Publisher Spotlight Spring/Summer 2026 Preview (Part Two)

If you know me then you know the drill. Ellen Myrick comes to me from Publisher Spotlight and shows me a SLEW of books coming out from a whole chunk of small publishers in the near future. I let you folks, in turn, take a gander at them (and I gather some images along the way, which is always helpful when I’m doing my year end lists). Today, we’ve about five different publishers all vying for your attention. Let us see what strikes your fancy…

Home Away From Home by Nazneen Akbarim, ill. Rashin Kheiriyeh

ISBN: 9798888598962

Publication Date: February 3, 2026

Oman. Not a country that appears in that many books for kids. Of course there was the truly charming The Turtle of Oman by Naomi Shihab Nye, but that was a middle grade novel. Home Away From Home has the distinction of being a picture book through and through. In this tale, girl is visiting her grandmother in Oman for the summer. The problem? She’s left her beloved doll behind at home. There’s only one thing to do then: Find a new one at the souk. Nazneen Akbari works for the U.S. Department of State (which must feel a little fraught right now) and has carefully researched everything. Fantastic backmatter appropriate for kids to read including further information about Oman, the historic Muttrah Souk featured, henna (it’s not just an Indian thing), and an Arabic glossary.

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When I Grow Up I Want to Be a Chair by Ryan Rae Harbuck, ill. Barry Lee

ISBN: 9798888599051

Publication Date: April 7, 2026

The path to publication for this book is fairly straightforward. In 2022 author Ryan Rae Harbuck published the memoir When I Grow Up I Want to Be a Chair. Now she’s taken a logical next step and turned aspects of that book into a title for younger kids. This is a book unafraid to delve into the complicated relationship that a kid in a wheelchair has with their chair. In this story Vo is thinking about her future and knows that she doesn’t want a boring job. She wants to be…a chair! Her chair makes a huge difference in her life, and she wants to do the same!. Logical. Endnotes feature a note from the author, more info on Vo’s chair, and instructions on how to create a vision board (!).

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America’s Founding Myths by Christy Mihaly, ill. Marta Sevilla

ISBN: 9798888599082

Publication Date: May 26, 2026

Publishers have a problem in 2026. Have you noticed? The Sesquicentennial (America’s 250th anniversary) is happening in 2026 and on the one hand they wan to celebrate it. On the other hand, have you seen who the president is right now? With that in mind, authors and illustrators are having to be quite creative. That’s where America’s Founding Myths comes in. It takes our best known stories and then plugs in some facts. You think you know these stories, but do you really? Best of all, this title not only tackles our complex founding, but encourages media literacy by empowering young people to ask questions and check sources. And really, what could be more American than that?

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How to Build a Human by Scott Goldie, ill. Gustavo Bernado

ISBN: 9781835694633

Publication Date: January 6, 2026

One of my favorite books to read to my kids when they were a little younger was the graphic novel Human Body Theater by Maris Wicks. It’s so good, in fact, that one is tempted to wonder why there aren’t more books out there where parts of the human body talk and chat with big goofy eyeballs. Happily, a new title here seems to fill that readalike gap for me. Considered graphic nonfiction, the book certainly errs a little more on the informational side of things rather than the comics side, but that’s all right. It’s still fun and appealing to kids. Look for other books in this series to be coming soon.

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The Story Bridge by Richard O’Neill, ill. Raquel Martín​

ISBN: 9781835322420

Publication Date: May 15, 2026

There’s been a significant uptick in the number of picture books to come out in the last few years from the Romani or Traveler community. Romani storyteller Richard O’Neill tells the tale of two small towns, on opposite banks of the same river, who want nothing to do with each other…until a group of Traveling craftspeople arrive and things begin to change.​The community life of the Traveler community is on display as the story delves into how two small towns might learn how to talk to one another.

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Shoes: A Footwear by Anna Davies, ill. Daisy Wynter

ISBN: 9781800660571

Publication Date: May 5, 2026

I can’t quite decide if this is the most abject pander to adult buyers I’ve ever seen or the cleverest understanding of a universal appreciation for footwear. This book examines shoes throughout time and around the world. It’s a lot of women’s shoes, sure, but it also includes men’s as well. What’s that? You want to know if the book covers shoes of the future? Of COURSE it does! Did you ever have any doubt?

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Finding Life by Sophie Williams

ISBN: 9781800660540​

Publication Date: March 3, 2026

Boy, I hope you like timelines, because this book is chock full of them. What’s a new method for teaching kids about different historical periods? How about utilizing the good old seek-and-find method? In this book, you’re trying to find different objects in different periods. The book starts with the beginnings of life in the precambrian period and then goes all the way to the present. ​Gotta love those colors too. They really pop off the page!

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My Butterfly Secret by Mahesh Pathirathna, ill. Evi Shelvia

ISBN: 9781954354456

Publication Date: May 5, 2026

Moral ambiguity in a picture book package… with butterflies! What more could you want? The story in this particular book focuses on a South American community where the economy is based on capturing butterflies to send to collectors. Honestly, it’s the only way to make good money. When a child becomes sad about ending the butterflies’ lives they decide to come up with another way to feed scientific curiosity but not compromise the butterflies’ lives. Essentially, this is an environmental and economy story with a lot more depth than you might usually find in fare of this sort.

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That’s all we have in store for you today! If you’re curious about the previous preview, you can read up on it here. And big thanks to Ellen Myrick for showing me all these keen titles!

Filed under: Publisher Previews