Here we round up new and forthcoming children’s titles. including a picture book following a dinosaur’s investigation into his physical appearance, a YA romance set during a debutante ball, a picture book highlighting the importance of nature, and more.
Archibald and the Furry Dinosaurs by Suzanne Lang, illus. by Max Lang. Random House Studio, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-5938-1196-2. Wondering what happened to the fluff he sported as a hatchling, Archibald embarks on a quest to find it.
By Invitation Only by Alexandra Brown Chang. McElderry, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-665-97243-7. In need of a college scholarship, Piper Woo Collins enters the La Danse des Débutantes, an exclusive debutante ball that becomes cutthroat against her fiercest competition, society darling Chapin Buckingham.
Bud Finds Her Gift by Robin Wall Kimmerer, illus. by Naoko Stoop. Allida, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-06332-442-8. Young Bud tells her grandmother that they aspire to do something important and spend the day together appreciating nature. The picture book received a starred review from PW.
Bundle Up, Penelope Rex! by Ryan T. Higgins. Disney Hyperion, $9.99 board book; ISBN 978-1-368-10872-0. The latest in the Penelope Rex series, the titular star prepares for a day out in the snow.
Dear Acorn (Love, Oak): Letter Poems to Friends by Joyce Sidman, illus. by Melissa Sweet. Clarion, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-3583-3476-7. In 16 letter poems, Newbery Honoree Sidman imagines both sides of typewritten correspondences between unlikely pen-pal pairs, including a school and one of its bricks, a coat and a button, and a child and their toes. The picture book received a starred review from PW.
Fearful: A Powerless Story by Lauren Roberts. S&S, $16.99; ISBN 978-1-665-97107-2. In the final novella installment of the bestselling Powerless series, Mara is moved into the kingdom where she observes a war to come.
The Forgotten Spell by Jennie Poh with Dave Lowe, illus. by Jennie Poh. DK, $18.99 hardcover; ISBN 978-0-593-97147-5; $6.99 paper ISBN 978-0-593-96545-0. Elderly former broomstick-flying champion Myrtle Stormwhisper struggles to help a neighbor with her magic, but Myrtle’s fellow retirees don’t allow her to wallow, reminding her that “age is merely a number.” The picture book received a starred review from PW.
Grave Flowers by Autumn Krause. Peachtree Teen, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-682-63649-7. Madalina Sinet, the teenage princess of Radix, takes her sister’s place to marry Prince Aeric of Acus to complete a plot to assassinate him, promising profits that would save Radix from starvation.
Hansel and Gretel by Stephen King, illus. by Maurice Sendak. HarperCollins, $26.99; ISBN 978-0-06-264469-5. This splendidly chilling variation of the Brothers Grimm story retold by the horror novelist is built around costume and set designs that the late Caldecott Medalist Sendak produced for an opera. The picture book received a starred review from PW.
The Last Resort by Erin Entrada Kelly, illus. by Naomi Franquiz. Scholastic Press, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-5461-3243-1. Eleven-year-old Lila Clement begins to encounter ghosts at the Castle Hill Inn—including the spirit of Grandpa Clem himself, who says he was murdered.
Little Rebels by Yuyi Morales. Holiday House/Porter, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-8234-4754-1. Emphasizing that “there is more than one/ way of doing anything,” Caldecott Honoree Morales describes tenets of living in the world with love, curiosity, intuition, and tenderness in this values-based picture book. The picture book received a starred review from PW.
Oh Dear, Look What I Got! by Michael Rosen, illus. by Helen Oxenbury. Candlewick, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-5362-3568-5. A succession of shop visits yields a series of unexpected purchases in this engaging comedy of errors, from the collaborators of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.
The Picasso Curse by Dan Gutman. Holiday House, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-8234-5385-6. Twelve-year-old Edwin faces the surprise of a lifetime when he discovers a lost work by Pablo Picasso in this cinematic novel. The middle grade book received a starred review from PW.
The Pigeon WON’T Count to 10! by Mo Willems. Union Square Kids, $9.99; ISBN 978-1-454-96440-7. In the latest addition to the Pigeon series, the titular star refuses to count to 10 in this picture book.
Reasons to Hate Me by Susan Metallo. Candlewick, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-5362-4035-1. Metallo balances acerbic comedy with insightful prose to present an intimate character study, told via blog posts, that follows an autistic theater kid’s attempt to navigate the aftermath of a friendship-ending error. The YA book received a starred review from PW.
Rules for Fake Girlfriends by Raegan Revord. Wednesday, $20; ISBN 978-1-2503-5634-5. New York City high school senior Avery Blackwell strikes a deal with a local girl named Charlie: they’ll fake-date to make Charlie’s ex-girlfriend jealous, and Charlie will help Avery solve a scavenger hunt left for her by her mother.
Silenced Voices: Reclaiming Memories from the Guatemalan Genocide by Pablo Leon. HarperAlley, $26.99 hardcover; ISBN 978-0-06-322356-1. In a solo debut, Leon delivers a potent examination of the effects of the Guatemalan civil war on its people. The graphic novel received a starred review from PW.
Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley. Holt, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-2503-2853-3. Boulley delivers a propulsive mystery thriller anchored by an unforgettable protagonist and urgent commentary on both the foster care system and Indigenous child welfare. The YA book received a starred review from PW.
The Steps by Wendelin Van Draanen. Holiday House, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-823460-38-0. When family matriarch Oma’s prized diamond ring is stolen, Ruby jumps at the chance to reconnect with cousin Sterling to investigate her suspicion that her gold-digging new family members—nicknamed the Steps—are behind the crime.
Thorn Season by Kiera Azar. Storytide, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-06-342779-2. When 18-year-old Lady Alissa Paine discovers her family’s missing magic compass is missing and being used to kill Wielders, a group of enchanters facing persecution, she accepts the king’s invitation to participate in the Rose Season at the royal palace, hoping the theatrics surrounding the annual tradition will conceal her investigation into the compass’s whereabouts. The YA book received a starred review from PW.
Troubling Tonsils! by Aaron Reynolds, illus. by Peter Brown. Simon & Schuster, $13.99; ISBN 978-1-6659-6108-0. Young Charlie Marmot is anxious about having his tonsils removed, but at his appointment learns that his tonsils have inexplicably disappeared from his throat. The chapter book, a spin-off of the Creepy Carrots picture book series, received a starred review from PW.
Tuck Everlasting: The Graphic Novel by Natalie Babbitt, adapted and illus. by K. Woodman-Maynard. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $14.99 paper; ISBN 978-0-374-39186-7; $22.99 hardcover; ISBN 978-0-374-39185-0. This graphic novel adaptation of Babbitt’s 50-year-old novel traces Winnie Foster’s discovery of a hidden spring of immortality.
What Happened Then by Erin Soderberg Downing. Scholastic Press, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-5461-2498-6. Cousins Jax and Avery come together for a family reunion at the generations-old cabin on Crooked Lake and seek to uncover the secret that tore the family apart.
When We Were Monsters by Jennifer Niven. Knopf, $20.99; ISBN 978-1-524713-02-7. A group of promising young writers are plagued by death, mystery, and shocking personal revelations in this psychological thriller.
The Winter of the Dollhouse by Laura Amy Schlitz. Candlewick, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-5362-3608-8. Newbery Medalist Schlitz braids parallel story lines into a cozy fantasy that lauds the power of connection to uplift and inspire. The middle grade book received a starred review from PW.
The World Entire: A True Story of an Extraordinary World War II Rescue by Elizabeth Brown, illus. by Melissa Castrillón. Chronicle, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-4521-7098-5. This picture book highlights the work of Portuguese diplomat Aristides de Sousa Mendes, who in direct violation of orders during WWII signed thousands of visas for refugees looking to escape. The picture book received a starred review from PW.
Zombie and Brain Are Friends by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic, illus. by Laan Cham. Bloomsbury, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-5476-1362-5. Zeb, a green-skinned zombie kid, grows fond of a newborn baby brain and although the young zombie’s parents insist that “brains are food, NOT pets,” Zeb remains unwavering in his affection.
For more children’s and YA titles on sale throughout the month of September, check out PW’s full On-Sale Calendar.
