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Spotlight on Middle Grade
 A New (Shorter) Chapter for Middle Grade In recent years, educational surveys, sales data, and anecdotal evidence from teachers and librarians have all pointed to the same discouraging fact: that the share of kids ages nine and up reading for pleasure is at a record low. Now, publishers are hoping to hook new readers with lower page counts and more visual formats. more   ‘A Little Something Else’: PW Talks with Kerry Hansen After more than two decades of working with young people as a high school and college English teacher, the debut middle grade author is now an independent bookseller at Books & Company in Oconomowoc, Wis. We spoke with Hansen about her novel Polterghost (Charlesbridge Moves, Jan. 2027), and the enduring appeal of spooky tales for tweens. more   In the News
 Hot Activity Book Sector Offers Screen-Free FunCozy coloring books, licensed titles, and early learning workbooks are driving growth in the children’s market as screen fatigue afflicts readers of all ages. more  Highlights, in Growth Mode, Marks 80 Years of History As Highlights for Children turns 80, the company’s 11-year-old Highlights Press imprint is celebrating with sales growth that is significantly outpacing not only the children’s book market as a whole but also the red-hot activity book category, its core area of expertise. more  ALSC, YALSA Unify for Youth Library Services Two American Library Association divisions for young people, ALSC and YALSA, will move forward under one banner as the Association for Library Service to Children. “This reunification gives us an opportunity to build something together that reflects the full spectrum of work our members do to serve children and teens,” ALSC president Ariana Hussain said. more World Kid Lit Month
 World Kid Lit Month Turns 10 This September, the campaign is marking its 10th anniversary with a special theme, expanded programming, and a push for greater awareness of translated books for young readers. We spoke with the team behind the initiative about how they're continuing to promote diversity and inclusion through global literature. Keep an eye out for more stories celebrating kids' books in translation all month long! more  First Person
 K. Ancrum on Retellings, Reimaginings, and MoreThe Lambda Award–winning YA author delivers her first historical novel, Adam, Mine. (HarperCollins, Sept.)—described as an ode to Frankenstein for older teens. Here, Ancrum reflects on why she’s calling this book a love letter. more  Leanne Currie-McGhee on Empowering Teens to Make Their Own Social Media ChoicesLeanne Currie-McGhee has spent the last two decades writing nonfiction for teens highlighting troubles for young people ranging from mental health and relationships to careers and technology. Here, she discusses how watching her own daughters grapple with their relationship to technology as they grew up led to her latest project. more Four Questions
 Always Dreaming Big: PW Talks with Shannon Hale The author's busy fall includes the release of two new books, both out this month: Dream Big (Roaring Brook), the follow-up to her middle grade graphic novel Dream On, illustrated by Marcela Cespedes; and Christmas in Austenland (Bloomsbury), the third book in her adult series that began in 2007 with Austenland, which was made into a movie starring Keri Russell. more  Down the Rabbit Hole: PW Talks with Dashka Slater The Stonewall Book Award–winning author of picture books and YA makes her middle grade nonfiction debut with The Wild Season (Little, Brown, Sept.), the true story of a rabbit rescue in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. We spoke with Slater about what drew her to the story, and the power of community action. more
Rights Report
 Britt Rubiano at Random House/Marvel has acquired MJ Loves Spider-Man by Emma Lord, a YA rom-com in which 17-year-old Mary Jane must help her best friend and longtime crush Peter Parker save the day when he suddenly forgets he's Spider-Man. Publication is slated for summer 2027; Lucienne Diver at the Knight Agency sold world rights.  Emily Feinberg at Fifth Color Press has bought world rights to Rescue Squad One: Firefighters in Action by Stephen Savage (Wide Load on the Road). The preschool picture book explores life at a city firehouse as firefighters prepare for duty, until a call comes in and they're off on a rescue. Publication is scheduled for spring 2028; Brenda Bowen at the Book Group negotiated the deal.  Deeba Zargarpur at Simon & Schuster has acquired Dear June, I'm Mad at You by This Is Not My Home author-illustrator duo Vivienne Chang (l.) and Eugenia Yoh, a story-in-letters about a girl who is determined to show just how much fun she's having by herself after her best friend moves across the world. Publication is planned for summer 2027; Ellen Goff at HG Literary did the two-book deal for world rights.  Mary Colgan at Chronicle Books has bought world rights to Toad in the Road by Linda Ashman (l.), illustrated by Shih-Yu Linh, a rhyming picture book about a stubborn toad blocking a busy road, inspired by real-life wildlife crossings. Publication is set for March 2029; Jennifer Mattson while at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Susan Penny at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator.  Luana Kay Horry at HarperCollins has acquired world rights (except Canada) to A Teacher’s Love by Gary R. Gray Jr. (l.) (I'm From; Spendin' Time), illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Hanna Cha (The Truth About Dragons), a picture book that celebrates the essential role that teachers play in shaping lives. Publication is slated for winter 2029; Steven Malk at Writers House represented the author, and Wendi Gu at HG Literary represented the illustrator.  Barb McNally at Sleeping Bear Press has bought world rights to The Merry Maple by Britt Crow-Miller (l.), illustrated by Nicole Wong, a nonfiction picture book about a special tree that brought light to a community for 150 years. Publication is scheduled for spring 2028; Sally M. Kim at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and James McGowan at BookEnds Literary Agency represented the illustrator.  Anna Luketic at Sourcebooks eXplore has acquired world rights to Horses Are (Beyond) Weird by Tracy Gold (l.), illustrated by Letizia Rizzo, containing more than 50 surprising and strange facts about equine biology and behavior. Publication is planned for summer 2028; Elizabeth Rudnick at Gillian MacKenzie Agency represented the author, and Tina Doffing at Astound US represented the illustrator.  Carolyn Yoder at Astra/Calkins Creek has bought world rights to I Am Gullah Geechee by Tunisia Williams (l.), illustrated by Erin K. Robinson, a nonfiction picture book about the history of Africans' forced journeys to America and the resilience and faith that birthed a new tribe: Gullah Geechee. Publication is set for spring 2028; Chelsea Hensley at Mad Woman Literary represented the author, and Elisa Leung at Marlena Agency represented the illustrator.  Elizabeth Patterson at Beaming Books has acquired world rights to Snug as a Mosquito in a Burrito by Mikki DeFever (l.), illustrated by Nicci Martin, a picture book about a boy who uses a special technique to soothe his energy long enough to calm down his body so he can get back to making art. Publication is slated for spring 2028; Katie Erickson at the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency represented the author, and Christina Doffing at Astound US represented the illustrator.  Alyssa Mito Pusey at Charlesbridge has bought world rights to the picture book Little Capy: A Day in the Life of a Young Capybara by Janet Lawler (l.), and Cathleen Schaad has acquired world rights for illustration by Carolina Coroa. The rhyming story follows a young capybara as she goes about her day—eating, socializing, playing, and escaping danger—before settling down for the night. Publication is scheduled for fall 2027; Anne Moore Armstrong at the Bright Agency represented the author, and Christie Megill at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.  Emilie Robert Wong at Phaidon Kids has acquired, at auction, world English and world Italian rights to Giovanni Colaneri's Croco Says No, Croco First, and Croco Is Crying. In this board book series originally published in France, little Croco learns how to navigate the big feelings that come with being a toddler. Publication for the first two books is planned for summer 2027, with the third to follow in fall 2027; Ella Bartlett at French publisher Les Arènes negotiated the deal. IN THE MEDIA
FEATURED REVIEWS
  WeChristelle Dabos, trans. from the French by Hildegarde Serle. Europa, $22 (480p) ISBN 979-8-88966-204-4 Individuals serve the We using their Instincts—knacks such as singing or repairing that they are involuntarily compelled to perform when the opportunity arises. Those who use their Instinct to save 11 or more lives before turning 18 are lauded as saints and live luxuriantly. Though young Goliath has lost limbs compulsively protecting others, he’s only prevented 10 deaths and will soon come of age. Enter Claire, a teen whose Instinct makes her listen when spoken to. Claire is determined to solve eight related disappearances that authorities won’t investigate, and she’d prefer a worthy figurehead like Goliath take the credit. Their universally beneficial partnership should please the We; as the duo discovers, however, there are certain questions the We doesn’t want answered. more  Fire in Your BellyRebecca LaFond, illus. by Aly McKnight. Chronicle, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-7972-2678-1 As the unnamed child narrator and their grandmother move through their days, Kookum offers tales as time allows, explaining that “when/ we rose from the ground,/ little pieces of the sky/ lived warm in our bellies.” When Kookum says, “it’s okay to/ let the embers burn in my belly,” the child learns that the fire “is what makes us strong and gives us courage to climb things that/ seem unclimbable.” It’s a vibrant intergenerational tale about the cultural importance of storytelling and learning how to navigate emotional complexity with intent and support. more  Have You Ever Heard a Horse Sing?Pauline Barzilaï, trans. from the French by Lindsay Turner. Transit, $20.95 (42p) ISBN 979-8-89338-088-0 Variations on the title question unfold with increasing absurdity in Barzilaï’s fervent English-language debut. A narrator presents themself as excessively attentive, as onomatopoeia-filled pages recount their experiences encountering varied impossible sounds, including “a frog whistle” (“TWEE FEE FEE”) and “an ant fart” (“WOOT WOOT DING”). After each prompt, musing prose underscores how unlikely it is to catch the noise in question. Fluidly rendered paintings amplify the jollity at the center of this provocative work. more  The Necklace of Seven SoulsHooda Shawa, trans. from the Arabic by Sawad Hussain and Nour Jaljuli, illus. by Nada Esmaeel. Yonder, $18 (176p) ISBN 978-1-63206-407-3 After fleeing the conflict in Syria with her parents, Farida Ma’rouf feels fortunate to work as a painter for Latin Quarter gallery owner Monsieur Joaquim Botta, but is less comfortable with Joaquim’s cold, demanding fellow dealer, Monsieur René, who sees her as a potential “golden goose.” During a visit to the Louvre, Farida meets Palestinian teen Mazen Salloum who has come to Paris searching for a 1940s portrait of his grandmother. As Farida attempts to extricate herself from René’s art-forgery schemes, in which she has unwittingly become entangled, she and Mazen uncover more about Laila, the painting, and the ways their families’ histories are intertwined. more  And Then We Saw the Bag...: Trash to Them, Treasure to UsEmma AdBåge, trans. from the Swedish by Melissa Bowers. Arctis, $18 (32p) ISBN 978-1-64690-054-1 After two youths return home to discover the house has been cleaned, their parents try to downplay the extent of the changes. The suspicious children soon spy a big black garbage bag; dragging it upstairs and dumping out its contents, the protagonists undertake an intensive recovery operation, exclaiming with dismay about the many treasures their caregivers have tossed. The undoing continues, revealing surprises for Mom and Dad, too, until even a use for the now empty bag is found. Readers will easily see themselves in this laugh-out-loud tale. more |
September 1, 2026
 
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People For a look at all of August's job moves, including new hires and promotions, click here. In the Winners' Circle  The 2026 Hugo Awards took place on August 30 at the Anaheim Convention Center, the closing event for the World Science Fiction Convention. The Hugo Awards, founded in 1953, highlight works of excellence in the field of science fiction and fantasy. The Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book went to Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C.B. Lee (Feiwel and Friends). For more information about the Hugo Awards, click here. On Sale Calendar  Readers will give fall a warm welcome for its plentiful offerings of exciting new titles. For the youngest readers there’s The Duck Can’t Sleep by E.B. White, illus. by Melissa Sweet; Gruffalo Granny by Julia Donaldson, illus. by Axel Scheffler; and Dragon Dog by Suzanne Lang, illus. by Max Lang. Middle grade books on the docket include The Neverfear by Katherine Rundell, illus. by Ashley Mackenzie; Wish You Well by Jamie Sumner; and The Continuation of Summer Dillon by Sarah Everett. Graphic novels include Absent by Rex Ogle; Besties: Crush It! by Kayla Miller and Jeffrey Canino, illus. by Sarah K. Turner; and Mexikid Dreams by Pedro Martín. And it’s a particularly exciting time to be a YA reader! Look out for Anger Is Only a Shadow by Elizabeth Acevedo, Cemetery Boys: Espiritu by Aiden Thomas , Empire by Sabaa Tahir, Hawk & Sparrow by Ayana Gray, Trust Fall by Lynn Painter, The Siren by Tomi Adeyemi, When the World Was Happy by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, and The Velvet Knife by Maureen Johnson. For more books releasing this September, check out PW's On-Sale Calendar here. Bestsellers  Children’s Frontlist Fiction#1 Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins. Click here  Picture Books#1 The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Click here Follow Us | ||
