Jordan Ifueko’s World-Building Is Strong in The Genie Game
Jordan Ifueko’s new middle‑grade novel *The Genie Game* debuted on April 21, 2026, priced at $19.99. The story follows 13‑year‑old Valentine Adesanya, who is forced into a corporate‑run magical competition where genies must grant wishes without magic. Set in a future United States ruled by the Trio Trust megacorporations, the book blends realistic themes with fantastical world‑building. It ends on a cliffhanger, positioning the title as the first installment of a planned series.
We the People Is All the People Celebrates Diversity
Hardcover picture book "We the People Is All the People" launched April 28, 2026, priced at $19.99, aimed at children ages 4‑8. Written by Howard W. Reeves and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh, the book interprets the Constitution’s preamble to celebrate...
Unbreakable Tells Story of Japanese American Incarceration During WWII
Unbreakable, released April 7 2026 by Harry N. Abrams, is a picture‑book memoir that follows Min, a Japanese‑American boy whose father is seized by the FBI after Pearl Harbor and whose family is later relocated to an internment camp in Colorado. The narrative draws...
Once Upon a Tail: A Horse and Dragon Graphic Novel Perfect for Emerging Readers
Harry N. Abrams released "Once Upon a Tail: A Horse and Dragon Graphic Novel" on April 21, 2026, priced at $14.99 and aimed at ages 5‑9. The hardcover debut is the first entry in a new early‑reader graphic novel series...
Penelope Positano Sees It All Is Fun Chapter Book
Penelope Positano Sees It All, released April 14, 2026 by Harry N. Abrams, is the debut chapter‑book in a new series by Katie Cotugno and illustrator Amy Jindra Hodgson. The story follows seven‑year‑old Penelope, who wears an eye patch to...
Jessica M. Felleman’s Last Kiss of Summer Is Emotional Romance
Jessica M. Felleman’s new YA romance *Last Kiss of Summer* hit shelves on April 28, 2026 as a $12.99 paperback from G.P. Putnam’s Sons. The story follows Sera Watkins, whose infant heart was donated to her neighbor Luke, creating a...
Julie Koon’s Breathe a Rainbow Introduces Mindfulness
Julie Koon’s new board book *Breathe a Rainbow* launches on April 28, 2026, priced at $14.99 for children ages 2‑4. The oversized, die‑cut volume pairs bright illustrations with textured strips that kids trace while practicing guided breathing exercises. Each spread...
Rebecca E.F. Barone’s Double Crossed Excellent Nonfiction Narrative of WWII Spies
Rebecca E.F. Barone’s new hardcover, "Double Crossed: The WWII Spies Who Saved D-Day," hit shelves on April 28, 2026. The 220‑page narrative nonfiction chronicles Operation Bodyguard, the Allied deception that misled Nazi forces ahead of the Normandy invasion. Barone blends...
Get to Know Nancy Drew with Picture Book Adaptation of Secret of the Old Clock
Gibbs Smith released a new picture‑book adaptation of Nancy Drew’s debut mystery, “The Secret of the Old Clock,” authored by Marci Kay Monson with illustrations by Ryan Wheatcroft. Priced at $18.99, the hardcover targets ages 4‑8 and blends a simplified...
Philip Stead’s A Potion, A Powder, a Little Bit of Magic Is Irreverent Gem
Philip C. Stead’s new middle‑grade novel, *A Potion, A Powder, a Little Bit of Magic*, hit shelves on April 7, 2026 as an $18.99 hardcover. Set in a kingdom where a castle rests on twenty‑four goats, the story follows Bernadette as she...
Deva Fagan’s The Delta Codex Is Excellent Upper MG Sci-Fi
Deva Fagan’s middle‑grade novel *The Delta Codex* (Atheneum, April 2026, $17.99) follows Delta, a young “codex” tasked with silencing a dangerous ancient echo. When she breaks the vow of silence to rescue a girl, Delta’s journey into a hostile wasteland forces...
Matthew Swanson & Robbi Behr’s Life on the Moon Is Cheeky MG Sci-Fi
Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr’s middle‑grade novel *Life on the Moon* debuted on April 14, 2026 as a $17.99 hardcover aimed at readers ages 8‑12. The story follows 12‑year‑old Leo, who joins the first Moon colony only to discover a hidden ecosystem and...
Discover Interconnectedness of Nature in The Animals Speak: The Lakota Way
The Animals Speak: The Lakota Way, a new hardcover from Abrams, launches on March 17, 2026, priced at $19.99 for ages 4‑8. Written by S.D. Nelson and Dakota Goodhouse, the picture book pairs simple bilingual text with vibrant acrylic illustrations...
Dear America Series Transports Readers to Valley Forge, Mayflower
Scholastic Press has issued deluxe paperback editions of two Dear America titles—*The Winter of Red Snow* and *A Journey to the New World*—on April 7, 2026. Both books, written by Kristiana Gregory and Kathryn Lasky, are presented in diary form...
Discover the Natural World in Wildspeak
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky released *Wildspeak* on April 14, 2026, a hardcover picture book priced at $18.99 for ages 4‑9. Written by Sangma Francis and Lexi Vangsnes, the title blends invented nature‑inspired words with real wildlife to spark curiosity. Vibrant, textured illustrations...
We Are Never Getting Together Is Fun Contemporary YA Rom-Com
Janette Rallison’s new YA novel *We Are Never Getting Together* hit shelves on April 7, 2026, priced at $19.99. The story follows feuding high‑schoolers Madeline and Cooper who stage a fake romance to keep their single parents apart, only to discover genuine...
Shannon Hale’s Fantastic Princess Academy Is Now a Graphic Novel
Shannon Hale’s Newbery‑Honor book *Princess Academy* has been reissued as a graphic novel, illustrated by Victoria Ying and published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books on April 7, 2026. The hardcover retails for $24.99 and the paperback for $16.99, targeting readers aged...
Jess Lourey’s The Verdant Cage Is Atmospheric Upper YA
Jess Lourey’s new upper‑YA novel *The Verdant Cage* (hardcover $22.99, April 7 2026) delivers a gothic‑tinged dystopia set in Noah’s Valley, a walled community where a teenage apothecary, Rose Allgood, investigates her mother’s murder. The review praises Lourey’s atmospheric world‑building, a tightly...
Marie Benedict’s Daughter of Egypt Explores Story of Hatshepsut
Marie Benedict’s new historical novel *Daughter of Egypt* hit shelves on March 24, 2026. The book intertwines the 1920s Tutankhamun excavation, led by Lady Evelyn Herbert, with the ancient reign of Pharaoh Hatshepsut. Benedict uses dual timelines to spotlight two...
Kobi Yamada’s Others: A Story of All of Us Is Thoughtful Picture Book
Kobi Yamada and illustrator Charles Santoso released *Others: A Story for All of Us* on March 31, 2026, a hardcover picture book priced at $18.99 for ages four to eight. The story follows two children questioning the differences between themselves...
Deborah Freedman’s Flowers for Mama Is Tender Picture Book
Deborah Freedman’s new picture book "Flowers for Mama" launches on March 31, 2026 through Viking Books for Young Readers. The hardcover, priced at $18.99, follows four kittens as they craft artistic gifts for their mother, blending drawing, stitching, and singing....
Caryl Lewis’s The Danger of Small Things Is Enthralling Dystopian YA
The Danger of Small Things, a new YA dystopian novel by Caryl Lewis, was released on March 24, 2026 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers. Set in a world where the death of the last honeybee has triggered famine, war,...
Diane Zahler’s Queen’s Granddaughter Is Compelling Historical Fiction
Diane Zahler’s new middle‑grade novel, *The Queen’s Granddaughter*, arrived in hardcover on March 24 2026 from Roaring Brook Press at $18.99. The story follows twelve‑year‑old Blanca of Castile, Eleanor of Aquitaine’s granddaughter, as she treks across the Pyrenees to marry the French...
The Mastermind’s Trap Is OK Last Chance Academy Sequel
Debbi Michiko Florence’s new middle‑grade novel *The Mastermind’s Trap* (Hardcover, $17.99) continues the Last Chance Academy saga, following Meg Mizuno as she tackles a solo scavenger hunt to save her boarding school. After a prize‑winning trip to California, Meg returns...
Mini Review: Where Are You Baby? Is Sweet Board Book
Elena Selena’s new board book *Where Are You, Baby?* launched on February 24, 2026, priced at $14.99 for ages 0‑3. The lift‑the‑flap picture book features bright animal illustrations and a hide‑and‑seek narrative that encourages parent‑child interaction. Published by Twirl, the...
Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria Is Delightful Lower MG
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers released *Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria* on March 17, 2026, a lower‑middle‑grade fantasy aimed at ages 7‑10. Written by L. M. Wilkinson and illustrated by Lavanya Naidu, the 190‑page hardcover retails for $13.99....
Goldfinches Is Beautiful Celebration of Poetry, Nature
Viking Books for Young Readers has released *Goldfinches*, a new hardcover picture book that pairs Pulitzer‑winning poet Mary Oliver’s verse with Caldecott‑honored illustrator Melissa Sweet. Priced at $18.99, the volume adapts Oliver’s poem for children ages 4‑8, using mixed‑media artwork...
The Case of Old MacDonald and His Farm Is Just Plain Fun
Mark Teague’s newest picture book, The Case of Old MacDonald and His Farm, hit shelves on March 24, 2026 as a $19.99 hardcover aimed at children ages four to eight. The story follows a light‑hearted farm mystery set on April 1,...
Beatrice and the Nightingale Tells True Story of Groundbreaking Cellist
"Beatrice and the Nightingale" is a new hardcover biography by Patricia Newman and illustrator Isabelle Follath that chronicles the life of British cellist Beatrice Harrison. It details her prodigious start, a landmark 1924 BBC garden broadcast where she duetted with...
Galaxy Mapper Tells Story of Astrophysicist Hélène Courtois
Galaxy Mapper: The Luminous Discoveries of Astrophysicist Hélène Courtois, a hardcover picture book released on Nov. 12, 2025, retails for $18.99 and targets readers aged 5‑9. Written by Allie Summers and illustrated by Sian James, it chronicles Courtois’s journey from...
Roohi and Nate Are Not on the Same Page Has Broad Appeal
Supriya Kelkar and Jarrett Lerner released "Roohi and Nate Are Not on the Same Page," a 300‑page hardcover for ages 8‑12 priced at $16.99. The novel follows two contrasting students who bond through a lunchtime library reading club and rally...
Dragon Girl and the Awakened Flames Full of Humor, Adventure
Sourcebooks Young Readers has released "Dragon Girl and the Awakened Flames," a middle‑grade fantasy debut by Jenny Moore, priced at $16.99. The novel follows orphan Emba, who discovers she was hatched from a dragon egg and that her dragon blood...
Susie Nadler’s Lies We Tell About the Stars Is a Library Read
Susie Nadler’s new YA novel *Lies We Tell About the Stars* hits shelves on March 3, 2026, priced at $19.99. The story follows Celeste, a teenager navigating the aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake while chasing clues about her missing best friend and...
Stacey Lee’s Heiress of Nowhere Is Page-Turning YA Mystery
Stacey Lee’s *Heiress of Nowhere* is a gothic YA mystery set on 1918 Orcas Island, where orphan Lucy Nowhere inherits a shipbuilder’s estate and must solve his murder before becoming the next victim. The novel blends atmospheric Pacific Northwest scenery...
Julia Alexandra’s Midnight at the Celestial Is Immersive YA Fantasy
Julia Alexandra's debut YA fantasy "Midnight on the Celestial" arrives from Wednesday Books as a hardcover priced at $21. The novel follows Roe Damarcus, a gifted spirit‑summoner who, after failing a magical trial, is sentenced to work as a concierge...
Jamie Sumner’s Glory Be Is Thoughtful Contemporary MG
Jamie Sumner’s *Glory Be* (Atheneum, March 2026) is a middle‑grade verse novel about a New Orleans girl searching for her missing dog while uncovering family secrets. The story unfolds over a few days, blending themes of unconditional love, fractured parental relationships, and...
Planting Hope Celebrates Power of Optimism
Frederick Joseph and Paul Kellam’s new picture book *Planting Hope* (Candlewick, March 2026) tells the story of Henry, a young boy who discovers that hope can nurture both plants and a sick mother. The narrative pairs gardening metaphors with emotional...
Levy Rozman’s Chess for Babies Is Darling Board Book
Levy Rozman, the International Master and popular chess streamer, has authored a new board book titled "Chess for Babies," released March 3 2026 by Ten Speed Young Readers. Priced at $8.99, the book targets children ages one to five and introduces basic...
The PAWS Girls Face Competition in The Trouble with Leo
G.P. Putnam’s Sons released the fifth PAWS graphic novel, *The Trouble with Leo*, on March 3 2026. The story pits the PAWS girls against a rival dog‑walking startup, SCAMPS, sparking a turf war that explores bullying, friendship, and entrepreneurial grit. Aimed at...
The True Ugly Duckling Is Stunning Biography of Hans Christian Andersen
The True Ugly Duckling: How Hans Christian Andersen Became a Swan, released March 3, 2026, is a picture‑book biography that frames Andersen through a neurodiversity lens. Sandra Nickel’s warm text draws on her own neurodivergent experience, while Calvin Nicholls provides...
Billy Ray’s Burn the Water Is Strong Dystopian Romance
‘Burn the Water,’ a new YA novel by Billy Ray, imagines London submerged in 2425, where two rival Houses—the Crowns and the Rogues—have waged war for centuries. The story follows Rafe, a Rogue captain, and Jule, a Crown soldier, who...
Meet Me Under the Lights Is Fast-Moving YA Romance
Meet Me Under the Lights, a new YA novel by Cassie Miller, launches March 3, 2026 from Viking Books for Young Readers. Set in a North Carolina farm town, the story pits baseball‑royalty Eliza Crowley against rival pitcher Reed Fulton...
Joanna Barker’s A Love Most Daring Is Strong Regency Mystery
Joanna Barker’s third Bow Street novel, A Love Most Daring, launches March 3, 2026 as a paperback in Shadow Mountain’s Proper Romance line. The Regency‑set story follows Beatrice Lacey, a scandal‑tainted society miss, who teams with Bow Street officer Alexander...
Jasmine Warga’s Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan Is Moving Tale of Friendship
Jasmine Warga’s new hardcover, The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan, released March 3, 2026 by Balzer + Bray, follows a rescue dog and an orphaned cheetah cub as they help each other overcome trauma and perform in a zoo...
Kristin Dwyer’s In Time with You Is Time Slip YA Romance
Kristin Dwyer’s new YA novel In Time with You follows Nieve Monroe, who after her boyfriend Carter dies, is thrust back a year to prevent the tragedy, only to find herself drawn to his best friend Max. The story blends...
Jennifer A. Nielsen’s Magnitude Is Thrilling Historical Fiction
Jennifer A. Nielsen’s new middle‑grade novel *Magnitude* dramatizes the 1906 San Francisco earthquake through the eyes of Cora, an 11‑year‑old searching for her family. The hardcover, released March 3, 2026 by Scholastic Press, delivers fast‑paced action, mystery, and vivid descriptions...
Copland: A Story About America Is Excellent Biography of Composer
Veronica Mang’s new picture book, *Copland: A Story About America*, published Feb. 24, 2026 by Viking Books for Young Readers, offers a concise biography of composer Aaron Copland for children ages 4‑8. The hardcover volume, priced at $18.99, blends conversational text with vibrant illustrations...
Mary Morland in the Time of Dinosaur Discovery Is Delightful
Mary Morland in the Time of Dinosaur Discovery, released by Beach Lane Books on Feb. 24 2026, is a children’s biography that chronicles the life of Mary Morland, a 19th‑century fossil hunter who partnered with William Buckland to introduce Megalosaurus. Written by...
Leo’s Lobo Is Colorful Look at Raising a Pet
Leo’s Lobo, a new picture book by Melissa Cristina Márquez and Maria Gabriela Gama, follows a boy who adopts a magical alebrije and discovers the hard work of pet care. Published by Penguin Workshop on Feb. 10, 2026, the hardcover retails for...
Just in Case Tells Fascinating True Story of Svalbard Seed Vault
The new picture book *Just in Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault* by Megan Clendenan and illustrator Brittany Cicchese celebrates the vault’s 18th anniversary. It explains how the Arctic facility stores nearly one million seed samples as a safety...