I’ve lately taken to tidying the crowded shelves, fishing out titles I’m unlikely to reread, those my kids won’t pick up, and books I never truly loved in the first place. My clan insists I own an excessive library, and I’ll admit they’re not far off. I assumed it wouldn’t be difficult to select a couple of dozen volumes to donate to a good cause.
I also didn’t anticipate winding up with wide eyes among the stacks, waving a dust jacket like a banner at my patient partner and declaring, “We will part with Miss Rumphius, even if it costs me sleep!”
Yet, of course, that’s precisely what happened. Because stories are more than clutter. When a book captures your heart, it becomes a part of you. And to my family’s chagrin, fresh, worthwhile titles for kids and teens arrive every week. To keep the peace at home, I’ll aim not to buy all ten of these enchanting new releases, but you needn’t hold back.
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Risa Kusumoto, Which One Can You Eat?
Chronicle, October 20
Recommended for ages 0-3
If you’ve already shelved dozens of concept books for your little one and crave something different from the familiar ABCs and 1-2-3s, this whimsical new board book is a welcome change of pace. Illustrator Risa Kusumoto presents pairs of nearly identical objects—one edible, one not—and invites readers to ponder the timeless baby question: Should I pop it in my mouth? The paired items are clever and frequently downright amusing (think a grandmother next to a cabbage, or an avocado beside a T. rex), and the book’s bold, vibrant design is irresistibly inviting. A companion title, Which One Can You Hug?, is released in the same month.
E.B. Goodale, Robin and the Moon
Abrams, October 13
Recommended for ages 3-6
A charming follow-up to Robin and the Stick, E.B. Goodale’s latest picture book Robin and the Moon follows a curious child on a winter’s evening when a full moon lights the sky. Robin pretends to play with the moon but becomes anxious when the moon seems to be snagged in a tree. Not even Robin’s breath can loosen it. In Robin’s imagination, the moon swells and then “pops” like a balloon, leaving both Robin and readers in awe of the world’s small, magical wonders. I’m especially taken with Goodale’s handmade monoprint art, which gives the entire book a warm, snug feeling—as if it were a memory from childhood you’re revisiting.
Alessandra Requena, I Don’t Care What Simon Says
Illustrated by Aki
Tundra, October 20
Recommended for ages 3-7
One day at recess, Fifi discovers that the entire playground has fallen under the spell of a mysterious game led by a voice claiming the authority of an unseen leader named Simon, and everyone complies! Fifi has never encountered such power, yet Simon’s influence instantly appeals to her, and she swiftly takes charge of the activity. “Simon says bring me cake!” she exclaims, and the kids scramble to collect ice cream and wedding cakes. Fifi’s orders for puppies and a fortress to govern the playground also prove effective—but how long can this power trip endure? This riotously funny picture book is bound to entertain young readers (and anyone who’d like several hundred puppies).
Mary E. Cronin, Trucks, Boots, and Bells: Firehouse Poems
Illustrated by Aaron Marin
Holiday House, October 6
Recommended for ages 4-8
For youngsters who adore strolling past the fire station, never missing a touch-a-truck event, and racing around the house with sirens blaring, this new poetry collection about firefighters is bound to be a big hit. Mary E. Cronin—whose father was a firefighter—guides young readers into the firehouse and along the adventures with bright, kid-friendly verses about lacing up boots, racing through traffic, battling flames, and gathering for a quick meal between calls. Aaron Marin’s energetic illustrations help carry the whole trip, and the endmatter adds even more firefighting details.
Nour Ferwana and Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, Under the Olive Moon
Illustrated by Raahat Kaduji
Candlewick, October 13
Recommended for ages 5-7
Under the Olive Moon gathers Palestinian fables into an illustrated collection co-authored by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara of Spain and Nour Ferwana, a Palestinian mother living in Gaza. Ferwana has preserved these tales to remind her children that “kindness and courage always exist, even when the world feels hard.” One story follows a boy who discovers a magical garden that appears only on the night’s darkest hours; in another, two sisters navigate the skies using the moon as their boat. The brief, gentle narratives paired with Raahat Kaduji’s tranquil full-color art offer comfort and hope to young readers wherever they may be.
Claire Lebourg, A Party for Mousse (Mousse #4)
Translated by Sophie Lewis
Transit Children’s Editions, October 20
Recommended for ages 5-8
I discovered Claire Lebourg’s Mousse series of illustrated chapter books at the library earlier this year and quickly became a devoted fan (I’m guessing that’s how we readers refer to ourselves). Mousse is a striped, mouse-like creature who wears tiny red socks and lives beside the sea. When the tides surge into his living room, saltwater treasures and unlikely new friends wash in. In this fourth installment of Mousse’s adventures, he has planned for a rather quiet Christmas, only to receive an invitation to spend the holiday in a bustling city with his sister and niece. A later New Year’s visit from his walrus friend Barnacle soon disrupts the plan again. Although Mousse’s expectations rarely land where he intends, each episode brims with warmth, companionship, and surprises that are sure to spark giggles in new readers.
Ming Chen and Wah Chen, The Ming & Wah Detective Agency: Summer Drama!
Illustrated by Sarah Morrissette
Tu Books, October 13
Recommended for ages 8-12
In a welcome twist on a classic format, The Ming & Wah Detective Agency invites aspiring sleuths to hunt for clues, apply logic, and solve neighborhood mysteries alongside the story’s young investigators. Ming and Wah are ten-year-old twins who adore a good puzzle. When they decide to launch their own agency in their New Jersey town, new cases start pouring in: who stole campaign lawn signs, who’s been pilfering at local eateries, and who’s cheating at horseshoes during the Strawberry Festival? Young readers will love the included “notebook paper” sheet that lets them collect evidence and attempt to crack the puzzle before the protagonists reveal the answer.
Kate O’Shaughnessy, Brittle Magic
Knopf, October 20
Recommended for ages 8-12
As with Mirabel in the film Encanto or Mibs in Ingrid Law’s Savvy, many readers fantasize about uncovering a personal talent—or dread being the odd one out without any gift at all. In Brittle Magic, award-winning author Kate O’Shaughnessy introduces a heroine facing a similar dilemma. Shiloh senses that everyone around her has a special ability: her sister Judith can cultivate colossal pumpkins, her brother Sammy can heal with plants, and her Auntie Dee crafts fortune-telling pickles. Yet Shiloh remains talentless until those same pickles hint that her gift may be connected to a deceased brother, prompting her to pursue answers about her own abilities.
Jen Ferguson, Like Glass
Heartdrum, October 6
Recommended for ages 13 and up
Tatum, a 16-year-old artist hailing from Toronto, has journeyed to the French Alps in the wake of a family tragedy: her older sister Bronwyn died in this very mountain town the previous winter. Tatum longs to understand what happened to Bronwyn and to confront her father, a prize-winning chef who is opening a new restaurant in the same town and appears to have forgotten that he invited Tatum to join the celebration. Separated from home, she wrestles with memories of her sister, friction with her dad, and input from an art instructor who feels her work should better reflect her Métis heritage. Still, she also forges new bonds, including with a friendly pickpocket named Beetle and with Agatha, a striking American ski jumper training for the Olympics.
Renée Watson, Everything New Again
Bloomsbury, October 13
Recommended for ages 13 and up
Renée Watson, who earned the Newbery Medal for her 2025 middle-grade novel All the Blues in the Sky, returns with Everything New Again, a compelling contemporary YA tale about a budding romance between two narrators, Bliss and Solomon. Bliss, Black and living on the top floor of her family’s funeral home in the tiny Oregon town of Larch Heights, is known for her serious approach to big questions, which has earned her a reputation as a moody outsider at her largely white school. Solomon, who lives in Portland with his father, arrives in Larch Heights to visit his estranged mother and to understand why she’s no longer part of his life. With a Black father and a white mother, Solomon feels a touch out of place in this community. When these thoughtful outsiders meet by chance, a meaningful connection forms between them.
