WILDCATS de Crystal Velasquez & Eva Cabrera

Mina is just an average middle schooler. But when she starts attending a new boarding school that her parents also attended, she and three other girls learn that they have generational powers that turn them into wild cats. Navigating this new reality, the girls will have to use their powers to figure out the mysterious temple that sits under the school’s museum, and defeat the evil forces who want to unleash chaos on the school…and the world.

WILDCATS (Volume 1): A Graphic Novel
by Crystal Velasquez
illustrated by Eva Cabrera
Andrews McMeel, June 2025

As Mina struggles to navigate the cliques of her new school she is taken under the wing of Miss Benitez, a mysterious but kind history teacher. She tells Mina and three other girls—Lin, Ana, and Shani—that their families gifted the priceless objects housed in the school’s museum. Ms. Benitez thinks it’s important that the girls understand their ancestry.

It turns out that Ms. Benitez is the curator of the museum, and it sits on top of a mysterious temple, the ancient meeting place of a dangerous group called the Brotherhood of Chaos. When one of the priceless objects is shattered, the girls find out exactly why their heritage is so important: it gives them the power to turn into wild cats. Now, in the form of a jaguar, a tiger, a puma, and a lion, they must work together to fight the chaos spirits that were unleashed when the object was shattered…and uncover the terrifying plans of those who want to resurrect the Brotherhood of Chaos.

WILD CATS is full of adventure, heart, and friendship. This full-color graphic novel is ripe for fans of mythology, superheroes, and, of course, cats!

Crystal Velasquez is a prolific writer who has written numerous graphic novels as well as middle grade books for children, including Hunters of Chaos, the inspiration for Wildcats. She lives in Flushing, New York.

Eva Cabrera is an illustrator and the co-founder of Mexican studio BoudikaComics. She was born in Veracruz, Mexico. You can find her on all her social networks as @evacabrera.

PACHECO AND THE WITCH OF THE MOUNTAIN de Juan E. Zambrano

Welcome to the island of Asunción, home to the most powerful witches—and Pacheco, their biggest fan. In this beautifully illustrated graphic novel, debut creator Juan E. Zambrano will take readers on an epic adventure that’s all about magic, identity, and staying true to yourself.

PACHECO AND THE WITCH OF THE MOUNTAIN: A Graphic Novel
by Juan E. Zambrano
Andrews McMeel, June 2025

Pacheco’s biggest dream is to practice magic! There’s just one problem: commoners, and especially boys, aren’t allowed to learn witchcraft. 

However, once his family’s fishing business begins to suffer, Pacheco is determined; he’s certain that learning magic is the best way to help his family and community. He meets Doris, a grumpy, old witch, and he decides to become her apprentice.

As Pacheco enters the world of magic, he finds himself caught up in the rules and schemes of a whole new society and surrounded by magical creatures in need of protection. Pacheco will have to dig deep to muster the courage—and magic—to defend his future.

Debut creator Juan E. Zambrano presents a breathtaking graphic novel that delves into the importance of staying true to oneself while courageously addressing challenging themes such as gender roles and environmental protection. Perfect for fans of Joe Latham’s Haru, Emma Steinkellner’s The Okay Witch, Claribel Ortega’s Witchlings, and Hayao Miyazaki’s films like Kiki’s Delivery Service and Spirited Away.

Juan E. Zambrano is an illustrator and cartoonist from Venezuela. He loves fun, heartfelt stories, and his work is usually focused on nature, magic, and staying true to yourself. In his free time, he likes watching birds and going out for a hike. Pacheco and the Witch of the Mountain is his debut graphic novel.

HEIDI de Mariah Marsden & Ofride

Discover the heartwarming magic of Johanna Spyri’s beloved tale in this gorgeous graphic novel adaptation. From the author of the critically acclaimed Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel comes another thoughtfully retold children’s classic.

HEIDI: A Graphic Novel
by Mariah Marsden
illustrated by Ofride
Andrews McMeel, March 2025

When young Heidi is sent to live with her grandfather in a small shepherd’s hut in the Swiss Alps, everyone expects him to turn her away. He has a bad reputation: mean, growly, and harsh as the cold mountain winds. But Heidi is quick to take on any challenge, whether it’s keeping an eye on the rebellious goats, learning to read, or melting Grandfather’s icy heart.

Heidi’s adventures take her up and down her beloved mountain, from picnics in the high alpine meadows all the way to the distant streets of Frankfurt and a city life she could never have imagined. But when homesickness strikes, Heidi must weigh old friendships with new ones and find her place in an expanding world.

Given new life as a graphic novel in artist Ofride’s warm, folk art–inspired style, Heidi celebrates the joy of storytelling, the wonders of nature, and the healing power of kindness.

Mariah Marsden spent her childhood hunting for faeries amidst the old hills of the Missouri Ozarks. Co-author of Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel and The Secret Garden: A Graphic Novel, she writes about the dreams and difficulties of girlhood, the folklore of her home, and the complexities of rural life. She’s still on the lookout for faeries.

Ofride is the alias of Italian illustrator and comic artist Elena Bia. Born in a small town near the Alps, Elena draws inspiration from nature and folktales.

STRANGE BLOOMS de Darren Simpson & Keith Robinson

A fully illustrated, darkly gripping tale of a town suddenly invaded by mysterious and deadly plants – Thornhill meets The Owl Service.

STRANGE BLOOMS
by Darren Simpson
illustrated by Keith Robinson
Pushkin Press, September 2026

Fran is an ordinary teenage girl, living in an ordinary seaside town. But one day, something horrifyingly out of the ordinary begins to take root…

They start slowly, almost imperceptibly. But soon the strange, uncanny flowers have infiltrated the whole town. And every young person who smells the intoxicating blooms falls victim to a life-sapping illness. All except one: seemingly ordinary Fran.

Told in a dual timeline, Strange Blooms takes the reader on an exciting journey to discover the truth behind these deadly flowers, and uncover a mystery that rocked the town 40 years earlier.

Darren Simpson writes vivid, unruly fiction for older children and teens. His debut novel, Scavengers, was a Guardian Best Book of the Year and his latest book, Furthermoor, was a Waterstone Book of the Year. He has been nominated twice for the prestigious Carnegie Medal.

Keith Robinson has created jackets for, among other projects, the Waterstones Book of the Year I Am Rebel.

PEARL BEACH de Beth Steiner

A poignant free verse novel about the challenges of growing up and the joy of connecting.

PEARL BEACH
by Beth Steiner
Pushkin Press, May 2026

This summer
I’ll grow up

For as long as Billie can remember, summer has meant one thing: Pearl Beach. The idyllic seaside home belonging to her old Aunt Edith, and the place where she met her best friend, Andy.

But this summer, everything seems to be changing. Andy is more interested in makeup and boys than in Billie, and Aunt Edith has decided to stay with them for the whole summer. Edith is a holocaust survivor, and whenever Billie tries to talk to her, her words seem to crumble under the weight of this knowledge.

But Edith was fourteen once too and knows all too well the pains of growing up. When Billie finds her old diary, she starts to realise just how much they have in common…

Beth Steiner is a debut writer, with a background as a primary school teacher. A passionate slam poet, she skilfully weaves poetry into her narratives, bringing a lyrical quality to her storytelling.