10 of the Best New Children’s Books Out in October 2026

October is a huge month in publishing, and the new children’s books out in October are no exception! I had such a difficult time narrowing this down to ten picks: be sure to check out Book Riot’s New Release Index for many more new middle grade books and new picture books out this month. The best new middle grade books of October include an anthology starring disabled kids, historical fiction about the Great Migration, a novel that’s part concrete poetry, and a fantasy story about the prince of Texas. In new children’s graphic novels, we have a couple of adaptations of beloved children’s books as well as a zany fantasy adventure. As for the new picture books of October, there’s Maggie Tokuda-Hall’s haikus about snow monkeys, a mixed media celebration of humpback whales, and the follow-up to P is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever. Apologies in advance to your book buying budget! New Middle Grade Books: October 2026 Boundless: 17 Stories Starring Disabled Kids edited by Marieke Nijkamp (October 27)This middle grade anthology includes 17 stories about disabled kids, written by disabled authors and edited by the bestselling author Marieke Nijkamp. It represents a wide range...