Publisher Preview: Nosy Crow (Winter 2027)

You know ’em. You love ’em. Or, at the very least, you know that I love ’em. That’s right, it’s time to dip once more into the future and see what it has in store for us. Today we’re considering the upcoming season of little publisher Nosy Crow. Ten books present themselves to you today. Will you find a favorite amongst them? Guess we’ll just have to see.

So Avery Cook is the fine personage who does these previews for me. This time around, Avery had a fun idea. Each book gets a hook. A little glimpse at what kind of library patron each book would be if it entered your library. And not only does Avery CLEARLY understand library patrons, but because she did this I felt inclined to include every single book she showed to me. Other publishers take note. This is a smart hook.

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Minnow Mayberry Talks to Ghosts by Jennifer Wolf Kam

ISBN: 9798887773100

Publication Date: January 12, 2027

Hook: If this were a library patron it would be a 5th grader who saw The Exorcist and found it “funny”.

Welcome to this ghost story set on Long Island. After Minnow lost her mom in a car wreck she went to live with her weird, quirky aunt who has moved them to this new town (sort of Raven Rising, right?). Now Minnow can see ghosts, which is inconvenient to say the least. You know what this is? Widow’s Bay for kids with just a bit of Sixth Sense. You see, because the ghosts here can’t cross over to the other side, Minnow needs to figure out how to help them. A quick read at 256 pages, and I was assured that the book is not the least bit flippant about parental death.

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Destiny Ink: Birthday Secret by Adeola Sokunbi

ISBN: 9798887773124

Publication Date: March 9, 2027

Hook: If this was a library patron it would be the one still working on their story hour craft several hours after the event has ended.

This is #3 in the Destiny Ink series. You may remember it from other previews, or from this fantastic image I found of author/illustrator Adeola Sokunbi and the kitchen she doodled during the COVID lockdown:

I will never get tired of showing that.

In this latest title in the series, Destiny is entering a baking competition. She has this great idea for the best cake ever and, shocker, it doesn’t quite turn out the way she thought it would. As with everything, Destiny uses journaling and drawing and a touch of magic to deal with her everyday life. It’s one of those early chapter books we’re so desperately in need of these days.

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Princess Minna: The Dragon Egg Hunt by Kirsty Applebaum, ill. Sahar Haghgoo

ISBN: 9798887773148

Publication Date: February 2, 2027

Hook: If this book was a library patron it would be the one who brings in food so often you’ve given up telling them not to.

Easter picture books abound, but Easter-related early chapter books? Not all that common. Meet the exception to the rule. In this series, Minna is a princess who lives the way she wants to. Minn and her dragon pal Lorenzo are planning an egg hunt. Unfortunately he hid his mom’s best egg. Now they have to figure out how to find it.

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As Only Dogs Can, edited by Lou Peacock, ill. John Bond

ISBN: 9798887773247

Publication Date: March 16, 2027

Hook: This is the patron who comes in and every time tells you a dubious fact about dogs.

Voila! A brand new anthology of dog poems that’s also fully illustrated. It’s got Sharon Creech, Richard Wright, etc. If there’s somebody famous who wrote a dog poem, it’s in here. And as weird as this may sound, I can’t think of a single instance of someone collecting dog poems like this before. Huh. Heartfelt and humor mix here. Avery also assured me that it has been endorsed by the in-house dogs. Sadly, she didn’t send me those photos.

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What a Night! A Bedtime Story by Guilherme Karsten

ISBN: 9798887773018

Publication Date: January 12, 2027

Hook: This is the patron who’s book returns look like they went through a washing machine.

Aaaaaaaand… now I have Billy Joel caught in my head. Now I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out why Guilherme Karsten’s name was so familiar to me. A quick glance at his books and I pretty much figured it out. Most recently, he was the artist behind Ramon Fellini: Dog Detective, which I know a lot of folks were fans of. This book marks Karsten’s authorial debut. It starts off as a normal bedtime story, but sets everything within an apartment building with thin walls. Using a split page format, every time something happens on a floor, you can flip a tab that shows the inside of that floor. Chaos, happily, ensues. And yes, the elephant does end up crashing through the floor. Glad I was able reassure you on that point.

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Frank and Bert: The One Where Bert is Scared of Frogs by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

ISBN: 9798887773230

Publication Date: April 13, 2027

Hook: This is the patron who comes to every event, but one hour in. But they’re there!

The latest in the Frank and Bert series. I’m fond of their subtitles. They sound like episodes of Friends. In this latest title, the focus is on demystifying worries while respecting that they exist. Frank the fox is afraid of frogs and the two best friends come together to deal with this incredibly cute frog that they run into. You can face your fears and they’re maybe not as bad as they initially seemed. You’ll notice I said that Frank was the one scared. Now reread the subtitle. Things, as I’m sure you are now aware, get interesting.

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We’re Going on a Book Hunt by Goldie Hawk, ill. Angie Rozelaar

ISBN: 9798887773469

Publication Date: April 6, 2027

Hook: This patron comes to every event an hour early and they watch you set up.

The only thing that compares to a book you can sing is a book you can chant. This little British import was inspired by something called “the Year of Reading” in the U.K. And, as I’m sure you’ve already grasped from the title, it’s “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” but bookish. The specifics of “the hunt”? Three children are seeking the perfect book. In an interesting twist (and perhaps a hat tip to its readaloudability (not a word)) they’re publishing this both in hardcover and board book forms.

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The History of the Bayeux Tapestry by Libby Walden, ill. Nina Chakabarti

ISBN: 9798887773711

Publication Date: January 26, 2027

Hook: This patron has frequent and suspicious ILL requests.

That might actually be my favorite hook of them all. In any case, ahead of the actual tapestry’s big move from France to England (were you aware that this would happen in July 2027?), this book is to be released as part of the British Museum series. It’s interesting global history for kids and gets at what secrets might lie in the stitches (as well as cool facts about it). For example, the ladies who made the tapestry made it against their will. As such, some of the royals look really really goofy on purpose. This may explain some things.

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Tummy Time: Ocean by Louise Lockhart

ISBN: 9798887773476

Publication Date: April 6, 2027

Hook: This patron has a garden who is VERY into the 1,000 books before Kindergarten movement.

As far as I’m concerned, one of the greatest board book inventions remains tummy time fold out books. This title is no exception. You are asking, “Sure, Betsy. That’s all well and good. But is there a mirror?” You bet there is, baby. You bet there is.

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Little Learners: Colors and Numbers by Stephen Smith

Colors ISBN: 9798887773827

Numbers ISBN: 9798887773810

Publication Date: February 2, 2027

Hook: This patron is a disconcertingly literate 3-year-old. They claim to read things that seem above their level.

Meet the new series for young kids 0-3. This is a concept series and because we love things that move, there are things plenty of elements in these books that slide around. Plus it has some fund details you might not have encountered in a board book before, like how you can make the flowers pop up as they’re counted. Neat!

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And that’s that! Thanks once more to Avery Cook for showing me the upcoming wares. Something to look forward to in the new year!

Filed under: Publisher Previews