Bognanni (This Book Is Not Yet Rated) presents a taut survival story set against the stark beauty of Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Seventeen-year-old Case is reluctantly participating in an “adventure therapy” trip for teens with anxiety disorders, an undertaking made worse by his grief over the death of his older brother, Sean. Case’s unease deepens when he discovers that Diana, Sean’s ex-girlfriend, is also on the trip. What begins as a structured wilderness excursion spirals into peril when the trip leader vanishes along with everyone’s medications. Stranded and desperate, Case and Diana, who both read as white, and their three fellow teens rely on one another to navigate the unforgiving terrain, locate supplies, and endure mounting environmental threats. As the group confronts physical danger, compassionate prose carves out space for quieter reckonings, particularly between Case and Diana, whose shared grief over Sean shifts from cold silence to tentative understanding. Moments of action are anchored by layered depictions of anxiety and resilience, and watching the characters forge bonds and push beyond their perceived limits is both gripping and deeply affecting. It coalesces into a blend of wilderness adventure and emotional healing bolstered by hard-won connection. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kirby Kim, Janklow & Nesbit. (June)

Reviewed on 04/03/2026 | Details & Permalink

A murder brings long-buried family secrets to light in this tense mystery from Àbíké-Íyímídé (Where Sleeping Girls Lie). Sixteen years ago, billionaire Leontes Button adopted five children and raised them to become experts in selected pursuits. Bilal is an Olympic fencer, Octavius is a renowned pianist, Fola is a respected scientist and mathematician, Perdita is a talented painter, and Romeo is an author whom many regard as a failure. Having moved out of their childhood home several years ago, the now-17-year-old siblings reluctantly reunite for their father’s annual Prodigy Ball, during which old hurts and grievances born from their grueling upbringing resurface. But when Leontes is killed, the teens—as well as Leontes’s assistant Henry Xu and chef’s daughter Evie Gray—become prime suspects in his murder. The hours following the death paint a macabre picture of a dysfunctional family helmed by a tyrannical patriarch, and what happens when individuals are pushed past their breaking point. Perceptive storytelling recalls elements of The Umbrella Academy, and the novel’s convoluted cascading revelations lead from one surprise to another. Despite disjointed pacing, this quietly brutal tale excels in its portrayal of intersectionally diverse teens contending with emotional trauma amid sky-high expectations. Ages 14–up. Agent: Chloe Seager, Madeleine Milburn Literary. (June)

Reviewed on 04/03/2026 | Details & Permalink

Kamalakanthan debuts with a scintillating verse novel that chronicles a nonbinary transgender teen’s journey toward publicly claiming their queer identity. Whenever they’re misgendered, Sri Lankan British 17-year-old Surya freezes, fearful of correcting the misunderstanding (“I don’t tell other people/ I’m not a girl/ It’s easier—and harder this way”). Though Surya’s cis female mum and genderfluid artist amma surround the teen with love at home, Surya longs to foster both platonic and romantic connections with others. When Surya joins an after-school theater program, they confront their fear of being perceived (“This one audition is a mini protest against all the times I’ve said nothing”) and experience their first crush. The more involved Surya becomes with the theater group, the harder it becomes for them to suppress their true self, despite the troupe’s sometimes transphobic rhetoric. Sedate pacing paired with intense lines that often land with the force of a gut punch (“These words are dead bodies,/ eventually rising/ to the surface./ A rotting loudness”). Nwosu’s captivating illustrations, peppered throughout, capture each instance of love and uncertainty in deceptively simple b&w line art. This poetic slice-of-life portrait is not to be missed. Ages 14–up. (June)

Reviewed on 04/03/2026 | Details & Permalink

Mercier’s lush romantasy debut follows an ambitious baker who becomes embroiled in magical and political intrigue when she’s tapped to participate in a culinary competition. Teenage Elara Rousseau dreams of escaping a life of financial insecurity to open her own bakery, but her reputation throughout Anespérer as the daughter of a murdered revolutionary overshadows her talents. Using an assumed identity, her ex-boyfriend sneaks her into prestigious cooking tournament Objet d’Art, the winner of which becomes Souverain of the Societe des Arts Culinaires, an influential leader within Anespérer. Her unexpected competitive success puts her on the radar of Nikolas Dupont, an affluent peer desperate to please his own powerful father. Nikolas offers crucial support that helps Elara navigate each grueling stage of the competition and inch closer to obtaining power and status beyond her wildest dreams. But as revolution once again simmers in the streets of Anespérer, Elara finds herself confronted with choices that will determine the city’s fate. Tangible descriptions of mouthwatering dishes combine with empathetic portrayals of social and economic disparity, as experienced by a memorably drawn cast, described as having varying skin tones. It’s a tantalizing recipe of complex plotting, Parisian atmosphere, political intrigue, arts-based magic, and revolution. Ages 14–up. Agent: Michaela Whatnall, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (June)

Reviewed on 04/03/2026 | Details & Permalink

Siegert (Somebody Told Me) delivers an emotionally charged novel in which a transgender teen’s attempt to change his name uncovers the truth of his abduction as an infant. For Jaden Colby’s 17th birthday, his father surprises him by taking him to get his name and gender marker legally changed to mark his transition. But when his dad is arrested for apparently forging Jaden’s birth certificate, Jaden learns that his dad and late mother are not his real parents. Jaden’s birth family—wealthy Russian Jewish couple Aaron and Alena Harper, who have been looking for their kidnapped child since he was four days old—travel from the Hamptons to his New Jersey neighborhood to claim custody. With help from his former best friend, brilliant Terri Williams, who is Black and autistic, Jaden attempts to parse his past, wary of the Harpers’ motives even as red herrings mount. Siegert excels at capturing volatile emotions: Jaden’s grief, suspicion, and fierce loyalty to the flawed father who raised him feel especially authentic. Though conversations surrounding social themes including racism and class divides land somewhat didactically, and breathless pacing alongside an abrupt resolution culminates in an uneven reading experience, the novel’s core dilemma—identity forged by love versus biology—lands solidly. Readers will find this a gripping exploration of self-definition. Ages 13–up. Agent: Sera Rivers, Speilburg Literary. (June)

Reviewed on 04/03/2026 | Details & Permalink

The daughters of classic literary characters and historical figures embark on high-octane fantasy adventures in Morgenstein’s spirited debut. In 1909, Rose Moriarty, the teenage daughter of Sherlock Holmes’s infamous rival, is best known as a mystery-solving, monster-slaying ingenue. Feeling adrift after a mission gone south, she wanders the grounds of her former headmistress Hina’s unconventional London academy, a school that prioritizes world-saving exploits over decorum. Separated from her formidable companions—including brilliant inventor Nikki Tesla and physically enhanced Seffy Moreau—Rose must navigate both external dangers and internal doubts. The arrival of enigmatic Count Christoph of the Carpathian Mountains and his aide Clara draws Rose into a perilous search for a powerful magical orb, which is upended by the emergence of eerie, magically altered insect-like beings and the devastating revelation of Nikki’s declining health. The novel’s emphasis on women in scientific and intellectual pursuits contending with interpersonal challenges is rendered with refreshing candor. Its strength lies in the nuanced characterizations of the white-cued cast; Seffy’s combination of enhanced strength and social unease adds emotional texture to the group dynamic. Blending homage with reinvention, this unique and emotionally grounded series launch will leave readers eager for further installments. Ages 12–up. Agent: Gemma Cooper, Gemma Cooper Literary. (June)

Reviewed on 04/03/2026 | Details & Permalink

Debut author Naranjo blends swashbuckling adventure with wry humor in a romantic fantasy that juggles charm and peril. All her life, residents of Risa Porto’s small village in the kingdom of Kheadon have inexplicably used Risa as a scapegoat for unfortunate events, believing she’s been cursed since birth. When the witch Brunhilda appears on Risa’s 17th birthday with a quest, Risa is certain that the ensuing journey will end badly. She’s tasked with escorting charismatic Prince Javier, the seventh son of the king, to the distant land of Madros in time for his upcoming wedding to the country’s princess. Javi’s easy confidence and rakish wit clash with Risa’s fatalistic outlook, and their dynamic—marked by sharp, sarcastic banter—provides a lively counterpoint to the dangers they encounter along their route. From frightening forests to treacherous towns, the pair face witches, assassins, and a growing sense that their mission is more complicated than it first appeared. They are soon joined by a mysterious girl known only as Wolf, whose own apparent curse adds another layer of intrigue. As Risa projects her fears onto every misfortune, convinced she is the source of the Latinx-cued characters’ troubles, her assumptions gradually morph over the course of a pensive narrative that invites both protagonist and reader to question the nature of fate and self-perception. The result is an empowering tale of friendship, first love, and self-acceptance. Ages 12–up. Agent: Chelsea Hensley, Mad Woman Literary. (June)

Reviewed on 04/03/2026 | Details & Permalink

Attaallah’s insular, character-focused English-language debut follows a teenager’s fluctuating thoughts and emotions as he confronts daily struggles surrounding life in 2011 Gaza. Seventeen-year-old Asad—the third child of eight and the eldest son—deeply resents his circumstances: his family resides in two rooms under a tin roof in a refugee camp, he’s never used a computer or cell phone, and he envies the better living conditions of his classmates and relatives living outside the camp. Since his father has been imprisoned for undisclosed crimes for the past six years, Asad works part-time at a printing press to help support his family. He also turns to wise 80-year-old Um Fazzi, whom Asad calls the “First Lady of the camp,” for book loans, frank conversation, and down-to-earth advice (including about his crush, beautiful, intelligent Houriya). Asad’s acerbic tone and circular narration often overshadow significant plot beats. As Asad matures, though, his world expands, bringing notes of hope and optimism to the narrative. Emphasizing interior storytelling over broader context regarding the setting and period, this novel offers a brief glimpse into one teen’s experience living in a part of the world that’s often underrepresented in young people’s literature. Ages 12–up. (June)

Reviewed on 04/03/2026 | Details & Permalink

Frost (Cats on Cats on Cats) stuffs this smartly paced tale of unlikely partnership with charming visuals and gentle comedy. Budding entrepreneur Moose is a stuffie artisan whose handmade creations boast a simple design, “just the right amount of squish,” and a serious cute factor. When he cuts a window into his sewing shed and hangs out his shingle, business booms—but an overwhelming amount of custom orders result in overwork, sloppy craftsmanship, and complaints (“This acorn is stuffed with actual acorns,” a squirrel laments). Reluctantly, Moose takes on a partner: pale-skinned human child Mabel, a stuffie enthusiast whose freewheeling work habits and bedazzle-everything aesthetic are a far cry from Moose’s tidy, minimalist style. But as the duo build inventory and reopen the stand, Moose finds that the different approaches not only complement each other but also rack up sales. Droll, thinly outlined digital cartooning captures the clash of personalities, the plethora of plushies, and the array of animal customers. Stitched together neatly, it’s a buoyant story of how collaboration, like a beloved stuffie, works best when it has a little give. Ages 4–8. Agent: Andrea Morrison, Writers House. (June)

Reviewed on 04/03/2026 | Details & Permalink

The mortifying becomes miraculous in the entertaining solo debut from Espinosa (Dream for the Land), who details the agony of finding a parent a bit cringe. From pancake-making to pigtail artistry, the eponymous father seems to be everything the child narrator could want. There’s just one thing: Papa’s genial, egg-shaped face bears an “embarrassing” red mustache, while “every other man in the whole wide world” has a black one. It’s an assertion that mixed-media artwork, with the visual joie de vivre of mid-century poster art, bears out in a sly running gag. The child’s unease only intensifies when the pale-skinned duo heads to a much-anticipated soccer match: Papa’s whiskers, to the child, practically glow on the packed train. But when the narrator gets lost in the game’s crowd, there’s only one face unmistakable enough to find. As eye-catching and cheerfully idiosyncratic as Papa’s mustache, this telling bristles with comedy while turning affection with an asterisk into full-stop appreciation. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. A Spanish-language edition publishes simultaneously. Ages 4–8. Agent: Elizabeth Rudnick, Gillian MacKenzie Agency. (June)

Reviewed on 04/03/2026 | Details & Permalink