Rowan and Gemma
New Book Announcement!
This modern riff on Romeo and Juliet is set in a fictional town called “Friendship Prairie,” against a backdrop of an out-of-control family feud.
Rowan has always been underestimated, put down, and called slow, even though he is brilliant at knowing what’s truly important about being human.
Gemma is new in town. Sensitive, poetic, and nonspeaking autistic, she uses assistive tech to communicate. She worries about being accepted.
When Rowan and Gemma meet on their first day of high school, the stars align . . . but storm clouds brew. Their mothers’ political mudslinging is starting to split the town. Will their families ruin everything?
A Junior Library Guild Gold Selection! Look for it October 20, 2026, from Quill Tree Books / HarperCollins
“My middle schoolers are always asking for books about romantic relationships and it is hard to find appropriate ones . . . This one had that thread, plus so much more!” — Educator and Reviewer Destiny Love Lawyer
“An engaging and poignant re-imagining of Romeo & Juliet. This well-crafted story will have strong appeal to young fans of sweet romance.” — Barbara Dee, author of Nothing to See Here
Awards & Lists
A Junior Library Guild GOLD Selection
The Fire, the Water, and Maudie Mcginn
Neurodivergent Maudie is ready to spend an amazing summer with her dad, but will she find the courage to tell him a terrible secret about life with her mom and new stepdad?
“A gorgeous, big-hearted, beautiful book. I loved it.” — Elana K. Arnold, Printz Honor and National Book Award Finalist
“Readers will cry, cheer, celebrate, and not soon forget Maudie McGinn.” — Pam Muñoz Ryan, Newbery Honor-Winning author of Esperanza Rising
“Holy Smokes . . . Could not put The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn down. Readers are going to love watching Maudie grow.”— Colby Sharp, educator and reading advocate
“Gorgeously written; brims with empathy and understanding.” —Emily Barth Isler, author of AfterMath and The Color of Sound
Awards & Lists
- American Library Association Schneider Family Book Award Winner
- Children’s Lit Council So Cal Juvenile Fiction Award Winner
- Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
- Publishers Weekly Starred Review
- School Library Journal Starred Review (audio)
- NY Public Library Best Book
- Bank Street Best Book (starred)
- Cybils Awards Finalist
- Sakura Medal Finalist (Japan)
- Alabama Yellowhammer Award Honor
- CA Golden Poppy Award Finalist
- California Young Readers Medal Nominee
- CT Nutmeg Book Award Nominee 2027
- Florida Sunshine State Young Readers Award Nominee
- Illinois Rebecca Caudill Award Nominee
- Kansas Wm. Allen White Children’s Book Award Nominee
- Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee
- Texas Lonestar Book List
- Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee
- Oklahoma Sequoyah Award Finalist
- Pennsylvania Mountain Laurel Book Award Nominee
- Vermont Golden Dome Award Nominee
- Virginia Readers Award Winner
- Maine Student Book Award Nominee
- Michigan Mi-Self in Books List
- Missouri Truman Award Winner 2026
- Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Nominee
- New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award Nominee
- New Mexico Battle of the Books Selection
- North Carolina Battle of the Books, 2026-7
- South Carolina Junior Book Award Nominee
- Virginia Readers’ Choice Winner
- Tennessee Volunteer State Bk Award Nominee
- Washington State Evergreen Teen Book List
- Dog-Eared Book Award Winner 2024
- “Reading MG” Top 15 Books of the Year
- Imagination Soup Best Books of the Year
- Mr. Colby Sharp’s Best Books of the Year
- Reading Power Gear Best Books of the Year
The Someday Birds
“Debut author Sally J. Pla has written a tale that is equal parts madcap road trip, coming-of-age story for an autistic boy who feels he doesn’t understand the world, and an uplifting portrait of a family overcoming a crisis.”
★ “Captures both the literal and figurative meanings of journey.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred review
★ “Pla gives us a memorable hero in this lyrical and funny book.” —Shelf Awareness, Starred review
★ “Like a harbinger of spring flitting through a gray sky, The Someday Birds is a welcome arrival.” —CommonSense Media, Starred review
“A triumphant debut with the resonance and depth of an instant classic.” —Nerdy Book Club review
“Hopeful, authentic, and oddly endearing.” —Kirkus
Awards & Lists
- Winner of the 2018 Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award
- L.A. Public Library Best Children’s Book of the Year
- N.Y. Public Library Best Children’s Book of the Year
- Junior Library Guild Selection
- Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
- Goodreads Choice Award Nominee
- Publishers Weekly Starred Review
- Shelf Awareness Starred Review
- Common Sense Media Five-Star Review
- Nerdies Award Winner
- Alaska Battle of the Books Selection
- Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award Nominee
- Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Nominee
- Wisconsin Library Association Children’s Book Award Finalist
- Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award Nominee
- Maine “Cream of the Crop” book
Stanley Will Probably Be Fine
This funny and moving second novel from the author of The Someday Birds features comic trivia, a safety superhero, and a super-cool scavenger hunt all over downtown San Diego, as our young hero Stanley Fortinbras grapples with social anxiety—and learns what, exactly, it means to be brave.
Check out the trailer created by students and staff at Exceptional Minds Studio!
★ “Add to the growing list of intelligent books about kids whose brains operate outside the norm.” —Kirkus, Starred Review
“Excellent addition to promote social-emotional learning.” —School Library Journal
Awards & Lists
- Amazon Teacher’s Pick
- New York Public Library Best Kids Book
- Kirkus Star and Kirkus Best Book
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
- Bank Street Best Children’s Book
Invisible Isabel
Isabel has never felt more invisible. She has fears, like missing the bus, forgetting her homework, being ignored by Monica, or having to take Extremely Important Tests. Her fears flutter in her belly worse than a case of butterflies—they are worry-moths! And every day, they get stronger. How can Invisible Isabel make people listen?
“Pla balances Isabel’s struggles with subtle yet lovely levels of humor and offers a thoughtful, sensitive depiction of anxiety and autism.” —Booklist
“Will help anyone with their own worry-moths know that they aren’t alone.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Heartfelt and accessible. A compassionate insider’s perspective of neurodivergence.” —Kirkus Reviews
“The challenges that [Isabel] faces in navigating mounting anxieties are sensitively depicted in this touching story by Pla that celebrates identity, friendship, and finding inner strength.” —Publishers Weekly
Awards & Lists
- Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee
- Arizona Grand Canyon Readers Award Nominee
- Oklahoma Sequoyah Award Masterlist Book
- Rhode Island Children’s Book Award Nominee
- Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award List
- Virginia Readers’ Choice List (Elementary)
- California Dept. Of Education Recommended Reads
- Bank Street Best Book of the Year
- Colby Sharp’s Best Book of the Year
- ChildMind Institute Best Book of the Year
- Reading Rockets Recommended List
- Politics and Prose Bookstore Recommended List
- Chicago School District Battle of the Books
Benji, the Bad Day, and Me
Also Available in Spanish
Nothing seems to be going right for Sammy today. After he walks home in the pouring rain, he finds his autistic little brother Benji is having a bad day too. On days like this, Benji has a special play-box where he goes to feel cozy and safe. Sammy doesn’t have a special place, and he’s convinced no one cares how he feels, or even notices him.
But somebody is noticing, and may just have an idea on how to help Sammy feel better.
“Who wins in a competition for attention with a sibling with autism? It’s not a “who,” it’s a “what”: brotherly love.” — Kirkus Reviews
“With a light touch, Pla offers a thoughtful reminder that all siblings need extra love and attention sometimes.” — Publishers Weekly
★ “Benji is wholly heartwarming.” — Shelf Awareness, Starred Review
Awards & Lists
- San Diego Book Award Winner, Best Children’s Picture Book
- Starred Review, Shelf Awareness
- “Teacher’s Pick” on Amazon
- Bank Street Best Children’s Book
- CCBC Choices Book
Ada and Zaz
When Ada Higgins learns that a new boy is moving in across the hall, she pre-decides that he will become her new best friend, and plans a loud festive welcome. But Zaz Jones hates ‘loud’ and does not do well with ‘festive’. He is worried about the change. This bumpy beginning resolves after Zaz’s pet parrot escapes in the building, and it’s Ada and her dog Marvel to the rescue in a very unexpected way.
This short little story is part of the Collins Big Cat imprint. Its mission: to support every primary child on their reading journey from phonics to fluency. Top authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that children love to read. Levelled for guided and independent reading, each book includes ideas to support reading. Teaching and assessment support and eBooks are also available.
HarperCollins UK / Collins Big Cat, ISBN 9780008605988