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In the News
 U.S. Faces ‘Expanded and Escalated’ Book Censorship, PEN America ReportsPEN America has released its annual report on the book banning crisis in K–12 public schools, naming the top five most banned titles and authors. PEN found that “the campaign to censor books is increasingly routine,” with Florida, Texas, and Tennessee leading the nation in instances of banning. more   Emma Ledbetter Joins Candlewick as Executive Editorial Director of Picture Books As part of a category-focused editorial structure at Candlewick Press, Emma Ledbetter has been appointed executive editorial director of picture books, a newly created role. Ledbetter is joining the company on October 6, and will report to Andrew Smith, senior VP and publisher of Candlewick Press, Holiday House, and Peachtree. Most recently she was editorial director of picture books at Abrams Books for Young Readers. more  Publishing Pros Band Together to Root Out Censorship Publishing Professionals Against Book Bans, a new resource-sharing community affiliated with Authors Against Book Bans and geared toward industry insiders, will host its first virtual town hall, “Book Bans and the Art of Protecting Authors,” on October 28. more  S&S Launches Romance Imprint for New AdultsScarlett Press, a collaboration between Simon & Schuster’s U.S. and U.K. divisions, will launch next spring with five crossover romance titles. SVP and publisher Justin Chanda will helm the U.S. side, with executive editors Sarah McCabe and Kate Prosswimmer to lead acquisitions. more In Conversation
 Marieke Nijkamp and Martha Mihalick Marieke Nijkamp is the author of middle grade titles Splinter & Ash and Ink Girls, as well as several books for young adults, including graphic novels. We asked Nijkamp and her editor at Greenwillow, Martha Mihalick, to discuss City of Secrets, book two in the Splinter & Ash fantasy trilogy, which follows a pair of misfits defending their kingdom against a conspiracy. more First Person
 Aimee Lucido on Facing Down the Blank Page Author Aimee Lucido reflects on the puzzling and painstaking process of writing her latest book, Words Apart, a middle grade novel featuring comics-style panels by Phillippa and Rachael Corcutt. "It seemed that for Words Apart, my words had parted. I was as empty as the blank page before me and as clueless as the crossword puzzle poems I also couldn’t write, So, I waited it out, and played hard to get." more   TV Alert
 'Charlotte’s Web'HBO Max has released a three-part animated adaptation of E.B. White’s classic children’s novel Charlotte’s Web, now available for streaming. Showrunner and executive producer Luke Matheny said he worked with the White estate on the project, receiving notes from White’s granddaughter Martha. “I really needed the blessing of the White family to feel like I had done my job,” he said. more On the Scene
 Uptown Kid Lit 2025 in PhotosLast month, authors, illustrators, young readers and their families gathered at New York City’s Inwood Hill Park for the fifth annual Uptown Kid Lit festival. The children’s book festival was organized by Word Up Community Bookshop/Librería Comunitaria and welcomed more than 700 attendees for a day of readings and discussions, workshops, games, and more. Click through for some photo highlights. more Q & A
 Trung Le NguyenTrung Le Nguyen, creator of the critically acclaimed comic The Magic Fish, returns with YA graphic novel romance Angelica and the Bear Prince. In a conversation with PW, Nguyen reflected on the importance of negative emotions and experiences, his growth as a storyteller, and breaking out of his comfort zone. Q: The relationship between Jelly, her mother, and her late grandmother is a central element of the book. Why did you focus on this dynamic? A: While I was working on The Magic Fish, I realized that I like focusing on intergenerational relationships. Not because of the intergenerationality itself, but because I have a very strong belief that readers of all stripes are capable of empathizing with people beyond their experience. I include characters from different generations in the same storyline simply because I believe in the compassion of my readers. I believe in their ability to care about them. more Out Next Week
 Hot Off the Press: Week of October 6 Among the books hitting shelves next week are a picture book about a group of busy friends, a YA thriller about a dangerous man infiltrating a friend group, a middle grade road trip novel, and more. more In Brief
 In Brief: October 2, 2025Recently a husband-wife duo spoke at an event, a debut author held a launch event, a school welcomed an author for a visit, an author held an event at a library, fans attended a launch event, and an author signed stock copies. more
Rights Report
 Bria Ragin at Delacorte Press has acquired, in an exclusive submission, The Duchess and the Blueberry Tea Cakes by married team Deya Muniz (l.) (The Princess & the Grilled Cheese Sandwich; Blades of Furry) and Emily Erdos (Blades of Furry). In this YA fairy tale romance graphic novel, Lady Brassica is ready for a marriage of convenience not only to unite the kingdoms of Fondue and Crucifer but to be free from her overbearing father—until she meets Lady Bleu and finds herself torn between the freedom she's always wanted and the adventurous girl she can't stop thinking about. Publication is set for summer 2028; Britt Siess at Britt Siess Creative Management sold world English rights.  Michelle Frey at Knopf has bought, at auction, North American rights to Kathryn Purdie's YA romantasy duology, The Lovely Invisible, pitched as The Bachelorette meets ancient Greece, as well as a reimagining of the Greek myth Cupid & Psyche. The story follows a bold young woman forced to marry one of three celebrated suitors to be granted power to rule her kingdom, but begins falling for someone mysterious and invisible. Publication will begin in spring 2027; Josh Adams at Adams Literary handled the two-book deal.  Alison Romig at Delacorte Press has acquired Marina Versus the Mermaids by Anna Meriano (Love Sugar Magic), in which a Texas middle schooler who has always hated the water learns on her 13th birthday that her family is part of a secret community of merfolk, and sets out to fight against their expectations that she transform into something that feels all wrong; plus a second standalone middle grade novel. Publication is scheduled for spring 2027 and spring 2028; Patricia Nelson at Looking Glass Literary & Media sold world English rights while at Marsal Lyon Literary.  Kat Brzozowski at Feiwel and Friends has bought, in a preempt, Strangeblood, a debut horror YA novel by alex terrell for fans of The Craft and Practical Magic. Set in a small town plagued with lore about the rumored witches who have lived there for centuries, Strangeblood follows a family of young Black women, imbued with powers, who will stop at nothing to find out what happened to their mother, who died under mysterious (and mystical) circumstances, even as they fight a mounting threat on their land. Publication is planned for 2027; Marin Takikawa at the Friedrich Agency sold North American rights.  Lydia Gregovic at Delacorte Press has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Lavender & Hemlock by Lili Wilkinson, a YA cozy portal fantasy in which a housemaid's seemingly simple life tending to an isolated seaside cottage is turned on its head when the arrival of a mysterious, wounded knight forces her to question the nature of her home—and how she got there—featuring a queer grumpy-sunshine romance and a darkly whimsical magical world. Publication is slated for fall 2026; Katelyn Detweiler at Jill Grinberg Literary Management did the deal for North American, open market rights.  Tamara Grasty at Page Street has bought All the Queens' Curses by Alyssa Hollingsworth, a YA fairy tale retelling in which a girl with a mysterious chronic illness is cursed to swap bodies with her royal stepsister. Together they travel to a neighboring kingdom to try to reverse the spell, and along the way meet a selfless prince under his own fairy curse. Publication is set for August 2026; Alexandra Devlin at Rights People on behalf of Amber Caraveo at Skylark Literary sold North American rights.  Kelsey Horton at Delacorte Press has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Capsized by Charlotte Lillie Balogh, about an elite all-girls rowing club as they navigate first loves, first heartbreaks, and the secrets lurking just beneath the surface. Publication is scheduled for fall 2026; Michael Bourret at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret brokered the deal for world rights.  Liesa Abrams and Emily Shapiro at Labyrinth Road have bought two titles in Nik Korpon (l.) and Jorge Enrique Paz's The Cat Prophecies series, their middle grade debut, in which Tito Rodríguez, a dorky, comic book-loving ñoño with Tourette's in Cali, Colombia, discovers that when cats are sleeping in our world, they're really training as warriors in a parallel dimension, and now the cats need his help to save both worlds from an army of specters that feed on negative emotions. Publication is planned for summer 2026; Stacia Decker at Dunow, Carlson & Lerner did the deal for world rights.  Alexa Pastor at Simon & Schuster has acquired Rachael Lippincott's The Half-Witch of Wildflower Lane, a cozy, witch-y story following the Hawthorne witches of Wildflower Lane. Youngest June has yet to discover her witchy abilities, but she's determined to find the right magic to cure her sick grandmother. Publication is slated for summer 2027; Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management negotiated the deal for world rights.  Bethany Vinhateiro at Clarion has bought world rights to Bump in the Night: Count Down to Halloween by Diane Landolf (l.), illustrated by Denis Zilber, a collection of 13 not-too-scary short stories including "Wrinkles," "Scare the Crow," and "The Vampire's Undoing." Each story is sealed with a sticker, to be opened one-per-day leading up to Halloween. Publication is scheduled for summer 2026; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Aevitas Creative Management represented the author, and the illustrator represented himself.  Joy Peskin at FSG has acquired, in an exclusive submission, The Jumble by New Yorker cartoonist Avi Steinberg (A Story No One Has Ever Heard Before). This humorous picture book, pitched as Blueberries for Sal in the city, is about what happens when a dogwalker leading a pack of frisky pups bumps into a teacher leading a group of energetic students, and a child and a dog accidentally swap places. Publication is set for fall 2026; Danielle Svetcov at Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency handled the deal for world rights.  Danielle Collins at S&S/Beach Lane Books has bought Forrest Burdett's author-illustrator picture book debut Sherman's Magic Pants, about an oblivious frog named Sherman who experiences a series of seemingly fortunate events and decides it must be because his new pants are magic. Publication is planned for fall 2027; Jennifer Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.  Alessandra Balzer at Macmillan/Balzer + Bray has acquired the first two books in a new picture book series from the bestselling duo of author Jonathan Stutzman (l.) and illustrator Heather Fox. Mr. Stinky is an ordinary, lazy, little Frenchie who leads a secret double (or triple, or quadruple) life as your fairy dogmother, an Unidentified Farting Object, and other smelly alter-egos when his hoo-mins aren't at home. Book one is slated to publish in fall 2027; Elena Giovinazzo at Heirloom Literary & Media brokered the deal for world English rights.  Sylvie Frank at Flamingo Books has bought Eddie the Yeti, a picture book by Alice Bradley (l.), illustrated by Jay Fleck. When Sam's new pet keeps growing bigger and bigger, he begins to suspect he may not be a dog—but will anyone else believe him? Publication is scheduled for spring 2028; Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the creators for world rights.  Rotem Moscovich at Knopf has acquired world rights to Rosie Floribunda and Best-Loved-Won't-Stop-Chicken-Gizzard Plant by Ruth Horowitz (l.), illustrated by Sarthak Sinha, a quirky picture book about a girl who learns about propagation from her neighbor and must figure out what to do when her collection of plants multiplies out of control. Publication is set for spring 2028; Linda Epstein at Emerald City Literary Agency represented the author, and Aliza R. Hoover at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.  Luana Kay Horry at HarperCollins/Versify has bought world English rights to Sky Touchin', a picture book about a Black boy with soaring ambitions to become a pilot, by Van G. Garrett (l.) (Kicks), illustrated by Lorraine Nam (I'm So Glad You're Here). Publication is planned for winter 2028; Emily Mitchell at Wernick & Pratt represented the author, and Alexandra Levick at Writers House represented the illustrator.  Kaylan Adair at Candlewick has acquired world rights to Jodie Doesn't Love Dogs by Stephanie Seales (l.) (My Daddy Is a Cowboy), illustrated by Raissa Figueroa, a picture book about a girl who doesn't love dogs but may have a change of heart with the help of her dog-loving best friend's pup. Publication is slated for spring 2027; Reiko Davis at DeFiore and Company represented the author, and Natascha Morris at Tobias Literary Agency represented the illustrator.  Rebecca Glaser at Amicus Ink has bought world rights to A River of Wind, a journey across the sky with geese, spiderlings, dandelion fluff, butterflies and other travelers that ride the river of wind to new places, by Ginny Neil (The Glorious Forest That Fire Built). Publication is scheduled for fall 2026; Lisa Amstutz at Storm Literary Agency negotiated the deal. IN THE MEDIA
FEATURED REVIEWS
 BoredFelicita Sala. Holiday House/Porter, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-8234-6114-1 Sprawled across a pile of pillows, dark hair fanned like a languid pre-Raphaelite heroine’s, pale-skinned Rita envisions that she and all the world’s bored people are invited to board a bus that will take them to “a non-boring place just for bored people.” After yawning through much of the journey, the passengers inflate, spill out of the vehicle, and float through the air to Bored Island. Sala’s relaxed, expressive mark-making in earthy, textured watercolor and gouache is spot-on for a story about being at loose ends—one that might just convince readers to hang in there when boredom hits. more  Down Came the SpidersAlly Russell. Scholastic, $8.99 paper (224p) ISBN 978-1-5461-2925-7 Twelve-year-old Andi, a shy Black girl who finds spiders more fascinating than people, attends popular classmate Clementine’s Halloween bash. At the party, Andi make her way to Clementine’s father’s office, which contains Specimen 17, a mysterious red-eyed, basketball-size spider in a terrarium, who exerts a hypnotic pull on Andi. After the creature escapes containment, adults suddenly vanish and hordes of spiders descend on the house. Now Andi must rally her peers to confront the swarm. more  The Spectacular Space LoopJavi de Castro. Flying Eye, $12.99 paper (64p) ISBN 978-1-83874-355-0 Opening pages introduce human astronaut Cosmo, who is preparing to test-pilot a jet pack made by him and his team of sentient robots. A disastrous launch sends Cosmo careening into open space, where he floats headfirst into adventure upon boarding the spaceship of a suspiciously helpful intergalactic explorer bot; crash-landing on an alien planet that’s home to insect-like creatures; and encountering unruly, levita | ||
