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Cover Reveal
 'MindWorks' Illuminates Neal Shusterman's Short FictionNational Book Award winner Neal Shusterman's next work for young readers spotlights his prolific short-story writing. Due on November 18 from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, MindWorks contains 43 short stories, including four new tales, two of which are set in the world of the Arc of the Scythe. Click through for a first look at the collection. more  In the News
 ALA Pushes to Preserve IMLS as Staff Termination Date LoomsAt the first hearing in ALA v. Sonderling, held yesterday at federal court in Washington, D.C., plaintiffs including the American Library Association pushed for the court to issue an emergency restraining order before the majority of the Institute of Museum and Library Services staff is laid off on May 4. more  PRH and Co-Plaintiffs Push Back on Florida Book Banning Law In response to an April 1 request for summary judgment, attorneys for the plaintiffs in Penguin Random House LLC v. Gibson argued to a Florida district court judge that their clients “have suffered First Amendment injury” due to book removals in classrooms and libraries facilitated by Florida House Bill 1069, which was signed into law in May 2023. more Bookstore News
 Independent Bookstore Day Spotlights Children's BooksMore than 1,600 independent bookstores across the United States celebrated Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 26, and children’s books were a hot item along with reads for their parents, who swarmed indies in unprecedented numbers. more   Just Announced
 Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's New Gruffalo Picture Book Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, the author-illustrator duo behind the picture book classic The Gruffalo and its sequel The Gruffalo’s Child, will revisit their beloved character in a new picture book from Dial, due in September 2026. The story marks the first return to the Gruffalo universe after more than 20 years. more Reading Roundup
 Children’s Books for Mother's Day and Father’s Day 2025We’ve gathered a selection of titles for young readers to enjoy this coming Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, ranging from sweet and silly animal tales and moving odes to intergenerational bonds, to stories celebrating quiet moments between parent and child. more Q & A
 Corey R. TaborIn Caldecott Honor winner Corey R. Tabor's new picture book, Cranky, Crabby Crow (Saves the World), creatures approach laconic Crow with friendly invitations but each one is dismissed with a contemptuous “KAW!” What exactly is Crow’s problem? Suddenly, a red phone box on a nearby telephone pole rings, and Crow is off on a secret mission to save the planet from certain destruction. We spoke with Tabor about picture books that go off the rails, and grumpy people who make quiet contributions to their communities. Q: Did you try any techniques that you haven’t used before in this book? A: I wanted this book to look like an old, action-adventure, secret agent comic book—or how I imagined one of those might look. So I drew all the lines and blocks of color digitally on a tablet, then printed them out at a smaller scale in black-and-white on an old laser printer. This added all kinds of little organic flaws that I associate with old comics. more Out Next Week
 Hot Off the Press: Week of May 5 Among the books hitting shelves next week are a picture book about an approaching storm, a middle grade novel about a magical mail slot, a YA series addition about two boys outrunning a fateful call, and more. more In Brief
 In Brief: May 1, 2025Recently an author was honored in his hometown, collaborators came together to present a graphic novel, students performed a live adaptation of a picture book, an author closed out a book tour, a nonprofit threw a gala, and an art gallery welcomed a graphic novelist for an event. more
Rights Report
 Natalia Vázquez Torres at Charlesbridge has acquired YA novel Midnight Falls by Hayley Reese Chow (l.) and E.P. Stavs. When Amelia's mother dies, she moves with her newfound great-aunt to Midnight Falls, a tourist destination for spirits and humans, and meets Wyatt, who works at his parents' bakery. Wyatt's touch gives Amelia visions of a murderous secret in town, and they must work together to solve the mystery before there is another victim. Publication is slated for fall 2027; Kristen Terrette at Martin Literary & Media Management sold world rights.  Grace Kendall at FSG has bought Marieke Nijkamp's Boundless: 17 Stories Starring Disabled Kids, a middle grade collection of joyful, empowering short stories featuring disabled characters and the adventures they deserve, with contributions from Samira Ahmed, Cindy Baldwin, Ronni Davis, Clare Edge, H.E. Edgmon, Kati Gardner, Mike Jung, Lillie Lainoff, Ann Clare LeZotte, Natalie Lloyd, Anna-Marie McLemore, Mo Netz, Gabe Cole Novoa, Natalia Sylvester, Jazz Taylor, and Gail D. Villanueva. Publication is set for winter 2027; Suzie Townsend and Sophia M. Ramos did the deal for world English rights.  Donna Bray at Macmillan/Balzer + Bray imprint has acquired, in a preempt, Galaxy Brain by Chris Harding, a middle grade graphic novel series about 13-year-old inventor Polly, who hacks her school's chatbot to unlock the secrets of popularity with hilariously disastrous results as she learns the best way to optimize friendship: just be yourself. Publication will begin in fall 2026; Daniel Lazar at Writers House brokered the two-book deal for North American rights.  Celia Lee at S&S/Salaam Reads has bought Safi's Summer Split by Ashley Franklin, a middle grade debut about a girl who wants to have an unforgettable summer of fun, only to have plans change when her problem-starter cousin comes to town, leading to hijinks and a bowling battle for the right to chill at a local anime hangout and win at summer in a totally unexpected way. Publication is planned for summer 2027; Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency sold world English rights.  Denene Millner at S&S/Denene Millner Books has acquired world rights to Color Me a World by Brynne Barnes (l.) (When I See You), illustrated by Ashleigh Corrin (Layla's Happiness). Inspired by the author's experience with synesthesia and neurodiversity, the picture book is a celebration of the varied ways in which we see and experience life, written as a gentle call for readers to discover the joy of painting the world with the beauty of their own colors. Publication is slated for fall 2026; Deborah Warren at East/West Literary represented the author, and Nicole Geiger at Full Circle Literary represented the artist.  Nancy Paulsen at Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books has bought world rights to Song for a Pony by Nicholas DeShaw (l.) (Anishinaabe and Migiziwan Odoodeman author of Loaf the Cat Goes to the Powwow), illustrated by Bridget George (Anishinaabe illustrator of Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior), a picture book about a girl whose love of her grandmother's horses is enriched when she learns the story of how the lives of the Ojibwe horses and people have always been intertwined. Publication is scheduled for fall 2027; the author represented himself, and Nicole Geiger at Full Circle Literary represented the illustrator.  Courtney Code at Abrams has acquired, at auction, in a two-book deal, world rights to Tears Are for You by Antwan Eady (l.), illustrated by Jamiel Law (c.), a picture book ode to the vulnerability of Black children, especially Black boys, set one summer in the South as one child reconnects with his family's roots and discovers his tears reflected in the world around him, from Grandma's sweet tea to rain on the tin roof. The second book, People of the Coast, illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera (r.), is an exploration and celebration of Gullah Geechee culture, from fought-for lands and found freedom to sweetgrass baskets and pit-smoked barbeque. Publication is set for spring 2027 and fall 2027; Steven Malk at Writers House represented Eady and Law, and Victoria Sanders at Victoria Sanders & Associates represented Cabrera. IN THE MEDIA
FEATURED REVIEWS
 Big KidsK.L. Going, illus. by Reggie Brown. Little, Brown, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-316-50977-0 A diminutively scaled narrator reflects on what it means to be a “big kid” in this straightforward account of overcoming first-day fears. Brown’s painterly digital renderings add visual variability with textures throughout scenes that abundantly amplify the size disparity between the small younger students and the oversize older kids. more  RecessLane Smith. Abrams, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-4197-7689-2 Ever the troublemaker, Smith stages a jubilant, eye-popping, and highly interactive mutiny against the tyranny of strictly scheduled fun, declaring recess an anytime, anywhere affair. It’s a playful work that suggests an effective educational strategy can consist of knowing when to momentarily abandon ship. Characters are portrayed with a range of fanciful colors. more  The Accidental StowawayJudith Eagle, illus. by Jo Rioux. Walker US, $18.99 hardcover (288p) ISBN 978-1-5362-3362-9; ISBN 978-1-5362-4958-3 When the eponymous protagonist learns of a mystery that needs solving aboard a luxury liner, it’s all hands on deck in this bustling historical tale by previous collaborators Eagle and Rioux. The larger-than-life setting provides ample opportunity for swashbuckling adventures whose stakes, while never too high, are always exciting. more  SnoopGordon Korman. Scholastic Press, $18.99 (208p) ISBN 978-1-5461-2608-9 While 12-year-old Carter Peregrine is on a ski trip with his divorced father, Carter breaks both legs and must spend the next two months recuperating at home. Soon he hacks into public security cameras to spy on his classmates, and starts spotting endangered animals. When he anonymously reports his findings to the authorities, and they refuse to believe him, Carter determines to solve the case of the animals’ presence, all the while keeping tabs on his friends and the rest of the community. more  FatelessJulie Kagawa. HarperCollins, $19.99 (384p) ISBN 978-1-335-44880-4 Seventeen-year-old Sparrow is known as one of the best members of the Thieves’ Guild of Kovass. When the Circle, the enigmatic power brokers behind the guild, demand that Sparrow steal the memory stone, a priceless artifact, she has no choice but to undertake the deadly assignment. But she’s betrayed by a trusted confidant, and a Deathless King is reborn when Sparrow inadvertently releases his bound soul from the stone. more  Immortal ConsequencesI.V. Marie. Delacorte, $21.99 (512p) ISBN 978-0-593-89880-2 While learning to harness their magical abilities, Blackwood Academy students await grim fates: unless they’re nominated to compete in the Decennial Festival, they’ll eventually forget their human lives and spend eternity reaping souls in the ether of purgatory. The nominee can choose to join the academy’s magical elite or cross over to the Other Side. But when dangerous forces rise up in the ether, Blackwood transforms this year’s festival into a tournament designed to name an order-restoring leader. more |
May 1, 2025
  
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People Random House Children's Books has one new hire and one promotion. Chiamaka Molokwu has joined as associate brand manager; previously she was children's media analyst at Common Sense Networks. Danny Diaz has been promoted to associate editor at Random House Graphic, from assistant editor.IN THE WINNERS' CIRCLE  Hollins University has announced the winner of the 2025 Margaret Wise Brown Prize in Children's Literature, along with one Honor Book. The winner is Brendan Wenzel for Two Together (Chronicle). This year's Honor Book is On a Summer Night by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Kenard Pak (Chronicle). Along with a medal, Wenzel will receive a cash prize of $1,000. To learn more about the prize, click here. ICYMI Albert Whitman Files Petition for Chapter 11 Bankruptcymore 'The Eyes, the Fire & the Avalanche Kingdom' by Dave Eggers more more more Sneak Previews  Take a look ahead at some of the big titles for children and teens due out this fall, from picture books to YA novels, in our exclusive roundup. MORE Follow Us  Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram! Bookshelf Archives Looking for a previous issue of Children's Bookshelf? Click here for our archives page! CONTACT US
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Children's Bookshelf Editors: Diane Roback and Emma Kantor Assistant Editor: Iyana Jones Digital Producer: Michael Seidlinger Send editorial questions about this e-newsletter to: childrensbooks@publishersweekly.com For additional assistance, contact us by email or at the address below. |