After rising sea levels flood coastal cities, the wealth gap between displaced climate refugees and those living inland widens, a dichotomy that Nault (The Handmaid’s Tale: The Graphic Novel) captures with searing clarity in this stunning tale. Years later, Paolo, a descendant of refugees, helps his family make ends meet by diving into the nearby underwater city and scouring the abandoned skyscrapers for items to sell. While scavenging, Paolo finds a suitcase full of perfectly preserved, vintage designer clothes. Donning one of his finds, Paolo travels to the Uplands, an opulent neighborhood housing Ocean City elite. There, he befriends a group of affluent teens and develops feelings for Jules, a shy sculptor and daughter of a famous but disengaged actor. Lying about his background, Paolo tags along to the group’s nightly escapades at lavish clubs and art galleries. Inventive depictions of these extravagant outings feature mermaid-lagoon-themed pools, roller coasters speeding into giant live angler fish, and psychedelic, 1970s-inspired tea parties, drawing readers into the teens’ world while emphasizing the differences in their experiences. Organic dialogue models healthy communication as the characters’ confront socioeconomic disparity and the long-standing impact of the climate crisis. The result is a discerning coming-of-age graphic novel that teems with surreal beauty and tender, honest heart. Ages 14–up. (July)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

High school student and debut author Mehta teams up with Stevens and Alvarado (New Friends Rule!) to deliver a straightforward coding-focused graphic novel inspired by Mehta’s childhood. Though Sama’s best friend Nancy reassures Sama that nothing will change between them upon entering middle school, the two drift apart once classes begin. While Nancy expands her social circle, Sama gravitates toward the Tech Club, though she feels out of place as a newcomer often left on her own. Her attempts to participate in club activities are met with resistance, including her proposal to code a new bus route for her younger brother’s struggling driver; the club leader dismisses the idea because it “isn’t going to win us any prizes” at the upcoming Code Crusher Championship. Despite these setbacks, Sama’s determination grows. She pursues increasingly ambitious coding challenges and even begins teaching her younger brother programming. Technical concepts such as functions, parallelism, and queues are interwoven throughout, emphasizing how coding can be used both creatively and in service of community needs—from practical problem-solving to designing roller coasters optimized for maximum fun. Blocky, boldly colored digital illustrations depict characters with varying skin tones. The outcome is a refreshing series opener centered around inclusion and accessibility in STEM spaces. Ages 8–12. Illustrator’s agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary. (July)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

Gonzalez (Invisible) and Costa (Forgive-Me-Not) thoughtfully fold questions of gender equity in soccer into a rousing sports graphic novel. When Jackson Middle School’s boys’ soccer team opens tryouts to female athletes, team captain Al responds by trying to recruit enough boys to edge the girls out entirely. That doesn’t stop classmates Nicky, a striker who advocates for co-ed play, and Fabiola, a newcomer from Colombia who speaks limited English and would rather remain unnoticed, from making the team. Al’s frustration is reinforced by his Brazilian-born father, who carries outdated assumptions about girls’ soccer that manifest via his demeaning and closed-off presence toward female players. This dynamic, reinforced via character facial expressions and body language, offers a nuanced look into Al’s seemingly unconscious adoption of his father’s worldview. Nicky, meanwhile, pursues her goals with uncompromising intensity, a trait that both empowers her and leaves her feeling isolated from the team. A standout spread that reimagines bilingual communication as a steampunk translation machine captures the comic’s inventive visual storytelling. What begins as a simple rivalry gradually expands into a layered exploration of access, recognition, and cultivating teamwork and understanding across differences. It’s a moving, tightly observed story with genuine stakes and emotion. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Jennifer Rofé, Andrea Brown Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Allison Hellegers, Stimola Literary Studio (July)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

In Bruggink’s debut graphic novel, a gentle early reader, young canine Pia and her father hike through a state park. Along the way, Dada introduces Pia to conservation, explaining it as recognizing in the natural world something special that’s worth protecting. But Pia grows frustrated by Dada’s leisurely pace and ventures off alone, equipped with his nature fielding audio recorder and headphones. She meets bespectacled Quinn, a squirrel-like youth who introduces Pia to skipping stones and encourages her to experience the environment through play. The two quickly exchange perspectives and tools—Pia shares the recorder while Quinn offers his binoculars—and discover new ways of engaging with the landscape. Their imaginative collaboration soon expands into crafting elaborate fairy houses from found objects including pinecones, sticks, and stones. As Pia whiles away the hours with Quinn, though, she realizes that Dada may be feeling lonely without her, launching the new friends on a reunification mission. Lush, detailed illustrations anchor the story in a vivid natural world. Domestic characterizing moments—Pia’s interrupting her father, asserting control over car-trip music, impulsively snacking on sprinkles—add humor. It’s a playful look at wilderness wonders. Back matter includes a practical primer on using field recording equipment. Ages 5–8. Agent: Abigail Frank, Greenburger Assoc. (July)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

Davis (All the Noise at Once) traces a Jamaican American teen’s attempts to learn more about her estranged mother in this emotionally charged novel. Valedictorian Jaliya Powell, 17, has struggled with feelings of abandonment since her mother deserted her at age four. The teen copes by pulling a tarot card daily from the deck her mom left behind. Upon receiving a mysterious, damaged letter that she believes is from her mother, Jaliya travels to Jamaica to stay with her aunt, uncle, and cousin, Shevaughn, certain that her mom has been living on the island. Though Shevaughn is initially cold—he resents Jaliya for her lack of communication since her last visit seven years prior—he soon welcomes her into his circle, comprising locals Andre, Deon, and India, who assist Jaliya in uncovering her mother’s whereabouts. As the cousins reconnect, Shevaughn confides in Jaliya about his love for Deon and his fear around how his conservative community will react to him coming out as gay. Simultaneously, Jaliya develops feelings for both India and Andre. Rhythmic language renders Jaliya’s candid first-person narration as she perceptively confronts questions of sexuality and cultural identity. The evenly paced narrative provides ample room for readers to empathize and connect with the easy-to-root-for characters, making for a satisfying and introspective offering. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jenissa Graham, BookEnds Literary. (June)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

A Black Muslim teenager’s desire to deepen her connection to her faith propels her to consider incisive questions about herself and the future in this intriguing romance from Allen (All You Have to Do). In 2013, 17-year-old Zakiyyah AbdusSalaam is ready to be “grown,” and finishing high school no longer feels compatible with the life she envisions. For Zakiyyah, the masjid is a place of grounding and purpose, while school feels like an obstacle to becoming the person she believes she is meant to be. Soon, Zakiyyah embraces wearing niqab and starts attending community college classes. After observing Muslim couples in her community and on social media, she begins ruminating about their connection and researching young Muslim marriage online, wondering what it might mean to share her faith and life with a romantic partner. With support from her mother, her auntie, and her best friend Asiyah, Zakiyyah explores marriage possibilities in a novel that unfolds across a mix of journal entries, sticky notes, emails, and more, injecting emotional texture into the layered storytelling. Instances of Islamophobia are addressed with sensitivity balanced by sharp humor throughout an insightful narrative helmed by a charismatic, self-assured protagonist. It’s an earnest examination of religious beliefs and impending adulthood. Ages 14–up. Agent: Molly Ker Hawn, Bent Agency. (July)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

Tison (Saints of the Household) presents an ambitious dual-perspective mystery that interweaves family drama with themes of identity and belonging. After her parents’ divorce, Bribri teen Ulá finishes high school in Wisconsin while living with her mother; her older brother, Kabék, joins their land activist father in Costa Rica. Ulá frequently feels at odds with her dad, whom she believes is forsaking his familial responsibilities in favor of advocating for political reform. His sudden death brings the siblings back together on Bribri land, where their grief quickly gives way to suspicion about the event’s cause. As they prepare for the funeral, Ulá and Kabék launch an investigation, uncovering a tangled web of family secrets and bitter land disputes—conflicts sharp enough to suggest that their father may have been murdered. Time-stamped chapters alternate between Ulá’s staccato first-person narration and an omniscient chorus of ancestral matriarchs, building tension and lending the story a lyrical cadence as the search for truth guides Ulá toward a more complex understanding of both her parent and herself. Tightly constructed and featuring thoughtful reflections on Indigenous identity, this resonant and rewarding novel will appeal to fans of Angeline Boulley. Ages 12–up. Agent: Sara Crowe, Sara Crowe Literary. (June)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

Rosewater (All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey) draws upon San Francisco’s queer history to fuel a high-stakes citywide treasure hunt that gives way to a propulsive friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance. The summer before her sophomore year, Ivy and her then-bestie Cam spent the season scouring the city for clues about a hidden treasure hinted at in a mysterious book once owned by Cam’s late uncle. Ivy also came out to Cam as a lesbian; though she expected Cam to be supportive and understanding, Cam instead ended their friendship. In the two years following their estrangement, Cam came out as transgender and Ivy found a place to belong among her fellow yearbook editors. After Ivy uncovers a forgotten clue from her and Cam’s treasure hunt, she resolves to pick up where it left off—without Cam. When Cam catches wind, he attempts to race Ivy to the hunt’s conclusion, igniting a parallel adventure that disrupts the protagonists’ stubborn grudges, unearths buried feelings, and sparks within both a new appreciation for their hometown. Ivy’s cheeky and inviting POV expertly relays immersive discussions about queer history and intimate relationship dynamics, while jaunty pacing heightens the thrill of treasure hunting hijinks. The result is a deliciously fun romp about the necessity of friendship and the power of belonging. Ages 12–up. Agent: Lauren Spieller, Folio Jr. (July)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

Rivera (Cece Rios and the Queen of Brujas) spotlights two grieving siblings embarking on a thrilling supernatural adventure. Following their father’s death, 12-year-old Ryan Ramirez feels responsible for his eight-year-old brother, Teddy; Ryan hopes that by looking out for his sibling, he can support their grieving mother. But Ryan’s desire to live a life his father would be proud of chafes against his deteriorating relationship with Teddy. While Ryan tries to hide his grief behind a cool, tough-guy persona, Teddy leans into behaviors that Ryan finds embarrassing, while also taking up their father’s obsession with the nearby forest, where many children have disappeared. When Teddy enters the woods and Ryan gives chase, both boys are drawn further in after hearing their father’s voice echoing through the trees. The siblings soon encounter an ethereal world where powerful beings wearing magical masks carved from the forest’s trees attempt to capture them. Now the brothers must find a way to escape the forest before sunrise, at which point they’ll transform into trees and be trapped in the woods forever. Though a jam-packed plot and dangling plotlines sometimes prove disorienting, readers will nevertheless revel in the Latinx-cued protagonists’ lived-in relationship and touching sequences addressing their shifting dynamic. This family-focused tale is an ideal entry point to horror for young readers. Ages 9–14. Agent: Serene Hakim, Ayesha Pande Literary. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

Against a mellow summer backdrop, Galanti (Unicorn Island) follows a grieving tween’s attempts to move forward after loss. On the coast of Maine, 13-year-old Sarah helps her father run Loon Cove, a lakeside campground. Six months after her mother’s death and with her best friend away for most of the summer, Sarah decides to devote herself to the loons she loves, volunteering at a nearby bird rehabilitation center. Her plans shift when she meets Theo, one of the seasonal campers, after a loon is injured on the lake. Together with Theo’s aunt Maggie—a researcher studying the area’s declining loon population—the youths rescue the bird, forming an unexpected connection in the process. As Sarah grows closer to Maggie, she finds herself conflicted about opening up emotionally, often turning to her mother’s diary for comfort and guidance. When complications arise at home, Sarah increasingly leans on Theo for support, a link that slowly deepens into a tentative romance. Measured prose conveys emotional complexity with a lighthearted touch, allowing space for sorrow and joy to coexist and offering a nuanced portrayal of a girl contending with grief. It’s a tender and uplifting story about healing through caring for the natural world. Ages 8–up. (Self-published)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink