Here we round up new and forthcoming children’s titles, including a YA memoir in free verse, a picture book of how-to poems, the true story about crocodiles, and the story of a cranky cookie.
Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson. Viking, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-670-01210-7. In this powerful memoir for teens told in free verse, Anderson delves into her past and that of her parents, sharing experiences that are at the root of novels such as Speak (her rape at age 13) and The Impossible Knife of Memory (her father’s PTSD after World War II). The book earned a starred review from PW.
The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems ed. by Paul B. Janeczko, illus. by Richard Jones. Candlewick, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-7636-8168-5. Janeczko capitalizes on his readers’ natural curiosity and yearning for autonomy while opening up the possibilities for what a how-to—both the question and the answer—can be. The picture book earned a starred review from PW.
Beware of the Crocodile by Martin Jenkins, illus. by Satoshi Kitamura. Candlewick, $16.99; ISBN 978-0-7636-7538-7. Wry narration from Jenkins (The Squirrels’ Busy Year) and dreamy illustrations by Kitamura (My Hand) elevate this animal reference book.
Angry Cookie by Laura Dockrill, illus. by Maria Karipidou. Walker US, $16.99; ISBN 978-1-5362-0544-2. An expressive cookie with arms, legs, and red scribbly hair (perhaps resembling a round potato) wakes up mad in this picture book. The book earned a starred review from PW.
The Iliad by Gareth Hinds. Candlewick, $27.99; ISBN 978-0-7636-8113-5. In his latest graphic novel adaptation of a classic text, Hinds (The Odyssey) condenses Homer’s epic poem of gods and mortals at war, covering most of the major events and adding supplemental material. The graphic novel earned a starred review from PW.
Tin Heart by Shivaun Plozza. Flatiron, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-250-31276-1. This YA novel by Plozza (Frankie) about a heart transplant recipient balances heartbreak, first love, mortality, and the absurd; it earned a starred review from PW.
Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-328-49630-0. Debut author Smith explores the power of sacrifice in this darkly romantic reimagining of the Brothers Grimm’s “The Goose Girl.”
Kiss Number 8 by Colleen AF Venable, illus. by Ellen T. Crenshaw. First Second, $24.99; ISBN 978-1-59643-709-8. Black-and-white cartoon art by Crenshaw (Test Your Baby’s IQ) complements the narrative of this queer coming-of-age story.
For more children’s and YA titles on sale throughout the month of March, check out PW’s full On-Sale Calendar.
