Waiting on Wednesday: Run the Play by Geoff Herbach

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Run the Play by Geoff Herbach. 320 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc. 9798225052140

I'm a real fan of Geoff Herbach's books. I absolutely loved his Stupid Fast trilogy, Cracking the Bell, and Fat Boy Vs. the Cheerleaders. so I was really psyched to learn about his newest sports novel, which will be in Scholastic Book Fairs this fall. I'm definitely going to check out my former school's Scholastic Book Fair for this one!

Publisher synopsis: 

Who makes a team great?

In Eden Valley, football is everything. And the face behind this historic program is the beloved Coach Douglas. With the title of the winningest active coach in the state, he is celebrated as a local hero and accredited for the town's unbeatable reputation. And yeah, everyone knows that some of his tactics are . . . a bit unconventional, and maybe at times, explosive . . . unsavory, even. But in football, discipline is important. And that's just the price of greatness. Right?

Now, it's star quarterback Xavier Smith's turn to uphold this legacy of not only his coach and his team but his whole town. And with the dream of getting attention from the top recruiters this season and making it out of this small town, he can't afford a single fumble.

But with Coach Douglas becoming more impossible by the day, his mood swings are giving the whole program whiplash. And when a clear line is crossed, the team is faced with a choice: to continue on or to reclaim this season as their own. Yes, discipline is important. But what could be more important than the players on the field?

Waiting on Wednesday: When the World was Happy by Benjamin Alire Saénz

 

Image: Simon & Schuster

When the World was Happy by Benjamin Alire Saénz. 416 p. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, September 29, 2026. 9798347104055.

When I read the obituary of the author last week, I learned that he has two upcoming books, one YA and one picture book.

Here's the publisher synopsis: A “heartrending yet beautiful” (School Library Journal, starred review) tale of twins and their group of friends who are forced to navigate life, relationships, and grief after their world is turned upside down from New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.

CheChe knows that he and his twin sister Emma lead an unusual life. They enjoy spending time with their parents and grandparents, love to read, and don’t have a huge circle of friends—and they’re happy. Then, just a few months after they turn seventeen, three gunmen show up one morning at their El Paso, Texas, high school, and everything changes.

CheChe loses a leg, and both he and Emma have friends who die. Suddenly, the world feels like a very different place. But what they find hasn’t changed—or has only gotten deeper—is their love for their family, their close friends, and one another, and as they begin to heal, they create their own little community, one that wields the power of humor, kindness, and hope.

CheChe finds himself doing all kinds of things he never expected from his junior year: relearning to walk, falling in love with the boy he’s nursed a longtime crush on, making friends with a kid he always found intimidating. By the end of this life-changing school year, none of them will be the same, and many of them will have found their voices in ways they never imagined.

Waiting on Wednesday: Too Big to Say by Phil Bildner, illustrated by Mike Curato

Image: Hachette Book Group

Too Big to Say by Phil Bildner, illustrated by Mike Curato. 256 p. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers/ Hachette Book Group, March 2, 2027. 9780316585972.

I am a fan of Phil Bildner and follow him on social media. When I saw his link to this cover reveal in Betsy Bird's blog on SLJ the other day, I knew I'd have to share today on my Waiting on Wednesday. 

Publisher synopsis: Perfect for fans of The Trouble with Heroes and Hey, Kiddo, this heartfelt illustrated novel tells the story of two friends who help each other make tough decisions while on a hiking adventure.

Two middle schoolers, Jaxson and South, embark on a day-long mission to climb the fire tower at the top of Mount Hope. Until now, the two have been mostly long-distance friends, but after months of planning for and dreaming about this day, they’re finally together in-person.

As they hike up the mountain, Jaxson is distracted by flashbacks—vivid thoughts about his mom’s deteriorating mental health and his worsening homelife. Meanwhile, South is trying to face their fear of heights, while worrying about disappointing their hyper critical dad. The two are so busy grappling with their inner struggles that they nearly jeopardize their friendship (and developing crush)…until it becomes clear they each have to make a tough decision. But are some things too big to say?

Moving, authentic, and hopefully told through prose and illustrated flashbacks, this story is for any young person who needs to remember the strength they can always find in their friends and in themselves.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Favorite by Gordon Korman

Image: Macmillan

The Favorite by Gordon Korman. 272 p. Balzar + Bray/ Macmillan, January 19, 2027. 9781250400406. 

Gordon Korman tweeted news of his upcoming new release the other day. His books are favorites among my middle school students. The publisher synopsis makes it sound like outlandish fun.

Publisher synopsis: Four siblings must compete with each other for the ultimate prize in this high-concept, hilarious new novel from the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Restart, Gordon Korman. 

There can be only one…

The four Coleridge kids–Harper, twins Dylan and Lacey, and Bobby, live in Caddo, Oklahoma, where the most exciting thing that ever happens is cow tipping. Until their father swoops into town.

He happens to be billionaire Asher Coleridge, founder of Zzazz, the hottest fashion company for kids. And when his limo pulls up at school, it isn’t for an ordinary visit. Zzazz needs a new brand ambassador, who will travel the world, attend star-studded parties, and be the face of the company. Asher wants it to be one of his kids. But which one? That’s where the Contest comes in.

How do mere kids wow a billionaire? Over the course of several weeks, it is on. From soccer games, to a Monopoly smackdown, to a high-stakes school election, to the world’s most intense pizza-eating challenge, the siblings will do almost anything for the coveted title. Even the family pet - a three-legged rat named Ollie - gets involved.

Each kid has their own reasons for wanting to escape Caddo. But there can only be one Brand Ambassador. How far are they willing to go to win?

Waiting on Wednesday: Absent by Rex Ogle

Image: WW Norton

Absent by Rex Ogle. Illustrated by L-J Baptiste. 304 p. Norton Young Readers, September 1, 2026. 9781324124894.

Rex Ogle posted a giveaway for this on Monday and I signed up for a chance. I just love his books and this one sounds great.

Publisher synopsis: 

From award-winning author Rex Ogle, a mixed-format middle grade novel about three boys who skip school, told in verse, prose, and comics.

With a dad in jail and a lack of teachers interested in helping him learn, Manny doesn’t see the point in anything besides skateboarding and writing lyrics. Calvin has so many responsibilities to his father and little brothers that when his bike is stolen, he can’t make it to school on time. And while Liam is studious and wants to become a doctor, he is tormented by bullies and hides out in an unused janitor’s closet instead of going to class. When the boys are thrown together in detention, they realize that they might still have a lot to learn—not just from their teachers, but from each other.

Absent tells the boys’ stories in three distinct voices: Manny’s in verse, Calvin’s as a comic, and Liam’s as a prose journal. Printz Award Honoree and YALSA Nonfiction Award winner Rex Ogle explores school absenteeism in a compelling, entertaining, and utterly distinct novel.

Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: How to Build a Miracle by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Image: Penguin Random House

How to Build a Miracle by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. 240 p. Nancy Paulsen Books/ Penguin Young Readers, February 16, 2027. 9780399546860.

I recently saw a cover reveal of How to Build a Miracle online somewhere, and did a happy dance since I've been a huge fan of Lynda Mullaly Hunt's since reading her debut, One for the Murphy's. I absolutely adored Fish in a Tree, and had the privilege of hosting the author after the release of Shouting at the Rain.

Needless to say, I'm beyond excited about How to Build a Miracle. The scheduled release date is February 16, 2027. Here's the publisher synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Lynda Mullaly Hunt’s moving story of a boy struggling to rebuild his life after a family tragedy and his own big mistakes

Peter blames himself for not saving his brother, Russ. After all, if the roles had been reversed, Russ would have figured out a way to keep him alive. His sadness and anger about his family falling apart, as well as his guilt, make Peter lash out—and ultimately break the law. When he finds himself in front of a judge and sent to a juvenile rehabilitation “camp,” Peter figures it will be all about punishment. But at the program, he’s handed some tools to help restore old wooden boats, as well as tools to understand himself. Under the direction of Bud, a therapist and boat builder, Peter and five other juvenile offenders must work together. The kids are wary at first—arguing over everything, wondering who’s the most dangerous, and who committed the stupidest crime. With time and connection, the kids become protective of each other and Peter finds the rhythm of working on boats helps him breathe easier. Nicknamed “Shakespeare” because of his love for words, Peter realizes he’s now living out a metaphor; just like the most dilapidated boat that’s unable to float, he too—as well as his family—can be rebuilt.

Lynda Mullaly Hunt deploys her trademark insight on the map it takes to heal from trauma, in this memorable story about a boy who learns he can still stand even as his foundation shifts.

Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: Huda F Would Love You? by Huda Fahmy

I attended a Penguin Young Readers preview of fall releases yesterday and they have lots of great books in the pipeline! 

Image: Penguin Random House

Waiting on Wednesday features Huda F Would Love You? by Huda Fahmy. 256 p. Dial Books/ Penguin Young Readers, October 26, 2026. 9780593855669.

I have loved Huda F ever since her first book, Huda F are You? hit the shelves back in 2021. I retired in January of 2025, so I missed the third Huda F book, which was published in April of 2025. I will remedy that tomorrow. Her first two books were quite popular with my seventh and eighth graders.

Here's the publisher synopsis: In this funny and tender finale to the Huda F series, Huda has a plan to find love—but she might need to find herself first!

It’s the summer after Huda’s high school graduation, and love is in the air! Or it’s about to be, anyway. Because Huda has the ingredients for a perfect love story: a butt-kicking girl power squad of new friends, and a plan to woo all the aunties into setting her up with their eligible sons. But when she finds herself caught between her friends and her heart, gender roles and ambitions, and her fears and dreams, Huda begins to realize that finding her own “happily ever after” might require changing herself—or her expectations.

Waiting on Wednesday: Anger is Only a Shadow by Elizabeth Acevedo

 

Image: HarperCollins

Anger is Only a Shadow by Elizabeth Acevedo. 336 p. Quill Tree Books/ HarperCollins, September 15, 2026. 9780062882790.

Waiting on Wednesday features Anger is Only a Shadow by Elizabeth Acevedo. I have been a fan of Ms. Acevedo since reading Poet X, which won the National Book Award, Printz Medal and Boston Globe Horn Book Award in addition to being a Kirkus Award finalist, and winning the Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children's Literature, the Carnegie Medal and an Odyssey Award. I've read and enjoyed With Fire on High and Clap When You Land, and am very much looking forward to reading Anger is Only a Shadow. 

Publisher synopsis: From National Book Award-winning, New York Times-bestselling author and renowned poet Elizabeth Acevedo comes a white-knuckle journey to self-understanding and doing the right thing, no matter the cost.

Lil is anything but small. She’s rebellious, she's loyal; she's figuring out what kind of good person she wants to be, or if she wants to be a good person at all. But more than anything? Lil wants to be free.

When her instinct for freedom leads to another stay in D.C. juvenile detention, Lil knows she’s lucky to just be on probation. But judgment, guilt, and an ankle monitor weigh heavily on her, and she can’t shake that pinned-down feeling.

The only person who might understand is her big brother, Aldwin. Except he’s more distant now than just the hundred miles where he’s away at college. Something’s been off with him for a couple of months, but only Lil seems to realize how important it is to get to him.

As her court hearing ticks closer, a question looms over Lil as the missed phone calls and strange texts from her brother pile up: will she follow the rules until her sentencing, or put her future freedom on the line?

Waiting on Wednesday: Leaving Birdsong by Brenda Woods

Image: Penguin Random House

Leaving Birdsong by Brenda Woods. 224 p. Nancy Paulsen Books/ Penguin Young Readers, October 13, 2026. 9780593461563.

I came across an announcement about this on Twitter a few weeks ago. I really enjoyed The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA as well as St. Louis Armstrong Beach.

Publisher synopsis: An inquisitive bookworm explores a whole new world when her family moves north during the Great Migration in Coretta Scott King Honor winner Brenda Woods’s stand-alone companion to The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA.

It’s 1946 when eleven-year-old Abigail and her parents move from Birdsong, South Carolina, to Detroit, where her parents say there are more opportunities for people of color. This promise is fulfilled when her father gets a good job at an auto factory, and on her visits to the city’s impressive library, where she not only gets to walk through the front door for the first time but also meets her first Black librarian. And though her parents encourage her to focus on the new possibilities, it doesn’t take long for Abigail to see that some of the limitations imposed by segregation also exist in the North.


Abigail keenly observes it all, as she’s determined to become a writer, even though not everyone takes her seriously. The Motor City offers plenty of inspiration, and she writes poems about Caesar, her funny neighbor, and the goings-on at the fancy hotel for wealthy Black folks where her mom gets a job. But before long, Abigail becomes more than an observer when a tragedy occurs after a homeless boy robs her. When she and her friends set out to help the boy’s younger brother, she is confronted with uncomfortable realities about poverty. Throughout her summer of adventures and unexpected happenings, Abigail keeps her light shining as she reluctantly sheds her country-girl beginnings and starts to embrace Detroit as home.

Waiting on Wednesday: Rising Thunder by Neal Shusterman

Image: Simon & Schuster

Rising Thunder by Neal Shusterman. A Prequel to Arc of the Scythe. 528 p. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, December 1, 2026. 9781665972086.

I posted a #tbt devoted to Scythe last week while waiting for the cover reveal of Rising Thunder. I can't wait to read this prequel even though I feel like we're living in a dystopia here in the U.S.

Here's the publisher synopsis: Discover Thunderhead’s origin—the fragile moment before the world changes forever and the hidden forces that set the storm in motion—in this long-awaited prequel to the New York Times bestselling and Printz Honor–winning Arc of a Scythe series by Neal Shusterman.

And of course, as every school child knows, December 2042 marks the end of the Age of Mortality.

What no one has ever fully understood is how the world reached that moment.

As death begins to seem optional, humanity looks for ways to bend the rules of existence. Twi-life centers begin storing the nearly-deceased, while eco-nihilists destroy civilization’s icons and threaten to end the human race entirely. Public opinion fractures. Systems strain. The world feels…unstable.

Behind the scenes, two powerful and diametrically opposed artificial intelligences set out to optimize, stabilize, and protect—each with its own idea of what that means. But in a world already tipping toward transformation, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Meanwhile, in an obscure online chatroom, a small group of teenagers from around the globe debate both the glorious and the terrifying prospects of the future, never realizing that they stand on a very literal cutting edge—and that their conversations, their choices, their very existence matter far more than they realize.

Because when humanity stands on the brink of immortality, someone must decide what survives…and what must be cut away.

Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: Wombat Waiting by Katherine Applegate

Image: HarperCollins Publishers 

Wombat Waiting by Katherine Applegate. 336 p. Storytide/ HarperCollins Publishers, May 5, 2026. 9780063221178.

I was very happy to stumble upon a FB post on Saturday by Katherine Applegate promoting her appearances for her newest book, and extra happy to see there's a stop near me!

Publisher synopsis: From the Newbery Award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The One and Only Ivan and Odder comes a stunning middle grade standalone novel-in-verse about compassion, resilience, and surprising friendships, following a dog named Wombat in the aftermath of a catastrophic fire.

Wombat isn’t actually a wombat—but when the homeless dog is discovered, singed and ash-covered after a terrible fire destroys a community, someone tags her with the nickname and it sticks.

Wombat is a “destiny dog.” Something inside of her (she nicknames it “Voice’) keeps telling her there’s a special someone out there who is meant to be her person.

Surrounded by a devastated town, Wombat takes up residence on bench near the makeshift community center, an old brick warehouse that, for the most part, survived the flames. A small part of the community center evacuation site has been repurposed for the local wildlife rehab sanctuary that burned down. All of the animals were spared, and the temporary quarters include an elderly fruit bat and a young Northern saw-whet owl.

No matter what, Wombat refuses to move from her perch, despite the efforts of many humans. Clearly the dog is waiting for someone. But for whom? And what are the odds they survived?

Waiting on Wednesday: The Drowning Game by Dusti Bowling

Image: Hachette Book Group

The Drowning Game by Dusti Bowling. 288 p. Union Square & Company/ Hachette Book Group, October 13, 2026. 9781454957089.

I saw a tweet the other day from Dusti Bowling announcing her YA debut. Her book, Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus, was our One Book, One School choice in the fall of 2023. The PTO paid for Ms. Bowling to visit the school at the culmination of our school-wide read in November. (Unfortunately for me, I was hospitalized about a week later and ended up on a medical leave for a long time.) Her presentation was fun and engaging.

 I have read and enjoyed most of her middle grade novels and really look forward to her YA debut.

The Drowning Game is due out on October 13, and here's the publisher synopsis: 

Award-winning author Dusti Bowling masterfully crafts a wild ride on Arizona’s Salt River in this thriller inspired by Hitchcock’sVertigo that’s perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Karen M. McManus.

It’s the late 1990s, and seventeen-year-old Christian is content with his summer plans to work and hang out with his cat, when he gets a phone call from his best friend that will change his life forever. James invites Christian to Arizona for a whitewater rafting trip, even though he knows Christian is terrified of water. But James is persuasive, and Christian relents.

In Salt River Canyon, the heat is scorching, and so is James’s pretty girlfriend, Freya. However, something seems off between the couple as bitter words fly. When James and the others disappear in the second raft, Christian and Freya are left to face the rapids alone. Disaster strikes when Freya falls into the river, and Christian is frozen with fear.

One year later, Christian is still wracked with guilt over Freya’s death. Now, he’s a freshman at Arizona State University, and he thinks he sees Freya on campus. It can’t be her. Freya is dead, after all. They found her body. Didn’t they? Christian follows Madison, the girl who looks like Freya, everywhere. He was certain Freya had died that day, but now he’s certain Madison is Freya. Will he ever find out what’s real? Or will his obsession be his downfall?

There were a ton of Karen McManus fans at my school, so they should be stoked for this. Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: Landslide by Betty Culley

Image: Penguin Random House

My sons always make fun of me over the number of tabs I have open in my browser. I do that so that I don't forget about whatever I come across that I find interesting. Unfortunately, I sometimes still forget because those tabs become teeny-tiny. News about this story popped up some time ago and I left the tab open in order to feature it on a Waiting on Wednesday post. It releases next week!

Publisher synopsis: A perceptive boy worries the landfill across the street is on the verge of collapse, forming a brave plan to save his dad who works at the top of the heap.

Nathan Savage has always been fascinated by anything that moves; he sees movement others don’t notice. But what he sees now out his living room window sets off major alarm bells—the massive landfill across the road is shifting, and could be heading toward a catastrophic landslide.

The landfill is also where Nathan’s dad works, on the top of the heap driving the huge compactor that crushes the garbage with its enormous metal wheels. The more Nathan watches the landfill, the more worried he becomes. What will happen to his father if he’s at work when the garbage hill collapses? A fate that seems closer and closer to happening every day if Nathan doesn’t act soon. But how does a ten-year old boy stop a force of nature? In this fascinating and fast-paced story, author Betty Culley exposes kids to lots of garbage, and the natural and environmental impact country landfills have on local towns.

Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: Rowan and Gemma by Sally J. Pla

Image from the author's Facebook page 

Rowan and Gemma by Sally J. Pla. 304 p. Quill Tree Books/ HarperCollins Publishers, September 29, 2026. 9780063395886.

Waiting on Wednesday features Rowan and Gemma by Sally J. Pla. I've been a fan of Ms. Pla's since reading her debut, The Someday Birds. Her latest is due out on September 29. 

Publisher synopsis: In this new middle grade novel by Schneider Award-winning author Sally J. Pla, two neurodivergent tweens, one of whom is nonverbal, forge a friendship against the backdrop of their feuding families.

Rowan Monahan has lived in the town of Friendship Prairie forever and feels permanently stuck in his cousin’s shadow. With some learning disabilities and ADHD, his Uncle Lucky labels him as “not the sharpest tool in the shed.”

Gemma Caplan just moved to Friendship Prairie with her family. She’s on the autism spectrum and uses a device to speak, and she’s going to be attending school in person for the first time. Gemma thinks her lawyer mom is too overprotective, but no one ever asks for her opinion.

After Rowan and Gemma meet on the first day of school, they bond over feeling like they don’t fit in. But just as the two are becoming friends, their mothers decide to run against each other for the town’s school board—and the campaign turns nasty. Loosely based on Romeo and Juliet, Rowan and Gemma are characters readers will be rooting for to overcome the bad blood between their families, and maybe even win their acceptance.

Waiting on Wednesday: Hijacked by Goats by Anne Braden

 

Image: Penguin Random House

Hijacked by Goats by Ann Braden. 176 p. Nancy Paulsen Books/ Penguin Young Readers, September 8, 2026. 9798217110964.

Waiting on Wednesday features Hijacked by Goats by Ann Braden. Isn't that an amazing cover? The book is due out in September and here's the publisher synopsis:

The moving story of a girl struggling with OCD—the bully hijacking her brain—who gets the help she needs to push back.

Josie arrives at Bryce Haven Psychiatric Hospital sure that she’s a bad person and a bad friend. She must be, because her brain constantly yells at her for not being good enough. It tells her she needs to be perfect or else she’ll be alone and miserable forever. She’s so overwhelmed with worries about bad things happening as punishment for her imperfections that she sometimes feels compelled to punish herself.

Then, when Josie gets discharged and returns home, she’s forced to deal with Hal—the mean, smelly bully of a goat her dad is goat-sitting. Hal has a bad habit of climbing where he shouldn’t and refusing to get out of the way.

When Josie’s therapist diagnoses her with OCD, describing it as a bully in her brain, Josie denies it. Surely her brain is just trying to be helpful . . . right? But eventually, she begins to see that her OCD bears a striking resemblance to Hal, so maybe she shouldn’t feel guilty about wanting to kick it out. With her therapist’s help and the support of her dad and friends, Josie might finally be ready to stand up to the bully in her brain.

Waiting on Wednesday: Styx and Stones by Gary D. Schmidt and Ron Koertge

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Styx and Stones by Gary D. Schmidt and Ron Koertge. 240 p. Clarion Books/ HarperCollins Publishers, May 5, 2026. 9780063380974.

Waiting on Wednesday features Styx and Stones by Gary D. Schmidt and Ron Koertge. Here's the publisher synopsis:

Percy Jackson meets The Labors of Hercules Beal in this hilarious, page-turning fantasy adventure with a heart of gold from two award-winning authors.

Simon expected more from life than being orphaned in ancient Greece and stuck in the Underworld for eternity. Determined not to forget who he is, he commits himself to escaping Hades. Along the way, he faces the monster Cerberus, befriends the tormented Sisyphus, and becomes Persephone’s favorite servant. Then, after centuries of failed attempts, he is finally thrust into modern times—and into the stall of a middle school bathroom. Naked.

With the help of Zeke, a nerdy rich kid on the social fringes, Simon learns to navigate this amazing and bewildering world. And with Simon’s help, Zeke begins to question his comfortable life and understand the true meaning of friendship. Everything seems to be going great . . . until the god of the Underworld sends a demon girl to bring Simon back. And suddenly, it’s not just the secret of Simon’s past that’s threatened, but their very lives—and everyone’s around them, too. Is their friendship strong enough to withstand the Will of Hades and save St. Nikolaos Academy Middle School?

From two-time Newbery honoree Gary D. Schmidt and two-time PEN Award winner Ron Koertge, Styx and Stones is an unforgettable coming-of-age adventure about friendship, courage, and identity, brimming with Greek mythology and high-stakes action.

This one had me at Hercules Beal. I'm a fan of both authors although their collab on A Day at the Beach was not a fave of mine. Ever hopeful. 

Waiting on Wednesday: A Poem for Dudley Randall: Poet and Publisher of the Black Arts Movement by Don Tate

Image: Abrams Books

A Poem for Dudley Randall: Poet and Publisher of the Black Arts Movement by Don Tate. Illustrated by Laura Freeman. 48 p. Abrams Books for Young Readers, September 15, 2026. 9781419754357.

I follow Don Tate on Facebook and knew that he was doing a cover reveal (today) Monday. As luck would have it, I did not have to go to his page. The stunning cover image sat right at the top of my timeline and my jaw dropped. Is that not the most arresting sight? 

Here's the publisher synopsis: 

The only picture book biography of Dudley Randall—a poet, publisher, and leader of the Black Arts movement of the 1960s—from Ezra Jack Keats Award Winner Don Tate and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Honoree and New York Times bestselling illustrator Laura Freeman

Dudley Randall’s first published poem appeared in the Detroit Free Press when he was only 13 years old. He continued to write, and as he grew older, he realized that his voice could be powerful.

When calls for equal rights were growing louder during the civil rights movement, Randall wrote the “Ballad of Birmingham” in response to an incident of senseless violence against a Black community in Alabama—and suddenly, the world was paying attention to his words.

But Randall knew that most publishing companies were ignoring Black writers. In 1965, he founded the groundbreaking Broadside Press to give a platform to Black creatives like Audre Lorde, Gwendolyn Brooks, Nikki Giovanni, and Sonia Sanchez, as well as his own work. Randall and his fellow writers used their literary voices to express pride in Black history and culture.

From award-winning author Don Tate and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Honoree Laura Freeman comes a picture book biography of Dudley Randall—a poet, publisher, and leader of the Black Arts Movement.

Integrated throughout the story as well as the back matter, Randall’s most famous poems help bring the story alive. Back matter also includes more information about the famous figures and historical movements discussed in the narrative.

This book would be a terrific addition to my Picture Book Biography unit had I not retired. I am not certain that my replacement is using my lesson plans, but I think I'll pass the news about this book along anyway.

The cart holds well over 100 picture book biographies and there are at least 7 either written by or illustrated by Mr. Tate. The most popular were No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in Kansas, Pigskins to Paintbrushes: the Story of Football Playing Artist Ernie Barnes, and Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson's Stream of Inventions, written by Chris Barton. 

I developed this unit after I lost my flexible schedule and needed a long-term project that would meaningfully teach research and critical thinking skills. I had been collecting picture book biographies already because, 1. one is never too old for picture books and 2. I was hoping to entice the sixth grade LA teachers to add picture book biographies to their biography unit. 

Over the years, I have learned about so many different people by reading these picture books! I am looking forward to learning about Dudley Randall this fall.  

Waiting on Wednesday: Fight or Flight by Jeff Kinney

Image: Abrams

Fight or Flight: Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #21) by Jeff Kinney. 224 p. Amulet Books/ Abrams, October 20, 2026. 9781419782701.

Waiting on Wednesday features Fight or Flight, the 21st Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, due out on October 21. I have been a fan of Wimpy Kid since the first installment. I wasn't blogging then, and I wasn't on Goodreads, but I thought it hilarious and just the right book for a variety of readers. 

Publisher synopsis: In Fight or Flight, Greg Heffley faces his biggest challenge yet as he becomes a target for the school bully. Luckily for Greg, his best friend, Rowley Jefferson, takes karate, so at least Greg's got someone in his corner. But an unexpected twist makes Greg realize he's facing an uphill battle.

Will Greg step into the ring or throw in the towel? One thing's for sure—Fight or Flight is a knockout!

Waiting on Wednesday: In the Blood by April Henry

Image: Hachette Book Group

 In the Blood by April Henry. 304 p. Christy Ottaviano Books, May 12, 2026. 9780316586214.

I've been a bad blogger, but I'm still reading and thinking about blogging about what I read. I just kind of freeze when I sit down to write. Ugh. 

News about this new release popped up in my feeds and I perked up. Ms. Henry's books were faves with my seventh and eighth graders. 

Publisher synopsis: When an adopted teen takes a DNA test to find her biological parents, she unknowingly puts herself in the crosshairs of a serial killer.

Adopted as a newborn, Tessa has always wondered who her biological parents are. After turning eighteen, she takes a DNA test in hopes of finding the answers. With best friend El and lab partner Victor, Tessa uses the results to start building her family tree. But they find more dead ends than answers. Her biological mother, who was raised in a religious cult, has cut all ties with her controlling family. And her biological father remains a complete mystery, at least until the police show up. For fifteen years, they’ve been trying to identify a serial killer known as the Portland Phantom. Tessa may be the link they’ve been waiting for.

April Henry delivers a twisty thriller about the families who choose us—and the ones we’re born into. Biology does not have to dictate one’s destiny.

I hope this post jump-starts my resolve to blog more. 

Waiting on Wednesday: Ape Escape by Stuart Gibbs

Image: Simon & Schuster

Ape Escape by Stuart Gibbs. 320 p. FunJungle #10. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, March 24, 2026. 9781665986779.

I discovered this news when I went to Simon & Schuster's website for my Monday post! I need to remember to read it with my eyes! While I have started reading more fiction and nonfiction for adults, I will continue to read for young people, especially when favorite authors have new publications. I love this cover. Ape Escape is due on March 24, 2026. 

Publisher synopsis: In the tenth novel in New York Times bestselling author Stuart Gibbs’s FunJungle series, super sleuth Teddy Fitzroy is on the case to rescue an abducted young gorilla!

When a baby gorilla is stolen from an orphanage in Rwanda, Teddy, his parents, and an old family friend find themselves in a race against time to save it. Teddy has to piece together clues to figure out where the little ape is being taken while traveling through some of the most incredible—and dangerous—terrain in the world.

At the same time, he’s long-distance consulting with Summer to help solve another mystery back at FunJungle. Between facing down lions on the Serengeti and chasing poachers through the bazaars of Zanzibar, will Teddy be able to find the baby gorilla before it’s too late?