As the weather cools down, cozy up with new books out this month, including a middle grade novel set in 1970s Brooklyn, a chapter book about an investigating duck’s first big case, a nonfiction work highlighting the variety of brain functions, and many more.
Picture Books and Early Readers
The Case of the Strange Splash (Detective Duck #1)
Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver, illus. by Dan Santat. Amulet, $14.99 (80p) ISBN 978-1-4197-5513-2. Ages 6–9. Willow Feathers’s big chance to become a detective arrives in the form of a possible ecological disaster: after a huge tire comes crashing into Dogwood Pond, she enlists her friends in a thrilling tire-removal operation.
Julie Murphy, illus. by Sarah Winifred Searle. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-0630-1118-2. Ages 4–8. When young Bunny participates in a tie-breaking event at school—“Chubby Bunny”—she finds that her classmates’ cheers of the game’s name “didn’t feel so good,” leading to a conversation with her family about reclaiming her power. See our q&a with Murphy on confronting anti-fat bias and pivoting to the picture book form.
Barbara Kingsolver and Lily Kingsolver, illus. by Paul Mirocha. Gryphon, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-940719-48-4. Ages 6–9. In Pulitzer Prize winner Barbara Kingsolver and daughter Lily Kingsolver’s dual picture book debut, Coyote Pup is out on their first hunt. Meanwhile city girl Diana is on a camping excursion with her grandfather in the same woods. See our story on the making of the picture book.
Sydney Smith. Holiday House/Porter, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-8234-4262-1. Ages 4–8. Upon awakening, an adult and child reminisce about precious memories together. The book received a starred review from PW.
Sophie Blackall. Little, Brown, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-316-51098-1. Ages 4–8. The latest from Caldecott Medalist Blackall follows a child imagining how freeing life could be if they were a horse instead of a human.
I’m Gonna Paint: Ralph Fasanella, Artist of the People
Anne Broyles, illus. by Victoria Tentler-Krylov. Holiday House, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-8234-5006-0. Ages 4–8. This picture book biography traces the life of self-taught artist Ralph Fasanella (1914–1997), from his childhood in New York City to his career as a painter of politically themed work. The book received a starred review from PW.
Travis Jonker. Abrams, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-4197-6011-2. Ages 4–8. In this solo debut from Jonker, after trying several unsuccessful snow-catching strategies, Liam finds a way to catch just one snowflake on his tongue. The book received a starred review from PW.
The Little Books of the Little Brontës
Sara O’Leary, illus. by Briony May Smith. Tundra, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-7352-6369-7. Ages 5–9. O’Leary and Smith explore how young Charlotte, Anne, Emily, and Branwell Brontë bonded over their shared love of literature and created stories to share with one another. The book received a starred review from PW.
Maya Tatsukawa. Holt, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-250-86964-7. Ages 4–8. An invitation to a party at Rabbit’s sets off an agony of indecision for Mole that will be familiar to any reader acquainted with social anxiety. The book received a starred review from PW.
Phùng Nguyên Quang and Huy'nh Kim Liên. Make Me a World, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-593-48861-4. Ages 4–8. The married creators of My First Day follow their debut, per an authors’ note, with a story created “in tribute to the very first pioneers to the south of Vietnam.” In the story, a grandfather tries to pass on his knowledge of nature to his grandchild through metaphors of harmony and accompaniment. The book received a starred review from PW.
Philip C. Stead. Holiday House/Porter, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-8234-5583-6. Ages 4–8. In this retelling of the Aesop’s fable, the North Wind attempts to blow away a trio of sisters’ coats but learns that kindness produces better results than force.
On the Tip of a Wave: How Ai Weiwei’s Art Is Changing the Tide
Joanna Ho, illus. by Catia Chien. Orchard, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-338-71594-1. Ages 4–8. Ho tells the story of Chinese artist Ai Weiwei (b. 1957), who knew what it was to live “on the tip of a wave,/ far from home/ and always in danger” following a young life in a Chinese labor camp where “childhood/ blew past/ him like sand.” The book received a starred review from PW.
Sergio Ruzzier. Abrams, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-4197-5526-2. Ages 3–6. After spotting the broken pieces of what was evidently a once-full cookie jar, Cat demands that Mouse explain the disappearance of the cookies. Ruzzier gives readers a laugh-out-loud punchline and also hits on something deeply human in this book about a craving for a good tale.
Jean E. Pendziwol, illus. by Todd Stewart. Groundwood, $19.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-77306-704-9. Ages 3–6. The book’s young narrator and another child venture out to skate on the vast and frozen Lake Superior, questioning if the sound they hear is the wind or the howl of a dangerous wolf. The book received a starred review from PW.
The Tailor Shop at the Intersection
Ahn Jaesun, trans. from the Korean by Sora Kim-Russell. Transit, $18.95 (48p) ISBN 978-1-945492-76-1. Ages 4–12. Artisan care and tradition are lovingly celebrated in this look at living craftsmanship. A family of dogs run an independent tailor shop, and after war leaves the shop in ruins, a father passes the business on to his son. The book received a starred review from PW.
There Was a Party for Langston
Jason Reynolds, illus. by Jerome and Jarrett Pumphrey. Atheneum/Dlouhy, $18.99 (56p) ISBN 978-1-5344-3944-3. Ages 4–8. The creators’ testament to the enduring cultural influence of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes (1901–1967) highlights his influence on a myriad of literary successors through a celebratory party. See our Cover Reveal. The book received a starred review from PW.
J.P. Takahashi, illus. by Minako Tomigahara. HarperCollins/Tegen, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-0632-2496-4. Ages 4–8. In this yōkai-studded reimagining of Japanese folklore, a child who has “come home to Tokyo” reunites with fantastical friends on her favorite evening—that of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.
Neil Gaiman, illus. by Yuliya Gwilym et al. Quill Tree, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-06-335808-9. Ages 4–8. Newbery Medalist and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ambassador Gaiman uses previously crowdsourced memories of warmth to craft a poem that speaks to experiences of comfort. Read about the inspiration for the book.
Zilot & Other Important Rhymes
Bob Odenkirk with Nate Odenkirk and Naomi Odenkirk, illus. by Erin Odenkirk. Little, Brown, $19.99 (160p) ISBN 978-0-316-43850-6. Ages 6 and up. In this cooperative family effort from comedian Bob Odenkirk and illustrated by daughter Erin Odenkirk, silliness abounds throughout the 70-plus disparate poems, each featuring whimsical scenes of monsters and contraptions. See our In Conversation with Bob Odenkirk and Erin Odenkirk.
Ebony Joy Wilkins, illus. by Dare Coulter. Kokila, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-984816-91-7. Ages 4–8. A child named Zora recounts their adventures with Aunt Bea, “the best storyteller I know,” and takes up her penchant for relaying familial memories after she dies. The book received a starred review from PW.
Middle Grade
Donna Barba Higuera, illus. by David Álvarez. Levine Querido, $18.99 (416p) ISBN 978-1-64614-263-7. Ages 10–14. Orphaned pickpocket Leandro must inhabit the body of a hummingbird drone in order to save his sister from punishment in Newbery Medalist Higuera’s postapocalyptic novel set in the distant future. See our Cover Reveal. The book received a starred review from PW.
Different Kinds of Minds: A Guide to Your Brain
Temple Grandin, with Ann D. Koffsky. Philomel, $18.99 (240p) ISBN 978-0-593-35287-8. Ages 8–12. Scientist and autism activist Grandin dives into topics such as neuroscience and neurodiversity, and evolving views on how animal brains function.
Elle Campbell Wins Their Weekend
Ben Kahn. Scholastic Press, $18.99 (272p) ISBN 978-1-3388-1530-6. Ages 8–12. Elle reveals to their friends and family that they’re nonbinary after being inspired by their favorite nonbinary TV star. When the actor is scheduled to make an appearance in Elle’s town, and Elle is stuck in detention, their friends hatch a plan to break Elle out. The book received a starred review from PW.
Final Word (The Winterton Deception #1)
Janet Sumner Johnson. Pixel + Ink, $18.99 (384p) ISBN 978-1-64595-196-4. Ages 8–12. Siblings Hope and Gordon Smith uncover their newfound family’s closely guarded secrets when they learn that their late father was the Winterton Dictionary tycoons’ heir. The book received a starred review from PW.
Christina Wyman. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $17.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-374-38969-7; $9.99 paper ISBN 978-1-250-33102-1. Ages 8–12. Aspiring journalist Max, who loathes her splayed teeth and severe overbite, navigates friendships, feuding parents, and a journalism competition, while gaining the courage to speak up for herself against bullying. See our q&a with Wyman. The book received a starred review from PW.
Eoin Colfer, illus. by Chaaya Prabhat. Roaring Brook, $22.99 (368p) ISBN 978-1-250-32194-7. Ages 8–12. Eleven-year-old Juniper Lane seeks the help of Santa Claus, retired to modern-day London following his wife’s death, to help honor her own late father by upholding a holiday tradition. Read about Colfer’s charitable giving program inspired by the book. The novel received a starred review from PW.
Alechia Dow. Feiwel and Friends, $17.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-250-82911-5. Ages 8–12. With her family’s magical bakery business in dire straits, 12-year-old Winifred Mosley concocts a plan that will require using illicit magic forbidden by the Enchantment Agency. The book received a starred review from PW.
Elle McNicoll. Random House, $17.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-593-64913-8. Ages 8–12. When Ramya Knox discovers that her native Edinburgh is home to vampires, trolls, kelpies, and fae, she must use her rare ability to see through their protective Glamour to record the truths about the Hidden Folk. The book received a starred review from PW.
Sharee Miller. Little, Brown Ink, $24.99 (288p) ISBN 978-0-316-59147-8; $12.99 paper ISBN 978-0-316-59145-4. Ages 8–12. After moving to a new town, Charlie Harper befriends a group of girls, but in order to fit into their clique, she pretends to be someone she’s not, and quickly loses touch with herself. See our q&a with Miller. The book received a starred review from PW.
Deborah Hopkinson. Scholastic Press, $18.99 (272p) ISBN 978-1-338-66058-6. Ages 8–12. Lute player and aspiring playwright Emilia Bassano stumbles upon a royal murder plot against Queen Elizabeth and must intervene in order to save her. See our q&a with Hopkinson on her busy year. The book received a starred review from PW.
Kate DiCamillo, illus. by Julie Morstad. Candlewick, $17.99 (160p) ISBN 978-1-536216-75-2. Ages 7–10. Following the death of their owner, five puppets are sold to a new family. When a new caretaker begins working to include them in a play, each puppet undergoes a brief adventure that speaks to their nature. The book received a starred review from PW.
Jacqueline Woodson. Penguin/Paulsen, $18.99 (192p) ISBN 978-0-399-54546-7. Ages 10 and up. Black 11-year-old Sage, a Bushwick native, questions the meaning of memory and struggles with self-image as houses begin mysteriously burning down throughout her neighborhood, newly dubbed “The Matchbox.” Woodson draws on her experiences growing up in Brooklyn in the 1970s and ’80s to craft a nostalgic-feeling ode to the unexpected. The book received a starred review from PW.
Saving H’Non: Chang and the Elephant
Trang Nguyên, illus. by Jeet Zdung. Dial, $23.99 (128p) ISBN 978-0-5934-0673-1. Ages 8–12. Chang, a young Vietnamese wildlife conservationist, encounters a 60-year-old captive elephant suffering from multiple injuries, and endeavors to rescue her by delivering her to a rehabilitation center. The book received a starred review from PW.
Martha Riva Palacio Obon, trans. from the Spanish by Lourdes Heuer. Bloomsbury, $17.99 (256p) ISBN 978-1-5476-0816-4. Ages 8–11. When 10-year-old Sofía is left with her abuela, she is finally able to embrace her fascination with the sea. But tragedy strikes in the form of a hurricane, and Sofía must reckon with the destruction she didn’t know that her beloved waters could wreak. The book received a starred review from PW.
Shira & Esther’s Double Dream Debut
Anna E. Jordan. Chronicle, $17.99 (332p) ISBN 978-1-79721-565-5. Ages 8–12. Jewish girls Esther Rosenbaum, who longs to be a singer, and Shira Epstein, a lover of the theater, trade places for a shot at pursuing their ambitions in this sprightly tale of found family. The book received a starred review from PW.
Elisa Stone Leahy. Quill Tree, $19.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-06-325548-7. Ages 8–12. After ICE raids result in numerous neighbors’ deportations, Salvadoran-Guatemalan seventh grader Wendy Celestina Toledo and her family are forced to move to a new city, where acclimation proves to be even more difficult than they imagined. The book received a starred review from PW.
Jewell Parker Rhodes. Quill Tree, $19.99 (336p) ISBN 978-0-06-299835-4. Ages 10 and up. In this contemporary spin on Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, Black middle schooler Zane tries to follow the final wish of a new housemate to protect her hidden treasure by enlisting his friends for a hunt for the hidden hoard.
Young Adult
All These Sunken Souls: A Black Horror Anthology
Edited by Circe Moskowitz. Amberjack, $18.99 (256p) ISBN 978-1-64160-837-4. Ages 12 and up. Consisting of 10 stories by 10 authors, this YA horror anthology ruminates on myriad Black experiences while providing escapist stories for fans of simultaneously gruesome and pensive scares. The book received a starred review from PW.
Before the Devil Knows You’re Here
Autumn Krause. Peachtree Teen, $18.99 (352p) ISBN 978-1-68263-647-3. Ages 14 and up. When a monster from Mexican American 17-year-old Catalina’s father’s stories becomes real, Catalina attempts to preserve what’s left of her family and discover how the Man of Sap’s mysterious past connects to her own. The book received a starred review from PW.
Ryan La Sala. Push, $18.99 (352p) ISBN 978-1-3387-4534-4. Ages 14 and up. Greek American teenager Athanasios Bakirtzis infiltrates an underground society to investigate a conspiracy that’s connected to a family friend and the eerie wallpaper he designs. The book received a starred review from PW.
Brandy Colbert. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, $19.99 (384p) ISBN 978-0-06-309159-7. Ages 14 and up. After the death of film star Blossom Blackwood, tabloids chronicle the grieving process of granddaughters Hollis and Edith, and Hollywood searches for its next big star. The book received a starred review from PW.
The Blood Years
Elana K. Arnold. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, $19.99 (400p) ISBN 978-0-06-299085-3. Ages 14 and up. In this historical novel set during the Holocaust, Jewish 13-year-old Frederieke Teitler and her older sister face the approach of brewing unrest from neighboring Poland toward their home of Czernowitz and wonder what they’ll have to endure to find peace. See our q&a with Arnold. The book received a starred review from PW.
Jasmine Walls, illus. by Teo DuVall. Levine Querido, $24.99 (248p) ISBN 978-1-64614-267-5; $18.99 paper ISBN 978-1-64614-268-2. Ages 12 and up. In an alternate 1930s Mississippi, Black teen best friends Billie Mae and Loretta hope to raise enough money by participating in illicit broom races to pay the government exemption fee that would allow them to practice magic legally. The book received a starred review from PW.
Curious Tides (The Drowned Gods Duology #1)
Pascale Lacelle. McElderry, $21.99 (544p) ISBN 978-1-66593-927-0. Ages 14 and up. Following the sudden deaths of a group of students at Aldryn College for Lunar Magics, survivor Emory tries to control her newfound powers and uncover answers about that fateful evening. The book received a starred review from PW.
Curtis Campbell. Annick, $19.99 (220p) ISBN 978-1-77321-787-1; $15.99 paper ISBN 978-1-77321-788-8. Ages 14 and up. After an unflattering video of him goes viral, openly gay teen Peter Thompkins attempts to restore his reputation by producing a drag show in his rural hometown. The book received a starred review from PW.
Kenneth M. Cadow. Candlewick, $17.99 (336p) ISBN 978-1-5362-3111-3. Ages 14 and up. After his single mother is hospitalized, 10th grader Ian Gray must rely on his own skills to care for their household. The novel is a finalist for this year’s National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.
Amber McBride. Feiwel and Friends, $17.99 (352p) ISBN 978-1-250-85049-2. Ages 10–14. In 2111, a Blue girl called Inmate Eleven discovers that everything she’s learned about the world under Clone leadership has been a lie. Meanwhile, in 2022 America, 12-year-old Imogen grapples with the long-term effects of an unnamed virus that has ravaged the nation while working through an unspecified traumatic event in therapy. See our q&a with McBride. The book received a starred review from PW.
Kate Anderson. Flux, $14.99 paper (296p) ISBN 978-1-63583-091-0. Ages 14 and up. Seventeen-year-old Olive summons a spirit who died more than a century ago for answers about the afterlife, in exchange for helping the ghost find his grave. The book received a starred review from PW.
Faith Erin Hicks. First Second, $25.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-250-83873-5; $17.99 paper ISBN 978-1-250-83872-8. Ages 14 and up. Canadian teenage hockey player Alix enlists the help of calm and collected classmate Ezra to teach her how to handle tense situations. But their budding relationship reveals that they are both grappling with intense feelings of rage and pain. See our q&a with Hicks. The book received a starred review from PW.
David Arnold. Viking, $19.99 (352p) ISBN 978-0-593-52478-7. Ages 14 and up. Grieving high school seniors Evan and Shosh find themselves drawn to one another and discover their connection in previous lives. See our q&a with Arnold about music, destiny, and romance. The book received a starred review from PW.
Eunnie. Viking, $24.99 (336p) ISBN 978-0-593-40322-8; $17.99 paper ISBN 978-0-593-40323-5. Ages 14 and up. Queer college student Momo tries not to let her fear of falling in love get in the way of her budding relationship with classmate PG. The book received a starred review from PW.
Alexandra Christo. Feiwel and Friends, $20.99 (384p) ISBN 978-1-250-89744-2. Ages 13 and up. Atia, the last of the Nefas, crosses paths with Gods-cursed Silas, and after Silas reveals that Atia is cursed, the two pair up to break the spells cast over them. The book received a starred review from PW.
Night of the Witch (Witch and Hunter #1)
Sara Raasch and Beth Revis. Sourcebooks Fire, $18.99 (416p) ISBN 978-1-7282-7216-0. Ages 14 and up. After the witch-hunting hexenjagers destroy her witch community, leaving her the sole survivor, Fritzi sets off to the hexenjager stronghold to exact her revenge. The book received a starred review from PW.
Deb Caletti. Labyrinth Road, $18.99 (416p) ISBN 978-0-593-48554-5. Ages 14 and up. When high school junior Ivy learns that she’s pregnant, she and her boyfriend Lorenzo prepare to road-trip to Oregon for an abortion, navigating the cacophony of opinions about her choice. See Caletti’s essay for PW on writing this timely story. The book received a starred review.
Mackenzie Reed. HarperTeen, $19.99 (368p) ISBN 978-0-0632-8760-0. Ages 13 and up. When 17-year-old Lily Rosewood’s grandmother dies suddenly, the fate of the Rosewood fortune is in doubt. Lily must solve riddles left behind by her grandmother in hopes of winning control of Rosewood Inc. The book received a starred review from PW.
Candice Iloh. Dutton, $18.99 (288p) ISBN 978-0-593-529317. Nonbinary teen Cerulean Gene and their friends plan to live a life off the grid, where they won’t be held to society’s expectations, but struggle to make their dream a reality when tragedy strikes. Ages 14 and up. See our q&a with Iloh.
Kylie Lee Baker. Inkyard, $19.99 (432p) ISBN 978-1-335-45801-8. Ages 14 and up. Despite participating in illegal resurrections with her powers, alchemist Zilan is selected to compete for a chance to become a royal court alchemist, and finds herself embroiled in a royal conspiracy with an Empress. The book received a starred review from PW.
Angela Montoya. Joy Revolution, $18.99 (384p) ISBN 978-0-5936-4333-4. Ages 12 and up. Confined on Sinner’s Isle with other witches, Rosalinda plots to escape the island before she’s forced to partake in the upcoming Offering, an auction in which witches are sold to men in power. The book received a starred review from PW.
Asha Ashanti Bromfield. Wednesday, $20 (400p) ISBN 978-1-250-84680-8. Ages 13 and up. In 1976 Jamaica, best friends Jilly and Irie struggle to maintain their friendship as they find themselves on opposing sides of a looming political election sowing civil unrest across the island. See our q&a with Bromfield. The book received a starred review from PW.
Sarah Suk. Quill Tree, $19.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-06-325513-5. Ages 13 and up. Korean Canadian 17-year-old Aimee Roh navigates sensory time warp syndrome that allows her to travel back in time to certain memories. After experiencing a memory that doesn’t line up with what she’s been told of her mother, Aimee travels from Vancouver to Seoul during her spring break in search of answers. The book received a starred review from PW.
