Best Books of 2024
Curl up with a good book this winter. Find stories that will lead young and seasoned readers into new adventures with our favorites.
Ahoy! by Sophie Blackall (Anne Schwartz Books)
Batten the hatches! Furl the job! It’s time for an impromptu seafaring journey with your favorite little boat mate.
All About U.S.: A Look at the Lives of 50 Real Kids from Across the United States by Matt LaMothe and Jenny Volvovski (Chronicle Books)
From the rocky coastline of Maine to the lush rainforests of Hawai’i, read about the many different places real American kids call home.
Animal Albums from A to Z by Cece Bell (Walker Books US)
This quirky ABC book draws on the creator’s personal collection of albums and memorabilia, plus it features lyrics for the little music lover in the family. Hear all the songs in the book with the QR code included.
Bros by Carole Boston Weatherford and Reggie Brown (Candlewick Press)
These kids do everything together — they stride, they ride, they laugh, they craft. This story about a group of friends celebrates childhood and community.
The Dictionary Story by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston (Candlewick Press)
Do you remember how much fun it was to thumb through a dictionary for the perfect word for a story? This book will rekindle a love for words you can share with your child.
How to Make a Picture Book by Elys Dolan (Candlewick Press)
A step-by-step guide for the budding author and illustrator in the family, with plenty of silliness squeezed in between.
It Is Okay by Ye Guo (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers)
An unlikely, yet charming, friendship emerges over a cup of coffee with canned grass on toast. The zany illustrations of Goat and Bunny are sure to tickle kids’ fancy.
Just Like Millie by Lauren Castillo (Candlewick Press)
A young girl is shy until she connects with her new dog Millie. This book tackles anxiety and how the right companion can make the world feel like a less frightening place.
Love Grows Here by Chloe Ito Ward and Violet Kim (Albert Whitman & Company)
A timely story about racism, anti-immigrant attitudes and Japanese internment camps. After a racist encounter, an Asian-American girl decides to fight hate by spreading love.
Mama’s Library Summers by Melvina Noel and Daria Peoples (Abrams Books for Young Readers)
Every summer, Mama takes her two daughters to the library to pick out books about Black people. This moving picture book is a tribute to a strong Black mother, libraries and the power of reading and seeing oneself in books.
Miso Magic by Moni Ritchie Hadley and Mizuho Fujisawa (Albert Whitman & Company)
Learn the process of making miso through the experience of a fourth-generation kid miso maker.
Mr. Fox’s Game of No! by David LaRochelle and Mike Wohnoutka (Candlewick Press)
I bet you can’t say “no” after every question Mr. Fox asks! Try to avoid Mr. Fox’s clever traps, or you’ll be sent back to the beginning of the book with this hilarious storytelling experience.
No More Señora Mimí by Meg Medina and Brittany Cicchese (Candlewick Press)
Señora Mimí has become a close friend and caretaker to Ana, but now, Abuela is coming to stay with Ana’s family. Through this heartwarming story with beautiful illustrations, readers learn about the special role caretakers play in a kid’s life.
One Day This Tree Will Fall by Leslie Barnard Booth and Stephanie Fizer Coleman (Margaret K. McElderry Books)
One day, this tree will fall, but its story isn’t over. Learn about the role trees play in a forest ecosystem with their incredible life cycles.
Orris and Timble: The Beginning by Kate DiCamillo and Carmen Mok (Candlewick Press)
The first in an early-reader trilogy, the story explores the beginning of a beautiful friendship between a misanthropic rat and a naïve owl.
The Pie Reports by Hayley Lowe (Orca Book Publishers)
I love you more than all the pies in the world! Noor shares a special love for the best pies with her Granddad — from strawberry rhubarb to her favorite banoffee pie.
The Storyteller by Lindsay Bonilla and Noar Lee Naggan (Nancy Paulsen Books)
Griffin’s grandmother spins the most marvelous stories in this book celebrating the power of stories through connection and inspiration.
Terrible Horses by Raymond Antrobus and Ken Wilson-Max (Candlewick Press)
A brother and sister fight a lot, and to cool off, the brother retreats to his room to write and draw stories about colorful and terrible horses. How will he and his sister make up when she takes his sketchbook?
This Land Is a Lullaby by Tonya Simpson and Delree Dumont (Orca Book Publishers)
An Indigenous mother connects with her newborn. This gentle lullaby celebrates the sounds of nature to honor the beauty of land.
We Are Definitely Human by X. Fang (Tundra Books)
Readers will learn what it means to be human with this feel-good and hilarious alien invasion story.
The Wedding Shoe Snatch by Madhu Messenger and Darshika Varma (Albert Whitman & Company)
Who is going to win the “joota chupai?” It’s a rollicking Indian tradition involving playfully stealing shoes on a couple’s wedding day.
We’re Happy You’re Here by Julie Wilkins and Brady Sato (Orca Book Publishers)
There’s nothing quite like welcoming a new child into your family, and many special people — parents, grandparents, doctors and more — love to take part in the celebration.
The Yellow Bus by Loren Long (Roaring Book Press)
A forgotten school bus finds happiness and purpose in the most unexpected places in this gorgeous black-and-white book featuring powerful pops of color.
Graphic Novels and Chapter Books
Eagle Drums by Nasugraq Rainey Hopson (Roaring Brook Press)
As his family prepares for winter, a young, skilled hunter must travel by the mountain, but when he reaches the mountaintop, he is confronted by a terrifying eagle god named Savik. This book is part cultural folklore, part origin myth about the Messenger’s Feast — which is still celebrated in times of bounty among the Iñupiaq.
The Blue Stars: Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem by Kekla Magoon, Cynthia Leitich Smith and Molly Murakami (Candlewick Press)
Cousins Riley and Maya team up when their school culture is threatened by an influential foe in disguise. In this empowering graphic novel, two everyday superheroes set out to save the world, starting with their school!
The Frindle Files by Andrew Clements (Random House Books for Young Readers)
A sequel to “Frindle,” this book shows that using words carefully and speaking up can make all the difference.
Not Another Banned Book by Dana Alison Levy (Delacorte Press)
No matter what was going on in Molly’s home life, she always had book club at school. But after her favorite teacher Ms. Lewsiton is suspended and book club is banned, how will she cope? She and her fellow students must work together to save their club.
South of Somewhere by Kalena Miller (Albert Whitman & Company)
When FBI agents swarm Mavis Callahan’s Chicago home, her mom goes on the run. Mavis isn’t sure if her mom is guilty or not, but she’ll do anything to figure it out in this middle grade mystery.
– Compiled by Laura Powell and Emily Webb
