Here we round up new and forthcoming children’s titles, including a picture book highlighting the vastness of nature, a graphic novel about cousins working together to stop a common enemy, a picture book following a bunny’s interrupted bedtime routine, and more.
All That Grows by Jack Wong. Groundwood, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-77306-812-1. A child learns about plants from their older sister, who seems to retain all manner of related knowledge.
Blue Stars: Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem by Kekla Magoon and Cynthia Leitich Smith, illus. by Molly Murakami. Candlewick, $22.99; ISBN 978-1-5362-0499-5. Estranged cousins Riley and Maya reunite when the two both move in with their grandmother and form a bond while fighting to save beloved school activities from being canceled. The graphic novel received a starred review from PW.
Bunny Should Be Sleeping by Amy Hest, illus. by Renata Liwska. Holiday House/Porter, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-8234-5341-2. On a winter night, Bunny is ready for bed and awaits the final step in his bedtime routine: a visit from his father. The picture book received a starred review from PW.
Clever Creatures of the Night by Samantha Mabry. Algonquin, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-61620-897-4. After recovering from a traumatic house fire, Case Lopez goes looking for her best friend Drea, but when no one seems to know where she is, Case takes the investigation into her own hands.
The Color of Sound by Emily Barth Isler. Carolrhoda, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-7284-8777-9. Twelve-year-old musical prodigy Golden joins her mother Shanna on a visit to her dying grandmother and meets a 12-year-old version of her mother who shares her experience struggling for her own agency. The middle grade book received a starred review from PW.
Coyote Lost and Found by Dan Gemeinhart. Holt, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-250-29277-3. In this standalone companion to The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise, Coyote finally feels ready to spread her mother’s ashes, but first must track down a book revealing where her mother wanted her final resting place to be.
Ellie Haycock Is Totally Normal by Gretchen Schreiber. Wednesday, $20; ISBN 978-1-250-89216-4. Eleanor hides her diagnosis of VACTERLs, a rare genetic condition that affects multiple bodily systems, from her peers, but a stint in the hospital alongside a charming new patient helps her confront her need to compartmentalize her relationships.
The Encanto’s Daughter by Melissa de la Cruz. Putnam, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-593-53308-6. MJ Rodriguez conceals from other humans her identity as a half human, half Encanto, but upon discovering she’s the descendent of the Encanto king who has recently died, she must return to the world of the Encantos and learn of the fairies’ ways.
Everyone Gets a Turn by Marianne Dubuc. Princeton Architectural Press, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-79722-729-0. Four animal friends find an egg in the forest, and squabble over who gets to take it home. The picture book received a starred review from PW.
Ferris by Kate DiCamillo. Candlewick, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-536231-05-2. Ten-year-old Emma Phineas Wilkey assists her idiosyncratic family members during the summer before fifth grade.
The Fight for the Hidden Realm by Siobhan McDermott. Delacorte, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-59370-6-114. Yeung Zhi Ging dreams of becoming a Silhouette—someone chosen to train in Hok Woh, the realm of immortals— and when a Silhouette Scout is attacked, Zhi Ging must travel to Hok Woh and train on her own to rescue her community.
The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly. Greenwillow, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-06333-731-2. In 1999, Michael meets a mysterious teenager named Ridge who reveals that he’s from 2199 but won’t tell Michael if Y2K is the disaster everyone believes it will be.
Force of Nature: A Novel of Rachel Carson by Ann E. Burg, illus. by Sophie Blackall. Scholastic Press, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-338-88338-1. This book highlights Carson (1907–1964), a marine biologist, conservationist, and award-winning author credited with launching the modern environmental movement.
Four Letter Word by Gretchen McNeil. Disney Hyperion, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-3680-9743-7. High school senior Izzy Bell develops feelings for the exchange student staying with her until she realizes he eerily matches the description of a killer featured on her favorite true crime podcast.
Gut Reaction by Kirby Larson and Quinn Wyatt. Scholastic Press, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-338-89313-7. Eighth grader Tess Medina is grappling with the death of her father and the sharp pain in her stomach as she considers entering a junior baking competition.
Hope Is a Rainbow by Hoda Kotb, illus. by Chloe Dominique (Flamingo, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-593-62412-8). This picture book aims to inspire young readers to remain hopeful about achieving all their dreams, no matter how big or small.
I Am Book by Joren Cull. Penguin Workshop, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-593-65924-3. A library book that was popular at its last school, struggles to acclimate in a new school library.
Just Try It! by Phil Rosenthal and Lily Rosenthal, illus. by Luke Flowers. S&S, $18.99, ISBN 978-1-665-94263-8. Father Phil tries to convince his daughter Lil to try new foods in the first installment of the A Phil & Lil Book series, from the TV writer and his daughter.
Kira and the (Maybe) Space Princess by Megan Brennan. Random House Graphic, $13.99 paper; ISBN 978-0-593-70989-4. Kira dreams of becoming a Magical Girl, a hero who saves the day while looking fierce, but when her plans fall short and she makes a wish, the results aren’t quite what she expects.
Last One to Die by Cynthia Murphy. Delacorte, $12.99 paper; ISBN 978-0-593705-54-4. While attending a six-week drama course in London, Irish 16-year-old Niamh struggles to stay one step ahead of a killer who seems intent on following her everywhere she goes.
Luigi, the Spider Who Wanted to Be a Kitten by Michelle Knudsen, illus. by Kevin Hawkes. Candlewick, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-5362-1911-1. When Luigi the spider is mistaken for a kitten, he resolves to play the role.
The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry by Anna Rose Johnson. Holiday House, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-8234-5363-4. When Selena Lucy Landry’s guardian dies, she is placed in the care of the Martins, a large Ojibwe family, and with her pseudo-siblings she begins to seek out rumored treasure. The middle grade book received a starred review from PW.
Maple’s Theory of Fun by Kate McMillan and Ruthie Prillaman. Aladdin, $14.99; ISBN 978-1-6659-4103-7. Maple worries that her logical mind and cautious behavior are pushing her loved ones away, so she develops a four-step plan, hoping to become fun.
Maya Plays the Part by Calyssa Erb. Annick, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-77321-851-9. Autistic 11-year-old Maya Robertson attends musical theater summer camp, but when she’s relegated to the role of assistant director, she becomes determined to show her peers that she’s meant to be onstage. The middle grade book received a starred review from PW.
My Antarctica: True Adventures in the Land of Mummified Seals, Space Robots, and So Much More by G. Neri, illus. by Corban Wilkin. Candlewick, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-5362-2332-3. Neri narrates an eye-opening trip to Antarctica in this scrapbook-like travelog.
The No-Girlfriend Rule by Christen Randall. Atheneum, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-6659-3981-2. After being ousted from her boyfriend’s tabletop role-playing club, Hollis finds a girl-friendly, queer-inclusive crowd that bolsters her confidence in and out of gameplay. The YA book received a starred review from PW.
One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome. Holiday House, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-8234-5016-9. Three generations of Black women—young Lettie, her mother, and teacher Philomena—take turns narrating a challenging westward journey in this historical verse novel, set in 1879.
One Last Breath by Ginny Myers Sain. Putnam, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-593-62545-3. On the eve of a small town’s 20th anniversary honoring two late teens, local Tru meets Rio, who shares Tru’s fascination with the murders. Tru and Rio unearth unexpected connections to the victims and come to the realization that they could be the next victims of the killer.
A Penguin Like Me by Marcus Pfister, trans. from the German by David Henry Wilson. NorthSouth, $19.95; ISBN 978-0-7358-4558-9. A large cast of penguins introduce themselves to readers, who represent a wide range of personalities and characteristics, in this picture book by the creator of The Rainbow Fish.
Promchanted by Morgan Matson. Disney Hyperion, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-368-09557-0. While on a trip to Disneyland, high school juniors Stella and Reece are magically transported into the world of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, where their arrival jeopardizes Aurora and Prince Philip’s developing romance.
Sona and the Golden Beasts by Rajani LaRocca. Quill Tree, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-06329-540-7. When tween Sona Kalpani uncovers the truth about her heritage, which could put her family in danger, she flees to find her former caretaker, who she learns is in dire need of Sona’s help.
Summer at Squee by Andrea Wang. Kokila, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-593-11131-4. Phoenny Fang looks forward to Squee—a Chinese heritage summer camp—every year, but things go awry from the start when her friend group is broken up due to an influx of new campers.
The Summer She Went Missing by Chelsea Ichaso. Sourcebooks Fire, $11.99 paper; ISBN 978-1-728251-09-7. When Paige Redmond’s best friend Audrey becomes the latest victim in a string of disappearances, Paige begins an investigation that reveals sinister dealings among her town’s upper crust residents. The YA book received a starred review from PW.
Uprising by Jennifer A. Nielsen. Scholastic Press, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-338-79508-0. After Poland falls under German occupation, 12-year-old Lidia returns to Warsaw where she determines to help captured Jewish people by smuggling food into the ghetto.
What Monstrous Gods by Rosamund Hodge. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-06-286913-5. Inspired by “Sleeping Beauty,” this YA fantasy follows Lia, who is determined to kill the sorcerer who has bewitched the royal family into an eternal sleep. The YA book received 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.
