Combining the kawaii appearance of a Pokémon character with the real-world appeal of cuddly creatures such as bunnies and kittens, axolotls are the breakout cuties of the past few years. The amphibious salamanders, native to the area around Mexico City, are recognizable for their wide-mouthed “smiles,” frilly side gills, oversized heads, and pale pink color. But they were little known outside the scientific community until they received endangered status in 2006. From there, axolotls slowly, steadily crawled their way into pop culture.

In 2019, Squishmallows introduced Archie the axolotl. In 2021, they made their Minecraft debut. They began to show up in memes and viral videos around the same time. It’s now estimated that there are more than one million axolotls now being kept as personal pets. In 2022, axolotls were added to the design of Mexico’s 50 peso note and were incorporated into the design of a special Girl Scout badge (“Create your own magic”) last year.

Publishers have been attuned to the popularity of axolotls for several years now, but this year, axolotls seem to have entered their prime, featuring in a number of new releases including picture books, board books, and early readers.

Across its Stone Arch and Picture Window imprints, Capstone has launched several axolotl-centric titles this year. Picture Window’s Axolotls! series of early chapter books features axolotl characters (including Cheers-a-Lotl and Hugs a-lotl) in a variety of humorous storylines. The Great Axolotl Escape, an illustrated chapter book published by Stone Arch, features a class pet axolotl with a mind of his own.

Capstone content strategist Miriam Moore-Keish shared thoughts on why axolotls are resonating with young readers. “As book creators, we’re asking ourselves, ‘What makes an animal meme-able?’ Animals that I’ve seen gain viral status are often ones that evoke some sort of human emotion. We have the happy smiles of axolotls and quokkas, the grumpy frowns of black rain frogs, and the serene deadpan expression of capybaras,” she said. “If I had to theorize and maybe assign some extra gravitas to the current axolotl craze, I’d say kids—and adults—want to see themselves in the world around them.”

Author-illustrator Joey Spiotto learned about axolotls through his kids, who were introduced to them through Minecraft and were excited to discover that they are real animals, he said. Spiotto became fascinated by them. He considered facts about axolotls when developing his new graphic novel Max, a Little Axolotl (Graphix). Unlike other amphibians, axolotls don’t go through a full metamorphosis. Instead, they remain in their juvenile state forever. They’re also not very social. “They’re a pretty introverted creature and also extremely endangered,” Spiotto said. “So, I thought it would be a unique juxtaposition to bring an axolotl out of its isolation and into a tank with other aquatic creatures and see how its personality would interact with others.” Spiotto pointed out another aspect to his tale. “When telling stories it’s important for your character to grow and experience change,” he said, but that the fact axolotls don’t undergo a complete metamorphosis created a “fun challenge.”

Author Jen Hitchman, whose read-aloud Axolotl and Axolittle (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky) was released this summer, has personal experience with the celebrated creatures. “I had two pet axolotls growing up, so I’ve always loved how cute and weird they are,” she said. “They feel like the most magical animal you could actually have in your home as a pet, which I think makes them really fun and exciting for kids.” The book’s puns play off the cute creature’s appearance and name. “Not insignificantly, the word axolotl, which comes from the name of an Aztec god, is fun to say and to spell,” said Hitchman’s editor Jenne Abramowitz, who added that as kids learn more about axolotls and learn they are endangered, the hope is that they’ll be inspired to protect them.

Axolotl-mania shows no signs of slowing in 2026, with more titles launching in 2026. The trend extends from finger-puppet and board books for the youngest readers, such as I Love You Axolotl by Danielle McLean, illustrated by Carole Aufranc (Tiger Tales) and Little Axolotl by Maggie Fischer (Silver Dolphin); to picture books, including I Love You Alotl, I Love You So Much by Giselle Angel and Axolotl-Ella, a Cinderella Story by Kate Messner (Ten Speed Young Readers); to middle grade with Dawn of the Axolotl and Rise of the Rebels, the first two books of the Last Immortals middle grade fantasy series by Kit Brooks (Little, Brown/Ottaviano).

It remains to be seen if the axolotl trend will have staying power, but for this cultural moment, the endangered Central American salamander seems to have captured the imagination of kids and creators alike. “We want to feel emotionally connected to our earth through these Peter Pan salamanders,” Moore-Keish said, “even by simply sharing a smile.”

An Axolotl Reading List

Axolotls! (eight-book series) by C.W. Estes, illus. by Irene Saluzzi (Capstone Picture Window, Jan. 2025)

Baby Axolotl: Finger Puppet Book, illus. by Yu-Hsuan Huang (Chronicle, Mar. 2025)

Axolotl and Axolittle by Jess Hitchman, illus. by Sarah Rebar (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, July 2025)

The Great Axolotl Escape by John Sazaklis, illus. by Letizia Rizzo (Capstone/Stone Arch, Aug. 2025)

I Love You Alotl, I Love You So Much by Giselle Angel (HarperCollins, Dec. 2025)

Little Axolotl by Maggie Fischer, illus. by Yi-Hsuan Wu (Silver Dolphin, Dec. 2025)

I Love You Axolotl by Danielle McLean, illus. by Carole Aufranc (Tiger Tales, Jan. 2026)

My Axolotl Life by FB Smit, illus. by Brooke O’Neill (Capstone Picture Window, Jan. 2026)

Hello, I’m an Axolotl (Wild Things #4) by Haley Rocco, illus. by John Rocco (Putnam, March 2026)

Axl the Axolotl Is Not a Frog by J.P. Brammer, illus. by Vanessa Morales (Flamingo, Apr. 2026)

Dawn of the Axolotl and Rise of the Rebels, books one and two in The Last Immortals series by Kit Brooks (Little, Brown/Ottaviano, May 2026)

Max, a Little Axolotl (Sept. 2025) and Breaking Out! (Max, a Little Axolotl #2) (May 2026) by Joey Spiotto (Graphix)

Axolotl-Ella: A Sort-of Cinderella Story by Kate Messner, illus. by Lian Cho (Ten Speed Young Readers, June 2026)