a tropical “Dino shore” and eat “Dino s’mores.” There, saturated blues, greens, oranges, and pinks represent a dreamscape that’s as irresistible as procrastination itself. And having taken a moment in pleasure and play, the child returns to reality refreshed and ready to tackle the list, suggesting that imagination and responsibility can coexist—in any era. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Kathleen Rushall, Andrea Brown Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Jennifer Rofé, Andrea Brown Literary. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink

In this lush, meditative retelling of Moby-Dick, Marsol (Astro) evokes a markedly different vibe than the original, rendering Captain Ahab as more dreamer than diabolical. Ahab himself narrates via spare, conversational text that takes a reckoning tone. As the captain recalls his exploits, scaling hulls, squandering “entire voyages... hemmed in by fog and mist,” and taking refuge in a mussel-scented cave, readers will note the whale’s near-constant presence—breaching across the water, looming outside a porthole, and even hosting Ahab in his stomach. Matching the captain’s famously searching state of mind, highly textured, restlessly alive artwork with an iridescent palette makes the ocean seem like a glittering treasure chest. The resolution reimagines Melville’s cataclysm as something closer to the Jonah story—albeit with Ahab emerging from the belly of the beast not chastened but transformed, and suggesting that “the sea is a mystery” worth embracing. This contemplative and elliptical take may not cast a wide net, but it’s still a whale of a tale—one in which obsession opens Ahab to wonder rather than sealing his fate. Ages 5–9. (May)

Reviewed on 02/20/2026 | Details & Permalink