Publisher Spotlight Preview (Fall 2026/Winter 2027): Do Re Mi Books, Messy Press, & Medicine Wheel Publishing

It begins…

In my life, my blogging separates quite neatly into two separate and quite specific times of year. You’ve the Spring books (premiering in the fall) and the Fall books (premiering in the spring). What time of year is it right now? Spring. What books are we now going to enjoy? Fall. And thanks to the efforts of one miraculous Ellen Myrick of Publisher Spotlight, we’re going to give a little time and attention NOT to the big whopping Five (the five major publishers in America that control most of children’s book publishing). Nope. We’re going to zero in instead on the l’il guys. The small publishers that produce rare, wild, interesting, strange books for kids. The kinds of books that upset expectations. The kinds of books that no one in their right mind would ever consider “crud”.

Let’s dive in:

The Cricket in the Violin by Anna Haifisch, translated by David Colmer

ISBN: 9781917933186

Publication Date: October 6, 2026

Confession time! I came into this just assuming this was yet another Grasshopper and the Ants fable derivation. And I wasn’t… entirely wrong? But I certainly wasn’t entirely right. Here, I’ll explain. In this story, a cricket sees a HUGE discarded violin. I’m talking a human sized violin here. But to a cricket, that’s a house that plays music! And as it happens, this cricket can play it rather well with their six legs. Now when wintertime comes, the other animals are looking at the violin for fuel. The succeed in tearing it to shreds only, when it’s warmer, to realize what it is that they have done. They feel bad and make it up to the cricket. Do you see what I meant at the start here? It’s a kind of twist on the old Aesop fable, but in a way that I like!

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The Mole Construction Company: The Squirrel Family’s Treehouse by Shingo Nagasaki

ISBN: 9781917933070

Publication Date: September 22, 2026

Okay. So, this might be a little specific, but I think some of you out there are going to understand what I’m talking about. You know when your kid has been into construction equipment for more than a year, but they’re aging out of the younger Richard-Scarry-type stuff? You still want to read them picture books, but you’re not sure how to find something that’s just a bit more sophisticated. For such cases, The Mole Construction Company may be a logical next step. In this story, Squirrel’s house is starting to have issues. Their treehouse needs repairs. Whom to turn to? The Mole Construction Company, of course! Note how the art in this book is incredibly detailed. Oh! And best of all? It’s a superior readaloud. Who can beat that?

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K-Pop Witch Academy: A Trainee’s Dream by Fiona Scoble, Seong-Jae Kong, and Jenn Aguilera

ISBN: 9781917933155

Publication Date: January 5, 2027

I mean, I’d describe this one to you, but how can I possibly improve upon the publisher copy? Here, listen to this: “When eleven-year-olds Soo, Ivy, and Min are among the few students invited to join an elite K-pop academy on Ganghwado Island, they think they’re chasing stardom. What they don’t know is that this school doesn’t just make idols. It makes witches.”

Yup. That’s right. They just smashed together K-Pop and Hogwarts. Don’t be jealous. I’m sure we all wish we’d thought up this one ourselves.

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Where Do They Sleep? by Adam Thompson & illustrated by Erica Harrison

ISBN: 9781067098537

Publication Date: August 25, 2026

Board book time! It’s always a little difficult to highlight board books on these publisher round-ups, since they are (by design) meant to be simple and to-the-point. But I think you’ll agree that the art in this particular title really stands out, with its clean lines and contrasting colors. Erica Harrison does those Mouse Detective books from Flying Eye (or so I hear). Clever smart and elegant with fun wordplay to boot.

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The Pizza Shape Book (Mog & Morris) by Adam Thompson & illustrated by Erica Harrison

ISBN: 9781067098520

Publication Date: September 8, 2026

Get outta here, old shape books. It’s time for a NEW kind of shape book! Meet Mog & Morris. They’re a cat and a dog pondering some really big questions. Morris, the dog, is the pizza obsessed one who’s about to discover that even pizza has shapes. Intrigued? The good news is that there will be more of these titles in this series.

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Tiny Tours Travel Guides: Ancient Egypt by Adam Thompson & illustrated by Erica Harrison

ISBN: 9781067098575

Publication Date: October 6, 2026

Meet Tiny. He is now, officially, your tour guide to the past. What we have here is an illustrated guide that goes back in time and reveals all the exciting things you can do and see in specific historical periods. Visit the great cities and monuments, find out where to stay, what to eat, and even how to barter for souvenirs! Each book in the series includes a fold out map, glossary, timeline, and listicles. What’s a listicle? Ya got me. No idea. Sounds cool, though. I found the local information pages to be particularly fun. And after this? Look for tiny tours London coming out next year.

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I don’t usually introduce the new publishers, but this one is a little different from the rest. Based in British Columbia, it’s actually been around for 10 years. All of its creators are authentically Indigenous and have final approval over their books, allowing them the chance to make sure that everyone in their community approves.

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Tess’s Red Dress by Carolyn Roberts & Kelsey Mata Foote

ISBN: 9781778540905

Publication Date: May 12, 2026

I think we’ve seen enough picture books in the 21st century to know that, when handled correctly, they are capable of discussing tough topics. In this story, a family expecting a new addition. In the course of things, the young heroine of the story’s mom explains why her daughter is named for her sister. It turns out, mom’s sister was is of the missing Indigenous women. This subject is discussed in a way that is appropriate for a child, but also understands the loss that the child may be experiencing. The book is clear about showing how the family is made of activists with the dad being involved. As they go to a march for all the missing women, the age-appropriate and empathetic language introduces child readers to Red Dress Day and the importance of remembering the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2 Spirit People. It also has some of the most badass author/illustrator images I’ve seen in a long time.

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Minnow by Willie Poll & illustrated by Emily Graceanna Pearson

ISBN: 9781778540585

Publication Date: May 12, 2026

A graphic novel! One created by Willie Poll, a Métis author from the Robinson Huron Treaty Territory (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada) and a proud member of the Métis Nation of Ontario, and Emily Graceanna Pearson, a Dakelh illustrator and artist who hails from the Stellat’en First Nation. In this story, Minnow’s grandma is gone and no one knows what happened to her. Meanwhile, Minnow’s also dealing with the fact that she can feel her body change anytime she’s near the water. A tale of mystical powers while remaining an environmental story at the same time.

That’s all for today, but stay tuned for more titles from the smaller publisher groups out there.

Filed under: Publisher Previews