Fresh Fall Reads in KidLit

20 Great New Titles Coming out for Young Readers

Fall is always an exciting time when it comes to new books. Cooler weather means more time indoors curled up with a good read. From counting books to reimagined fairy tales to graphic novels to mysteries, here are twenty hotly anticipated titles for kids of all ages.

Picture Books

Ten Little Squirrels (Oct. 25)
No need to get squirrely—practicing classic rhythm and rhyme while teaching children to count has never been more fun! From authors Bill Martin Jr. and Michael Sampson with charming illustrations by Nathalie Beauvois. (3–6 years)

I Don't Care (Oct. 11)
Caldecott-winning illustrators Molly Idle and Juana Martinez-Neal teamed up with celebrated author Julie Fogliano to celebrate the little things that set two friends apart, and the big things that bring them together. (3–6 years)

Farmhouse (Sept. 13)
Over a hill, at the end of a road, by a glittering stream that twists and turns stands a farmhouse. Step inside and visit the family within, rendered in gorgeous detail by two-time Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall. (4–8 years)

Yellow Dog Blues (Sept. 27)
Acclaimed creators Alice Faye Duncan and Chris Raschka present a boogie-woogie journey along the Mississippi Blues Trail. With swinging free verse and stunning hand-stitched art, this is a soulful fable about the power of the blues. (4–8 years)

Blue Bison Needs a Haircut (Oct. 18)
Blue Bison prides himself on looking tidy. But he has a growing problem—his hair. With all the barber shops closed, he will have to wait. A humorous book about learning to be patient from Scott Rothman and Pete Oswald. (4–8 years)

The Three Billy Goats Gruff (Oct. 18)
A brilliantly crafted, hilarious twist on a beloved classic from renowned, award-winning picture book pioneers Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen! This is to be the first in a groundbreaking fairy tale series from the duo. (4–8 years)

Meanwhile Back on Earth (Oct. 4)
A father takes his two children on a thrilling out-of-this-world adventure into space and guides them through a brief history of the world and the universe, told with Oliver Jeffers's inimitable perspective, wit, and exquisite artwork. (4–8 years)

Building an Orchestra of Hope (Oct. 25)
In a South American town built on a landfill, music teacher Favio Chavez had a strange and wonderful idea: what if this recyclers' town had its own recycled orchestra? A stirring tribute to creativity and resilience from Carmen Oliver. (4–9 years)

Madani's Best Game (Oct. 11)
The young star of a neighborhood soccer team has a secret plan even more impressive than his bicycle kicks. From Fran Pintadera and Raquel Catalina, this is a refreshing story about the joys of sports, teamwork, and family. (5–9 years)

Our Friend Hedgehog: A Place to Call Home (Oct. 18)
Autumn leaves are falling in Hedge Hollow, and the change in season brings with it a spiny surprise—another hedgehog! Is it friend or foe? Or is it . . . family? From Caldecott-winner Lauren Castillo, a warm-hearted follow-up to The Story of Us. (5–9 years)

Chapter Books

Odder (Sept. 20)
Newbery Medalist Katherine Applegate returns with a touching tale of friendship between two otters. After months of rehabilitation and fostering, Odder has been released in the wild. Now she just needs to find her friend Ollie. (8–12 years)

Morning Sun in Wuhan (Nov. 8)
Author Ying Chang Compestine captures not only the uncertainty and panic when COVID first emerged, but also how the Wuhan community banded together. Told through the eyes of 13-year-old Mei who finds solace in helping others. (8–12 years)

A Rover's Story (Oct. 4)
Fans of Wall-E and The Wild Robot will enjoy Jasmine Warga's sci-fi novel about a Mars rover named Resilience. Res wasn't built to have human emotions, but as he learns from the scientists who made him, he starts to feel different. (8–12 years)

Frizzy (Oct. 18)
Marlene loves three things: books, her cool Tía Ruby and hanging out with her best friend. What she doesn't love: getting her hair straightened. In this graphic novel by Claribel A. Ortega, a young girl learns to embrace her natural curls. (8–12 years)

Two Degrees (Oct. 4)
Bestselling author Alan Gratz (Refugee) is back tackling the urgent question of climate change in a breathtaking, action-packed novel. Fire. Ice. Flood. Three climate disasters. Four kids fighting for their lives. (8–12 years)

Anisa's International Day (Sept. 20)
From Reem Faruqi, the award-winning author of Unsettled, comes this story of Anisa, a plucky Pakistani-American girl who overcomes social pressure to introduce her class to the art of mehndi for International Day. (8–12 years)

The Door of No Return (Sept. 27)
This powerful historical novel-in-verse from award-winning author-poet Kwame Alexander is the first in a planned trilogy. Set in 19th-century Ghana, it is the story of an 11-year-old boy whose life is suddenly turned upside-down. (10 years and up)

Moongarden (Nov. 1)
The Secret Garden meets The City of Ember as an unlikely heroine confronts many challenges as she struggles to find her path at an elite school on the Moon. This debut fantasy by Michelle A. Barry is the first in a series. (10 years and up)

Billion Dollar Girl (Sept. 13)
From Megan Shull, the bestselling author of The Swap, comes a profoundly moving novel about one gritty, brave 13-year-old girl and her journey to discover that life's true jackpot might not be what it seems. (10 years and up)

In Myrtle Peril (Oct. 4)
In the fourth installment in Elizabeth C. Bunce's Edgar Award-winning Myrtle Hardcastle Mysteries, the twelve-year-old Victorian amateur detective returns to investigate the case of a missing heiress lost at sea. (10 years and up)

There are so many exciting books out this time of year that we had a really hard time narrowing down our choices to twenty! Let us know if you have any to add to the list.

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon