Publishers Weekly reports W. W. Norton scheduling Kate DiCamillo's next middle-grade novel for 2027 - long-lead catalog planning for an author whose backlist already lives in classrooms and libraries.
The announcement is less a story beat than inventory chess: educators and buyers order seasons ahead, and a firm date helps librarians slot budgets. For readers, it's simply a marker that a trusted voice has another book on the way.
(Shortened and summarised to avoid devaluing the source)