I Ship

Engines ahead! Come aboard a container ship and voyage across oceans to deliver goods to people who need them. Highly engaging text and delightfully detailed illustrations will appeal to a wide range of readers!

“This is bliss for any child who loves boats, for units on global transportation, or for anyone who has ever asked how this all works.” — School Library Journal

Sasquatch and Squirrel

Strawberry the Sasquatch is happy on her own—or so she thinks until an extremely enthusiastic squirrel named Nutty shows up. After a series of hilarious mishaps, they find a way to be friends.

“Plainly the beginning of a beautiful, if ouchy, friendship.” — Kirkus Reviews

Piece by Piece

During the Great Depression, Ernestine Guerrero’s family didn’t have much. This is the true story of a resourceful Mexican American teen who made a remarkable gift to thank President Roosevelt for the food aid that helped them survive!

“Sensitive, soft-hued illustrations complement the engaging text, which outlines the arduous step-by-step tasks involved in transforming dirty, thrown-away crates into a work of art.” — Booklist

My Brain Is Magic

Is your brain magic? Does it turn into a bee or a lion? This sensory-seeking celebration shines a light on neurodiversity and sensory processing in an action-packed way for all children to enjoy.

“Peaches and pinks infuse Ladi’s domestic scenes with a warmth that lasts until cool colors arrive with the onset of a ‘big sleepy whale’ slumber—a soothing end to the lively pages that precede.” — Publishers Weekly

The First Invasion

From the Power Button Series

Truly’s parents are arguing all the time. Kaz isn’t the best at making friends. And Maximo Skulldigg gets bullied by his older brother—plus, he has to conquer Kaz and Truly’s home planet of Earth!

Strikers

Flint, Michigan. 1986. Evan just wants to win a game. Bobby would rather fight than win. Hockey—and life—keep handing them losses, but together, they’ll find their reasons to keep taking the ice.

“As the team bonds on and off the ice . . . they find support and stability in their relationships with one another while striving to get that elusive W.” — Publishers Weekly

Strange Alliances

From the Seekers of the Aweto Series

Xinyue, guardian to a baby deity, has escaped death, waking in a strange land. Qiliu, his estranged brother, has been captured by enemies. Both young men will have to choose allies carefully as powerful forces emerge.

“Nie Jun’s striking gray washes and warm watercolors add to the story’s serious and humorous beats; but more so, they once again invite readers to delve into a unique, dreamy fantasy world ripe with redemption arcs and its own mythology.” — Booklist

The Search for the Slimy Stone

From the Felix and Calcite Series

Felix and Calcite are on a journey to a muddy swamp in the faraway Land of the Ogres. Their mission: find the Slimy Stone, the only thing that can save the Master Troll from illness!

Ruth First Never Backed Down

Ruth First was born in South Africa, where her Jewish family fled from danger in Europe in the early 1900s. Committed to speaking out against apartheid, she did so all her life, never backing down.

“A warmly written account of a determined woman who is a role model for young readers. A name, a life, and a cause to be long remembered.” ― Kirkus Reviews

The Bodyguard Unit

In the early 20th century, the English suffragist group the Women’s Social and Political Union formed an all-women security unit. Trained by Edith Garrud, these “jujitsuffragettes” fought against abuse and arrest while pursuing long overdue rights.

“This engaging and informative graphic biography, which includes historical back matter, about an overlooked yet influential suffragist and martial artist deserves a spot in every graphic-novel collection.” — starred, Booklist

The Denim Diaries

From relationships and makeup to parental divorce and disordered eating, Laurie Boyle Crompton recounts the humor and heartbreak of her coming of age in rural Pennsylvania and New York City during the 1970s and 1980s.

“Crompton’s free verse gives readers a powerful view of her inner self-loathing until she learns to accept herself as she is. At times, this is a tough read, but Crompton’s candidly honest story will resonate with anyone struggling with self-image issues and difficult family relationships.” — starred, Booklist

Nearer My Freedom

Explore Olaudah Equiano’s life story—his childhood in Africa, enslavement, liberation, and life as a free man—through “found verse,” a creative approach to primary source analysis. The authors selected excerpts from Equiano’s autobiography to create the poetic retelling, adding annotations to deepen understanding.

“This flawless and well-composed performance is an invaluable addition to youth collections, giving listeners the important story of a truly remarkable man.” — starred, Booklist, audio book published by Listening Library