Monkeypig by Huw Aaron. Viking, 2026. 9798217039159.
Molly (a pig) lives in the jungle with a bunch of monkeys. No one notices she’s different. But then the head monkey calls a meeting, announces there’s an imposter among them, and sets out a series of tests to figure out who needs to be banished from their tribe. Molly is freaked out! But of course she doesn’t really need to be. My favorite part: Molly, entirely failing to eat a banana in the “correct manner.” Epic.
All the Ice Cream in the Land by Emmy Kastner. Simon & Schuster Book for Young Readers, 2026.9781665984515.
Princess Roselyn the Reticent’s every need is taken care of without her ever having to say a word. When she doesn’t say how much ice cream she wants for a snack, everyone thinks she wants more until the whole kingdom sets about making the largest bowl of ice cream ever. (In the end, she gets what she actually wanted all along.) Charming.
The Fart Book by Todd Harris Goldman. Grosset & Dunlop, 2026.
Ever wondered how often people fart? How many farts there are in a day? A week? A year? Now think about that with animal farts added in. This book would have broken my brain if I read it as a kid. (I respect the science of this book, but I think every number is based on an undercount.) Awesome.
