Here we round up new and forthcoming children’s titles, including a middle grade series addition about the race to find a stolen baby gorilla, a middle grade novel about the surprising joys of sports teams, the story of a teen struggling with body image, an inside look at a legendary children's book editor, and more.
Ape Escape by Stuart Gibbs. Simon & Schuster, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-665-98677-9. In the 10th book in the Funjungle series, Teddy recruits his friends and family to find a baby gorilla that’s been stolen from an orphanage.
Bat and the Case of the Yips by Elana K. Arnold. Clarion, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-06-338518-4. In the fifth installment of the The Bat series, tween Bat agrees to try out for the baseball team in exchange for bringing his pet skunk to his father’s house, and discovers that he enjoys being a part of a team more than he expected.
The Blue Dress by Rebecca Morrison. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-374-39360-1. An Iranian teen grapples with body image and disordered eating in Morrison’s dynamic debut inspired by the author’s childhood.
Books Good Enough for You: The Storied Life of Ursula Nordstrom, Editor of Extraordinary Children’s Books by Nancy Hudgins, illus. by Aura Lewis. Abrams, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-4197-7567-3. In this intriguing biography, debut author Hudgins pays tribute to acclaimed editor Ursula Nordstrom, who shaped 20th-century American children’s literature with her unwavering belief that kids’ books “should be realistic and authentic so readers could see themselves in the stories.” Read our exclusive excerpt here.
The Case of Old MacDonald and His Farm by Mark Teague. Beach Lane, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-6659-9076-9. Moove over, Law and Order—a daffy prank spree is unfolding at the Old MacDonald farm in this barn burner of a mystery spoof.
Charmed and Dangerous by Shelly Page. Joy Revolution, $12.99 paper; ISBN 978-0-593-89764-5. Seventeen-year-old magic user Monroe Bennett doesn’t believe that love is in her future—until she’s tasked with investigating the circumstances behind a rogue love charm in this frothy rom-com.
The Free Verse Society by Delali Adjoa. Peachtree, $19.99 hardcover; ISBN 978-1-68263-840-8; $14.99 paper ISBN 978-1-68263-878-1. Teens seeking a fresh start contend with adolescent pregnancy, financial insecurity, parental absence, and substance reliance in Adjoa’s introspective debut.
The God of Sleep by Lev Grossman, illus. by Huỳnh Kim Liên. Little, Brown, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-3165-7096-1. Resplendent in a crown of rays, the sun god—and the whole divine workforce—is ready to wind down in this work from Grossman, making his picture book debut, and Liên.
The Heart of Our Home by Janelle Washington. Roaring Brook, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-250-35736-6. Caldecott Honoree Washington places a wooden table at the heart of a Black family’s life in this affectionate solo debut.
Into the Wilderness by Haven Iverson, illus. by August Zhang. Roaring Brook, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-250-35308-5. “Every summer, we go into the wilderness,” begins this luminous picture book about a child whose family backpacking trips become both physical milestones and emotional anchors. The book received a starred review from PW.
Our Home, Our Only Home by Marion Dane Bauer, illus. by Sophie Diao. Candlewick, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-5362-3403-9. Insistent verse by Bauer urges care for Earth as confident artwork from Diao emphasizes the planet’s fragility in this bracing picture book wake-up call.
The Queen’s Granddaughter by Diane Zahler. Roaring Brook, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-250-36311-4. A precocious princess must contend with ethical and physical peril in this immersive historical adventure. The middle grade book received a starred review from PW.
Sloomoo: Making Friends by Melissa de la Cruz and Mike Johnston, illus. by Caballo Loco Studio. Encantos, $12.99 paper; ISBN 978-1-954689-36-7. A science-obsessed tween experiences the wonders of human connection in this bustling graphic novel series launch by married couple and previous collaborators de la Cruz and Johnston.
Something Sweet: A Sitting Shiva Story by Lesléa Newman, illus. by Sarita Rich. Charlesbridge, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-62354-571-0. Loss, comfort, and rituals of remembrance intertwine in Newman and Rich’s relational introduction to the Jewish tradition of sitting shiva.
Sprout by Taylor Tyng. Random House, $17.99; ISBN 979-8-217-03195-5. Sprout Sprowder is careful to keep her flower-producing antlers—which she calls her “plantlers”—hidden from everyone, but upon learning of another girl like her, Sprout begins an investigation that draws the attention of a private asylum.
We All Belong by Gianna Marino. Philomel, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-5935-2883-9. Six animals of varying sizes encounter one another, focusing on what they have in common. But when one animal feels left out, they see the impact of their insistence on comparison, and the animals realize that they, too, are different from one another.
Where I Grew by Jashar Awan, illus. by Rahele Jomepour Bell. Norton, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-3240-1661-8. Accompanied by an elderly caretaker, a child on a woodland walk considers their family legacy of finding home in this minimalist picture book.
While We’re Here by Anne Wynter, illus. by Micha Archer. Clarion, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-06-323829-9. Sumptuously patterned artwork and reiterative lines capture a day’s contrasting rhythms in this arresting tale about an outing that doesn’t go according to plan. The picture book received a starred review from PW.
Who Are You? by Claire Keane. Random House Studio, $18.99; ISBN 979-8-217-02913-6. The natural world repeats the title’s existential question in this adventuresome yet grounding meditation.
You Are Now Old Enough to Hear This by Aaron Starmer, illus. by Jaime Zollars. Penguin Workshop, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-593-75109-1. Twelve-year-old Roman Barnes always ducks out of the room when Grandpa Henry starts telling his tales, but when Grandpa Henry unexpectedly dies and Roman is tasked with packing up the late elder’s belongings, he begins unravelling the truths behind his grandfather’s stories. The middle grade 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.
