Goodbye, Koi — coming September 15, 2026!
A Junior Library Guild selection
A tender and visually stunning picture book about change, family, and saying goodbye.
As a young boy prepares with his family to leave their home ― and the koi fish he’s always cared for ― his world fills with questions. What will happen to his fish? Will they be safe and happy in their new home? Through his wonder and worry, readers glimpse the universal feelings that come with any life transition: curiosity, uncertainty, and the hope that we will be okay.
Lushly illustrated in the tradition of Chinese brush painting, Goodbye, Koi will resonate with any reader who has ever had to say goodbye to a pet, a place, or a way of life.
Released: September 15, 2026 from Orchard Books (Scholastic)
Advance praise for Goodbye, Koi:
★ “As Wong’s empathetic text echoes his protagonist’s caring ponderances, his gorgeous illustrations cleverly capture a different intertwined narrative… A brilliant, sensitively wrought tale of potentially overwhelming change made manageable.”
— Starred review from Kirkus Reviews
★ “Wong traces a family’s relocation through a child’s musings… In this thoughtful work, redirecting feelings about the upcoming unknown softens a sense of loss without diminishing its significance.”
— Starred review from Publisher’s Weekly
