I love it when a month kicks off on a Tuesday, because it means there are brand new books to peruse right away! If you're looking for fat forward titles to explore in the lead-up to fall, there are several books for adults and kids releasing in September, including picture books with great body diversity.

Before diving in, I want to shout out Rivers Solomon's new book, Once I Was Made of Earth, which fae are serializing for free on Archive of Our Own! The first chapter was published on August 30 and announced in a surprising (but very cool) social media post. I'll have more thoughts in another post, but if you haven't heard about this exciting new Solomon story, don't miss it! (And don't miss our September Book Club meeting, when we'll be discussing faer novel The Deep!)

Now, let's talk September books.

September 1

A Choir of Witches (The Blessed Imperium) by Bronte-Marie Wesson

Andraste is murdered by a man in the forest and left there to rot—until the trees demand her reincarnation by the necromancer Lucero. Back in her body and hellbent on revenge, Andraste hunts down her killer in this sapphic fantasy novelette rooted in folklore and dark magic.

The Dog Heist by Dani Jansen

This middle grade adventure follows Caleb, whose parents' divorce has landed him in a new town without his beloved dog, and his new neighbor, Valery. The pair don't have anything in common and likely wouldn't make friends normally, but there's a hurricane coming and they have an important, shared goal: saving their neighbor's neglected dog, Lyra, before it's too late.

Family Found: A Queer Friendsgiving Celebration written by Joanna McClintick and illustrated by Keisha Morris

This holiday picture book explores the roots of a long-running Friendsgiving with a chosen family of queer and trans elders and their kids. Everyone brings something different to the table in more ways than one, and the memories shared are heartwarming and moving.

September 11

Fat Performance edited by Jussara Belchior Santos, Magdalena Hutter, and Gillie Kleiman

This scholastic anthology is the first to collect work about fat performance and introduce frameworks for studying the field. The book features chapters by artists, activists, and scholars including Charlotte Cooper, Da'Shaun L. Harrison, Caleb Luna, Marquisele Mercedes, and more, with writing about mediums ranging from dance to comedy to film. It's not just essays, either; Fat Performance also features autoethnography, poetry, and multimedia writing with images.

Unlike the other titles on this list, Fat Performance is published (and priced) as an academic text rather than a commercial one, but if you're interested in fat studies and care to dive into this aspect of it, this book is worth at least putting on your wishlist.

September 15

Field of Summer Stars (The Tethered Series, Book 1) by Amanda Martinez Beck

While Marnie Cook and Remy Martin walk the Camino de Santiago together, they both hold quiet truths. Marnie is unexpectedly pregnant after a one-night stand with a different guy. Remy's crush gets stronger by the minute. Their pilgrimage keeps them in close proximity for a week, and Marnie must decide: Tell him, or let him keep falling without knowing what a relationship would really mean?

A Spell of Heart & Havoc by Kristen Vale

Half-dwarf Maerryl Kim is desperate enough to save her dying brother that she joins a guild of thieves to make the money she needs to buy his cure. Maerryl is good at what she does, but when she angers the guildmaster, she's assigned to play bodyguard for the wealthy heiress Dove Wistrallo to help the guild pull off the heist of a century. Maerryl and Dove hate each other at first sight, but soon that spark of passion transforms into something else. So where does that leave Maerryl, who's only supposed to be in Dove's life to get her family's riches?

I am currently reading a Netgalley ARC of A Spell of Heart & Havoc and absolutely loving it. The chemistry between Maerryl and Dove is incredible and I am very excited to see how everything concludes. Look for a full review soon!

Spikes, Dice, & Other Variables by Harper Kinsley

If star setter Riley McMahon fails math, she'll be academically ineligible to continue playing volleyball, which would be the worst thing to ever happen to her. Desperate to befriend Simon, the smart kid in her math class, so he'll tutor her, she joins his gaming club and lies about loving his favorite TTRPG. She's never played, but she can probably fake it, right? As the two spend more time together, however, Riley develops a crush on Simon and has to face her discomfort around dating (generally) and her fears of what people would think of her being in a relationship, especially with someone like him.

Some Body, Every Body! by Roz MacLean

This picture book is the first in a series of affirming and celebratory books for young readers. Author and illustrator Roz MacLean spotlights people across ethnicities, genders, ages, body sizes, body shapes, and physical abilities, including those with limb differences, mobility aids, and visible medical devices like stomas.

This is a vibrant, joyous book that will absolutely help normalize visible disabilities and body differences for young readers. It also offers them a chance to ask questions and have open conversations about how bodies can differ from one another and what that means.

September 17

Robbin' the Rich (The Grimm Reapers, Book 3) by Mary Warren

Robbin' the Rich is the final book in Mary Warren's Grimm Reapers trilogy, which features three standalone romances interconnected through a roller derby team based in the town of Briar Glen. In this entry, hardened cynic Robin Sherwood—who isn't afraid to steal from the wealthy when needed—meets a man whose warmth makes her forget all of her rules.

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Are any of these titles on your list? Have you read any of them already? Share your thoughts in the comments! 💛