Category: The Kids Are All Right

This followup to the picture book Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao has Amy assigned to make a dragon in her craft class. But despite Amy’s best efforts, none of her dragons feel right until she rallies her family to make the perfect dragon that is uniquely Amy’s.

This empowering beginning reader is a companion to picture books Cool Cuts and Happy Hair. This is a colorful and exciting rhyming book about young girls’ joy in being themselves and doing things they enjoy.

This fun introduction to Kwanzaa follows Li’l Rabbit as he looks for the perfect gift to help his sick grandma celebrate the holiday when their annual feast is canceled. Though Li’l struggles at first to find the perfect something for Granna Rabbit, once he gets the help of his family and friends, he finds something just right.

Now in paperback is this middle grade version of the memoir from Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, tracing her influences and inspirations in her career as a public servant.

This young reader’s adaptation of Dovey Johnson Roundtree’s memoir tells the story of the activist. She was one of the first Black women to join the U.S Army then an attorney in segregated court rooms (winning an important case that helped end Jim Crow laws in the South) and eventually a minister in a church that had never before ordained women.

Now out in paperback is this middle grade memoir from Sharon Robinson, daughter of baseball star Jackie Robinson, about the year of 1963. At thirteen, Sharon gets a front row seat to the Civil Rights Movement and works to find her own place and voice in the fight.

I know, I know, Valentine’s Day is forever away (or is it?), but it’s new Little Blue Truck! He’s back with rhymes and valentines for all his farm animal friends.

Early in the pandemic, a story went viral about a little girl named Emerson who wrote a thank you note to her mail carrier, Doug. This kicked off a national showing of appreciation for essential workers like Doug, and follows through in this cute picture book that draws attention to the essential workers we see each day.

This alphabet book is…exactly what it says it is: Black history as told through the alphabet. This tells readers about key moments, places, and people, alongside colorful illustrations and charming writing.

This sweet picture book illustrates all the ordinary firsts we encounter. First beach trips, first snowfalls, first missed bus, and the like, celebrating all the mundane firsts that give life its texture.

This heartfelt picture book follows a girl and her fox companion on a courageous journey through difficult times to find the rainbow on the other side.

For any young readers looking to get a behind-the-scenes look at the White House, this book from historian Kate Anderson Bower goes into all the details. From the Secret Service to food service to all the staff who work there.

This funny, macabre middle grade follows Ebenezer Tweezer, a man who is made immortal by his devotion to feeding the beast in his attic. When the beast requests a child for its next meal, Ebenezer finds the worst child he can, a horrible girl named Bethany. But when Ebenezer and Bethany become friends, he wishes she didn’t have to be eaten after all.

For everyone watching Netflix’s Jingle Jangle on a loop, there are also some tie-in children’s books to keep the good time going! This picture book is based on the song from the film, about a down-on-his-luck inventor and the granddaughter hoping to inspire him to get back to work.

If you’re musically inclined, this book comes with downloadable music and accompanying CDs, about a conductor auditioning instruments for the orchestra.

This colorful picture book is about Ritu and Chandhi’s upcoming wedding, and Ritu’s niece Ayesha, who’s looking forward to the celebrations. But not everyone feels the same way and has vowed to stop the wedding, but Ayesha is determined to save her cousin’s big day.

Just in time for the holidays, Dav Pilkey drops a new graphic novel about friends who introduce a group of frogs to the ins and outs of comic writing, focusing on creativity and persistence in making dreams come true.

This new series from the author of The Descendents follows Filomena Jefferson-Cho, a girl who suddenly meets one of the heroes from her favorite book series. When he tells her that the story is real, Filomena is swept up in a world-saving adventure and a battle against an evil enchantress.

It’s the end of an era! The seven kids who met in Mr. Terupt’s fifth grade class are finally eighth-graders, and preparing to say goodbye at last to their favorite teacher.

Tamal is new in town and living in an infamous house that no one wants to go into. At first it seems no one wants to talk about what happened there, but then Tamal meets the terrifying ghost who resides in the house, who only he can see. And she wants to talk about it. And she wants something from Tamal.

As always, the Folio Society comes out with beautiful new children’s books in beautiful slip covers. This collection of Flower Fairies books is absolutely stunning, with fully restored original paintings and line drawing decorations by the author. This is a perfect gift for anyone who loves gorgeous books and wants a truly stunning box set for their collection.

Another new Folio edition, this children’s classic is about a decrepit ex-racing car saved from the wrecker’s yard and restored into a beautiful automobile with magical powers. This beautiful new edition pays homage to Fleming’s brilliant creation and includes every one of John Burningham’s unforgettable illustrations from the first editions. The author’s nephew, Fergus Fleming, has written an exclusive new afterword essay and this is illustrated with previously unpublished sketches, as well as photographs, some from the family archive, and Amherst Villiers’s original Chitty model designs.

Oh, this beautiful book! Mr. Pinkney has created another work of art filled with luscious illustrations that fills every page. In this reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic, Melody, the littlest sea princess, is not content just to sing in the choir of mermaids like her sisters. She is an explorer who wonders about what lies above the water’s surface… especially the young girl she has spied from a distance. To meet her requires a terrible sacrifice: she trades her beautiful voice for a potion that gives her legs, so that she may live on land instead. But when trouble stirs beneath the ocean, Melody faces another impossible choice — stay with her friend, or reclaim her true identity and save her family.

This oversized book is a perfect gift for budding explorers who love learning about the world. This is a great option during the pandemic when traveling is restricted. This book features new and updated material on every spread and twenty-four entirely new maps. In addition to geographic features like borders and cities, this volume features places of historical and cultural interest, eminent personalities, cultural events, and iconic animals, allowing you to explore the globe without leaving your couch.

I will buy any book that Bryan Collier illustrates! His unique style of watercolor and collage makes every book he works on a treasure of gorgeous art. Combined with Tami Charles’s lyrical, heart-lifting love letter to Black and brown children everywhere, this book is a true gem and belongs on everyone’s bookshelf.

Another oversized book, this is the most beautiful alphabet book you will ever see. The letters of the English language come alive through the artwork of Austin-based fine artist Starla Michelle Halfmann. Children will learn and marvel as their ABCs become members of the animal kingdom. This is a book to treasure and love!

This is a great book for older readers who love nature and poetry. The Lost Spells evokes the wonder of everyday nature, conjuring up red foxes, birch trees, jackdaws, and more in poems and illustrations that flow between the pages and into readers’ minds. Robert Macfarlane’s spell-poems and Jackie Morris’s watercolour illustrations are musical and magical: these are summoning spells, words of recollection, charms of protection. 

This lift-the-flap book is written by the incomparable Julia Donaldson (author of Room on the Broom and The Gruffalo), making a game of matching baby animals with their parents.

This moving, autobiographical picture book follows Tani, a Nigerian boy who travels to America to awat religious asylum. In America, Tani encounters many new things, including one that will grow to be the most fascinating and most fun: chess!

Because of her sensitivity to the sun, Ella has to spend days hidden in her nook in an oak tree, even though she loves light. At night, she comes out to explore, collecting things that give off light. Then one day her friends come up with a plan to help Ella’s dream of seeing the sun come true.

This is a cheery rhyming picture book about the fun of winter, showing young children enjoying colorful, snowy days and the magic of winter.

At the Hotel, Elevator Bird accompanies all the guests to their rooms and tells them which sights are the best ones to see. He’s also helpful and kind to other members of the staff and generally makes everyone happier. So when the rest of the hotel learns Elevator Bird dreams of a room with a view, everyone comes together to make it happen.

With gift-giving season upon us, learning-minded kids will love this encyclopedia packed with photos and maps that give a glimpse of the wide, wide world. This is loaded with facts, figures, and fun references.

This fun cookbook offers up simple recipes for kids to try. All are easy to accomplish and tasty to eat, and encourages kids to use their creativity to come up with delicious treats of their own.