Following the conclusion of the Vietnam War, tweens grapple with familial and communal changes in this haunting novel by Kramer (Eyes on the Sky). In the remote Appalachian town of Blackberry Holler in eastern Tennessee, 12-year-old Delilah’s older sister Eve, with whom Delilah was once close, has been inexplicably keeping her distance from Delilah—and from Delilah’s earnest attempts to learn the ways of healing herbal mountain magic. Meanwhile, Delilah’s younger sister Jezzie proves herself always ready to brawl with neighborhood boys. The arrival of traveling preacher Brother Jones instills hope in Delilah that her sibling conflicts—as well as other tensions at home—can be resolved. After he rescues Delilah from a rattlesnake, Brother Jones invites the family to attend services at his new church. But the promise of salvation soon gives way to unease: alarmed by Brother Jones’s apparent ability to speak in tongues and his dramatic handling of a rattlesnake during worship, Delilah must reckon with the possibility that a grim mountain folktale may hold surprising truths. Delilah’s perceptive first-person narration and imagery-rich language conjures a chilling Appalachian backdrop populated by strong, memorably rendered, white-cued characters. It’s an ominous tale that thoughtfully explores cultural tensions and competing beliefs. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jennifer Carlson, Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary. (June)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

Krampien (The Bellwoods Game) spins an eerie tale about a white-cued tween’s bid for friendship and the haunted house that threatens that bond. For years, 12-year-old Flora Abbott has watched families rotate in and out of Thirteen Bly, the old house across the street. Though none stays for long, Flora hopes that the newest family beats the odds—and that one of them could become her best friend. Bright and bubbly new neighbor Mac proves an ideal companion. But as Flora and Mac bond, Flora can’t help but feel like something is amiss. Mac’s parents are unnaturally overbearing, she’s reluctant to talk about her previous school, and when she mentions someone named Daphne, she quickly changes the subject. The unsettling events Flora encounters upon entering Thirteen Bly exacerbate her worries for Mac’s safety. Doors open and close unassisted, objects inexplicably vanish, and Mac’s withdrawn younger brother Danny seems increasingly determined to scare Flora away. Flora is certain that someone or something is haunting Mac’s house, and to save her, Flora must uncover the source. Krampien steadily ramps up the suspense, cultivating a palpable aura of dread as supernatural incidents—depicted in atmospheric, animated grayscale illustrations—escalate from inconvenient to downright dangerous. Threads of optimism, reinforced by Mac and Flora’s easy camaraderie, provide a resting spot throughout this tense adventure. Ages 8–12. Agent: Andrea Morrison, Writers House. (July)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

When an “all-powerful, primordial goddess of darkness” escapes from centuries of enchanted imprisonment, the event kicks off a countdown to the end of the world in Gilkeson’s absurd, low-key debut. While stuck in detention, 12-year-old Sebastian Onizuka, who is white and Japanese, kicks a small black object that sits the back of his suburban Illinois classroom. The item turns out to be an ancient obelisk that, once tampered with, releases 12-year-old Maggie Weaver, the corporeal reincarnation of a Caledonian goddess destined to “shroud the universe in everlasting night.” Returned to the mortal realm after spending 16 centuries in suspended animation, Maggie reluctantly intends to fulfill her prophesied duty to devour the world during the next eclipse, which is six days away. The only way to stop her is to magically entrap her once again. As Sebastian searches for the long-lost sleeping spell, Maggie enrolls in his school, moves into his home, and attempts to adjust to the 21st century. Understated humor and tongue-in-cheek prose matter-of-factly present Maggie’s godly aura, with which other characters largely remain unimpressed: teachers are preoccupied with budget constraints, classmates view her uncanny powers as amusing party tricks, and Sebastian’s parents treat her like family. The result is a remarkably upbeat tale of connecting while trying to prevent apocalypse. Ages 8–12. Agent: Maria Vicente, P.S. Literary. (July)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

An orphaned tween seeking a place to belong embarks on a daunting adventure in this cozy fantasy from Abe (Tessa Miyata Is So Unlucky). In the Alterran Empire, social standing is determined by citizens’ ranking on a scale of Remarkableness; Extraordinarily Remarkables live in luxury, while Slightly Remarkables wear hand-me-downs. Eleven-year-old Lyra Hunt, described with tan skin, is an exceptional case: she’s the only resident classified as Unremarkable, leaving her feeling isolated and overlooked. As her birthday approaches, Lyra is running out of time to join a guild, but being accepted into one of the organizations dedicated to myriad professions (Pine Cone Collectors, Button Collectors, Warriors) would secure her permanent shelter within the kingdom and help her evade exile. Rejections pile up until she stumbles upon the elusive Guild of Scholars, where she discovers a wary but welcoming community of book lovers and knowledge seekers, along with a magical library. To gain acceptance, however, Lyra must restore the library’s lost magic crystal, which amplifies guild members’ magic and recently vanished in a fire. With help from new allies and a mischievous furry companion, Lyra sets out on a quest boasting dragons, hidden histories, and an ancient society with secrets of its own. Whimsical worldbuilding and an endearing protagonist distinguish a winning adventure that celebrates curiosity and personal exploration. Ages 8–11. Agent: Sarah Landis, Sterling Lord Literistic. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

In this gently eerie board book ghost story, Klassen (Your Truck) invites readers to venture into the ostensibly empty residence that inspires the work’s shape. Narration proceeds in a neutral tone as a speaker invites the curious to enter via a doorway: “There is nobody in this house. There used to be somebody. But there is nobody now. Let’s go look inside.” As the tour moves along, each progressive spread represents a new room, die-cuts allow glimpses into surrounding spaces, and straightforward commentary observes the abode’s spare, darkly inked décor (“This room has a chair in it. Let’s go into the next room”). Soon, the light in the house begins to dim, and a spectral figure appears in a chamber that’s described as hosting only “a small stool on the floor.... And a lamp.” Wholly unmentioned by the speaker, the ghost is subsequently seen staring out through the die-cuts as the remaining pages turn, delivering readers again outside: “There is nobody in this house. There used to be somebody. But there is nobody now.” Via deadpan prose that seems to hinge on a literal interpretation of “no body,” the narrator’s seemingly unreliable observations deliciously heighten the dwelling’s sense of mystery. Giving youngest readers ample space to contemplate their own perceptions, Klassen again displays a remarkable knack for creating lingering, fully realized works through the sparsest storytelling. Ages 3–7. (July)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

Abundant love between a child and toy animates standard stuffie fare from Hood (Clementine), making her picture book debut, and Quaranta, making her U.S. picture book debut. Piggy provides frank narration, opening with introductions before segueing to salad-day reminiscences of being “pink and plump and...// perky.” From the moment the pigtailed speaker and their pale-skinned human bestie first meet, they sleep, eat, and play together. But as Piggy begins to look worse for the wear, inevitable washing machine stints occur, events the pig describes as a “terrible thing.” Still, the stuffed animal emerges, steaming, from the dryer to greet its rosy-cheeked child with an unwavering smile. Homey artwork—a mix of digital techniques, watercolor, and texturizing colored pencil detailing—take the lead from here, with vignettes chronicling the repeated cycle: in one, the tot spills food on their companion; in another, the stuffed animal wallows in muddy wildflowers. Despite its anti-bath stance (“NOOOOO!!!” Piggy laments as another trip to the wash looms), the stuffie slowly comes to express appreciation for the beauty that lies in being (and looking) well-loved. This portrait of a tight bond feels winsomely on the nose. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Gail Hochman, Brandt & Hochman. Illustrator’s agent: Alex Gehringer, Bright Agency. (June)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

Much like the bovine protagonist of this goofily deadpan tale, Hannigan (The Bear Out There) takes a premise and cheerfully runs away with it. A spotted cow makes a carefully planned nighttime escape from its farm home, its innocence about the world and pride in its own sly plan the first of many jokes. Trailed by a black cat who seems equal parts knowing and protective, the cow, with wide-eyed naivety, encounters an array of pale-skinned “night people.” These include a scarecrow (“such a marvelous sense of style”), a pair of burglars hauling off the farmer’s TV (“Everyone seems very polite at night”), and a vampiric “upside-down night person” who invites, “Do you desire to walk as a creature of the dark for all eternity?” But when a green figure whisks cow and cat aboard a spaceship and the adventure leaps from shaggy dog telling to absurd interplanetary outing, even the formerly unflappable cow admits, “It’s looking like I’ve made a pretty big mistake here.” Bold, flat compositions—heavy on saturated greens, oranges, and purples, with a crisp, cut-paper sensibility—match the text’s dry wit beat for beat. It’s an exploratory comedy that’ll draw giggles ’til the cows come home. Ages 4–8. (July)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

A pale pink pig prepares for her day in this slow-burning comedy by Ruzzier (Bianca and the Butterfly), a series kickoff that makes smart use of the picture book form. After awakening “in her neat little room,” Rosie gets ready without missing a beat: she chooses soap bubbles (“English rose!”), expertly adjusts the bath temperature (“The water is too hot. She adds some cold”), and washes carefully (“her ears, outside and inside... her belly button”). The picture of tidiness, Rosie also keeps the floor dry, meticulously rinses the tub, and chooses a new outfit that “matches my shoes!” Delicate ink and watercolor illustrations render each small act with measured, understated wit, establishing the porcine protagonist as a figure who’s as orderly as her neat-as-a-pin surroundings. By the time Rosie is finally ready to face the world, readers may feel they know her through and through. But every step in this little gem is a setup for a triumphant, laugh-out-loud turn that goes whole hog on embracing all facets of one’s nature. Ages 3–6. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (July)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

Lin Wallace (On Our Way with Mr. Jay) and Rex (The 13th Day of Christmas) flip carpe diem on its head in this lush high-concept picture book that spotlights the life of a single day. As a full-throated songbird heralds sunrise in the distance, “a Day is born.” Cataloging text next gets into the Day’s reception (“welcomed, grumbled at, or ignored”), requirements (a Day “can never take a day off”), and events (births, bursts of laughter). Meanwhile, cinematic digital illustrations with the chalky weight of pastels depict a global cast, portrayed with various abilities and skin tones, in constant motion. When the Day learns it’s only one of 27,000 such periods in a human’s lifetime, “it suddenly feels small. It wonders if it’s even important.” But meeting a mayfly that’s “living its entire lifetime in just one day” restores perspective. In a lovely nocturnal sequence focused on a human trio gazing at the stars, the subject makes peace with its transience and creates “space for the next rise”—never knowing that it might be long remembered as someone’s best day. With a fleeting, full-hearted spirit, this thought-provoking work suggests that it’s not the days in a life but the life in the day. Concludes with “What Happens in a Day?”—a grouping of estimated statistics. Ages 3–5. Author’s agent: Jennifer Rofé, Andrea Brown Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Steve Malk, Writers House. (July)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink

Kaleidoscopes provide a textual and visual through line for this awe-inspiring scientific tribute to butterflies from Paul, teaming up with Hari and Deepti. Per a note, content draws on the author’s firsthand experience raising the insects to take readers through the life-cycle stages, from egg to larvae to caterpillar to chrysalis and beyond. Each phase is introduced in rhyming lines (“That thriller/ caterpillar?/ Hear them munch,/ crunch, munch”) accompanied by three-dimensional renderings. Extended prose offers further detail in themed interstitials accompanied by page-filling, kaleidoscopic patterns of varied species and stages. (In one, multicolored caterpillars emerge from eggs; in another, wings, legs, and antennae spiral outward.) Employing paper and paper clay, glue, watercolor, and other materials, the artists’ artwork—first sculpted, then photographed—encourages close observation. It’s a truly unforgettable look at how butterfly life cycles spiral outward. Human figures are depicted with various skin tones. Creators’ notes and an activity conclude. Ages 4–8. (May)

Reviewed on 04/17/2026 | Details & Permalink