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In the Spotlight
 ‘The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants’ at 25: A Conversation with Author Ann Brashares Twenty-five years ago, Ann Brashares (l.) released her beloved YA novel The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants: the tale of four best friends and one enchanted pair of jeans. The story blossomed into a five-book series, selling more than nine million copies; it also inspired two hit movies. Delacorte Press is celebrating the anniversary with a collector’s edition, due September 29. We invited Brashares to chat with her editor, Wendy Loggia (r.), VP and publisher at Delacorte, about the spark that continues to ignite the series. more  On the Scene
 The Meaning of Creativity: Highlights from the 2026 Carle Honors The children’s publishing industry gathered at the New York Historical in Manhattan on September 17 to celebrate the annual Carle Honors, which spotlight five influential individuals and organizations making strides in children’s literature. Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander acted as the emcee for the evening. more
In the News
 YALLFest Adds Adult Romance Programming In response to its “growing adult audience,” the nation’s largest YA book festival has announced the launch of ROMFest, a new parallel festival track geared toward romance readers 18 and up, to be held in Charleston, S.C., in November. The lineup includes panels with YA crossover romance authors such as Sarah Beth Durst, Tricia Levenseller, and Mary E. Pearson. more  After Years of Boom and Bust, Is Manga Finally Here to Stay? Sales of Asian comics soared in the U.S. during the pandemic, then fell off, and are now up again. PW talked with publishers and booksellers about the genre’s recent success and promising future. more
Literacy in Action
 Teachers and Librarians Share Tips for ‘Genrefying’ Your ShelvesWe spoke with three educators who are organizing their school's collections by genre to make books more discoverable for their students. more World Kid Lit Month
 Enchanted Lion Launches Series of Mongolian Stories for Young ReadersIn 2023, Claudia Zoe Bedrick, publisher of Enchanted Lion Books, traveled 6,300 miles from New York City to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, to attend a picture book workshop. Now, three years later, ELB is debuting its Mongolian Voices series with the November publication of The Dreamcrafter by author-illustrator Zoolbo Orgil, translated by Bujinlkham Erdenebaatar—what Bedrick described as “the first imaginative picture book from Mongolia in translation.” more   World Kid Lit Month 2026: Mafalda Comes to America Created by Joaquín Salvador Lavado Tejón, better known as Quino, Mafalda was a popular comic strip that ran in Argentina from 1964 to 1973, although it was banned in neighboring Chile for its sharp political commentary, delivered from a child’s perspective. Elsewhere Editions is currently publishing the first North American English-language edition of the comics, translated by Frank Wynne, with the second volume due out on December 1—ahead of the new animated series premiering on Netflix in 2027. more  Reading Roundup
 Noteworthy Picture Book and Novel Sequels: SeptemberThis month, readers can revisit the worlds of a beloved woodland giant, a Mexican American boy coming of age, and young heroes on an epic fantasy quest. more In Conversation
 All That Glitters: Ayana Gray and John Stephens on Their Gilded Age–Set YAWith the fourth season of The Gilded Age premiering on HBO on November 1, we invited Gray (l.) and Stephens to chat about their new YA novels—Hawk & Sparrow (Balzer + Bray, out now) and The Age of Fury (Knopf, Oct. 20)—both of which take place during that darkly decadent era. more  First Person
 It’s Been Worth the Trip: Alex Sanchez on His History with Queer YA Sanchez is the author of the queer coming-of-age novel Rainbow Boys, which was named a TIME Best YA Book of All Time. Simon & Schuster is celebrating the book’s 25th anniversary with a special edition, due on September 29, featuring a foreword by Maia Kobabe. Here, he reflects on his journey in seeking and writing LGBTQ+ stories. more Four Questions
 Moving Pictures: PW Talks with Sofia Warren Sofia Warren has been a contributing cartoonist at the New Yorker since 2017. She makes her middle grade debut with Film Nerds (Putnam, Sept. 29), a poignant graphic novel starring two best friends and budding filmmakers who are navigating the shifts that come with middle school. Ahead of her appearance at the Brooklyn Book Festival on September 26, Warren spoke with us about the influence of silent comedy on her storytelling, and her own early filmmaking efforts. more  Out Next Week
 Hot Off the Press: Week of September 28 Among the books hitting shelves next week are a picture book tracing a night ride through New York City, a dystopian middle grade novel about the power of literature, a YA mystery about a death in a New York City apartment, and more. more In Brief
 In Brief: September 24, 2026Recently, an author became the first middle grade pick for a nationwide reading program, a publisher hosted a festival focused on staffers, a National Book Award longlister made school visits, and Indigenous collaborators came together to discuss their work. more 
Rights Report
 Michelle Frey at Knopf has acquired, at auction in a two-book deal, Peach Fuzz, a YA series written and illustrated by Jarrett J. Krosoczka. In this illustrated novel series where Superbad meets Diary of a Wimpy Kid, three nerds beginning their high school career and in the throes of puberty form a band in an attempt to become popular. The first title will publish in summer 2029; Amy Wilson and Patrick Hughes at Foundation Media Partners sold world rights.  Rachel Diebel at Feiwel and Friends has bought, in a joint preempt, Blood Cinder Witch and Ink Rot Gods by Sarah Street, a YA fantasy duology about three teen girls trying to overthrow a corrupt king and find a missing god in a world where magic is slowly dying. Publication is slated for 2027 for both books; Lucy Irvine handled the two-book deal while at Peters Fraser and Dunlop, now at Darley Anderson Children's Book Agency.  Whitney Leopard at Random House Graphic has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Second Hand Magic, a contemporary YA romance graphic novel duology by Sophie Escabasse (Witches of Brooklyn). When two sisters find themselves helping their mother run a thrift store after their great-aunt passes, they soon realize that the store seems to have a mind of its own—and having a crush on one of the employees certainly doesn't help solve the mystery. The first book will publish in 2028; Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary Agency sold world rights.  Connie Hsu at Fifth Color Press has bought world English rights to Caldecott Honoree LeUyen Pham's debut self-authored upper middle grade graphic novel about growing up on the wrong side of the tracks during the heyday of the '80s. Publication is scheduled for spring 2029; Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties brokered the deal.  Olivia Swomley at Weldon Owen Kids has acquired world rights to Truly Terrifying Tales: 13 Scary Stories and the Science Behind Them, Colin Dickey's (l.) children's debut, illustrations by Alona Ponyzhailo, with black-and-white photos. This middle grade horror tells true spooky stories, and reveals the fascinating natural phenomena behind every chill. Publication is set for July 2027; Alice Speilburg at Speilburg Literary Agency represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.  Francesco Sedita and Riley Golberg at Penguin Workshop have bought world rights to I Am an Expert in Millipedes by author-illustrator Will Mabbitt, a picture book about the creepy-crawly habits of millipedes from a self-proclaimed "expert" from the creator of I Can Only Draw Worms. Publication is planned for summer 2027; Paul Moreton at Bell Lomax Moreton negotiated the deal.  Megan Nicolay at Workman has acquired Lovely Oops! by Barney Saltzberg, in which a broken heart is creatively transformed in playful ways, encouraging readers to try new things without fear of getting it wrong, and to find joy in the unexpected. Publication is scheduled for fall 2027; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio sold world rights.  Emily Feinberg at Fifth Color Press has bought The Trees Have Eyes, a picture book by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic (l.), illustrated by Vera Brosgol, a darkly comedic tale of environmental vengeance in which a kid is certain that the tree outside his bedroom window is watching him and creeping ever closer, and he might just be right. Publication is set for fall 2028; Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Judy Hansen at Hansen Literary Agency represented the illustrator.  Taylor Norman at Holiday House/Neal Porter Books has acquired world rights to Owl Sees Blue by Megan McDonald (l.), illustrated by Marc Majewski, in which a little Owl goes on a nocturnal adventure through all the landscapes, hues, emotions, and possibilities conjured by the color blue. Publication is slated for summer 2027; Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the illustrator.  Maria Correa at Random House Studio has bought Weightless by Fran Pintadera (l.), illustrated by Raquel Catalina, a picture book about a girl's relationship with the ocean and the freedom she finds there to move in ways she cannot on land. Publication is planned for summer 2027; Vivian Lavín at VLP Agency sold North American English rights on behalf of bookolia in Spain.  Deidra Purvis at Curiosity Unlocked Books has acquired The Heartbeat of My City by Dan McCauley (l.), illustrated by Ken Daley, first in the Dreams We Share sports picture book series. Madison dreams of experiencing the heartbeat of her city's beloved basketball arena. While playing pickup with friends at a neighborhood park, with Grandpa cheering her on, she discovers that same rhythm in the trains, music, crowds, and community all around her. Alison Behnke will edit; publication is set for summer 2027. The author represented himself, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.  Alexandra Hinrichs at Islandport Press has bought world rights to The Last Lighthouse Keeper by Marianne Blackstone Tabner (l.), illustrated by Ann Curch Gagliano. This picture book biography tells the story of Sally Snowman and how her journey navigating learning disabilities helped her become the first woman keeper of Boston Light and the last official lighthouse keeper in the U.S. Publication is slated for summer 2027; Stephen Fraser at Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.  Rebekah Lovato Piatte at Collective Book Studio/Tiny Torch Books has acquired Mira Amira's Aleph Bet Picture Book, which introduces the Hebrew alphabet through the letters' Kabbalistic meanings and symbolism, explored through a mother and daughter's interactions with each letter. Publication is scheduled for fall 2027; the author was unagented. IN THE MEDIA
FEATURED REVIEWS
  The Vanishing Orphans of AlvanorCallie C. Miller. Aladdin, $17.99 (320p) ISBN 978-1-66598-225-2 Intriguing worldbuilding and a scrappy heroine distinguish this rousing steampunk adventure. Born in the aftermath of the cataclysmic Shattering, which robbed the country of Alvanor of its magic, young Bandit Brambleton has grown up as one of countless orphaned children living on the streets in the city of Halcyon. Bandit has become known as the Ghost of Halcyon, a gifted thief governed by a strict code of ethics. But when children start vanishing and Rika gets a chance to build a better life beyond the city, Bandit struggles to juggle competing loyalties. more  One Fine Day, or How a Fart Sorted Things OutJustin Worsley. Candlewick, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-5362-4460-1 Worsley recognizes flatulence as a useful conflict-resolution technique in this slyly patient friendship story. The vivid spreads have a childlike grammar that renders chunky, shape-based forms in saturated colors straight from the fingerpaint pot. Hinging on a small squall, this thoroughly disarming tale distills a fine day to its most visceral elements. more  Thirteen MidnightsIsabel Strychacz. Simon & Schuster, $21.99 (368p) ISBN 979-8-3471-0100-9 In Hollow, residents are warned never to follow the Pied Piper’s sinister music, which flows into town from Otherhollow, an alternate magical realm. But every 13 years, someone succumbs to the mesmerizing song and vanishes without a trace. As the last Holloway witch, teen Violet believes it’s her destiny to kill the Piper and reclaim the powers. It’s a fresh spin on a familiar folktale. more | ||||||
