Here we round up new and forthcoming children’s titles, including a YA debut about a teen learning to trust, a middle grade fantasy following a trio of tweens on a quest, a picture book about best friends overcoming an argument, and more.

Being Amani by Annabelle Steele. Carolrhoda, $18.99; ISBN 979-8-3480-4169-4. A teen relearns trust and safety after fleeing her abusive household in Steele’s affirming debut. The YA book received a starred review from PW.

Children of Owl by Darcie Little Badger, illus. by Abigail Rajunov. Levine Querido, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-64614-568-3. In this stunning contemporary fantasy from Lipan Apache Newbery Honor author Little Badger and featuring artwork from Rajunov, three teens determine to save their home from forces both supernatural and benign. The middle grade book received a starred review from PW. See our recent profile on Little Badger here.

Cow and Sow by Matthew Farina, illus. by Doug Salati. Tundra, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-7748-8260-3. In the hands of Farina and Caldecott Medalist Salati, what starts as a slapstick lark deepens, into a wise meditation on new skills and old friends. The picture book received a starred review from PW.

Dasia (Forever) by Nic Stone, illus. by Simone Douglas. Crown, $17.99; ISBN 979-8-217-22930-7. This hard-hitting spin-off of Stone’s Dear Martin series centers Black 13-year-old Dasia Monae Riley who is diagnosed with cancer, and during her stay at the hospital builds an unexpected friendship with a fellow patient.

Duel by Shawn Harris. Holiday House/Porter, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-8234-5873-8. Caldecott Honoree Harris takes blot painting—the kids’-craft staple of squishing wet paint between a folded page’s two halves—to new heights in this inventive, Rorschach-reminiscent fable.

A Forest a Family a Harbor by Nikki McClure. Norton, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-324-12510-5. Home and loved ones provide an anchor in this introspective picture book by McClure that traces a child’s maturation. The book received a starred review from PW.

It Came from the Creek by Amy Sarig King. Scholastic Press, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-5461-5856-1. King delivers an absorbing tale of ecological activism about a fifth grader tackling pollution and the “toxic waste of sexism” in 1980 rural Pennsylvania.

It's Only Dancing by Jasmine Guillory. Scholastic Press, $15.99 paper; ISBN 978-1-338-74943-4. A summer at a family-oriented retreat leads to unexpected romance and self-reflection in this heartwarming Dirty Dancing–inspired YA romance debut from Guillory. See our q&a with Guillory on her pivot to YA.

Kiki and Me by Leo Timmers, trans. from the Dutch by David Colmer. Gecko, $24.99; ISBN 979-8-3480-4170-0. Timmers strides into new emotional and visual territory with a luminous horse story about how sharing affection can make it grow. The picture book received a starred review from PW. See our q&a with the author-illustrator here.

Like Glass by Jen Ferguson. Heartdrum, $19.99; ISBN 978-0-06-333427-4. Ferguson presents a perceptive novel that combines grief, family estrangement, and self-discovery against the dazzling backdrop of the French Alps. The YA book received a starred review from PW.

The Pools by E. Lockhart. Delacorte, $20.99; ISBN 978-0-593-90412-1. In a striking fusion of contemporary teen romance and haunting fairy tale, the We Were Liars creator spotlights a teen navigating an extraordinary situation in a new place. See our q&a here.

Radio Free Texas by Libba Bray. Scholastic Press, $21.99; ISBN 978-1-5461-5654-3. Bray offers a funny and heartfelt 1980-set romance between small-town Texas teens on the brink of change.

Run. Sing. Dream. by Linda Sue Park, illus. by Nik Henderson. Red Comet, $24.99; ISBN 978-1-6365-5176-0. In this incisive social justice primer, Newbery Medalist Park and Henderson frame the legacies of 40 luminaries whose acts continue to shape the world, including groundbreaking figures such as Tammy Duckworth, Wangari Maathai, Harvey Milk, Maria Tallchief, and Greta Thunberg. The picture book received a starred review from PW.

We're Here, We're Queer!: A History of LGBTQ+ Activism by David Roberts. Candlewick Studio, $29.99; ISBN 978-1-5362-5504-1. In this richly illustrated history, Roberts surveys the pursuit of queer rights in the U.S. and U.K. during the late 20th century.

For more children’s and YA titles on sale throughout the month of October, check out PW’s full On-Sale Calendar.