Jolly Fish Press

08/20/2025

"Filled with playful rhymes and endearing, full-page illustrations, this will make a great Halloween read-aloud, especially as little ones get in on the sound-effect action. A festive story about being uniquely you and being brave enough to stand up for yourself." —Booklist

GHOST SAYS MEOW! by Lauren Kukla releases September 16! Don't miss this festive Halloween picture book. 👻🖤

Halloween is here, and the night is alive with spooky sounds! Skeletons clatter, bats shriek, and one little ghost says . . . “Meow”? With enchanting rhymes supported by charming illustrations, this delightful story teaches little ones the joy that can come from being themselves while encouraging them to find inspiration in the unconventional.

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/ghost-says-meow-a-halloween-story/

08/18/2025

"Dunlap's sensitive novel features realistic characters and warm friendships of the human and canine variety. Readers will be rooting for Sage from the first page to the last." —Children's Literature

RACING THE CLOUDS by Sydney Dunlap is available now! 🧡

Synopsis:

If thirteen-year-old Sage had done one thing differently that day last November, everything would be fine. Only she didn’t, so she and her dad had to leave Philadelphia for a new life in middle-of-nowhere Virginia. Her dad has never actually said he blames her for what happened, but how could he not?

Sage is determined to push it all out of her mind, but then, just before summer vacation, she hears from the grandparents she’s never met. They want her to visit, and she realizes this could be her chance to mend the rift that’s kept everybody apart.

When she meets Grandmother Marion, though, Sage is sure her trip is headed for disaster. Except she wasn’t counting on making a new friend or rescuing a sweet stray dog. With them by her side, maybe she can find the courage to face what she’s been avoiding all along.

From the award-winning author of It Happened on Saturday comes a heartfelt and empowering story that explores the complexity of family relationships, the value of forgiveness, and how to find your way forward in a tough situation with resilience and hope.

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/racing-the-clouds/

08/15/2025

"Early readers will delight in the story and illustrations and be eager for the next in the series." —Story Monsters Ink

The MAGGIE SPARKS series is available now!

Step into the magical world of Maggie Sparks: the mischievous little witch who turns every day into an adventure. Join Maggie as she learns how to tackle school, make friends, and, most confusing of all, understand her emotions—when she’s not facing dragons and meeting aliens, that is!

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/maggie-sparks/

08/14/2025

Final copies of TBE CASSETTE TAPE SECRET by have arrived at our office—which means release will be here before we know it!! 😱💚 Have you preordered your copy yet?

08/14/2025

Amazing to see RACING THE CLOUDS by Sydney Dunlap on this fantastic list from School Library Journal! 🧡

From rollicking fantasy to heartbreaking realism, these excellent additions to the middle grade and hi-lo genres will have something for every tween to enjoy.

07/25/2025

💙 Disability Pride Month Spotlight! 💙⁠
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🌟 DAISY WOODWORM CHANGES THE WORLD by Melissa Hart

✨️ Get the ebook for only $2.99 during the month of July!⁠

Synopsis:

When thirteen-year-old amateur entomologist Daisy gets an assignment to “change the world,” she’s determined to help her older brother, Sorrel—who has Down syndrome and adores men’s fashion—fulfill his dream of becoming a YouTube celebrity. The catch? If their overprotective parents find out, Daisy won’t be able to change anything.

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/daisy-woodworm-changes-the-world/

07/23/2025

"Myers’ debut draws directly from her experience as a school librarian and roller derby athlete to craft a fast-paced, easy-to-read book that would be a great addition to any library’s high/low collection." —Booklist

THE STRIPE AND THE STAR releases August 1st! Don't miss this new YA Hi-Lo novel from Horizon. 💕

Synopsis:

Between her parents’ divorce and being dragged to rural Arizona to help clean her grandpa’s house, fifteen-year-old Stella Shaw knows she’s in for a miserable summer break. But when her grandpa takes her to watch a roller derby bout, she can’t help but be amazed by the hard-hitting sport. And when her mom agrees to let her join the junior boot camp, Stella is eager to start.

Even though roller derby is harder than she thought it would be, Stella is determined to succeed. With the help of her new crush, Quinn, Stella prepares to try out for the scrimmage at the end of boot camp. The more she practices, the better she gets–and the closer she grows to Quinn. But when tryouts go disastrously wrong, will Stella be brave enough to confront her fears both on and off the track?

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/horizon-set-3/

07/21/2025

💙 Disability Pride Month Spotlight! 💙⁠
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🌟 JOEY THE GOOD by Erin Fry

✨️ Get the ebook for only $2.99 during the month of July!⁠

Synopsis:

Twelve-year-old sweat-averse Joey is psyched for his summer of relaxation and perfecting his butt-shaped indentation on the couch. Sure, he wishes that his best friend, Xander, wasn’t always busy with his new cross-country team, but Joey is certain that Xander will still have plenty of time for the things they love: watching Italian soccer, making homemade pasta with Joey’s Nonna, and debating the merits of their favorite superheroes.

But Joey’s summer plans are upended when his perfect older cousin, Leo, comes to stay at his house for the summer. Leo is the kind of guy who runs marathons and jumps off cliffs. Hanging out with Leo is dead last on Joey’s list of Ways I’d Like to Spend a Day, partly because the two cousins have a tense history that goes back to the death of their Nonno. But now, Leo’s training to climb the highest mountain in California, and he wants Joey to do it with him. The plan is nuts—Joey usually avoids climbing stairs, so seriously, a mountain? But somehow, he’s roped into hiking with Leo anyway, which is how he accidentally learns Leo’s secret: His cousin has young-onset multiple sclerosis. So newsflash: This climb will most likely be his cousin’s final adventure, and he needs Joey’s help to do it.

With Xander spending more time with his new running friends, Joey’s mom on his back about being a good family member, and Leo’s disease slowly progressing, Joey feels the pressure building. And as the hikes get harder, Joey must confront not only his own physical limitations, but also a friendship he thought was unbreakable, his feelings for a girl who’s way out of his league, and a changing relationship with his cousin that will test his strength—and courage—in ways for which he’s not prepared.

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/joey-the-good/

07/18/2025

"THE WORLD INSIDE is a chilling supernatural novel in which a girl wields her love of art as a tool to help ghosts move on." —Foreword Reviews

THE WORLD INSIDE by Jan Fields releases August 1st! 🖼️

Synopsis:

With her best friends off enjoying Paris and her mom expressing disapproval at every turn, Tamika Warren knows her summer can’t get any worse. Then her family gets the news that her great-aunt has fallen into a coma. Tamika is stuck joining her mom in Virginia to prepare Aunt Lati’s old farmhouse for when she wakes up. As if that weren’t bad enough, a friendly neighbor describes the farmhouse as “haunted.”

Tamika is stunned from the moment she steps into the farmhouse–but from the beautiful landscape paintings covering every wall, all of them done by Aunt Lati. A developing artist herself, Tamika is eager to know the great-aunt who created these amazing paintings. But Aunt Lati still hasn’t woken up from her coma. And the longer Tamika and her mom stay in the farmhouse, the stranger things become. The paintings within the farmhouse seem to react to Tamika’s presence, hinting at disturbing secrets, until it seems like the paintings themselves long to ooze out into the real world. But that’s not possible, is it?

Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and themes that are relevant for high school students, Horizon’s Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for teen reluctant readers. Horizon books are written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 14 and up.

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/horizon-set-3/

07/16/2025

💙 Disability Pride Month Spotlight! 💙

🌟 WALKING ON EGGSHELLS by Jennifer Phillips

✨️ Get the ebook for only $2.99 during the month of July!⁠

Synopsis:

After a first episode of psychosis lands him a stay in a psychiatric hospital, all sixteen-year-old Kai Lum wants to do is reclaim his life. But now that he’s back home, everything is different. He has medications to take, his dad is always hovering, and everyone at school keeps staring at him. Kai’s determined not to let any of that distract him from proving he can make it as a chef, though. He has his culinary arts program to focus on, and he won’t let his diagnosis change his plans.

But finding his new normal is harder than Kai expects. His medications have side effects that he doesn’t know how to control. His dad pushes him to accept more clinical help, even though Kai’s not sure he wants—or needs—it. And Kai’s best friends are ghosting him. On top of all of that, Kai isn’t sure if the voices he’s hearing are real or in his head.

Kai’s life begins to spin out of control as he struggles to know who he can trust. With his health and dreams on the line, he has to decide whether he’s willing to accept help in order to manage his newly diagnosed mental illness.

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/horizon-set-2/

07/14/2025

"[THE BEAR AND HER BOOK] carries an underlying message that with books, you can go anywhere without leaving your home! Artwork is realistic and creative." —Story Monsters Ink

THE BEAR AND HER BOOK by Frances Tosdevin and Sophia O’Connor is available now! 🐻📘

Synopsis:

A book-loving bear sets off to see the world. She takes one special thing—her Bear’s Big Book of Being Wise. But when she meets different creatures, each needing her help, she discovers that books aren’t just brilliant at fixing problems–they can also help you make new friends. And if you’re lucky, books can take you to a very special place indeed . . .

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/the-bear-and-her-book/

07/11/2025

“RACING THE CLOUDS is an honest and deeply empathetic journey through a summer of big questions and unexpected answers. For a story so lifelike and relatable, it never fails to keep you on the edge of your seat.” —Cliff Lewis, award-winning author of WE THE FUTURE

RACING THE CLOUDS by Sydney Dunlap is available now!

Synopsis:

If thirteen-year-old Sage had done one thing differently that day last November, everything would be fine. Only she didn’t, so she and her dad had to leave Philadelphia for a new life in middle-of-nowhere Virginia. Her dad has never actually said he blames her for what happened, but how could he not?

Sage is determined to push it all out of her mind, but then, just before summer vacation, she hears from the grandparents she’s never met. They want her to visit, and she realizes this could be her chance to mend the rift that’s kept everybody apart.

When she meets Grandmother Marion, though, Sage is sure her trip is headed for disaster. Except she wasn’t counting on making a new friend or rescuing a sweet stray dog. With them by her side, maybe she can find the courage to face what she’s been avoiding all along.

From the award-winning author of It Happened on Saturday comes a heartfelt and empowering story that explores the complexity of family relationships, the value of forgiveness, and how to find your way forward in a tough situation with resilience and hope.

https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press/racing-the-clouds/