THE LEAGUE OF DANGEROUS YOUNG LADIES de J.A. Morgenstein

Enola Holmes meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this thrilling YA fantasy adventure from debut author J. A. Morgenstein, perfect for fans of Jennifer Lynn Barnes and Philip Pullman.

THE LEAGUE OF DANGEROUS YOUNG LADIES
by J.A. Morgenstein
Stonefruit Studio/Sourcebooks, June 2026

It’s 1909 and Rose Moriarty―teenage daughter of Sherlock Holmes’ greatest enemy―has made a name for herself fighting monsters and solving crimes. But that was before Rose met the one mystery she couldn’t solve: the disappearance of her headmistress. Now, her school has shut down, her classmates have scattered, and Rose is on her own.

On the very day Rose receives word that an old friend is dying, the shadowy Count Christoph and his ward Clara show up at her door. Rose has already figured out why they’re here (to hire her) and what’s in their bag (an ancient orb with incredible powers), but questions remain: Can Rose convince these strangers to help save her friend’s life? What are the grotesque, bug-shaped stalkers that plague their every step? And how can Rose pursue this adventure while avoiding a particular boy from her childhood? The only thing certain is that Rose is no longer alone, because danger forges strange alliances . . .

. . . and Professor Moriarty wasn’t the only famous villain to have a daughter.

Unexpected friendships, supernatural mystery, high-stakes heists, and budding romance billow together in this thrilling fantasy adventure, which introduces a motley crew of daredevil heroines who hunt monsters . . . in all their forms.

J. A. Morgenstein has been a competitive ballroom dancer and instructor for the majority of his adult life, but during the lockdown, he found himself with the opportunity to focus his creative energy on his dream of becoming a writer. This started him down a winding road which culminated in THE LEAGUE OF DANGEROUS YOUNG LADIES.

GIRLS WHO PLAY DEAD de Joelle Wellington

Two siblings investigate the murder of a friend only to unearth even more deadly mysteries in their small town in this page-turning young adult thriller from the acclaimed author of Their Vicious Games.

GIRLS WHO PLAY DEAD
by Joelle Wellington
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, November 2025
(via Park, Fine & Brower)

When Mikky Graves left his small, stifling hometown of Prophets Lake to live with his estranged mother, he thought nothing could ever make him return for good.

Until his sister Kyla’s best friend, Erin, is murdered.

Mikky never worried about leaving Kyla behind at their family-owned funeral home so long as she had Erin. But when Mikky heads home, determined to help Kyla grieve, the sister he encounters barely resembles the one he remembers. Mikky decides, then and there, to do the one thing that seems even more impossible than returning: stay.

As Kyla spirals further into her rage and secrets, Mikky realizes the only thing that can help his sister is finding the truth about who killed Erin. But the more he investigates, the further he’s pulled into other ugly mysteries of Prophets Lake and the beauty brand that is its lifeblood. The town’s rot runs deep, and everyone has something to hide. Perhaps no one more than Kyla herself.

Joelle Wellington grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where her childhood was spent wandering the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. Her love of the written word led her to a BA in creative writing and international studies. When she isn’t writing, she’s reading and when she’s not doing that, she’s attempting to bake bread with varying degrees of success or strengthening her encyclopedia-like pop culture knowledge. She’s the author of Their Vicious Games, The Blonde Dies First, and Girls Who Play Dead.

THE SECRETS WE CARRY de Tiffany Wang

A new YA duology inspired by Chinese folklore: featuring sibling relationships; fickle, feral, and fallible gods; enemies-to lovers-tropes; and good-hearted people doing terrible things in the name of the ones they love.

THE SECRETS WE CARRY
by Tiffany Wang
HarperCollins, Winter 2027
(via KT Literary)

Ailan, immortal goddess of weaving, has many older sisters, but Xifei is the one she loves most—and the one she’s secretly betrayed. When Xifei goes missing, Ailan is wracked with guilt, convinced her sister has disappeared into the mortal realm—and she’ll stop at nothing to get her back.

Kai despises immortals. Ever since his brother died at the hands of a god, Kai and his ba have only one all-consuming desire: vengeance. Kai will seek out a god, lure them to the capital, and deliver them to his ba to enact their revenge. It’s said that immortals cannot be killed, but Kai intends to test that theory for himself.

When Ailan descends from the heavens in search of her sister, Kai seizes his chance. He tells her of an oracle in the city who will be able to locate her sister anywhere in the mortal realm, and Ailan enlists him as her guide. The journey through the Middle Kingdom is a treacherous one, and before long Ailan and Kai are caught in the throes of a political plot that could scorch the mortal realm and topple the heavens. And as they begin to fall for one another, they are forced to grapple with the pain they have caused their loved ones, and whether or not they can live with the consequences if blood truly is thicker than water.

Tiffany Wang hails from a town in North Texas, although she’s currently wandering her way through New York City. She studied communication and international relations at the University of Pennsylvania.

THE SKELETON AND THE CAT de Brandon James Scott

A humorous and touching tale of the unexpected friendship that blossoms between a peaceful skeleton and a persistent cat.

THE SKELETON AND THE CAT
by Brandon James Scott
HarperCollins Children’s Books, May 2026

TOLD IN A FIVE-STORY STRUCTURE: This can be read as one cohesive tale or five stories that stand on their own. True to classic storybook form, this is great for young readers pacing themselves during a reading session, perfect for fans of Frog and Toad and I Want My Hat Back.

PUBLICATION PLAN FOR SERIES: Skeleton and the Cat #2, Summer 2027; I Can Read #1-3

Brandon James Scott is an award-winning Canadian artist who works in animation and illustrates books. He is the illustrator of over 10 picture books, He is also an Emmy Award–nominated creator of the Canadian preschool television series Justin Time and is an animation director with over ten years’ experience in the animation industry. The Skeleton and the Cat is based on his original Dead Cat art series.

CREEPY KID de Caleb Michael Roehrig

It’s one thing to see ghosts—it’s another to have one for a roommate. This hilariously creepy page-turner features a macabre-obsessed kid who moves into a haunted house only to find that communing with the other side might be a little more than he bargained for. It’s a heartfelt but snappy exploration of grief, moving on, and finding one’s place in the world, developed in conjunction with the hit-making movie production studio, Temple Hill.

CREEPY KID
by Caleb Michael Roehrig
HarperCollins Children’s Books, August 2026

Creepy Kid is a heartfelt, spooky-funny middle grade novel developed in conjunction with the hit-making powerhouse Temple Hill Productions that’s sure to make you laugh, jump in fright, cry, then jump in fright again.

LIGHT HORROR: As spooky stories continue to be winners in the middle grade marketplace, Creepy Kid is perfectly positioned to be a breakout in the genre – not too scary, but with just enough creepy spooks to keep readers on the edge of their seats!

DEALING WITH GRIEF: Poe, our main character, begins the book with the loss of his grandmother, and struggles throughout with his grief. Readers will be able to sympathize with Poe, and relate to his emotions, as he processes this major life event.

OPTIONED BY TEMPLE HILL: Developed in conjunction with the production company Temple Hill, Creepy Kid has potential to hit the big screen!

RELATABLE NARRATOR: With his dry, whip-smart humor and oddball personality, Poe will immediately appeal to readers who feel like they’ve never quite found their footing in middle school.

Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Caleb Roehrig grew up with a healthy fixation on ghosts, witches, and all things spooky. A former actor and television producer, he’s done a lot of wacky things to earn a paycheck, and sometimes they even turn up in his books.