Great New Children’s Books for Younger Readers
Title: Mr. S
By: Arnaldo, Monica
Published: 2023
Suggested ages and title descriptions are from the publisher or each item's library catalog record.
Ages 4 to 8
When a kindergarten class arrives for the first day at school, they are greeted only by the words "Mr. S" on the chalkboard and a delicious-looking sandwich, resulting in merry mayhem as the kids wonder if the sandwich is their teacher.
Title: Like Lava in My Veins
By: Barnes, Derrick
Published: 2023
Ages 5 to 8
Bobby Beacon has trouble controlling his hot temper at his superhero school.
Title: You Go First
By: Bernstein, Ariel
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
Cat learns that being a good friend means trying new things and putting others first.
Title: The Night Tent
By: Blair, Landis
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
Watson is having trouble sleeping when he notices a mysterious light coming from under his covers which leads him down a path through a forest and onto a magical adventure.
Title: Flower Girl
By: Bloom, Amy
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
Nicki's favorite aunt is getting married, and Nicki is excited to be the Flower Girl: she is all in for love and pretty petals. But when the family goes shopping to find outfits for the wedding, Nicki doesn't feel like herself in any of the dresses her mom and aunt pick out for her, and all her happiness and excitement for the wedding evaporates. Nicki must find her voice--and her own style of expression to match it--to make Aunt Carmela's big day absolutely perfect.
Title: Together We Swim
By: Bolling, Valerie
Published: 2023
Ages 3 to 5
Told in rhyming text, a young boy learns to swim in a pool with the example and encouragement of his family.
Title: Who Will Win?
By: David, Arihhonni
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
When a quick-footed bear and a quick-witted turtle race across a frozen lake, Turtle has a secret plan to win!
Title: You Need to Chill
By: Dawson, Juno
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
Sometimes people say to me: 'What happened to your brother, Bill?' That's when I look them in the eye and say: 'Hun, you need to chill.' When Bill can't be found at school one day, the imaginations of the other children run wild. Is he on holiday? Is he lost in the park? Has he been eaten by a shark?! It's up to Bill's sister to explain ...
Title: La Guitarrista
By: Diaz, Lucky
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
When Canta finds a guitar in the trash, she is one step closer to becoming a rock star. Even though the guitar is broken and she doesn't know how to play, nothing can stop Canta from going after her dreams!
Title: The Masjid Kamal Loves
By: Franklin, Ashley
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
Written in the cumulative style of "The House that Jack Built," this picture book builds a rhythmic list of reasons a young Muslim boy, Kamal, loves going to his masjid on Fridays for Jumu'ah prayer.
Title: We Are Starlings
By: Furrow, Robert
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
To look up at a murmuration of starlings is an experience like no other. Hundreds, thousands, and sometimes millions of starlings fly together as one flock. The group ripples, whirls, and waves as each bird stays close to its neighbors in a harmonious synchronicity of movement.
Title: Spanish Is the Language of My Family
By: Genhart, Michael
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
A young boy bonds with his beloved abuela over a love of Spanish.
Title: Big
By: Harrison, Vashti
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
Praised for acting like a big girl when she is small, as a young girl grows, "big" becomes a word of criticism, until the girl realizes that she is fine just the way she is.
Title: The Unwelcome Surprise
By: Herrera, Olga
Published: 2023
Co-Author: Kate Messner
Ages 4 to 8
Told from the perspective of a dog, this humorous new-baby story follows Bongo as he encounters something monstrous on his way to get his breakfast and soon experiences the ups and downs that come with change.
Title: The Amazing and True Story of Tooth Mouse Pérez
By: Herreros, Ana Cristina
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 12
Though the world is very different from when his Tooth Mouse descendants worked, a Tooth Mouse named Pérez continues his ancestors' tradition and brings children their permanent teeth.
Title: The Skull
By: Klassen, Jon
Published: 2023
Ages 5 and up
In a big abandoned house, on a barren hill, lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible danger and run away, and when she finds herself lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. Her host, the skull, is afraid of something too, something that comes every night. Can brave Otilla save them both?
Title: Summer Is for Cousins
By: Larocca, Rajani
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
Ravi spends summer vacation with his cousins sharing in all their favorite activities, including eating ice cream.
Title: See the Ghost: Three Stories About Things You Cannot See
By: LaRochelle, David
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
It's not easy to enjoy a picnic when you have unseeable interlopers to contend with! In a new trio of stories for beginning readers, the affable Max the dog and mischievous Baby Cakes the cat encounter a scare-happy ghost who has a run-in with a mirror, the wind at its blustery best, and a teeny-tiny fairy with a wayward wand who may have met her match.
Title: Fresh Juice
By: Liu-Trujillo, Robert
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
Art and his dad venture to their local farmer's market to find fresh ingredients to make a juice that will help Dad overcome his cold, and learn that staying healthy takes carrots, collards, cayenne, and community. Includes recipe for cold-clobbering juice.
Title: Camp-Out (Ty's Travels)
By: Lyons, Kelly Starling
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
When rain puts a damper on his family's camp-out plans, Ty uses his big imagination to make camping in so much fun.
Title: Best Day Ever (Owl and Penguin)
By: Madan, Vikram
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
Two best friends, Owl and Penguin, are opposites but solve their conflicts with creative play, from conquering fears to flying a runaway kite.
Title: Not a Monster
By: Martinez, Claudia Guadalupe
Published: 2023
Ages 3 to 7
An axolotl egg hatches and matures in the Xochimilco canals in Mexico City, the only natural habitat of these unique salamanders that spend their lives in water.
Title: There's Always Room for One More
By: McGrath, Robyn
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
Clare struggles to say goodbye to the family table, until she discovers that a new, bigger table means more room for creating memories and welcoming loved ones.
Title: The Book of Turtles
By: Montgomery, Sy
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
This tribute to one of the most diverse, fascinating, and beloved species on the planet (turtles) speaks to the diversity and wisdom of these long-lived reptiles.
Title: Grandma's Tipi: A Present-Day Lakota Story
By: Nelson, S.D.
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
Clara spends her summer visiting her grandma and cousin on Standing Rock reservation, where Clara and her family set up the ancestral tipi and grow closer together as they tell stories, sing songs, and learn about their Lakota roots.
Title: Reina Ramos Meets a Big Puppy
By: Otheguy, Emma
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
Reina and her friend, Lila, practice gymnastics on Saturdays. It's Reina's favorite part of the week. But when Lila gets a puppy, Reina has to practice gymnastics by herself. Also, Lila's dog is HUGE and Reina is afraid to admit to her friend that she is scared. What can Reina do?
Title: Dancing Hands: A Story of Friendship in Filipino Sign Language
By: Que, Joanna
Published: 2023
Ages 3 to 5
Sam is fascinated by her new neighbors and their ability to talk with their hands, and when she meets Mai, she starts to learn Filipino sign language so they can communicate. Includes dictionary of Philippine signs.
Title: Graduation Day!
By: Ransom, Candice
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 6
Raymond prepares for his graduation day using all of the skills he has learned throughout the year.
Title: All Good in the Hood
By: Reed, Dwayne
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
A bounce-to-the-beat story, set against the backdrop of a Juneteenth celebration, about a young boy who's afraid of the sounds in the city but is comforted by his older brother, who tells him not to worry: "It's all good in the hood."
Title: The Song That Called Them Home
By: Robertson, David
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
One summer day, Lauren and her little brother, James, go on a trip to the land with their Moshom (grandfather). After they've arrived, the children decide to fish for dinner while Moshom naps. They are in their canoe in the middle of the lake when the water around them begins to swirl and crash. They are thrown overboard and when Lauren surfaces she sees her brother being pulled away by the Memekwesewak--creatures who live in and around water and like to interfere with humans.
Title: How to Count to One
By: Salmon, Caspar
Published: 2023
Ages 2 to 5
Get ready to show off your counting skills! Except...not everything is as it seems in this ... interactive picture book. There's a trick on every page as you encounter a rollerblading duck, a sausage in the sea, a worm in disguise, a dinosaur in space, and much more. Just remember--the answer will ALWAYS be ONE! Unless...could there be a way to outsmart the book--and count all the way up to 100?
Title: The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish
By: Savage, Chloe
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
Dr. Morley and her team arrive in the Arctic Circle, where they encounter such wonders as playful orcas, the glowing aurora borealis, and formidable ice shelves while searching for the giant Arctic jellyfish, a legendary creature no one has ever seen.
Title: We Are Branches
By: Sidman, Joyce
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
Branches are all around us: in butterfly wings, on gecko toes, in flowers, frost, and mud. Whether as electricity moving across the sky or rivers flowing to the sea, branches are nature's most efficient way to spread and to connect. They are even found inside our own bodies, helping us reach and grow with each breath and heartbeat. Branches--strong, hopeful, beautiful--are the shape of life. How many can you find?
Title: Gnome and Rat
By: Stohler, Lauren
Published: 2023
Ages 6 to 9
Best friends Gnome and Rat celebrate Hat Day, learn magic tricks, and find Gnome a new signature hat in their charming forest.
Title: Simon and the Better Bone
By: Tabor, Corey C.
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
One day, down by the pond, Simon meets another dog just like him. And that dog has a bone just like his, only better! How will Simon ever get him to trade, when the other pup knows all the same tricks? Using the same innovative format as his Caldecott Honor winner, Mel Fell, Corey R. Tabor reimagines Aesop's "The Dog and His Reflection" in a clever, charming tale of empathy and generosity.
Title: The Coolest Beard
By: Tekle, Betty
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
Isaac wants to grow a beard, just like his dad, who always seems to be the coolest person in the barbershop, but after trying for weeks with no success, he discovers there are other ways to imitate his father's coolness.
Title: Papa's Magical Water-Jug Clock
By: Trejo, Jesús
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
Today, little Jesús has a big job to do. He's helping Papá at work, and he's in charge of the water jug -- which is also a magical clock! When it's empty, Papá explains, the workday is done. But what about all these thirsty animals? Soon, the water is gone, but the day is not over yet. Will Jesús be fired?! Or is the jug not really magical after all.
Title: Afterward, Everything Was Different
By: Yockteng, Rafael
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
"Once upon a time, during the era we now call the Pleistocene, somewhere between two and a half million and ten thousand years ago, small groups of people traveled around their known world, hunting for food, seeking shelter, and slowly becoming more like the people we are today. In this book of few words, we see one very special young girl who seems to notice everything that happens around her.
Title: Have You Seen My Invisible Dinosaur?
By: Yoon, Helen
Published: 2023
Ages 3 to 7
Help! This little girl has lost her best friend. He's a dinosaur (not the extinct kind). He's enormous (bigger than a panda!). He was last seen before she gave him a bath and washed off all the mud (maybe that wasn't a good idea?). She's tried to lure him with snacks and put up Lost Dinosaur posters, but nothing has helped.
Title: When Rubin Plays
By: Zhang, Gracey
Published: 2023
Ages 4 to 8
Rubin loves the beautiful sounds that are played by the orchestra. He wants to learn to play the violin and make his own music. But when Rubin plays, it doesn't sound like he imagines it should. Rubin goes into the forest to practice alone and despite only getting the violin to screech, he finds an unlikely audience that loves his unique style