March/April 2026 Kids Indie Next List

IndieBound has published their new list of recommended upcoming books which are nominated by independent booksellers across the country.

PICTURE BOOKS

Cat’s New Book by Nathalie Belhassen

The Future Book by Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris

The God of Sleep by Lev Grossman, illustrated by Huynh Kim Liên

I Really Want to Be a Cat by Helen Hancocks

Is This Spring? by Kevin Henkes

Judgy Bunny and the Terrible Beach by Scott Rothman, illustrated by Linzie Hunter

Loops by Jashar Awan

The Rare Bird by Elisha Cooper

Rumpelstiltskin by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Carson Ellis

Ruthie by Esmé Shapiro

MIDDLE GRADE

Aftermyth by Tracy Wolff

Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria by L. M. Wilkinson, illustrated by Lavanya Naidu

The Curse Breaker by Jen Calonita

A Kid Like Me by Norm Feuti

The Lion’s Run by Sara Pennypacker

Oh Brother by Georgina Chadderton

Phoenix by Kim Brubaker Bradley

Queso, Just in Time by Ernesto Cisneros

Sweet, Tart by Kara Thom

The Unlikely Tale of Chase & Finnegan by Jasmine Warga

When Tomorrow Burns by Tae Keller

YOUNG ADULT

Carnival Fantastico by Angela Montoya

The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst

The Free Verse Society by Delali Adjoa

Her Hidden Fire by Cliodhna O’Sullivan

If We Never End by Laura Taylor Namey

Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean

Meet Me Under the Lights by Cassie Miller

Queen of Faces by Petra Lord

Ramin Abbas Has Major Questions by Ahmad Saber

The Sun and the Starmaker by Rachel Griffin

Wake Your Friday Brain Cells – March 13 Edition

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

11 Feminist Middle Grade and YA Novels About Gender, Period Stigma, and More – SLJ

Why are today’s children’s books and films often so much better than adult ones? – The Guardian

LIBRARIES

5 Library Wins Worth Celebrating – American Libraries

8 Badass Librarians We Need to Celebrate This International Women’s Day  – Lit Hub

American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom unveils new and updated resources to protect the freedom to read – ALA

By the book: Alberta schools pull at least 160 titles from shelves to meet provincial order – CBC

‘Essential for My Career’: Six Authors Explain Why They Need Their Books on Library Shelves – PEN America

Judy Blume and the Making of ‘Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing’ – Newsweek

YA LIT

Malorie Blackman on Noughts & Crosses at 25: ‘It’s even more relevant today’ – The Guardian