Great New Children’s Books for Younger Readers
Title: Cesaria Feels the Beat
By: Adusei, Denise
Published: 2024
Suggested ages and title descriptions are from the publisher or each item's library catalog record.
Ages 3 to 6
A deaf girl stands up for herself and takes off her shoes while dancing at her Carnival performance so she can feel the music through her bare feet.
Title: Terrible Horses
By: Antrobus, Raymond
Published: 2024
Ages 3 to 7
For one little boy and his older sister, fights are always waiting to happen--when he takes something without asking, jumps on her bed without asking, even wanders off without asking. And when they fight, they don't use words: it's all push, pull, hurt, hide. To cool off after, the boy retreats to his room to write and draw stories--stories about terrible horses trampling and galloping, while he is a lone pony unable to compete or speak or sleep.
Title: Howdy, Partner! (Sky and Ty)
By: Breen, Steve
Published: 2024
Ages 6 to 9
No-nonsense cowgirl Sky and her slightly goofy, but always dependable T. Rex partner Ty, learn to work together as they solve problems with teamwork and quick thinking.
Title: Life After Whale
By: Brunelle, Lynn
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
All living things must one day die, and Earth’s largest creature, the majestic blue whale, is no exception. But in nature, death is never a true ending. When this whale closes her eyes for the last time in her 90-year life, a process known as whale fall is just beginning.
Title: Dog Vs. Strawberry
By: Buchet, Nelly
Published: 2024
Ages 3 to 7
When Dog is handed a strawberry from the fruit bowl, she sizes it up, dances around it, and decides she is going to race the Strawberry--and win.
Title: You're So Amazing!
By: Catchpole, James
Published: 2024
Ages 3 to 7
When people meet Joe, they often treat him as Amazing Joe or Poor Joe. But can't he just be . . . Joe? One-legged Joe is 'amazing'. He knows this because wherever he goes people always tell him he's amazing. Amazing for sliding down the slide, for kicking a ball . . . even walking to get an ice cream, or even just eating an ice cream. Of course, being Amazing Joe is better than being Poor Joe . . . A groundbreaking picture book which explores how we respond to disability.
Title: The Spaceman
By: Cecil, Randy
Published: 2024
Ages 3 to 7
A tiny Spaceman arrives on a new planet, ready to perform his monotonous tasks--collecting samples, labeling and filing them, and moving on to the next planet. But pausing to look around, the Spaceman is dazzled by the beauty of his surroundings. And when a large bird makes off with his ship, he's forced to venture out into this new world--planet Earth--on foot.
Title: The Best Worst Camp Out Ever
By: Cepeda, Joe
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
A boy and his father go on a camping trip and despite one disaster after another, in the end father and son agree it was their best weekend ever!
Title: Roar-Choo!
By: Cheng, Charlotte
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
When a dragon gets sick, his phoenix friend rushes to help and ends up needing his help in return.
Title: Emma, Full of Wonders
By: Cooper, Elisha
Published: 2024
Ages 3 to 6
Emma is a big dog with a lot of little dreams. She dreams of a cool roll in the grass, a warm spring walk, and food, of course. Every day her dreams get bigger, and bigger, until one day...they all come true!
Title: Mama in the Moon
By: Cronin, Doreen
Published: 2024
Ages 3 to 5
A baby sloth experiences a nighttime tumble and as mama sloth slowly makes her way down the tree, she helps him self-soothe by using his senses.
Title: Arfy Has a Ball
By: Cummings, Tony
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 6
Wanting to play, Arfy searches for the perfect ball.
Title: Nothing: John Cage and the 4' 33"
By: Day, Nicholas
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
The story of the composer John Cage's famous composition of four minutes and 33 seconds of empty sheet music, and its first performance by the pianist David Tudor. Fun for fans of Weird But True books.
Title: Loaf the Cat Goes to the Powwow
By: DeShaw, Nicholas
Published: 2024
Ages 3 to 7
A young boy goes to dance in his first powwow, and his curious cat follows him to see what all the excitement is about.
Title: I'll See You in Ijebu
By: Emenanjo, Bunmi
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 10
A Catholic girl growing up in the bustling city of Lagos, Nigeria takes a trip to spend a week with her Muslim extended family in the countryside town of Ijebu to celebrate Eid al-Adha. Her days in Ijebu are filled with celebrations, traditions and special time connecting with family.
Title: Best Friend! (Ava Lin)
By: Fang, Vicky
Published: 2024
Ages 5 to 8
Ava Lin is six and a half years old, and she loves bubble tea, finding treasures, and animals (note the 117 varieties of pets on her wish list). She’s very good at drawing and balancing pasta on her nose. And there’s a Very Exciting Thing happening in her life right now: tomorrow is her first day of first grade!
Title: The Boy Who Found His Voice
By: Gordon, Tyler
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
A teen activist and artistic prodigy presents this picture book inspired by his own life that follows a boy who has trouble with words until he learns, with paintbrush in hand, that finding your voice isn't about being perfect--it's about being true to yourself.
Title: When the Rain Came Down
By: Helakoski, Leslie
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 7
After a natural disaster, a community comes together and slowly, joy, healing and music find their way back into the city, in this powerful message of resilience and the incredible strength of shared humanity even on the darkest days.
Title: Big Bear and Little Bear Go Fishing
By: Hest, Amy
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
One day Big Bear says to Little Bear, I'm just in the mood for fishing. Me too, says Little Bear. Just in the mood. With this decided, Big Bear and Little Bear are off... almost.
Title: Métis Like Me
By: Hilderman, Tasha
Published: 2024
Ages 3 to 7
Sharing all the ways they experience their Métis heritage, including enjoying traditional foods and sharing stories, dance, music and songs, a group of children help one child reconnect with their history, showing them it's never too late to learn, celebrate or become part of an often-overlooked culture.
Title: Monster Hands
By: Kane, Karen
Published: 2024
Ages 3 to 7
One night, just before bedtime...Milo read a book about a monster under the bed. Milo should not have read that book. Monsters under the bed are scary, but luckily, Milo's best friend, Mel, knows just what to do--scare the monster more than the monster scares you!
Title: Wat Takes His Shot
By: Kim, Cheryl
Published: 2024
Ages 6 to 12
The biography of Japanese American basketball star Wataru Misaka, the first person of color to play for the National Basketball Association.
Title: Go and Get with Rex
By: LaRochelle, David
Published: 2024
Ages 3 to 7
Jack, Jill, and Rex are excited to play a game of Go and Get! The rules are simple: on the count of three, each player must go and get something that begins with a certain letter. While Jack's and Jill's picks always fit the bill (What starts with F? Frog! Fish!), Rex keeps getting it wrong (a duck?)--or does he?
Title: Touch the Sky
By: Lucianovic, Stephanie
Published: 2024
Ages 5 to 9
Captures the unforgettable moment when a child learns how to pump on a swing.
Title: What the Garden Tells Me
By: Mikai, Monica
Published: 2024
Ages 3 to 7
Gardens are glorious places blossoming with joy, wonder, and wisdom too. Whether it's greeting the possibilities of each sunrise with the daylilies or appreciating what makes us as unique as the polkadot plant; whether it's contemplating life's thorns with the roses or standing as tall as a sunflower, spending time in nature can give us new ways of seeing.
Title: Trucky Roads
By: Miller, Lulu
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
Trucky Roads sees all kinds of trucks, and when he imagines the kinds of trucks that could be, there is no stopping him.
Title: Home in a Lunchbox
By: Mo, Cherry
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
After moving to America from Hong Kong, Jun feels isolated at her new school but discovers a sense of home in the familiar foods and flavors she finds in her lunchbox.
Title: Zandi's Song
By: Ndhlovu, Zandile
Published: 2024
Ages 6 to 8
Zandi was always thinking and dreaming about the ocean. Then, one special day, the ocean calls for her. Zandi tentatively approaches the water--and that's when her adventure begins! She soon finds herself transformed into a mermaid and on an unforgettable underwater journey, where she hears the song of the ocean. But there is something threatening this magical world.
Title: Joyful Song: A Naming Story
By: Newman, Leslea
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
What a happy day! Zachary's baby sister will have her naming ceremony. In the temple! With his moms, the congregation, and all their friends! He's so excited he can barely contain it. On the walk from their home, they meet neighbor after neighbor who want to know the baby's name. But not yet, his mothers tell him. The tradition is to have a great reveal at the ceremony. So they invite each neighbor to come along. A colorful, diverse parade blooms along the route.
Title: Sydney's Big Speech
By: Newsome, Malcolm
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
Sydney learns to conquer her fear of public speaking at school, in this affectionate father-daughter story referencing inspiring role models who dealt with similar issues. Sydney wants to be a great leader when she grows up. There's just one problem-when she tries to speak in front of the class, she gets nervous, and the words just won't come out.
Title: Brandon and the Baby
By: Pinkney, Brian
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
Brandon uses his special blanket to help him adapt to a family dynamic changed by the arrival of his new baby brother.
Title: From My Head to My Toes
By: Raisman, Aly
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
A joyful ode to loving and caring for our bodies, from Olympic gold medalist and advocate Aly Raisman and bestselling artist Bea Jackson. My body is my own. My body is just right for me, From my head to my toes. From My Head to My Toes gently introduces young readers to the topics of consent and bodily autonomy in a positive way.
Title: Heatwave
By: Redniss, Lauren
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
An almost unbearably hot day of one hundred degrees is transformed as raindrops fall one by one, culminating in a downpour.
Title: Soul Step
By: Rhodes, Jewell Parker
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
Illustrates the power and bonds of sisterhood through step.
Title: The Great Lakes: Our Freshwater Treasure
By: Rosenstock, Barb
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
A picture book about the five largest lakes in North America--how they formed, the importance of these waters, and how they've become a national treasure.
Title: My Daddy Is a Cowboy
By: Seales, Stephanie
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
While a young Panamanian American girl and her father share 'just-us' time on an early morning horseback ride around their town, he tells her cowboy stories and she realizes she is a cowboy too.
Title: Piper Chen Sings
By: Soo, Phillipa
Published: 2024
Ages 3 to 7
When Piper is offered a solo at her school's Spring Sing, she must overcome her stage fright to put on an unforgettable performance.
Title: Being Home
By: Sorell, Traci
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
On a day filled with anticipation, a young Cherokee girl bids farewell to her familiar city life and documents the changing landscape through drawings as her family moves to their ancestral land and embraces their new home.
Title: My Lost Freedom: A Japanese American World War II Story
By: Takei, George
Published: 2024
Ages 4 to 8
Star Trek actor, activist, and author George Takei shares his empowering and moving story about growing up in Japanese American incarceration camps during WWII.
Title: Summer Is Here
By: Watson, Renée
Published: 2024
Ages 3 to 6
Follows a young girl enjoying fun and exciting activities on a perfect summer day.