March is here, which means winter will turn to spring and icicles will turn to puddles. Sounds like a great time to pick out a new story to read. This month’s New Releases includes a large, diverse list of books. Enjoy!
All That Chandni Knows by Khushboo Patel. 272 pp. (March 31, 2026)
For twelve-year-old Chandni, 1999 is the year everything must be perfect.
And why shouldn’t it be? Her parents are well respected doctors in the community, she’s the leader of her friend group, and her crush is even hinting at liking her back. She also has her sights set on a spot at India’s most prestigious boarding school for girls. If she stays focused and works hard, the dream just may be in reach.
But as the boarding school selection looms closer, Chandni is overwhelmed by a devastating secret that’s threatening to tear her family apart. With life and relationships spiraling around her, Chandni will have to decide between pursuing her ambitions or protecting her family.
You can read an interview with the author here.
The Blue Dress by Rebecca Morrison. 272 pp. (March 24, 2026) 
Sometimes Yasmin feels like her body isn’t hers. And it’s not just because puberty has mounted a full-on alien invasion, or that emigrating from Iran a year-and-a-half ago has meant one change after another. It’s also because her mother constantly pushes her to lose weight, like sewing Yasmin a beautiful blue dress for Persian New Year that is too tight on purpose.
At school, it doesn’t help that Yasmin’s best friend, Carmen, is petite and close to her own mother, or that popular-girl Zoe always has a mean comment to share. Yasmin is sure her crush, Jack, will never like her the way she is.
With the pressure to fit in closing in on her, Yasmin starts taking desperate measures. But if being thin is supposed to make her happier, why does losing weight feel like losing parts of herself?
Glory Be by Jamie Sumner. 208 pp. (March 10, 2026)
Disappeared. Vanished. Vamoosed.
Glory has the best dog in the world. Roux wags his tail so hard his whole, round, little body shakes. He touches his nose to hers like E.T. phoning home. Roux is always there for her—but now he’s gone. And Glory is worried her daddy had something to do with it.
Daddy’s been getting into trouble since the day Glory was born. Now it’s worse than worse. As she searches all over New Orleans for her lost pup, Glory discovers some things about her city and herself. Enough to make her wonder … how do you know when to hang on to the ones you love and when to let go?
Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp by Rachel M. Marsh. 256 pp. (March 24, 2026) 
Basil Theriot has spent her entire life in New Orleans—in her family’s famed Cajun restaurant in the French Quarter—but she’s never been out to the bayou where her grandfather grew up. She’s also never seen a ghost, even though dozens of ghost tours pass by the restaurant every day and her best friend Tommy is determined to be a ghost hunter.
But then, the ghost of Grandpere appears. And he has a mission for her.
Basil wouldn’t mind being haunted if Grandpere could be helpful and share his secret recipe that might save the restaurant. But instead, he’s intent on connecting Basil with her Cajun heritage. He sends her out to the bayou to meet his friends: an airboat captain, a shrimper, and a scientist rebuilding Louisiana’s fast-disappearing coastline.
Landslide by Betty Culley. 208 pp. (March 10, 2026)
Nathan Savage has always been fascinated by anything that moves; he sees movement others don’t notice. But what he sees now out his living room window sets off major alarm bells—the massive landfill across the road is shifting and could be heading toward a catastrophic landslide.
The landfill is also where Nathan’s dad works, on the top of the heap driving the huge compactor that crushes the garbage with its enormous metal wheels. The more Nathan watches the landfill, the more worried he becomes. What will happen to his father if he’s at work when the garbage hill collapses. But how does a ten-year old boy stop a force of nature?
In this fascinating and fast-paced story, author Betty Culley exposes kids to lots of garbage, and the natural and environmental impact landfills have on local towns.
Five writing tips from the author.
The Lionharts: A Graphic Novel by Mike Lawrence. 240 pp. (March 3, 2026) 
Adventuring isn’t just in the Lionhart family’s blood—it’s the family business. Grammy and Baba Lionhart, a famous questing duo, were legends throughout the land, known for slaying dragons and fighting monsters.
Now, their daughter, Lenna, has taken over the business, questing under the famous Lionhart name with her husband, Gerard. Their young sons, Alder and Flynt, are desperate to be included, too!
When their parents go missing after accepting an unusually high–paying job from a mysterious woman, the boys set out to find them, eager to prove they’re ready to carry on the family legacy. Nothing can shake a Lionhart, right? But Grammy and Baba know better and swiftly catch up with the boys, who have already gotten themselves in heaps of trouble.
Along the journey, Alder and Flynt tackle big challenges and discover new skills, but as they get closer to finding their parents, they also unearth a secret that could tear their family apart and, even worse, bring the Lionhart name to ruin.
Lola Gillette and the Summer of Second Chances by Kimberly Behre Kenna. 142 pp. (March 3, 2026)
Thirteen-year-old Lola is determined to honor her perfect twin sister, who died in an accident Lola can’t forgive herself for. To make things right, she’s on a mission to complete their Perfect Pairs Collection, but one mistake lands her in serious trouble. Now, instead of facing reform school, Lola must spend August with her eccentric, agoraphobic Uncle Milo in his crumbling mansion on the Connecticut River.
What begins as punishment quickly turns into a summer full of strange discoveries: a Zen garden gone wrong, a holographic projector spitting ghostly messages from her late aunt, a mysterious houseboat, and even a wandering wolf. As Lola races to complete her lucky baker’s dozen of perfect pairs, she starts to realize that magic isn’t about collections or luck—it’s about healing, forgiveness, and finding where she truly belongs.
The Magic of Someday Soon by Michelle Lee. 288 pp. (March 3, 2026) 
Zoe longs to one day put down roots. Since her dad’s death, twelve-year-old Zoe September has drifted from place to place with her artist mother, the Up-cycle Magician. Then a new art project for her mom brings them to Maravel, Florida–her dad’s hometown. In Maravel, she discovers a delicious, enchanting secret among the sweet brews of her grandmother’s tea shop. But how will Zoe ever leave when her mom wants to get back on the road?
Teddy dreams of the day she can save her past. Twelve-year-old Teddy Martin has a mission: restore her great-grandparents’ legacy, Fossil Gardens, a theme park of artistic recreations of prehistoric animals. Desperate to rescue the last remaining sculptures, Teddy enlists the Up-cycle Magician’s help before they disappear forever. But with sinkholes threatening to swallow the decaying fossils, is Teddy in over her head?
Never underestimate the magic of someday soon. Things bubble and steam between Zoe and Teddy when they team up. But in working together to save Fossil Gardens, the girls discover something even more special – the possibility of your deepest wishes coming true in unexpected ways and a friendship that feels like home.
Magnitude by Jennifer A. Nielsen. 304 pp. (March 3, 2026)
San Francisco, 1906.
When Cora leaves her house in the early morning hours of April 18th, she expects trouble to find her, like it somehow always does. But as she makes her way to the San Francisco docks to look for her father, the earth begins to shake and, suddenly, Cora realizes she’s not just in trouble—she’s in danger.
Soon after, the last thing Cora remembers seeing is a tall building swaying overhead, before everything goes dark.
When Cora wakes up, she’s trapped underground with Zhi, whom she met by accident on the way to the docks. They’re running short on air and time, when miraculously, Cora’s friend Oliver pulls them from the rubble. Once she’s above ground again, Cora is shocked to find herself in a city that has been decimated by a massive earthquake.
Together, Cora, Zhi, and Oliver begin a desperate search for their families, all the while trying to evade terrifying fires that tear through the wreckage and a gang of thieves pursuing Cora for a valuable secret she holds.
Read an interview with the author here.
Midnight Mayhem by Christina Uss. 176 pp. (March 3, 2026) 
Kaz Jakobsen can’t sleep. Ever again.
He knows things will never be the same after his family’s sudden move to Philadelphia. He’ll have to make new friends, which isn’t his strong suit. But an even bigger change arrives at a restaurant where he orders a bagel sandwich. Kaz eats a potent combo of the world’s greenest mustard and rootiest root beer and loses his ability to sleep.
Scientifically, brain + no sleep = kablammo. The longest a human insomniac has gone without sleep is eleven days. What will happen to Kaz without sleep for more than seventy years? How will he survive the lonely boredom?
Kaz luckily meets Floyd, a fellow non-sleeping kid, at a sleep study lab. Floyd thinks being sleepless is a super-power, a chance to try a million new things. He takes Kaz on madcap midnight adventures, introducing him to all the things kids are allowed to do at night in Philadelphia. And a few things they aren’t. The bad news: his ideas always seem to lead to mayhem.
Kaz wants to keep Floyd’s friendship but lose the mayhem. When he learns there’s an antidote to a lifetime of awakeness, he has a tough choice to make. If Kaz cures his sleeplessness, will he lose the best friend he’s ever had?
Mission Microraptor by Philip Kavvadias. 336 pp. (March 17, 2026)
Finn is more of a video games and pizza guy than a hiking guy. So when his class takes a field trip to the Alps, he and his assigned partner Milo take a shortcut back to the hotel. On the way, they stumble upon an egg buried in ice and decide to take it with them.
Later that night, the egg hatches and a baby Microraptor is brought back from extinction. Finn quickly bonds with the hatchling—who he names Arty—but he’s not the only one interested in the paleontological anomaly. From agents of the British Museum of Natural History to corporate goons for hire, everyone wants to get their hands on the discovery of the century.
Before they know it, Finn and Milo are on the run to protect both their lives and Arty’s, seeking refuge in the woods. It seems like hiking is in their future after all…
No Way Never Sisters by Chantel Acevedo and Natalia Sylvester. 288 pp. (March 10, 2026) 
Melisa Flores and Roxy Romero are not fans of each other. Roxy is sporty while Meli is artsy. Meli keeps her friend circle small while Roxy is pals with everyone. Their little brothers might get along like fruit in a delicious smoothie, but Meli and Roxy do not mix.
So when their parents announce their engagement, the girls are horrified. Previous experience has told them they’ll never be friends, much less sisters. Meli and Roxy decide they have to do something to prevent this future blended family from ruining all their lives.
The girls scheme to show their parents exactly how incompatible their families are by sabotaging the renovations of the house they’re supposed to live happily ever after in. From home improvement store catastrophes to disastrous paint jobs, it’s clear the girls are good teammates when it comes to causing chaos. Could it be enough to convince their parents to call off the wedding?
But as the girls plot to show their parents exactly how incompatible their families are, they start to actually like each other—causing major complications when their plan begins working a little too well…
The Queen’s Granddaughter by Diane Zahler. 304 pp. (March 24, 2026)
Twelve-year-old Blanca of Castile is the granddaughter of Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, once the wife of both the king of France and the king of England. When Eleanor comes to Castile to select the girl who will marry the prince of France, all expect her to pick Blanca’s older sister. But, to everyone’s surprise, it’s Blanca she chooses to be the princess.
Blanca, along with her best friend Suna, must set out over the Pyrenees Mountains for France. But the journey is not easy. The group, which includes knights and attendants, and Queen Eleanor herself, is trapped by a late-season blizzard. And as they near France, they are kidnapped by one of Eleanor’s renegade vassals.
As Blanca overcomes the many perils of the journey, she will need to learn how to protect herself and those around her … and what it truly takes to be a queen.
You can find another historical fiction story by this author here.
Queso, Just in Time by Ernesto Cisneros. 272 pp. (March 10, 2026) 
Quetzalcóatl Castillo—Queso for short—has had an ache in his heart that won’t go away ever since his father died. More than anything, he wishes he could spend time with his dad again.
After whispering that wish one night under the light of the moon, Queso wakes up the next morning, in the year 1985, with twelve-year-old Pancho—the kid who will grow up to be his dad.
Even though he has no idea what to do, Queso is just happy to be by his dad’s side again. But while Pancho is confident when scoring on the foosball table or standing up to bullies, he doesn’t think he’s smart enough to reach for his dreams.
If only Pancho believed in himself the way Queso does, who knows what his story could be?
Red River Rose by Carole Lindstrom. 224 pp. (March 17, 2026)
Rose, her family, and the Métis people have lived on the land for generations. She spends afternoons tracking rabbits and gathering roots with her best friend and her little sister. She loves to watch the ferry arrive, delivering goods and news to their remote community.
But then Rose’s elders start speaking in hushed tones and her parents discuss whether they should “join the resistance.” When she learns that the government wants to push the Métis off their land again, Rose fears that their lives and their entire lifestyle are at risk. Determined to help, Rose sets out on an adventure that will test her bravery more than she ever expected. She’ll do anything to protect her family, her home, and her way of life.
Set amid the Northwest Resistance of 1885, when the Métis people fought to defend their land, this powerful historical narrative illuminates the less often told side of history and gives a glimpse of Indigenous life on the prairie.
Roohi and Nate Are Not on the Same Page: A Novel by Supriya Kelkar and Jarrett Lerner. 304 pp. (March 3, 2026) 
Roohi and Nate are not friends. Their paths have crossed a handful of times over the years—and the outcome has never been good. Nate thinks Roohi is a snobby know-it-all, and Roohi thinks Nate is nothing but a slacker.
But that begins to change when they both somewhat reluctantly join a reading club that meets during lunch at their school library. The Lunch Bunch allows Roohi to open up about feeling disconnected from her friends on the track team after a broken toe sidelined her for the season. Nate, who has always struggled in school, shares how tired he is of constantly being compared to his genius older brother. Despite their differences, and maybe because of them, Roohi and Nate form a friendship unlike any other they’ve ever had.
As the Lunch Bunch gets stronger, though, things seem to be falling apart at the library. When the kids learn that their beloved librarian, Mrs. Sharp’s, job may be in danger due to budget cuts, they band together to find a solution . . . which proves to be easier said than done. Can Roohi and Nate’s new friendship survive outside of the Lunch Bunch in order to save the place that brought them together?
Read an interview with author here.
The Secret Winners Club by Donna Galanti. 310 pp. (March 3, 2026)
Thirteen-year-old Sunny Whitlock has alopecia, an autoimmune condition that’s made her lose her hair, and she’s desperate to be seen as more than just the bald kid. But how? By setting an epic goal: win her school’s junkbot club competition. And if she’s #1, then other kids will have to see beyond her disease … and she’ll finally fit in.
Sunny’s immune-deficient best friends are also tired of looking different and achieving second place in their school competitions. With a bold plan, Sunny bands with them to create The Secret Winners Club, a club devised to win at any cost and push them outside their comfort zones.
They promise to trust no one else. It’s all classified! And in total secrecy they aim to help one another become #1 before this middle school year is over. But as they start to succeed, they quickly discover that crossing the line and hurting others can make them even more visible and even more an outsider.
Here’s an interesting article by the author on middle-grade books.
Small Wonder by Ross Montgomery. 224 pp. (March 3, 2026) 
Remember everything I taught you, Small Wonder. Take care of Leaf. Take care of Pebble. I’ve done all I can. The rest is up to you . . .
Tick, called Small Wonder by his grandfather, lives peacefully at the edge of Ellia, along with his little brother and faithful horse. But then a deadly assassin arrives. Enemies are invading and the kingdom is in danger. Tick has six moons to get to Kings’ Keep and warn their ruler. Traveling through forests and over mountains, encountering bandits and rogue knights, Tick is determined to honor his grandfather’s last words of advice … make it count.
Sprout by Taylor Tyng. 288 pp. (March 24, 2026)
Sprout isn’t what you would call a typical middle schooler (though who is typical in middle school?). But Sprout is unusual not because she rarely leaves the house (though she doesn’t). Not because she is abnormally tall (though she is). Not even because her name is Sprout and her mother works as a florist (actually that one is less unusual and more entirely her mom’s fault). Instead, Sprout is unique because of the tree-like antlers that bloom from her head, her plantlers if you will.
Sprout had gotten used to living in relative isolation…until she hears another girl has been spotted with wild antlers. Another girl who looks like her. Determined to see if there is someone else who understands the strangeness she feels, Sprout sets out to find her. Along the way, she attracts the attention of EB, a boy whose unusual memory and sudden blackouts mean he knows what it is to feel different, and a strange pair of twins who seem intent on tracking their every move.
The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan by Jasmine Warga. 240 pp. (March 3, 2026) 
Finnegan is a rescue dog with a broken heart.
Chase is an anxious cheetah cub, newly orphaned.
The two animals couldn’t be more different. But one day, they are brought together for the unlikeliest of reasons: Finnegan must help Chase gain the confidence she needs to perform as part of an educational program for children at a zoo.
Finnegan and Chase have each suffered losses and have trouble trusting. Yet somehow, they are just what the other needs. But if Finnegan isn’t able to help Chase overcome her fears, he won’t just be letting Chase down–he could be risking his new home as well.
Worst in Show by P.J. Gardner. 208 pp. (March 31, 2026)
Fil Furetto is a terrible criminal. He can’t pick a lock or crack a safe, and he’s hardly menacing. The only things he’s good at are cooking and watching over the arena his crime family calls home. But then he stumbles upon a mysterious message: Someone is planning to sabotage the frontrunner at the arena’s next big event, The Baskerville Dog Show. Fil’s Uncle Sal is furious—no one does nefarious acts under the Furettos’ roof without his say so!—and tasks Fil with protecting the defenseless dog.
Dot Hernandez is a Corgi with a vision. Win the Baskerville, collect the prize money, and finally launch her designer doggy fashion line. So when a scrawny ferret shows up with a warning that someone is trying to take her out of the competition, she’s skeptical.
But as mysterious mishaps befall her, Dot is forced to admit there’s something fishy at the dog show, and she agrees to team up with Fil to find the culprit. Is it a canine competitor? One of their human trainers? Or an old enemy out to ruin the Furettos? Only one thing seems certain. If they don’t figure it out, both Dot’s fashion dreams and Fil’s family could be in danger.
Here are a few more books coming out in March, some of them from your favorite series.
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There are so many good books coming out in March. I already read and really enjoyed Magnitude. I’m looking forward to reading more on your list, including Donna Galant’s new book.