It’s holiday season, but that doesn’t have to mean waiting in long lines for big sales to buy the hottest toy or newest game system. Whether you’re a parent, relative, teacher, librarian or just a friend to a young person, consider a book that you can enjoy together.
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Preschool
— “I Like Your Chutzpah And Other Yiddish Words You’ll Like”
Sweet, funny and infinitely readable, this board book contains 12 Yiddish words and their meanings, each accompanied by a simple, colorful illustration that will inspire fun reading voices. Written and illustrated by Suzy Ultman. Recommended ages: 1-3. RISE x Penguin Workshop. $9.99.
— “The 13 Days of Swiftness: A Christmas Celebration”
For the littlest Swifties, a play on the classic Christmas song — except instead of 12 days there are 13 ( if you know, you know). Each page has bright illustrations and lots of Easter eggs for the fandom. It includes a to-from page with room to add a personal note or your favorite Taylor Swift lyrics. Written by Tiffany Garland, illustrated by Brooke O’Neill. Recommended ages: 3 and up. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. $10.99.
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Early Elementary
— “Into the Uncut Grass”
Trevor Noah tells a story of a boy and his teddy bear who venture into the uncut grass, picking up bits of wisdom along the way. Long and quotable, with humor and gentle watercolor illustrations. Per the intro, “it’s a picture book, but it’s not a children’s book. Rather, it is a book for kids to share with parents and for parents to share with kids.” Written by Trevor Noah, illustrated by Sabina Hahn. All ages. One World. $26.
— “Proper Badger Would Never”
Badger was determined to be a perfectly proper guest at his first party, but his instincts may have gotten the better of him. Shred the gift wrapping paper? Never. Dig into the cake before it’s served? Of course not. A colorful, texture-rich picture book that leans into joyful chaos. Written by Lauren Glattly, illustrated by Rob Sayegh. Recommended ages: 4-8. Flamingo Books. $18.99.
— “The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals”
It’s Old MacDonald’s origin story, with the animal noises and everything. This man loves his tidy home and doesn’t like animals — until they endear themselves to him one by one, turning his apartment into a cramped barn. Written by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by LeUyen Pham. Recommended ages: 4-8. HarperCollins. $19.99.
— “Attack of the Scones”
In the sixth installment of the series, Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast take on an alien invasion with the help of their fridge friends. Told in rhyming couplets with whimsical, expressive full-page illustrations. written by Josh Funk, illustrated by Brendan Kearney. Recommended ages: 5-8. Union Square Kids. Hardcover: $18.99. Paperback: $8.99.
— “Bog Myrtle”
One sister loves the forest and its splendors; the other is more interested in money. Sharp uses literary devices from irony to alliteration to puns, taking on topics like worker rights and environmental sustainability. “ This graphic novel is perfect for the quirky, goofy child in your life who loves deadpan humor and ‘The Skull’ by Jon Klassen,” says Sarah Bradley, lead bookseller at Powell’s Books. Written and illustrated by Sid Sharp. Recommended ages: 6–11. Annick Press. $22.99.
— “My UnderSlumberBumbleBeast”
Award-winning adult author Zoje Stage pens a book, coming Dec. 3, that reimagines the monster under the bed as something far cuter and weirder. One day while cleaning her room, Pru finds a shy little creature called an UnderSlumberBumbleBeast. Includes crosshatch drawings and a glossary of the trickier vocabulary. Written by Zoje Stage and illustrated by J.E. Larson. Recommended ages: 7-10. Bad Hand Books. $15.99.
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Late Elementary and Middle
— “Otto Normal’s Monsterton: The Disappearance of White Pine Beach”
Otto moves with his mom from his normal California town to Monsterton, where they’re the only humans among zombies, ghosts and sirens. Otto soon finds himself on a quick-paced adventure. With chunks of text broken up by beautiful digital color illustrations, blurring the line between chapter book and graphic novel, this glossy volume feels special to hold. Written by Danielle McKechnie, illustrated by Simon Estrada. Recommended ages: 8-12. Simon & Schuster. $22.99.
— “The Wild Robot”
Roz the robot is the sole survivor of a shipment gone overboard and has to adapt to the wild. She becomes the de facto mother of Brightbill the gosling, and the forest animals that shunned her otherness begin to form a community around her. Short chapters are punctuated by black-and-white illustrations. The trilogy saw a theatrical adaptation this year, and a special edition of the first volume features full-color inserts from the movie. Written and illustrated by Peter Brown. Recommended ages: 8-12. Hachette Book Group. Single paperback: $8.99. Boxed set: $54.
— “The Young Green Witch’s Guide to Plant Magic”
This herbalist’s chapter book with watercolor illustrations imparts how to use different plants, along with lessons of appreciation and self-acceptance and breathing meditations. There are also recipes for handy concoctions kids can make with minimal adult supervision, such as oatmeal scrub, lavender honey and dandelion pesto. Written by Robin Rose Bennett, illustrated by Rachel Grant. Recommended ages: 8-12. Running Press Kids. $16.99.
— “The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science”
Kate McKinnon of “Saturday Night Live” and “Barbie” fame tells the story of three adopted sisters who, having zero interest in perfecting the 85 ways to properly sit on a velvet fainting couch, find themselves expelled from etiquette school. Their new, extremely uncouth school puts them at the heart of a mystery in which the town is at stake. With fun fonts and the occasional illustration, the novel is a wildly imaginative celebration of strangeness with humor a la Lemony Snicket. Written by Kate McKinnon, illustrated by Alfredo Cáceres. Recommended ages: 8-12. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. $17.99.
— “Plain Jane and the Mermaid”
The recently orphaned Jane has a week to get married and get her dowry before she’ll be kicked to the streets. Handsome Peter might have accepted Jane’s proposal if he hadn’t been kidnapped by a mermaid. This full-color graphic novel challenges gender roles and beauty standards through an underwater adventure full of snark and hilarious characters, rivaling Jeff Smith’s “Bone.” Written and illustrated by Vera Brosgol. Recommended ages: 10-14. First Second. $14.99.
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Young Adult
— “Queer Mythology: Epic Legends from Around the World”
“The mythology trend is still going strong and young readers will devour this bright and beautifully illustrated new collection,” says Bradley, the Powell’s bookseller. Sanchez shares 20 stories of myth and lore from around the world with characters who reflect the LGBTQ+ community. Written by Guido A. Sanchez, illustrated by James Fenner. Recommended ages: 11 and up. Running Press. $19.99.
— “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder”
Pip investigates a murder that she thinks another student was wrongly accused of. It’s an ambitious project for a high school capstone, but Pip’s an ambitious student. A TV adaptation of this true-crime-style story was produced by the BBC and released on Netflix over the summer. A trilogy by Holly Jackson. Recommended ages: 14 and up. Ember. Single paperback: $14.99. Boxed set: $47.97.
— “The Calculation of You and Me”
Marlowe has great grades and a loving family, two best friends who understand her and all her autistic quirks, and a romantic boyfriend — until he breaks up with her, sending her perfectly categorized world into a tailspin. This sweet, funny, page-turning novel celebrates romance as an act and a genre. By Serena Kaylor. Recommended ages: 13 and up. Wednesday Books. Paperback: $14. Hardcover: $24.
— “Lunar New Year Love Story”
Valentina has one year to prove she doesn’t share her family’s fate of all romances ending in misery. If she doesn’t find lasting love by then, she will give her heart to Saint Valentine and be forever protected from heartbreak. The graphic novel celebrates Asian culture alongside the ups and downs of love. Written by Gene Luen Yang, illustrated by LeUyen Pham. Recommended ages: 14 and up. First Second. Paperback: $17.99. Hardcover: $25.99.
