Recent News and Upcoming Releases

Publishing announcements, awards and general information for our authors, illustrators and author/illustrators. Upcoming release and features included.

Recent News

  • TIDESONG by Wendy Xu is recommended by Rumaan Alam on The TODAY show as a Best Read for Kids.
  • WHAT WILL YOU BE?, written by Yamile Saied Mendez and illustrated by Kate Alizadeh, is one of Kirkus’s Best Picture Books of 2021.
  • BECAUSE CLAUDETTE, written by Tracey Baptiste and illustrated by Tonya Engel, receives a star from Publishers Weekly.
  • RED AND GREEN AND BLUE AND WHITE, written by Lee Wind and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky, receives a great review from The New York Times.
  • FINDING JUNIE KIM by Ellen Oh, BOOGIE BOOGIE,  Y’ALL by C.G. Esperanza, and AMERICA MY LOVE, AMERICA MY HEART by Daria Peoples-Riley are on NPR’s Books We Love 2021 list.
  • DAUGHTER OF THE DEEP by Rick Riordan and the BEATRYCE PROPHECY, written by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Sophie Blackall, are on Barnes & Noble’s Top 10 Best of 2021 list for Young Readers.
  • ALLIES: Real Talk About Showing Up, Screwing Up, and Trying Again, edited by Shakirah Bourne and Dana Alison Levy, receives a starred review from School Library Journal.
  • NARWHAL’S SCHOOL OF AWESOMENESS by Ben Clanton debuts on two bestseller lists: Publishers Weekly and Globe and Mail.
  • On Today.com, Margarita Engle recommends LAND OF THE CRANES by Aida Salazar as a favorite that honors Hispanic Heritage Month for all ages.
  • RED AND GREEN AND BLUE AND WHITE, written by Lee Wind and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky, receives a star from Publishers WeeklySchool Library Journal, and Shelf Awareness.
  • DAUGHTER OF THE DEEP by Rick Riordan receives a starred review from Kirkus.
  • THE BEATRYCE PROPHECY, written by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Sophie Blackall, is #1 Overall on the September/October 2021 Kids’ Indie Next List.
  • CANDIDLY CLINE by Kathryn Ormsbee receives a starred review from Kirkus and School Library Journal.
  • LOOKING FOR A JUMBIE, written by Tracey Baptiste and illustrated by Amber Ren, receives a starred review from School Library Journal.
  • THE BEATRYCE PROPHECY, written by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Sophie Blackall, receives starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly.
  • SOUL FOOD SUNDAY, written by Winsome Bingham and illustrated by C.G. Esperanza, gets a starred review from Publishers Weekly and Booklist.
  • THE CURSED CARNIVAL AND OTHER CALAMITIES: NEW STORIES ABOUT MYTHIC HEROES, edited by Rick Riordan, receives a starred review from Publishers Weekly.
  • Nice shout out for Kelly Quindlen’s SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY from Leah Johnson and Reese’s Book Club!
  • LATE TO THE PARTY by Kelly Quindlen is a Fierce Reads July 2021 Book Club Pick
  • LAND OF THE CRANES by Aida Salazar won the Américas Award and FURIA by Yamile Saied Méndez is an Honorable Mention Title.
  • THE PASSOVER GUEST, written by Susan Kusel and illustrated by Sean Rubin, is on The Association of Jewish Libraries list of the top 100 Jewish Children’s Books.
  • KING AND THE DRAGONFLIES by Kacen Calendar wins a 2021 Lammy Award.
  • JOSEPHINE AGAINST THE SEA by Shakirah Bourne receives starred reviews from Kirkus and Booklist.
  • ANGEL OF GREENWOOD by Randi Pink was featured in an NBC News roundup of books about the Tulsa Race Massacre and Black Wall Street.
  • I IS FOR IMMIGRANTS by Selina Alko receives a starred review from Kirkus and School Library Journal.
  • THE ACCURSED VAMPIRE by Madeline McGrane receives a starred review from School Library Journal.
  • WHAT WILL YOU BE?, written by Yamile Saied Mendez and illustrated by Kate Alizadeh, receives a starred review from Kirkus.
  • AMERICA, MY LOVE, AMERICA, MY HEART by Daria Peoples-Riley receives a starred review from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, and The Horn Book.
  • Congratulations to our 2021 ALA Award Winners and Honorees! Yamile Saied Mendez’s FURIA won the Pura Belpré Award for YA Text, Kiku Hughes’s DISPLACEMENT is an Asian/Pacific American Award Youth Literature Honor Book, Kacen Callender’s FELIX EVER AFTER is a Stonewall Honor Book, and Kacen Callender’s KING AND THE DRAGONFLIES is a Coretta Scott King Honor Book.

Upcoming Releases