The year finishes strong with exciting new titles out this month including a picture book reprising beloved hippo characters, a romance debut featuring a fake-dating scheme, a YA love story about finding one’s soulmate, and more.
Picture Books
Sandra Boynton. S&S/Boynton, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-6659-3853-2. All ages. Boynton reprises the energetic hippo characters from Hippos Go Berserk! in this sequel more than 45 years in the making, which follows the hippos for a quiet evening indoors.
Dane Liu, illus. by ShinYeon Moon. Holt/Godwin, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-2507-7819-2. Ages 4–8. While visiting with Laolao, Millie requests dumplings and the pair work together to create the traditional dish. The book received a starred review from PW.
Melissa Seron Richardson, illus. by Monica Arnaldo. Little, Brown, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-31643-629-8. Ages 4–8. Marta, a child finally old enough to have her own slice of La Rosca de Reyes, is worried about swallowing the Baby Jesus figurine inside. The book received a starred review from PW.
Ruth Spiro, illus. by Lucy Ruth Cummins. HarperCollins, $19.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-06-323774-2. Ages 4–8. A child develops a love for foliage after being given a plant by their aunt. Spiro and Cummins tenderly vine a green-thumb vibe through every scene, noting each plant’s name and a brief fact alongside accurate renderings.
Middle Grade
The Eye of the Storm (Children of the Phoenix #1)
Oskar Källner, illus. by Karl Johnsson, trans. from the Swedish by A.A. Prime. Papercutz, $14.99 paper (176p) ISBN 978-1-5458-1133-7. Ages 7–12. While searching for their missing mother, Vietnamese Swedish tween Alice and her younger brother Elias are abducted by aliens who reveal secrets about their family. Together, Källner’s intriguing mystery and Johnsson’s expressive art craft an immersive world that will have readers eager for the next installment.
Alfonso Font, trans. from the Spanish by Jesús Pece. Dark Horse, $14.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-5067-4102-4. Ages 10–14. In this fantastical Magic Tree House–leaning graphic novel in translation, young Zò arrives at the Shelter for Lost Dreams where his uncles keep antique items that highlight human fallibilities.
Young Adult
Elle Gonzalez Rose. Joy Revolution, $18.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-593-64579-6. Ages 12 and up. While on vacation, Devin Báez and Julian Seo-Cookes pretend to date to ward off Julian’s ex, while their feuding families prepare to compete in an annual competition. See our In Conversation with Rose and Nicole and David Yoon, the cofounders of the Joy Revolution imprint.
Julie Abe. Wednesday, $21 (304p) ISBN 978-1-2508-5132-1. Ages 12 and up. High school seniors and best friends Cam Yasuda and Remy Kobata travel to Japan and each take a concoction to discover their soulmate. But when Cam wakes with no memories of Remy, Remy races to undo the potion’s effects. Despite the high stakes, this love story remains as sweet as the desserts detailed on Remy and Cam’s adventures.
Brian Wasson. Quill Tree, $19.99 (336p) ISBN 978-0-06-326465-6. Ages 13 and up. In this spot-on debut rom-com, 16-year-old Kalvin Shmelton begins offering his peers relationship advice in exchange for cash, but must fix his relationships when his truth-telling causes trouble.
Megan Lally. Sourcebooks Fire, $11.99 paper (304p) ISBN 978-1-7282-7011-1. Ages 14 and up. Skillfully employing dual POVs, debut author Lally combines an amnesia plot with a missing-girl mystery to deliver a suspenseful thrill ride. A young woman who cannot remember her name is taken in by Wayne, a man who claims to be her father. As she begins to recover, her trust in Wayne and all he has told her about who she is starts to falter.
