diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index 131b781..fef8427 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1 +1 @@
-{".":"9.6.1"}
+{".":"9.6.2"}
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index befeffd..962ae77 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [9.6.2](https://github.com/ClosureTree/closure_tree/compare/closure_tree/v9.6.1...closure_tree/v9.6.2) (2026-04-07)
+
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* prepend_child causes negative order values when reordering within same parent ([#488](https://github.com/ClosureTree/closure_tree/issues/488)) ([824d2bf](https://github.com/ClosureTree/closure_tree/commit/824d2bf4d5635fe277d423789a07fccd44696000))
+
 ## [9.6.1](https://github.com/ClosureTree/closure_tree/compare/closure_tree/v9.6.0...closure_tree/v9.6.1) (2026-03-07)
 
 
diff --git a/lib/closure_tree/version.rb b/lib/closure_tree/version.rb
index e746e90..d05b3bb 100644
--- a/lib/closure_tree/version.rb
+++ b/lib/closure_tree/version.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
 module ClosureTree
-  VERSION = Gem::Version.new('9.6.1')
+  VERSION = Gem::Version.new('9.6.2')
 end