Fall 2025 Preview
Fall 2025 Preview
Welcome to our Fall 2025 Preview!
Welcome to our preview of the most anticipated books for fall! Some titles we’re eager for you to read include How to Teach Your Monster to Read, a charming picture book helping young prereaders develop phonemic awareness skills through the adventures of a child and their pet monster. In Good, award-winning author Alexs Pate uplifts readers, reminding them of their inner Good even when Trouble comes along. Rounding out our trio of picture books you don’t want to miss is Waiting For Winter: A True Story of Resilience and Joy in the Face of Climate Change, from internationally recognized wildlife photographer Stephen Gorman, which takes readers on a stunning photographic journey with a group of polar bears coping with a warming environment.
More exciting additions to our list this season include the launch of Brain Candy Books, a browsable, fact-filled feast for kids to dip in and out for instant bits of knowledge, and Stairway Decodables Nonfiction, engaging nonfiction texts in key science and social studies areas to support Science of Reading instruction. Take a sneak peek at highlights from Capstone’s Fall 2025 titles before they hit the shelves.
How to Teach Your Monster to Read
A delightful introduction to word families
How to Teach Your Monster to Read
By Christianne Jones
Illus. by Katya Longhi
Ages 5-7
A young child can’t wait to teach her pet monster to read. However, the stress is just too much, and her monster runs away. Not to be discouraged, the child uses clues from word families to find her monster. This silly picture book playfully introduces young prereaders to phonemic awareness skills, supporting them on their journey to literacy.
Good
Uplifting reminder to readers that they are good at heart
Good
By Alexs Pate
Illus. by Tequitia Andrews
Ages 3-9
Award-winning author Alexs Pate reminds readers of the inner Good found inside each of us. This Good is the source of joy, hope, laughter, and dreams. But what happens to that Good when life offers up big challenges—the kind that can make us forget about our Good and instead choose Trouble? With poetic and lyrical language, Pate shows readers that even when Trouble comes calling, Good is at the heart of everything they are.
Waiting for Winter
Gently highlights the effects of climate change
Waiting for Winter
By Stephen Gorman
Ages 5-9
Journey to the Arctic, where polar bears must await the arrival of winter. With stunning photographs from award-winning professional wildlife photographer Stephen Gorman, Waiting for Winter tells the story of a group of polar bears living in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Each year, these bears must wait longer and longer for winter, the season that brings them sustenance for the rest of the year. This hopeful nonfiction picture book gently engages and educates readers about the effects of climate change. A parent and educator guide also provides strategies and conversation starters for talking to children about Earth’s changing climate.
Knowledge Kids Crave!
Eat as much candy as you want with Brain Candy Books! Bite-size information for readers to dip in and out for instant hits of knowledge.
Introducing Stairway Decodables Nonfiction!
Supports decoding and knowledge-building around key science and social studies topics
Stairway Decodables Nonfiction
Ages 5-7
Take your reading and phonics journey one step at a time with Stairway Decodables. While exploring engaging science and social studies topics, Stairway Decodables Nonfiction combines multiple components of the Science of Reading to provide practice in decoding words. The word counts and phonics skills advance as the reader builds stamina and confidence. A minimum of 80% decodability across all titles in Steps 1-6! Stairway Decodables Nonfiction launches with 36 titles.
Scratching the Surface
Digs into a wonder-filled investigation of Earth’s layers
Scratching the Surface: Exploring Earth’s Layers
By Kate Allen Fox
Illus. by Erin Brown
Ages 7-10
A lyrical, scientific exploration of what’s below our feet, this gorgeously illustrated informational picture book digs into geological discoveries—and embraces the mysteries science has yet to solve. Join “science poet” Kate Allen Fox on a journey to the center of the Earth. Illustrated cross-sections and additional nonfiction back matter about the scientific method make this narrative nonfiction a comprehensive and satisfying experience for young scientists.
Picture Books
The Big Snowdown
By Katy Hudson
Time to Play Baseball!
By Nick Healy
Illus. by Leo Aquino
This Is My Wonderful Face
By Miriam Moore-Keish
Illus. by Bece Luna
ISTE Digital Explorers
Created in partnership with ISTE, introduces important concepts in technology education
Sonia Speaks Up
By Shannon McClintock Miller
Illus. by Mel Darmawan
Ages 5-7
These young digital explorers use technology to learn, grow, connect, and dream! Written by award-winning librarian, author, and international speaker Shannon McClintock Miller and created in partnership with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), each story in the ISTE Digital Explorers early chapter book series focuses on one ISTE standard in a relatable way. Young readers will be inspired to engage with technology in thoughtful, responsible, and innovative ways to supercharge their ideas. In this story, Sonia and her class finally get to use the digital platform for artwork! Sonia is proud of her lion painting, and she can't wait to share it. But after seeing rude comments on the other paintings, she decides not to post it after all. The next day at school, Mr. Thompson reminds the class what it means to be a good digital citizen.
Bucket and Friends
Showcases students working together to exercise agency and leadership
Bucket and Friends Save (Part of) the World with a Wall
By Tom Rademacher
Illus. by Esther Hernando
Ages 8-11
Author and educator Tom Rademacher offers Bucket and Friends, a bold and clever chapter book series that instills a sense of agency and optimism in young people. Through meaningful conversations, acts of humility and bravery, and a lot of creativity, Bucket—a nonbinary elementary school student with big thoughts and questions—and their friends tackle big topics that affect kids every day. Back matter includes an author note and discussion guide to foster conversation and growth. In this empowering story, readers join Bucket and their array of clever friends as they come up with an idea to heal a sad situation with beauty and compassion, finding bits of joy along the way.
Early Readers, Chapter Books & Graphic Novels
CJ Baker, Mover and Shaker series
Goodbye Garbage
By D.L. Green
Illus. by Eloise Szaruga Bolt
Michael in Motion series
The Bike Ride Guide
By Kristin Smedley
Illus. by Kim Crothers
Jackson and His Mystery-Solving Superbike series
Bikenapped
By Scott Nickel
Illus. by Vincent Batignole
Homeroom is a Zoo series
The Great Axolotl Escape
By John Sazaklis
Illus. by Letizia Rizzo
Taekwondo Academy series
New Kid at the Dojang
By Shawn Pryor
Illus. by Alexandra Pulga
Sixth-Grade Shapeshifter series
Ruff Day
By Steven Scott
Ills. by Lavinia Brandizi
The Sandy Lake Tragedy
Brings a little known yet historically important event in Native American history to young readers
The Sandy Lake Tragedy: Following in the Footsteps of the Ojibwe
By Emily Faith Johnson
Ages 8-11
In 1850, 5,000 Ojibwe people were forced to make a dangerous journey across the Midwest to get treaty payments owed to them from the U. S. Government. But the payments never came, and the Ojibwe had to travel back home through treacherous winter conditions and without the money or supplies they had been promised. More than 400 Ojibwe lost their lives in this event that is now known as the Ojibwe Trail of Tears. Compelling narrative and impactful images help to recount the injustices of this forced removal and explain how it happened, what the many consequences were, how the Ojibwe people responded, and why this tragedy is still vitally relevant today. Author Emily Faith Johnson (Sault St. Marie Chippewa member) shares this not-to-be-forgotten story with young readers and educators seeking a closer look at U.S. history.
Nonfiction Selections
Bats: Mysterious and Misunderstood Mammals
By Lydia Lukidis
Amazing Batman Crafts and Projects
By Layne Halversen and Jessica Rusick