Levine Querido

All This Fuss Over a Cookie?! Every month Ms. Madeleine creates a special cookie of the month for her bakery. And her best customer, a little girl named Cookie, is always the first to try it. Ms. Madeleine’s sweet treats never disappoint. When June arrives, Cookie and her two moms stop in and taste the best cookie yet: a heart-shaped, rainbow-striped, crunchy, frosted confection that Ms. Madeleine baked especially for Pride. But Rainbow Cookies make some people in the neighborhood angry. They write harsh notes. They cancel orders. Ms. Madeleine is afraid her Rainbow Cookie might be her last. But Cookie is not about to let that happen. With great determination and a fabulous idea, she gathers friends and neighbors to support Ms. Madeleine. Together they show the whole town how colorful and fun and celebratory and delicious the combination of love, Pride, and cookies can be!

Junior Library Guild Gold Standard  From the award-winning author of Furia—two brothers struggle against a totalitarian regime in this historical YA about fighting for what you believe in, even when the world around you tries to silence your voice.  In 1976 Rosario, Argentina, brothers Daniel and Adrián Aguirre share a passion for music and a bond as best friends. However, under the authoritarian military government, artists and musicians are considered enemies of the state, even if they're just teenagers playing at home. When one of their songs unexpectedly gains popularity on the radio, Daniel and Adrián, along with their band Río Babel—comprised of children of immigrants from Spain, Palestine, and Germany—face a daunting choice.  They must decide whether to pursue their dream of becoming musicians or to remain silent to protect their families. Ready to challenge the military regime, their resolve is tested when one of their own goes missing.  This novel delves into the power of music in the fight for a better tomorrow, making it a compelling read for those who appreciate stories of courage, family, and the enduring spirit of resistance against a totalitarian regime.

NOW IN PAPERBACK! Instant New York Times Bestseller! Stonewall Book Award Winner Best of the Year: Chicago Public Library * New York Public Library * Booklist * Publishers Weekly * BookPageFrom exciting debut talent Victoria Zeller comes One of the Boys, a coming-of-age story with an unforgettable voice for the queer jocks, the straight theater kids, and everyone in between. Grace Woodhouse was a star kicker with a D1 future, but that was before she came out as transgender and quit football. Now, as senior year begins, Grace is navigating a new life with queer friends and a fresh perspective. But when her old teammates beg her to rejoin the Pageland High football team, Grace can’t resist the call of the game. Can she be both a star football player and a trans girl? As Grace steps back onto the field, she’ll face transphobia, navigate complicated feelings for her ex-girlfriend, and learn to unite her past and present. One of the Boys is a heartfelt, funny, and inspiring story about self-discovery, breaking stereotypes, and the power of solidarity, all wrapped up in an unforgettable season of high school football. Perfect for fans of sports stories and authentic queer narratives, this book is a winning game of “feelingsball” you won't want to miss!”P R A I S E“Heartfelt, hilarious, and blisteringly honest. One of the Boys is genuinely one of the best contemporary YAs I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.” —Andrew Joseph White, New York Times bestselling author of Compound Fracture  “Completely and beautifully immersed in the world of its sport, One of the Boys is as funny as it is emotional, as honest as it is hopeful, and as exciting as it is comforting. This is exactly the book I wanted to read, and Grace is exactly the protagonist I wanted to follow. Her voice, much like Victoria Zeller’s prose, is a joy. I absolutely loved it.” —KT Hoffman, author of The Prospects? “A standout first work, setting a high bar for the blooming subgenre of queer sports fiction.” —Booklist (starred)? “One of the Boys is an amazing feel-good read for any teen (or adult!) who loves football—but for those who know nothing about the sport, Zeller does a great job making it accessible. Alongside great sports plays and banter, Zeller also prioritizes “feelingsball,” or mapping Grace’s mental and emotional journey as she works to unite the football world and the LGBTQ+ world, two spaces with long-held stereotypes and prejudices against each other. One of the Boys is a standout work of YA fiction, as inspiring and illuminating as it is funny and relatable.” —BookPage (starred)? “Zeller artfully exposes the tender underbelly of locker room posturing, presenting a subversive, experience-informed interpretation of toxic masculinity ... An intersectionally diverse cast—which includes Grace’s taciturn yet supportive single father—helps the protagonist forge her own path and blaze a trail for others in this necessary debut.” —Publishers Weekly (starred)

NEWBERY HONOR AWARD WINNERBEST OF THE YEAR:NPR - Booklist - School Library Journal - Chicago Public Library - Evanston Public Library - Kirkus - Wall Street JournalThe Silk Road comes to life in this picaresque epic adventure with twists and turns and a wonderful surprise ending from Printz Medalist Daniel NayeriThis is the tale of an exciting journey along the Silk Road with a young Monk and his newfound guardian, Samir, a larger than life character and the so-called Seller of Dreams. The man is a scammer, his biggest skill being the ability to talk his way into getting what he wants. While that talking did save Monkey’s life, it has left a lot of people furious with Samir— furious enough to hire assassins. Monkey decides to try and save Samir from the attempts on his life—as a way to pay off his debt! If he can save Samir six times, he’ll be a free man ... but will they all survive that lon? ans of Salman Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories and The Little Prince will fall in love with the bond between Monkey and Samir—in this swashbuckling all-ages page-turner from national best seller Daniel Nayeri. P R A I S E“Adventurous, funny and nimble. Daniel Nayeri understands this relationship between storytelling and magic, and finds every opportunity to celebrate it. ”  —The New York Times “Daniel Nayeri conjures a richly colored 11th-century realm of merchants and swindlers, camels and donkeys, caravanserai and spice bazaars, and the gaudiest array of mercenaries ever assembled in a book for young readers.”  —The Wall Street Journal4 STARRED REVIEWS  ? “An epic ­adventure with an enduring message about love and family.”  —School Library Journal (starred) ? “Filled with the multicultural hustle and bustle of the Silk Road, enlivened by the unpredictable nature of unreliable storytellers, this is a strange, wondrous, and creative tale. Can family be found along the Silk Road, or will everyone ultimately betray you? An enticing taste of a rich historical world."   —Kirkus (starred) ? “Readers will find more than expected, including tender philosophies, complex characterizations, heaps of humor, a masterful twist, and most importantly, just a great story, beautifully told.”  —Booklist (starred) ? “Blends playful humor, solid pacing, and fully realized characters into a witty, assassin-studded traveler’s yarn that also serves as a memorable, lively portrait of the 11th-century Silk Road.”   —Publishers Weekly (starred) “Nayeri’s immersive writing style brings a you-are-there energy to the depiction of the harsh but gorgeous environment of the Silk Road, and an informative author’s note further details the geography of the trail, its economic and social value, and the many people who traversed it. The book ends with a simple but profound reminder that love comes in many forms, it is almost always messy and unpredictable, and it is almost always worth every effort toward it.”  —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books “Daniel Nayeri has a gift. The child that reads this will not forget it, and how many books that come out for this age range can say the same? Is there anything else out there like it? I will simply say this: If you hand this book to someone, they will definitely have an opinion of it. You may, in fact, end up loving it in the end, or cursing it to the heavens. A tome with a soul tied inextricably to that of its titular character. Better read it.”  —Betsy Bird, SLJ's Fuse 8 Blog

Denmark, 870 AD. Yrsa knows her place in the village of Mimir’s Stool. Though she was born with a crooked foot, she’s never let anyone underestimate her; after all, she’s the daughter of Toke the helmsman and granddaughter of the fearsome warrior Gudrun the Torch (who, according to legend, stood before the walls of Paris, splattered in the blood of Frankish warriors). And no one else in the village shares her ability to see what the Norns, the three weavers who live under the roots of Yggdrasil, the world tree, and craft people’s fates, have in store for them. One day the men return from a raid with a high-ranking hostage, Sister Job, and though the two girls couldn’t be more different, they look out for one another. And when one of the villagers viciously assaults Sister Job and she and Yrsa mortally wound him in self-defense, they’re forced to take to the sea to escape the wrath of the warriors of Mimir’s Stool, and worse, the wrath of the gods. Can either of them escape their fate? Do they even want to? From the acclaimed author of Ironhead, or, Once a Young Lady, comes Daughter of Doom, a dark historical adventure about fate, faith, and free will set on the rollicking seas in the age of Vikings.

Charting one boy’s search for companionship amidst violence and isolation in the mid-century rural South, with a new foreword from National Book Award-winner Justin Torres. Nathan’s used to being alone. Drifting from town to town following his salesman father, he seeks solace in his studies when he can’t find understanding in his own home; his father is abusive and an alcoholic and his mother would rather disappear into the background than protect him. Enter Roy. The older boy next door might have a girlfriend at school and at church, but there’s no question that they’re drawn to one another, and the two quickly become entangled in a covert relationship. As their relationship intensifies, Roy and Nathan must navigate their fears of being caught and their growing desires for one another. But when Nathan’s dad begins to suspect Nathan and Roy’s relationship is more than just friendship, Nathan’s home ceases to be safe, forcing Nathan to run away and altering his life, relationships, and future. Through lyrical and evocative writing, Grimsley explores violence, tenderness, trauma, religion, and queer love against the backdrop of the 1950s rural South. “Romantic passion, violence and ultimate liberation coalesce in this singular display of literary craftsmanship.” — Publishers Weekly

From Norway comes an international horror hit that is shudderingly terrifying and deliciously original. The world has been overrun by hitherto unknown beasts. Society has collapsed: the power is gone, cars are abandoned across the highways, and anyone left is hiding from the terrifying creatures—and one another. Thirteen-year-old Abdi and his five-year-old sister Alva are on the run, their last hope to escape through the forest and to the sea. As they recall the strange events that led to the beasts' arrival, and how the two of them got to where they were, they must ask themselves who they can trust—and what they will do to survive. Set in a postapocalyptic world, Ingvild Bjerkeland’s chilling novel Beasts is about children who hope to reunite with their father. After a beast killed their mother, Abdi becomes the guardian of his five-year-old sister, Alva. With Alva feverish, Abdi is anxious to find supplies and travel to the remote island where their ornithologist father is stationed. The creatures the siblings encounter are six feet tall, covered in black fur, with hoofs and curling claws that unfurl for attacks. The narrative maintains an engaging and brutal pace as Abdi struggles to keep his sister and himself alive. This gripping YA novel explores deeper themes, such as the line that separates not only child from adult but man from beast. The siblings anchor the book, and their emotional journey is as riveting as the physical one. Through his responsibility for Alva, Abdi overcomes his fears and finds strength within himself. Bjerkeland walks a careful line between being mindful of her audience’s age while refusing to shrink from the truth.Beasts will appeal to readers of survival classics such as Hatchet and Julie of the Wolves with its realistic illustrations of Abdi’s dogged problem-solving. It will also please those who enjoy stories with supernatural antagonists in pursuit of their prey, like The Walking Dead or The Last of Us. Rippling with constant tension, Beasts is an eerie, quick read for teen readers who can handle a bit of horror and unease.P R A I S E “Bjerkeland’s writing is beautiful. A quick, enjoyable read.”—New York Times ★ “Chilling… short chapters and taut prose set a frantic pace. Beasts combines the timelessness of a fairy tale with the stark immediacy of contemporary dystopian fiction.”— Foreword (starred) ★ "Bjerkeland’s propulsive tale is sleek and elegant, a subtle blend of fable and realism that increasingly reflects many of today’s desperate refugees’ experiences. Every sentence is direct and brief, vivid with eventfulness, uncertainty, and Abdi’s deep sense of responsibility for his sister… The story’s brevity and abrupt forcefulness, and the characters’ stalwart courage and love, make this tale unusually compelling.”— The Horn Book (starred) “Crisp and spare, the lines lean as picked-clean bones… The siblings anchor the book, and their emotional journey is as riveting as the physical one… Bjerkeland walks a careful line between being mindful of her audience’s age while refusing to shrink from the truth. Filled with tension and a few heart-pounding moments, Beasts never fully strays into the darker recesses like its postapocalyptic adult cousins The Road or I Who Have Never Known Men, yet it also resists easy answers or a storybook ending. It’s a balance that clearly works... Beasts is likely to garner praise from far more readers than that in the United States and beyond.”— Washington Independent Book Review “Harrowing… Abdi’s perspective is gripping, and the vagueness of detail and backstory adds to the suspense… Highly appealing for a great many horror readers, new and old.”— Kirkus “Drips with eerie atmosphere and moves at a taut pace. Abdi’s fi

SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD WINNER NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD WINNER Shaindy is a twelve-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl who struggles in school and has no good friends. She watches with envy as her next-door neighbor, GAYIL, excels socially and academically. They have little to do with each other, and it comes as a surprise when Shaindy looks out her window one September evening and sees Gayil staring out at her from her own window with a sign reading want to know a secret? The secret (at first) is that Gayil has a key fob that will allow them to break into their school after hours. Together, they set up a harmless prank in their classroom. But under Gayil’s instigation the mischief becomes malice, and Shaindy sees that the pranks and humiliations are targeted only at certain girls. But what could they have in common? With the fear of Gayil’s fury and her own reluctance growing, Shaindy comes to the terrifying conclusion that if she can’t figure out how to stop it, the next target could be her. P R A I S E ? “Absorbing and principled… Lowe wastes not a word in crafting this taut and emotionally roiled exploration of culpability and forgiveness. Gayil is right–‘sixth grade is hard’–and Shaindy's vulnerability will likely resonate deeply with readers who share Shaindy's longing for acceptance.” —Shelf-Awareness (starred) ? “[An] introspective novel full of perceptive emotional observations.” —Horn Book (starred) “Pitch-perfect… The struggle between trying to fit in and keeping true to yourself will resonate with all tweens.” —School Library Journal “This thoughtful middle grade novel explores the complexity of middle school friendships, bullying, and what it means to make amends and have a fresh start.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “An enormously rewarding meditation on friendship, fairness, and forgiveness.” —Booklist “A nuanced exploration of the intricacies of friendship… Engrossing and deeply relatable.” —Kirkus

Even long ago, there was day and night. The day was full of light and warmth, and people and animals alike rejoiced in the rays of the sun. But what happens when people get greedy and take the Night for granted? What will become of the Earth and those who dwell upon it? Katherine Jumbe masterfully brings the world of the Malawian savanna to life, telling a rhythmic tale perfect for bedtime. Rich illustrations by Shana Dixon depict Baby Mwana and her older Sister Alekachawo as they trek up the great Sky Road to bring the heavens back into balance.