Here we round up new and forthcoming children’s titles, including a middle grade adventure set during the Gold Rush, an odd-couple picture book, a story about Chernobyl, and a novel starring a mixed-race teen.
Gold Rush Girl by Avi. Candlewick, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-5362-0679-1. Writing from a young woman’s perspective, Newbery Medalist Avi brings California’s Gold Rush to life in this historical adventure.
Fire Truck vs. Dragon by Chris Barton, illus. by Shanda McCloskey. Little, Brown, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-316-52213-7. This time, the joke is on readers: unlike the rivals in Shark vs. Train, Fire Truck and Dragon are besties in this picture book. The picture book earned a starred review from PW.
The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman. Viking, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-9848-3735-6. This engrossing historical fiction middle grade novel captures Chernobyl’s devastating impact on land and people while upholding the power of kindness to overcome prejudice and withstand oppression.
Harley in the Sky by Akemi Dawn Bowman. Simon Pulse, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-5344-3712-8. Harley Yoshi Milano, 18, has never felt like she belongs. The Chinese, Japanese, Italian, and Irish mixed-race teen questions her cultural identity and role as daughter of parents who run Teatro della Notte, a Las Vegas circus in this YA novel.
Woke: A Young Poet's Call to Justice by Mahogany L. Browne with Elizabeth Acevedo and Olivia Gatwood, illus. by Theodore Taylor III. Roaring Brook, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-250-31120-7. Following an introduction that defines what it means to be woke, these poems for middle grade readers combine clear declarations with easy-to-grasp metaphors to convey progressive values.
From My Window by Otávio Júnior, trans. from the Portuguese by Beatriz C. Dias, illus. by Vanina Starkoff. Barefoot, $17.99; ISBN 978-178285-977-2. Júnior, a writer who grew up in a favela in Rio de Janeiro, has created a loving tribute to his home in this picture book, which earned a starred review from PW.
Like the Moon Loves the Sky by Hena Khan, illus. by Saffa Khan. Chronicle, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-4521-8019-9. Hena Khan (More to the Story) opens this peaceful picture book with a spread of young brown-skinned parents bowed over an infant: “Inshallah you are all/ that is gentle and good.” The picture book earned a starred review from PW.
The Fabled Life of Aesop: The Extraordinary Journey and Collected Tales of the World’s Greatest Storyteller by Ian Lendler, illus. by Pamela Zagarenski. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-328-58552-3. Aesop’s life as an enslaved person is centered in this framing of his classic fables.
Only a Tree Knows How to Be a Tree by Mary Murphy. Candlewick, $16.99; ISBN 978-1-5362-1470-3. Wonder and significance permeate this catalogue of the essence of natural things: “A tree has leaves that turn sunshine into tree food. Amazing!... Only a tree knows how to be a tree.” The picture book earned a starred review from PW.
Goodnight, Veggies by Diana Murray, illus. by Zachariah OHora. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-328-86683-7. Murray’s rhythmic journey through a rooftop vegetable garden settling down to sleep names the varied inhabitants of a well-stocked plot.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-Winning Stamped from the Beginning by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. Little, Brown, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-316-45369-1. Reynolds (Look Both Ways) lends his signature flair to remixing Kendi’s award-winning Stamped from the Beginning into a powerful “not a history book” primer on the roots and present-day manifestations of antiblack racism in America. The YA adaptation earned a starred review from PW.
Follow the Recipe: Poems About Imagination, Celebration, and Cake by Marilyn Singer, illus. by Marjorie Priceman. Dial, $16.99; ISBN 978-0-735227-90-3. In this picture book, Singer weaves the language of cooking with witty and poignant observations of the world through a collection of inventive recipes for sentiments and ideas.
The Bear in My Family by Maya Tatsukawa. Dial, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-525-55582-7. Debut author Tatsukawa puts a fresh spin on a familiar story of sibling estrangement and rapprochement, with a precocious, comically plaintive protagonist and naïf digital images that have the look of textured paper.
The Newspaper Club by Beth Vrabel. Running Press Kids, $16.99; ISBN 978-0-7624-9685-3. When the town park is closed after a series of thefts and incidents, and the under-resourced local newspaper won’t cover the story, determined protagonist 11-year-old Nellie starts her own outlet, The Cub Report, to launch an investigation.
Most Likely by Sarah Watson. Poppy, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-316-45483-4. In this clever YA mystery with romantic elements, television writer Watson keeps readers guessing as she traces the angst-filled senior year of four best friends, one of whom is destined to become president of the United States.
When You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfolk. Delacorte, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-5247-1591-5. This YA novel featuring a diverse cast offers up a coming-of-age friendship story.
The Moon Keeper by Zosienka. HarperCollins, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-06-295952-2. This picture book is a gentle celestial tale that is both a clever introduction to lunar phases and a reassuring meditation on impermanence. The picture book earned a starred review from PW.
For more children’s and YA titles on sale throughout the month of March, check out PW’s full On-Sale Calendar.
