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BookCon Preview
 BookCon Is BackFollowing a six-year hiatus, ReedPop's large-scale consumer show will return to New York City’s Javits Center, April 18–19. This year’s event is expected to draw some 25,000 attendees over two days, including YA fans of all ages. more   ‘Meet Me As I Am Now’: PW Talks with Tomi Adeyemi Adeyemi stepped onto the literary scene with her YA debut fantasy Children of Blood and Bone. Now, she is diving into new waters with her forthcoming novel The Siren, a dark academia tale inspired by her time at Harvard. We spoke with Adeyemi ahead of her appearance at BookCon. more  BookCon, Redux: PW Talks with Jennifer Martin Event director Jennifer Martin is leading the charge for a reimagined show that aims to harness the energy of the BookTok generation. more  BookCon Program PicksFrom appearances by Soman Chainani and Veronica Roth to panels on book bans and dark fantasy, here are some highlights from the new and improved BookCon. more
First Look
 Christopher Myers Returns to Picture Books with Wordless Story in Stained Glass After years of focusing on an array of other fine art projects, Caldecott Honor artist Christopher Myers returns to publishing with Night Ride, a wordless picture book featuring rich stained-glass imagery that celebrates childhood, freedom, imagination, and New York City. The September 29 release from Penguin’s Kokila imprint follows a group of kids one night as they joyfully bicycle through the city they call home. Click through to get an early glimpse. more In the News
 Appeals Court Rules for Iowa in Book Banning Fight The ACLU and publishers suffered setbacks in separate lawsuits that challenge the constitutionality of Iowa’s Senate File 496, which restricts teachers from talking about LGBTQ+ topics with students in kindergarten through the sixth grade and backs book bans in libraries and classrooms. more  Captain Underpants Book-Sharing Boxes Pop Up Across U.S. Dav Pilkey is funding the creation of 100 custom-made Captain Underpants book-sharing boxes that are being installed by Little Free Library in partnership with Scholastic in schools and public libraries in underserved communities around the U.S. more
In Memoriam
 John FlanaganAustralian author John Flanagan, best known for his internationally bestselling fantasy adventure series The Ranger’s Apprentice, died February 7 at the age of 81. Flanagan originally created the series for his then-adolescent son, Michael, who was a reluctant reader. more First Person
 There’s No Place Like the CircusAhead of World Circus Day on April 18, and in honor of her forthcoming middle grade novel, Camp Big Top, author Alexandra Diaz shares how she defied others’ expectations and achieved her dreams on both the page and the trapeze. "Call it indignation, rebellion, or stubbornness. I knew better than anyone else my abilities and strengths; I knew what I could accomplish," she writes. more   Q & A
 Matthew CordellIn 102, Caldecott Medalist Matthew Cordell creates a picture book fantasy about George, a boy who's home sick from school and finds himself taking a mysterious journey in his own house later that night. Working with a multicolored, scented ballpoint pen that he found in the family art stash, the illustrator breaks new ground with his art. PW spoke with Cordell about rescuing small animals and pushing beyond predictability. Q: What was new about your approach for this book? A: It’s a more laborious, time-consuming way of making art. This is probably the most dramatically different book for me so far. I think, as a commercial artist, there are these self-imposed restrictions we put on ourselves where we feel like we owe our audience this sort of sameness. It wasn’t an overnight thing, but I got to where I felt: there are so many things in the world to see, to talk about, to have different ways to express. more 
Rights Report
 Tiffany Liao at Random House has acquired, in a six-bidder auction, Iron Sworn by Namina Forna (The Gilded Ones), a YA fantasy duology set in a world that is Black Panther meets Crazy Rich Asians. When Juniper discovers she's the long-lost heir to a magical—and fabulously wealthy—West African family that made a deal with the fae to protect their country, she's determined to claim her magical inheritance. But monsters and secrets await in the battle to uncover her true lineage. Publication of the first book is scheduled for summer 2027; Jodi Reamer at Writers House negotiated the deal for North American rights.  Stefanie Chin at Union Square & Co. has bought See You on the Sideline, a YA debut by Erin Madison, a sapphic romance set in the world of women's pro soccer, following a former teen star athlete who must come to terms with her chronic illness while fake-dating a cute, nerdy soccer fan who helps her rebuild her sense of self. Abby Ranger will edit; publication is slated for summer 2027. Bridget Smith at JABberwocky Literary Agency handled the deal for world rights.  Hannah Hill at Delacorte Romance has acquired world rights to Playing Aces by E.L. Massey (the Breakaway series), a YA hockey romance following two childhood friends turned rivals who reunite on the same junior hockey league team for one final championship season, but instead of a battle on the ice, it's the undeniable feelings that blindside them both. Publication is planned for summer 2027; the author represented herself.  Phoebe Yeh at Crown Books for Young Readers has bought Sarah in Charge, a middle grade novel from Ellen Oh (The Colliding Worlds of Mina Lee). Twelve-year-old Sarah doesn't have a great relationship with her grandmother, but at least she lives several states away. But life turns unexpectedly chaotic when Sarah's grandmother moves in after losing her home and life savings to a romance scammer. Publication is set for spring 2027; Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency did the deal for world English rights.  Nancy Paulsen at Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin has acquired world rights to Ollie's Hainted Blues, a middle grade novel by Shelia P. Moses. When Ollie's stepmother abandons her after her father's death, a kind elderly Black woman makes Ollie feel at home in her house, which is protected by haint blue, a Gullah Geechee custom. Publication is scheduled for summer 2027; the author represented herself.  Christy Ottaviano at Little Brown/Ottaviano has bought, in an exclusive submission, a middle grade novel by Caroline Hickey titled I Don't Even Like Him, an enemies-to-crushes story following Type A list maker Carly Keller and easygoing soccer star TJ Price who must band together to throw a Spooktacular that their school won't be able to forget. Publication is slated for summer 2027; Alex Glass at Glass Literary Management brokered the deal for world rights.  Grace Scheipeter at Oni Press has acquired world rights to Lights Out, a middle grade graphic novel mystery by Kristen Kiesling (l.) (The Harrowing), illustrated by Lesley Vamos, in which a trio of 12-year-old online gaming sleuths team up offline to solve a neighbor's attempted murder after a storm knocks out the power in their apartment building. Publication is planned for fall 2027; Dara Hyde at Hill Nadell Literary Agency represented the author, and Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.  Olivia Swomley at Weldon Owen Kids has bought, at auction, Find That Lizard by Dr. Earyn McGee, known online as @Afro_Herper. Based on the author's online game #FindThatLizard, this seek-and-find photography book challenges readers to locate hidden lizards, while also sharing lizard facts and stories from the field. Publication is set for summer 2027; Abigail Frank at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates/GreenburgerKids sold world rights.  Mekisha Telfer at FSG has acquired Ezra Jack Keats Award-winning artist Tao Nyeu's Goat for Dinner, Please, a picture book about a hungry Alligator who wants Goat for dinner, but is bamboozled into a cooking lesson where he discovers that Goat is better as a dinner guest than an entree. Publication is scheduled for spring 2027; Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties brokered the deal for world rights.  Sonali Fry at Crown Books for Young Readers has bought, in a preempt, recent Cambridge School of Art graduate Yu An Xie's Mama's Magical Hands, a picture book about how a mama's hands have the ability to conjure and comfort, feed and fly, navigate and nurture. But as Mama's belly swells with life, the child learns that even little hands are capable helpers and carers. Publication is slated for spring 2028; Lori Steel at SteelWorks Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.  Kate O'Sullivan at Clarion has acquired world rights to Extraordinary Owl by Deborah Underwood (l.) (The Man Who Didn't Like Animals), illustrated by Sydney Hanson (Escargot), a picture book about an owl who just doesn't fit in with other owls… which must mean he is extraordinary! Publication is planned for summer 2028; Erin Murphy at Aevitas Creative Management represented the author, and Justin Rucker at Shannon Associates represented the illustrator.  Elizabeth Patterson at Beaming Books has bought The Hands That Feed Us by Belen Medina (l.), illustrated by Sol Salinas, a nonfiction picture book that reveals the often unseen workers—from farm fields to restaurant kitchens—whose labor brings food to our tables and connects communities across the country. Publication is set for spring 2027; Brent Taylor at Triada US represented the author, and Christina Doffing at Astound US represented the illustrator. IN THE MEDIA
FEATURED REVIEWS
  Bad QueerGayathiri Kamalakanthan, illus. by Chi Nwosu. Faber & Faber, $14.95 paper (432p) ISBN 978-0-571-39066-3 Whenever they’re misgendered, Sri Lankan British 17-year-old Surya freezes, fearful of correcting the misunderstanding. When Surya joins an after-school theater program, they confront their fear of being perceived and experience their first crush. This poetic slice-of-life portrait, Kamalakanthan's debut, is not to be missed. more  How to Lose Yourself CompletelyPeter Bognanni. Macmillan/Balzer + Bray, $20.99 (352p) ISBN 978-1-250-40934-8 Seventeen-year-old Case is reluctantly participating in an “adventure therapy” trip for teens with anxiety disorders, an undertaking made worse by his grief over the death of his older brother, Sean. What begins as a structured wilderness excursion spirals into peril when the trip leader vanishes along with everyone’s medications. Stranded and desperate, Case and the other teens rely on one another to navigate the unforgiving terrain, locate supplies, and endure mounting environmental threats. more  Rebellious: The Story of Keith Haring in 12 PicturesMichael G. Long. Norton, $19.99 (264p) ISBN 978-1-324-08394-8 Author Long chronicles the journey of activist Keith Haring from unknown rural Pennsylvania artist to international star. Haring made a name for himself drawing on the fly in the subway, railing against “sophisticated, elitist” attitudes surrounding art, and producing pieces that address social injustice. This exuberant, uplifting biography will inspire and encourage teens to more closely observe and engage with their surroundings as a means to spark creativity and connection. more  If You Went to the Bottom of the OceanBrooke McIntyre, illus. by Gordy Wright. Chronicle, $19.99 (50p) ISBN 978-1-79722-651-4 A zone-by-zone tour of the ocean’s depths proves awe-inspiring in McIntyre and Wright’s immersive tale of a submersible expedition. Emphasizing the aquatic ecosystem’s immense biodiversity, second-person narration transforms the reader into an explorer. Rendered with gouache, ink, and acrylic, velvety blue paintings convey the ocean’s fathomless qualities. Emphasizing the depths traveled, this trip to the ocean’s floor amazes. more  Fourteen Ways of Looking at JellyfishCarole Boston Weatherford, illus. by Bagram Ibatoulline. Candlewick, $19.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-5362-3507-4 Boston Weatherford and Ibatoulline offer 14 different angles on jellyfish in this reverent, notebook-like assemblage of facts and appreciations. The creative team’s “ways of looking” range from literally peering at jellyfish in a creek to contemplating them through the eyes of a biologist who “saw his late wife’s reflection in a jellyfish.” The result is a wonder-inspiring tribute to these aquatic animals and their “otherworldly light.” more |
April 7, 2026
 
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People Jennifer Mattson, senior literary agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency, is embarking on a career change and is leaving publishing at the end of April. Sneak Previews  | ||||||
