SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • *Best New Books*
    • Annual Best Lists
  • Reviews
    • One Star Review
    • Nonfiction
    • Toon Reviews
  • Articles
    • Authors
    • Link Du Jour
  • Covers
    • Covering the Newbery
    • Cover Curiosity
    • Unfortunate Covers
  • News
    • Books on Film
    • Morning Notes
  • Newsletter

September 30, 2021 by Travis Jonker

10 to Note: Fall Preview 2021

September 30, 2021 by Travis Jonker   Leave a Comment

What is it with this fall? Everywhere you look, a new highly anticipated book is being released (particularly in the Middle Grade category). Is is coincidence? Is it books being pushed back due to the pandemic? Whatever the reason, I feel like George Clooney standing on the deck of the Andrea Gail:

So after sifting through two thousand some-odd books coming out in September, October, and November, here are the ten that most caught my eye.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Picture Books

Everybody in the Red Brick Building by Anne Wynter, illustrated by Oge Mora

October 19 | Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins) | Grades PreK-1

Anne Wynter makes an impressive debut with Everybody in the Red Brick Building. It’s an urban cumulative bedtime story with a timeless feel. And the great Oge Mora on the illustrations? Excellent through and through.

Amos McGee Misses the Bus by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Erin E. Stead

November 23 | Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan) | Grades PreK-1

A companion book one decade in the making, Amos ambles into the 2020s as if he never left, bringing his distinctive brand of unwavering kindness with him.

Chapter Book

Audrey L. & Audrey W. (Book 1) Best Friends-ish by Carter Higgins, illustrated by Jennifer K. Mann

October 5 | Chronicle | Grades 1-4

What does the world need? The world needs more funny and authentic chapter books. What do Audrey L. & Audrey W. bring? Exactly that.

Middle Grade Fiction

Stuntboy, In the Meantime by Jason Reynolds, illustrated by Raúl the Third

November 30 |  Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books (Simon & Schuster) | Grades 2-6

When I heard that Jason Reynolds and Raul the Third were making an illustrated middle grade novel together, I learned the true meaning of universal peace and order. It’s just a perfect combination, is it not? This book is at the top of my Books I Want to Add to My To Be Read (BIWTATMTBR) pile, a close sibling to the TBR pile.

Out of My Heart by Sharon M. Draper

November 9 |  Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books (Simon & Schuster) | Grades 5 and Up

What with Amos McGee and Pax returning, it’s shaping up to be the season of the not-quite-expected sequel. Add this book to that list. Out of My Mind has been a bestselling staple since 2010, and this follow-up finds Melody in search of a summer camp.

Willodeen by Katherine Applegate

September 7 | Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan) | Grades 3-6

And the heavy hitters just keep on coming. Katherine Applegate returns with something on the fantastical side.

The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Eugene Yelchin

October 12 | Candlewick Press | Grades 5 and Up

With five starred reviews and counting, Eugene Yelchin’s illustrated memoir is shaping up to be one of the most celebrated books of the season. And with good reason – It’s funny, surprising, and heart-wrenching.

Graphic Novels

Cranky Chicken by Katherine Battersby

September 7 | Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon & Schuster) | Grades 1-4

Do we sometimes for get that books are entertainment? I know I do. I give thanks for graphic novels like Cranky Chicken, that come along and remind me. Bursting with humor and life, I’m betting this book won’t stay on your library shelf for long.

Bad Sister by Charise Mericle Harper, illustrated by Rory Lucey

September 14 | First Second (Macmillan) | Grades 3-6

A fresh take on an age old conflict: sibling rivalry. Cherise Mericle Harper brings us the true story of the epic power struggle between her and her younger brother – a power struggle that brought out plenty of bad sister behavior.

Nonfiction

Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown by Steve Sheinkin

September 7 | Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan) | Grades 4-8

Another not-quite-expected follow up? Yep. Sheinkin is a narrative nonfiction master and so I was very happy to see him return to the same themes as his multiple award winning book, Bomb.

Filed under: Previews

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

June 2022

10 to Note: Summer Preview 2022

by Travis Jonker

February 2022

10 to Note: Spring Preview 2022

by Travis Jonker

December 2021

10 to Note: Winter Preview 2022

by Travis Jonker

May 2021

10 to Note: Summer Preview 2021

by Travis Jonker

April 2021

10 to Note: Spring Preview 2021

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

One Star Review, Guess Who? (#181)

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Review of the Day: The Tree and the River by Aaron Becker

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Monkey Prince Vol. 1: Enter the Monkey | Review

by J. Caleb Mozzocco

Heavy Medal

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Readers’ Poll Results

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

The Value of Innocence for BIPOC Students, a guest post by David Mura

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

A Book 25 Years in the Making: Marla Frazee Visits The Yarn

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

The Roads Taken: Kids’ love of things that go puts transportation books front and center | Great Books

6 Middle Grade & YA Novels on Repeat for Groundhog Day

ChatGPT Does Readers’ Advisory | Top Stories on SLJ

Remember: 10 Titles to Read for Holocaust Remembrance Day

6 Chapter Books Series Updates for Transitioning Readers

Commenting for all posts is disabled after 30 days.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • Author/Illustrator Blogs

    • Erin Stead Illustration
    • Hey, Rabbit!
    • James Preller's Blog
    • MATTHEWCORDELLBLOGS
    • Mo Willems Doodles
    • The Scop
  • Book Blogs I Like

    • A Book and a Hug
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • A Kids Book a Day
    • A Year of Reading
    • Abby (the) Librarian
    • Awful Library Books
    • Becky’s Book Reviews
    • Better Book Titles
    • Book-A-Day Almanac
    • Bookends
    • books4yourkids.com
    • bookshelves of doom
    • Bottom Shelf Books
    • Calling Caldecott
    • Caustic Cover Critic
    • Chad C. Beckerman
    • Charlotte’s Library
    • Cheryl Rainfield
    • Chicken Spaghetti
    • CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
    • Collecting Children’s Books
    • Cybils
    • EarlyWord
    • educating alice
    • Finding Wonderland
    • For Those About to Mock
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Good Show Sir
    • GottaBook
    • Great Kid Books
    • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
    • Hi Miss Julie!
    • Jen Robinson’s Book Page
    • Kidsmomo
    • Maria T. Middleton Design
    • Nerdy Book Club
    • Neverending Search
    • Nine Kinds of Pie
    • One Book, Two Books, Old Books, New Books
    • Out of the Box
    • Oz and Ends
    • PlanetEsme
    • Read Roger
    • Reading Rants!
    • Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
    • sharpread
    • ShelfTalker
    • so tomorrow
    • The Children's Book Review
    • The Miss Rumphius Effect
    • Uncovered Cover Art
    • Waking Brain Cells
    • Watch. Connect. Read.
  • Library Blogs

    • ALSC Blog
    • Blue Skunk Blog
    • librarian.net
    • LISNews
    • Stephen's Lighthouse
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Unshelved
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Age Level
    • Ideas
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Neverending Search
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Classroom Bookshelf
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • 2022 Youth Media Awards
    • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
    • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
    • Summer Reading 2021
    • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
    • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
    • Summer Programming Survey
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2023


    COPYRIGHT © 2023