New & Noteworthy Kids’ Books

Everyone knows the most stressful day of middle school is picture day! And that’s exactly where this yearbook-worthy graphic novel series opener begins: with reinventing yourself, drama, popularity, and the friends who see you through.

Flashlights? Check! Scary movies? Check! Ghost Peppers?! Pizza and Taco are ready to prove they’re brave as can be in their latest graphic chapter book! Nothing scares these besties … or so they say.

Introducing a mantra for first-day — and any-day — worries, Breathe Like a Bear: First Day of School Worries uses an easy-to-follow breathing exercise, mindful prompts, and a soothing mantra that will help kids navigate their anxiety long after the final page. This prescriptive and teachable picture book is an invaluable tool for every child’s early social-emotional education.

The Wakefield twins return in this graphic novel adaptation of the New York Times bestselling Sweet Valley Twins series! It’s Elizabeth’s turn in the spotlight … but does Jessica deserve it more?

How far would you go to play the hero? One lonely seventh grader gets way more than he bargained for when he is swept into the fantasy quest of his gaming dreams in this magical illustrated series full of laughs, adventure, and twists.

From the award-winning and critically acclaimed author of This Is My America comes another thriller about a wrongly accused teen desperate to reclaim both his innocence and his first love.

A dark YA fantasy debut perfect for fans of House of Hollow and Small Favors. In the wake of her father’s death, a teen girl discovers a side of her family she didn’t know existed, and is pulled into a dark — and ancient — bargain she is next in line to fulfill.

Crack open your spell book and enter the world of the illustrious Galileo Academy for the Extraordinary. There’s been a murder on campus, and it’s up to the students of Galileo to solve it. Follow 18 authors and 18 students as they puzzle out the clues and find the guilty party.

Ten bestselling, critically acclaimed authors deliver a fresh novel of interconnected stories that follows a group of young adults over the course of a few wild, transformative hours at an epic house party!