February is the shortest month, but the weather can sometimes make it feel like the longest. That makes it the perfect time to cozy up with a terrific new read! We’ve pored over the reviews to see what’s coming, and these are the February 2026 new books that we’re most looking forward to checking out.
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FREE PRINTABLE
February Reading Log
Use this free printable log to help your students track their pages and books read throughout the month of February! Just fill out the form on this page to get yours.
February 2026 New Fiction Picture Books
Rumpelstiltskin retold by Mac Barnett, ill. by Carson Ellis
This clever new retelling of the classic fairy tale will hit just right with today’s kids. This new February 2026 book is one every teacher needs for their story-time shelf.
Buy it: Rumpelstiltskin
Jayden Noticed by Carolyn Crimi, ill. by Shamar Knight-Justice
Rock collector Jayden is nervous about his family’s move to a new home. On a stroll around his new neighborhood though, he spots an amazing new “wishing” rock—and it’s not long before his unspoken wish for a new friend comes true!
Buy it: Jayden Noticed
Here Come the Aunties! by Cynthia Leitich Smith, ill. by Aphelandra
River lives on an Oklahoma reservation with his Muscogee family and other Indigenous friends. His world is full of loving “aunties,” there to celebrate the happy moments and support each other through the more challenging ones. This new read is full of relatable experiences every kid will understand and treasure.
Buy it: Here Come the Aunties!
Poems for Every Season by Bette Westera, ill. by Henriette Boerendans
This collection of short, simple poems has been translated from the original Dutch. It includes traditional poetic forms like haiku, sonnets, and rondels, as well as an introduction to the Dutch “elevenie.” Kids don’t need to know the terms for the various types to enjoy these lyrical seasonal verses though!
Buy it: Poems for Every Season
If This Were the World by Stephen Barr, ill. by AG Ford
Ms. Lee’s class asks: “What if this were the world?” For “this,” they substitute a variety of not-quite-right objects: an orange (eaten too fast), a dodgeball (kicked away by an older kid), and on and on. Ultimately they realize that the world they currently have is the only right one—and it’s time to take care of it properly.
Buy it: If This Were the World
February 2026 New Easy Reader / Chapter Books
Leo and Ralph by Peter Carnavas
Leo has trouble making friends, but he always has his trusty imaginary alien pal, Ralph. When the family moves to a new town, his parents suggest it might be time to leave Ralph behind. Leo agrees to try (with Ralph as his fallback), and soon meets Gus, a quiet listener who may be the real-world friend he’s been looking for.
Buy it: Leo and Ralph
The Mighty Macy by Kwame Alexander, ill. by Kitt Thomas
When Macy’s school library closes due to budget cuts, she decides to write a poem to share her thoughts with the school board, inspired by her poet father. When she learns he won’t be able to be at the meeting to support her, Macy must dig deep inside to find her own confident voice.
Buy it: The Mighty Macy
February 2026 New Middle Grade Fiction Books
The Mysterious Magic of Lighthouse Lane by Erin Stewart
Sixth grader Lucy is overwhelmed by her feelings of empathy. She jumps at the chance to spend the summer at her reclusive grandfather’s cabin on Prince Edward Island, where photography becomes her refuge from other people’s feelings. When she discovers her grandmother’s old camera produces photos that reveal people’s deepest secrets, Lucy must unravel the mystery behind the magic—and decide how to use it.
Buy it: The Mysterious Magic of Lighthouse Lane
The Lions’ Run by Sara Pennypacker, ill. by Jon Klassen
This intriguing new historical novel set in France during World War II tells the story of orphaned Lucas, long teased for being cowardly. When a chance discovery in a local stable sets him on a daring journey to save a valuable racehorse from the Nazis, he takes inspiration from the bravery he sees in the quiet resistance all around him.
Buy it: The Lions’ Run
Relic Hamilton, Genie Hunter by Joseph Coelho, ill. by Hyun Song We
When 12-year-old Relic accidentally releases an evil genie in modern-day London, he must do everything he can to help his injured grandfather and save the world too. A secret society of genie hunters helps him along the way, as Relic transforms from a bullied kid into the hero the world needs him to be.
Buy it: Relic Hamilton, Genie Hunter
Making Plans for Nigel Binty by Shawn K. Stout
After his parents split up and his best friend drifts away, anxious middle schooler Nigel Binty struggles to stay invisible. When he accidentally exposes the painful secret of new classmate Glory Bea Medford, he knows he has to make things right. Their unexpected friendship helps both kids face their family troubles and discover how one honest connection can be deeply healing.
Buy it: Making Plans for Nigel Binty
A Scar Like a River by Lisa Graff
Thirteen-year-old Fallon’s facial scar hides a deeper secret, one she hasn’t had the courage to face. She’d rather focus on starring in the school play and hanging with her two best friends. But her uncle’s death and mother’s sudden illness bring long-suppressed memories back to the surface. Fallon must learn to accept help from others so she can finally deal with her troubled past.
Buy it: A Scar Like a River
February 2026 New Young Adult Fiction
Few Blue Skies by Carolina Ixta
Paloma’s hometown, once full of farm and factory workers, changed when mega-corporation Selva moved in. Now, Selva’s massive warehouses threaten the town’s green spaces and clean air, and Paloma’s mom thinks they should leave. But Paloma isn’t willing to leave the place (and the boy) that she loves—she’s going to fight for it instead.
Buy it: Few Blue Skies
According to Plan by Christen Randall
When budget cuts cancel their school’s literary magazine, rule-following editor Mal Flowers finds themself no longer following “the Plan.” Now they must decide whether to join fellow writer Emerson Pike’s underground zine. Abandoning the Plan is scary, but Mal may just find unexpected happiness by opening up to new experiences … and to Emerson.
Buy it: According to Plan
No Brainer by Lea Beddia
We’re always on the lookout for new well-written high-low books, and this short novel fits the bill. When Liv decides she doesn’t want to wear a bra to school, she finds herself in the midst of a controversy she could never have expected. Try this one with the reluctant readers in your high school classrooms.
Buy it: No Brainer
A Stage Set for Villains by Shannon J. Spann
Cursed and dying after an encounter with the godlike Players of the Playhouse, 18-year-old Riven Hesper infiltrates a deadly competition that offers a chance at stolen immortality. As she bargains with the ruthless Lead Player and uncovers the Playhouse’s dark truths, Riven must confront the terrifying possibility that she may become the villain of her own story.
Buy it: A Stage Set for Villains
Until the Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow
Darling and Calamity, graduates of the Mortal Outcome Academy, are both competing for a coveted mentorship. They have seven nights to secretly shape the fate of Lucy Addlesberg, a struggling bookseller with a hopeless crush on a princess. Forced to pose as an engaged couple while pushing Lucy toward opposite versions of happiness, they begin to question their roles, their beliefs about destiny, and their growing feelings for each other.
Buy it: Until the Clock Strikes Midnight
February 2026 New Graphic Novels
Korobá: The Case of the Missing Kolo by Àlàbá Ònájìn
Korobá is upset when her best friend’s kolo (a wooden piggy bank) goes missing right before the annual festival. Could there be a thief in their beloved Nigerian fishing village? No need to worry—Korobá is on the case! (Grades 3–7)
Buy it: Korobá: The Case of the Missing Kolo
A Kid Like Me by Norm Feuti
Ethan lives in a trailer park with his mom, always struggling to make ends meet. He’s always been friends with neighbor Ricky, but as middle school starts, Ricky makes a new group of friends. Ethan is left behind to find his own way among the crowd of “snobby” rich kids. This heartfelt look at the challenges of underprivileged kids will resonate with many readers. (Grades 4–8)
Buy it: A Kid Like Me
The Big Book of Pi by Jean-Baptiste Aubin and Anita Lehmann, ill. by Joonas Sildre
Explore the rich history of this special number, picking up incredibly interesting facts through both the text and graphic novel–style illustrations. Even those who aren’t math whizzes will be fascinated by this new nonfiction read! (Grades 4–8)
Buy it: The Big Book of Pi
Wake Now in the Fire by Jarrett Dapier, ill. by AJ Dungo
When every public high school in Chicago was ordered to remove a specific book from their shelves (Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi), students decided to fight back. Their attempt to return a banned memoir about resisting authoritarian power to library shelves inspired this fictionalized story, reflecting a real-life struggle that continues to unfold in schools across the country. (Grades 10–12)
Buy it: Wake Now in the Fire
February 2026 New Nonfiction Books for All Ages
Change Is in the Air by Rebecca Donnelly, ill. by Mercè López
Learn the story of Eunice Newton Foote, a 19th-century suffragette and early climate scientist. Eunice proved that carbon dioxide was warming the planet, but credit went to John Tyndall, a man who came to the same conclusion five years later. This new picture book brings Foote’s contributions to light, inspiring a younger generation! (Pre-K to grade 2)
Buy it: Change Is in the Air
Twelve Daring Grays by Nora Nickum, ill. by Elly MacKay
Follow a pod of gray whales as they migrate north from Baja California, taking a potentially dangerous detour into the Salish Sea. Can they find their way out and rejoin their fellow whales in the Bering and Chukchi Seas? (Grades K–2)
Buy it: Twelve Daring Grays
The Vanishing Sea by Dinara Mirtalipova
Until the 1960s, the freshwater Aral Sea was a source of life to the people who lived around it. But when the rivers that fed it were diverted to irrigate farms far away, the lake shrank away, leaving only a toxic desert in its place. This cautionary tale is told in text young readers can understand—and learn from. (Grades K–3)
Buy it: The Vanishing Sea
Making It Up as You Go Along by Patricia Forde, ill. by Mary Murphy
For kids who want to be writers someday but aren’t quite sure how to get started, this book is here to help! The prompts, plot guides, and character development tools give aspiring authors the boost they need to turn their ideas into words and their words into stories. (Grades 4–8)
Buy it: Making It Up as You Go Along
Angry Girls Will Get Us Through by Rebecca Traister
From colonial America to the #MeToo movement and the 2024 presidential election, this book traces the long history of women’s resistance, activism, and political organizing in the United States. Centering on Black women, labor leaders, feminists, and trailblazing politicians, it offers an inclusive, motivating account of how generations of women challenged oppression. This new read outlines how far we’ve come, and how we must continue to fight for the equal rights women still often lack in today’s world.
Buy it: Angry Girls Will Get Us Through
Don’t forget to grab your free printable February reading log!
Grab your free February reading log to share with students so they can keep track of everything they read throughout this wintry month! Just fill out the form on this page to get yours.
