Brenda Woods
BRENDA WOODS, AN AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, ALSO WRITES SHORT STORIES, ADULT FICTION AND POETRY
Coming October 13, 2026
From Penguin Random House
Nancy Paulsen Books
to enlarge an image just click
On her tenth birthday, Leah Hopper receives an unexpected gift from her Aunt Olivia which includes train tickets to Los Angeles. A Coretta Scott King Honor Book, PEN Center USA Finalist, Winner of the Focal Award and Judy Lopez Memorial Award.
Saint, who plays the clarinet, dreams of going to Juilliard and is devoted to his dog, Shadow. But when Hurricane Katrina hits, he makes a life changing decision. Now on 8 State Award Lists
Meriwether Hunter, a Black World War II Veteran, saves Gabriel's life and they become friends in Birdsong, South Carolina. A CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young Readers, Amazon Teacher's Pick
Eden plays piano and also writes music. It's the summer of 1965 when her cousin, Winter Robeson, comes to Los Angeles to visit. While he's there she finds out why he really came and the Watts Riots cause the city to erupt. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Coop, who's adopted, loves playing basketball and sometimes wonders why his birth mother abandoned him at a hospital right after he was born. But when he rescues a bird that only has one wing, he starts to see some things differently. School Library Journal Starred Review
Violet Diamond, a bi-racial girl, whose African American father died before she was born, sets out to meet his family for the first time. A KIRKUS Reviews Best Book
Zoe G. Reindeer, who thinks of herself as a 'shy, perfectly plain girl-person', can be adventurous in her imaginary world. Her only friend, Quincy, is moving away and she's afraid of being lonely. But when she meets an Astronomer from JPL, Zoe begins to see that being different can be a good thing.
Sally, who's about to be sold, narrowly escapes slavery with her family and finds a home with a Native American tribe in the 1800's. Booklist Starred Review, Florida's Sunshine State Young Readers List.
Emako Blue is a budding star with a voice that's smoky and sweet, like vanilla incense. Her future looks bright and record producers are hovering. But... tragedy is on the way. Winner of the Detroit Public Library Author Day Award 2007 and International Reading Association's Children's Book Award
Coming October 13, 2026, from Penguin Random House/Nancy Paulsen Books. It's 1946 and Abigail Hunter, the inquisitive bookworm from The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA, is moving with her family to Detroit, Michigan...the Motor City