Swartz (Same Page) presents a jam-packed contemporary novel about a tween taking refuge in music while rebuilding her life following a shocking discovery. Twelve-year-old Grace Millstein, portrayed on the book’s cover with red hair and pale skin, has grown accustomed to a privileged life built on her inventor mother’s successful medical technology company. But everything unravels when her mom is exposed as a liar and scammer. Ostracized by her friends and forced to leave her private school, Grace watches as nearly everything her family owns is confiscated to repay misappropriated funds. Worse, she realizes she’s never truly known her mother. While her mom lives elsewhere, Grace; her father; and her younger sister, Ladybug, move in with her grandmother. At her new public school, Grace reinvents herself as Summer Stone, determines to remain anonymous, and finds solace in her beloved guitar. With the help of new friends, she learns to stand up for herself and work through feelings of loss and betrayal. Layered storylines depict surprising revelations about blossoming connections alongside Grace’s journey from avoiding the spotlight to embracing the attention brought about by her pursuit of music stardom. Providing ample highs and lows for readers to dissect and savor, it’s a bittersweet tale about moving forward. Ages 10 and up. Agent: Andrea Cascardi, Transatlantic Agency. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 10/16/2026 | Details & Permalink

In this latest chilling horror novel from Alexander (Scare Bear), a lonely middle schooler bites off more than she can chew in her bid to investigate the cause behind the vampires plaguing her small town. Carly, described with freckled skin, has few friends, a lack that makes it difficult to cope with frequent bullying. When a family moves into the vacant house across the street, Carly uses binoculars to spy on them through their windows, hoping to gain some intel about her new neighbors. Though she rarely sees any adults, she learns that one of the newcomers is pale-skinned Ren, a kid her age. Hesitant to open up to a stranger yet excited about a chance to forge a connection, Carly befriends Ren and defends him from bullies at school. Meanwhile, the sudden disappearance of several local children—one of whom is found in a coma with puncture wounds on his neck—sets residents on edge. And when Carly starts having vivid dreams about the missing kids, as well as a frightening, mysterious creature, she must decide whether she trusts Ren enough to help her figure out what’s going on. Clipped prose relays high-adrenaline supernatural thrills and moving interpretations of friendship and agency. Prepare for a tense and exciting ride. Ages 9–12. Agent: Brent Taylor, July First Literary. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 10/16/2026 | Details & Permalink

An unlikely pair turned investigative task force star in this over-the-top chapter book series opener from Jones (the Princess Pink and the Land of Fake-Believe series). Solitary student Piper Corduroy doesn’t like to admit when she needs help. But with too many mysteries to solve on her own, she posts a job ad in the Nosedive Junior High bathrooms seeking an assistant investigator. Though she’s reluctant to bring on classmate Fred Sassafras—her first, and only, applicant—she recruits him on a trial basis, and their first joint gig begins when class clown Belly Buttons asks them to figure out who has been secretly stuffing muffins into his pockets. As pink-skinned Piper and chartreuse-skinned Fred, as they appear on the book’s cover, question a growing list of suspects, lighthearted mystery escalates when a hall monitor accuses Belly of the very crime he wants solved. In their effort to crack the case and clear their client’s name, the detective duo become embroiled in increasingly outrageous predicaments, culminating in a showdown involving a locker, a supersize stink bomb, and an unexpected culprit. Thinly lined grayscale artwork imbues the briskly paced, gleeful story with Phineas and Ferb energy. There are ample hijinks and laughs to be found in this frenzied caper. Ages 7–9. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 10/16/2026 | Details & Permalink

In Rose and Budgen’s appealing chapter book series launch, the creators expand on the adventures of adorable mythical dog Pugicorn, first introduced in their When You Adopt a... picture book series. Young Princess Ava, portrayed with brown skin, lives in a fantastical kingdom with her family and her pooch Pugicorn, “a short, snuffly pug with a magical horn and a rainbow tail.” When local pet store owner Mrs. Paws admits that her shop chores have been piling up, Pugicorn, Ava, and Ava’s brown-skinned friend Prince Finn offer to lighten the load. They pack up La La Llama food, clean the flying pigs’ pen, and, when pale-skinned Princess Layla arrives seeking the perfect companion, introduce the prospective pet owner to an array of enchanted creatures. Their search is derailed when a flying flutterbun escapes outdoors, prompting the group to devise a rescue plan. Simple, quick-moving text builds a magical world inhabited by scaly baby dragons, sleepy starsloths, and snow penguins, who leave flurries in their waddling wake. Digital illustrations rendered in jewel tones bring the characters’ sweet and glittering antics to life. Animal lovers and fans of mystical adventures will eat this one up. Publishing simultaneously: Pugicorn’s Sleepover Surprise. Ages 6–8. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 10/16/2026 | Details & Permalink

This madcap chapter book series from Hay (There’s a Sea Witch in My Swim Class) and Oliveira (Fern and Newt and the Lost Loot) gets off to a splashy start as a group of amateur elementary school detectives embark on their inaugural investigation into monster tomfoolery. On the first day of the new school year at Baffling Elementary, an overflowing bathroom has Principal Dangle on edge. While the principal believes that a plumbing problem might be the cause, friends and students Lucas, Mia, and Noah aren’t convinced. Following a trail of watery footprints to the library, the trio, portrayed with various skin tones, discover the real culprit: a cat-size, anthropomorphic blue sponge with a toothy grin and pointy claws, which they find devouring a book beneath a beanbag chair. Though the creature disappears in the chaos following its discovery, fresh footprints in the bathroom prove that the children’s mark is still at large, prompting Mia to rally the boys and set a trap. Grayscale illustrations with electric blue accents inject the protagonists’ amiable, low-conflict adventure with visual humor, while bouncy text emphasizes observation, persistence, and teamwork. It’s delightfully absurd. Publishing simultaneously: The Tentacled Terror. Ages 5–9. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 10/16/2026 | Details & Permalink

Rockliff (Gingerbread for Liberty!) regales readers with this winning investigation into the mystery behind a top 1938 news story: the solo flight of pilot Douglas Corrigan (1907–1995), who set out from New York for California and instead landed in Dublin. The book opens with scenes of the sensational welcome Corrigan received upon returning to the United States following the flight before detailing the circumstances of his July departure from Floyd Bennett Field. Largely chronological chapters next trace Corrigan’s life alongside the history of transatlantic aviation. Among the highlights is the subject’s work as a mechanic on Charles Lindbergh’s history-making aircraft, the Spirit of St. Louis. Throughout, absorbing text emphasizes the dangers of aviation’s golden age, recounting fatal accidents and close calls, including a frightening gasoline leak during Corrigan’s infamous flight: “Bad news: He’d lost more fuel. Really bad news: If he didn’t do something fast, his airplane might explode.” Whether the wrong-way flight was a genuine accident, a carefully conceived stunt, or an impulsive decision mattered little; “Everyone was in on the same joke” about a comical misadventure that helped Americans feel more united. The work embraces that ambiguity while delivering a lively portrait of a Depression-era folk hero and an improbable journey. Ages 10–14. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 10/09/2026 | Details & Permalink

Ntekim debuts with this anticipatory fantasy about a teen who becomes embroiled in a civil war between rival faerie factions. After her Black father’s death and her white mother’s subsequent abandonment, 17-year-old Trixie is taken in by her maternal grandfather, Pops, in South Carolina. Their family possesses the gift of second sight, allowing them to see faeries. Though Pops has a civil relationship with the fae royalty who live in the surrounding woods, he forbids Trixie from accompanying him on his frequent trips into the forest. When she one day returns home to find Pops dead, and several mysterious creatures standing over his body, she assumes the fae are responsible. Visited by a faerie named Lariel, Trixie learns that a war in the magical realm led to Pops’s death and that, as his descendant, she may be able to both help end the conflict and avenge him. With the fae violence threatening her own world, she agrees to help assassinate the insurrectionist queen. But her mission proves perilous, leaving Trixie uncertain whom she can trust. This dark tale is grounded by the protagonist’s bracing human friendships, as well as her burgeoning romance with Lariel. Strongly defined, immersive worldbuilding is a standout feature of this beguiling adventure. Ages 13 and up. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 10/09/2026 | Details & Permalink

The Last Warden creators Sperl and Tishler team up with debut illustrator Salucci to present a freewheeling graphic novel about intergalactic sisters reckoning with fame. In a far-flung future, the moon is home to Lunar Link Resort, a family-owned tourist attraction where visitors flock to see young Phoebe Dust, the first child born and raised there. Though Phoebe longs for an ordinary life, her mother’s entrepreneurial ambitions have made her a reluctant star. While fleeing from a performance, Phoebe stumbles upon a glowing egg that hatches to reveal Luna, a purple, misty extraterrestrial whom the family secretly adopts. As their mother struggles to keep Lunar Link afloat amid mounting debt, the sisters attempt to attract new visitors with a Phoebe Dust livestream. Their plan goes awry when an electrical malfunction reveals Luna and her alien abilities to the entire galaxy, accidentally overtaking a much larger broadcast of pop sensation Nova Starr. Rapid-fire dialogue and immersive worldbuilding relay the resulting chaos across kinetic artwork that teems with expressive characters, depicted with various skin tones. Inventive off-panel transitions convey movement and momentum, giving the story’s expanding stakes an appropriately cosmic scale. It’s an energetic celebration of sisterly devotion and self-discovery. Ages 7–12. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 10/09/2026 | Details & Permalink

In her quest to battle censorship, a teen finds herself navigating a high-stakes love triangle in this intense near-future dystopian romance from Blair (Unchosen). Born into an environmentally devastated, war-torn United States, 18-year-old Ripley Hart lives in Post Angeles, where education is administered through high-surveillance, AI-driven learning systems. Longing for escape, Ripley, accompanied by classmate Huxley Finn, frequently sneaks into her school’s server room, where she watches unedited “livestreams, photodumps, actual footage of real people” before authorities scrub, censor, and allow it into the students’ feeds. Ripley has long forgotten the book she posted online years ago about her feelings for the boy next door, so she’s shocked to learn that her writing has somehow gone viral. She’s subsequently taken into custody by Callum Graves, the U.S. president’s son—and the boy next door from her childhood. Coerced into a fake engagement with Callum, who claims to have secret plans to save the world, Ripley must contend with political intrigue and conspiracy. Introspective and suspenseful, the novel probes the ethics of protecting one’s values in a society where information is weaponized. It’s a pulse-pounding blend of shifting loyalties, competing resistance movements, and romance complicated by political power. Ages 13 and up. Agent: Daniel Vang, 3Arts Entertainment. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 10/09/2026 | Details & Permalink

Drawing on a true story, McCormick and Chen offer a straightforward portrait of a community’s coming-together. Pale-skinned Sam, who is deaf, loves her neighborhood, “likes walking on the curb... riding her bike, and reading,” and talks using her hands. But her attempts to get to know the neighbors, portrayed with various skin tones, end in confusion since “they didn’t speak the same language.” When the community members begin gathering weekly all winter, secretly learning ASL in a nearby home, Sam watches and wonders what’s happening—until spring, when she is delighted to see her neighbors signing with her: “One by one, Sam got to know her neighbors.... And one by one, the neighbors got to know one another.” Unlined illustrations with airbrush and colored pencil textures depict residents connecting via conversation and common interests including gardening and sports. This uplifting book suggests how communities can engage in intentional connection, growth, and learning. An author’s note and ASL index conclude. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 10/09/2026 | Details & Permalink