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Read It Now on NetGalley!

“Dealing with Feelings” is a new series of picture books from publisher New Frontier. You can familiarize yourself with it by downloading the first in the series, SAVING PIKU, by James Sellick, illustrated by Craig Shuttlewood, and available this week on NetGalley. In this initial story we meet Pal, who is teaching Piku how to sing one morning…when the Beast suddenly shows up! As teh cover illustration shows, this one is set among penguins and the Beast? What animal do you think that might be?

See It Now!

Our Latest Article

  • Child reading book under palm tree shown in black relief with company name and slogan Books create waves
    Spotlight on Little Island Books
    by admin

    This article was authored by Publisher Spotlight intern Vi Hendrix

    “Books create waves.” If you’re familiar with that phrase, then you’ve probably heard of Little Island Books. The independent, Dublin-based publisher was founded in 2010 by Siobhán Parkinson, Ireland’s first children’s laureate. To this day, they remain committed to their founding ideals of releasing high-quality materials for young readers around the world. Let’s look at some of their recent and upcoming titles to get a reminder of who they are and what they do.

    The Brightest Star

    Sequel to the award-winning The Deepest Breath by Meg Grehan, THE BRIGHTEST STAR is a warm and sensitive dual narrator LGBTQ+ novel in verse for middle grade readers. Stevie is about to start junior high. She often feels anxious, but feels much better having her two best friends, Chloe and Andrew, by her side. Their new school is filled with excitement, like the LGBTQIA+ club, but also challenges, such as math class. The biggest challenge of all though comes when Andrew suddenly becomes distant. Andrew isn’t quite sure who he is yet. This didn’t matter much before, especially when he was hanging out with Stevie and Chloe. Now it seems to matter very much indeed, but he doesn’t know how to begin talking about it with his friends, who seem to be much clearer about who they are. THE BRIGHTEST STAR is available in the US in August 2025.

    Civer of The Brightest Star is colorful and designed as a swirl of clouds, planets, and drifting children around the title, two small children below standing on a planet holding hands and gazing up, Author Meg Grehan's name appears under blurb By the author of the award-winning The Deepest Breath

    Oscar Wilde’s Stories for Children

    Cover of Oscar Wilde's Stories for Children is golden hued scene of numerous small children of various colors and genders playing among trees in full leaf

    In 1888, Irish writer and poet Oscar Wilde published a series of bedtime stories for children. Illustrator Lauren O’Hara has gathered six of his most beloved ones, including “The Happy Prince” and “The Selfless Giant,” and compiled them into a beautiful anthology. Each tale is paired with some of her delicate yet powerful full-color artwork. Wilde’s stories have enchanted both younger and older readers for generations, and with O’Hara’s help, this legacy will continue on in OSCAR WILDE’S STORIES FOR CHILDREN, out everywhere November 2025.

    You Don’t See Me

    “That’s not me. I’m just hidden in this body.” Ros has finally found Eddy, the girlfriend they’ve always wanted. But Ros can’t tell her the truth: that they are trans, and want to live in a male body. After a party, Ros’s classmates “discover” they are lesbian––but the inaccurate label is hurtful. Ros knows only one thing will make them happy. But telling the world a truth you’ve hidden all your life is scary. Maybe it would be easier to live a lie? And if the truth comes out, what is Ros’s next move? Hormones? Surgery? And what will happen when Eddy finds out? YOU DON’T SEE ME, written by leading Irish trans rights campaigner Chris Ricketts, is a powerful, compassionate young adult story that offers a glimpse into the inner turmoil of a trans teen as they embark on a journey of self-discovery.

    Cover of You Don't See Me includes title and tag line That's not me. I'm just hidden in this body. Cover is dark blue with pink scratch out over an upturned face, author's name appears below: Chris Ricketts

    Someone’s Been Messing with Reality

    Someone's Been Messing with Reality cover displays author's name John Hearne against a black background with a green band with two silhouetted figures shining a flashlight, title below in pink and purple, and below that a band of a white cloud in a blue sky

    SOMEONE’S BEEN MESSING WITH REALITY, written by John Hearne, is a fast-paced middle-grade extra-terrestrial adventure. Martin’s parents have disappeared. Also, it turns out, they are aliens. Which makes Martin …? As Martin and his friend Tina search for his parents, they discover enormous light-emitting eggs in an abandoned mine. It’s clear they’re not going to be hatching out anything cuddly. Things get worse when their attempts to destroy the eggs result in a hatching of massive killer insects, who immediately go on a rampage to destroy all human life. Ooops! As Martin begins to realize his alien powers, he and his friends race to save the world.

    From children’s picture books to middle grade to young adult novels, Little Island has something to offer readers of all ages. We hope you enjoy them!

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