Here we round up new and forthcoming children’s titles, including a YA romance set within a reality TV show, a middle grade novel following runaway siblings, a picture book about a father-son duo of bears, and more.
Attached at the Hip by Christine Riccio. Wednesday, $21; ISBN 978-1-250-76009-8. Reality TV enthusiast Orie Lennox gets cast in an experimental version of Survivor with a romantic component—and her former high school crush, Remy is a co-star.
Basil & Dahlia: A Tragical Tale of Sinister Sweetness by Joy McCullough, illus. by Shane Cluskey. Atheneum, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-6659-4423-6. Intrepid siblings Dahlia and Basil Bloom are forced to survive on their own after fleeing the foster care system.
Big Bear and Little Bear Go Fishing by Amy Hest, illus. by Erin E. Stead. Holiday House/Porter, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-8234-4975-0. Big Bear and Little Bear decide that they can’t go fishing without a myriad of sweet treats and collect their materials before heading out. The picture book received a starred review from PW.
Boy Like Me by Simon James Green. Scholastic Press, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-339-04587-0. Teens Jamie and Rob communicate and fall in love via the margins of a queer book in this queer romance set in 1994 Lincolnshire, England.
Charles & Ray: Designers at Play by James Yang. Viking, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-5934-0482-9. Yang draws subjects Charles (1907–1978) and Ray Eames (1912–1988), titans of modern design, as intensely observant, doll-like figures, while also capturing the sense of problem-solving that drove their creativity.
Heatwave by Lauren Redniss. Random House Studio, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-5936-4594-9. Beachgoers struggle to enjoy an especially hot day at the beach until a rainstorm brings relief.
How Lucky Am I? by Scott and Mark Hoying, illus. by Steph Lew. Holt, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-250-85333-2. Married collaborators the Hoyings draw inspiration from the mayfly’s 24-hour lifespan in this book-length ode to living life to the fullest.
I Am Friendly: Confessions of a Helpful Bear by Kristen Tracy, illus. by Erin Kraan. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-374-39118-8. Chaos ensues when an overzealous bear self-appoints as forest helper.
I Wish You Would by Eva Des Lauriers. Henry Holt, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-250-91055-4. A senior class tradition of writing letters goes wrong when the letters are all released, and former friends Natalia and Ethan work together to find them before everyone’s secrets are revealed.
The Lamplighter by Crystal J. Bell. Flux, $14.99 paper; ISBN 978-1-63583-098-9. Teenager Temperance Byrne lives in a superstitious seaside village and must fight to keep her position as Lamplighter when townsfolk begin disappearing under her watch. The YA book received a starred review from PW.
Liar’s Test by Ambelin Kwaymullina. Knopf, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-59357-178-1. Bell Silverleaf is invited along with six other girls to participate in the Queen’s Test, a series of challenges meant to determine the next queen, who will rule for 25 years.
The Magic Paintbrush by Kat Zhang and Eric Darnell, illus. by Phoebe Zhong. Crown, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-593-17993-2. Amy Li accidentally discovers a magical paintbrush that can bring images to life and must work with a new ally to prevent the monsters she’s created from wreaking havoc.
The Plant Rescuer by Matthew Rivera. Holiday House/Porter, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-8234-5499-0. Manny and his landscaper father bond when Manny is given his own plant to care for.
There Was a Shadow by Bruce Handy, illus. by Lisk Feng. Enchanted Lion, $18.95; ISBN 978-1-59270-406-4. This picture book observes shadows as they grow and fade, reflecting life over the course of a day. The picture book received a starred review from PW.
When Rosie Walks George by Amy Hest, illus. by Taeeun Yoo. Two Lions, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-5420-1855-5. George, an elderly dog, enjoys caring for the youngest member of the family, Rosie, during a beach day. The picture book received a starred review from PW.
The Worst Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, illus. by Faith Schaffer. HarperAlley, $26.99; ISBN 978-0-358-46493-8. Chihiro Ito seeks out denounced samurai Tatsuo Nakano to help her complete a military mission.
For more children’s and YA titles on sale throughout the month of May, check out PW’s full On-Sale Calendar.
