Publisher Spotlight: A Preview of Fall 26-Winter 27 (Blue Dot Press and Paw Prints)

We back with more! The annual American Library Conference may be behind us but the books are stronger than ever. Let’s see what’s on the docket today:

Borders: Understanding the Lines that Unite and Separate Us by Karim Ressouni-Demigneux, ill. Karine Maincent

ISBN: 9798985849493

Publication Date: August 11, 2026

Multiple books are coming out right now for kids, talking about borders. This book focuses a bit more on how they’re drawn, their history, and how they are negotiated, protected, or defended. They’re complicated (to put it mildly) and this book is a little bit more detailed, with a slightly different take, than others. It even goes into bizarre borders as well. Great backmatter? Naturally.

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One Person by Wee Hae-June, ill. Yael Frankel

ISBN: 9781736226421

Publication Date: August 18, 2026

So apparently illustrator Yael Frankel was selected as the “Illustrator of the Year” at the Bologna International Children’s Book Fair in 2016 and 2017. And Yael Frankel? She created that particularly fun book The Elevator from Tapioca Stories. This is thumbprint art (paging Ed Emberley) about how one single person can make a difference, for bad or for good, in the world. Consider this a visual representation of the good that can happen.

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All I Can Tell You by Alison Malee, ill. Chantal Horeis

ISBN: 9781223189932

Publication Date: January 12, 2027

Acclaimed poet Alison Malee wrote the text for this particular book. This particular badass book. Anyone who has ever read a picture book based on a poem (of which there are quite a few in 2026) knows that coming up with a plot can be difficult. However, in this book we follow a group of women across race, age, and identity who brave a raging storm. Their goal? To guide it to calmer waters. Been there. So yes, it is gorgeous and inspirational. But more to the point, it’s the kind of book you’ll hear is, “Perfect for young feminists” and for once? You won’t cringe. It’s actually true.

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The Big Five Save the Lions by David Isaacman with Bobbie Bensur, ill. Bats Langley

ISBN: 9781223189512

Publication Date: August 4, 2026

So author David Isaacman is probably best known to many as being the fellow behind the Emmy Award-winning series Love on the Spectrum. In this book a group of five kids discover a backpack that gives them secret powers. Using their bond and their neurodiversity they must take down a supervillain trying to get rid of all the animals in the world. Honestly, the way that billionaires are going these day, that plot’s not so far fetched.

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McGill & Lee: Invasion of the Mutant Plications by Florenza Lee & Bridgett McGill, ill. Abi Fox

ISBN: 9781223189321

Publication Date: October 13, 2026

And we’ll end today with a math-centric graphic novel. Yes! Math! Hey, I like it in books for kids. Plus McGee is a longtime math and science teacher for Chicago Public Schools so, y’know, hometown pride. In this story two kids realize that they must defend the planet against the evil Plications. Their weapons? Math, baby. We’re talking STEM education in a GN format. Could there be anything sweeter?

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Stay tuned for more previews coming to us via Publisher Spotlight soon!

Filed under: Publisher Previews