Best Books to Gift 2024 - for Kids

Books to entertain and inspire each young reader on your list.

Updated December 5, 2024
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Elmore the Christmas moose
Petty, Dev
Paper Book
A hilarious and heartwarming Christmas story about a moose who wants to be one of Santa's reindeer. This charming picture book comes from the comic minds of the the duo that brought you I Don't Want to Be a Frog and Don't Eat Bees. Dear Mr. Claus,
Santa's first Christmas
Barnett, Mac
Paper Book
Mac Barnett and Sydney Smith team up for an unforgettable celebration of Christmas. We all know that Santa makes everyone's dreams come true every Christmas, but it turns out that he needs a little help getting into the holiday spirit himself. Instead of letting Santa get right...
1, 2, 3, do the dinosaur
Robinson, Michelle
Paper Book
A rollicking, romping read-aloud text following Tom (dressed as a dinosaur) and his dinosaur friends as they "do the dinosaur" with all their might till it's finally time to "yawn, yawn, yawn... one, two, three and everybody snore!"
Impossible creatures
Rundell, Katherine
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Two kids race to save the world's last magical place in the first book of a landmark new fantasy series, from "a writer with an utterly distinctive voice and a wild imagination." (Philip Pullman, author of The Golden Compass) *This...
The good little mermaid's guide to bedtime
Sumner, Eija
Paper Book
This little mermaid is too FIERCE and SCARY and FEROCIOUS to follow The Good Little Mermaid's Guide to Bedtime . . . well, except the part about snuggling her shark stuffie. A hilarious picture book for kids ages 3 to 7 who are experts at resisting sleep. Once upon an evening, a...
The Sherlock society
Ponti, James
Paper Book
In the tradition of Nancy Drew, four kids and one grandfather in Miami tackle a decades-old mystery in this first book full of "atmosphere, history, and lively humor" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) in the Sherlock Society middle grade series from New York Times bestselling,...
Raven Gets Tricked
Fritz, Andrea
Paper Book
Indigenous artist and storyteller Andrea Fritz tells a tale of a greedy raven and the little deer who makes sure they both have enough food for the winter. Smuy the little deer is almost out of food and wishes Spaal' the raven would share with him. But even though Smuy always offers to...
Orris and Timble : the beginning
DiCamillo, Kate
Paper Book
From beloved storyteller Kate DiCamillo comes the first book in a warm and funny early-reader trilogy about a misanthropic rat and a naive owl--and the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Orris the rat lives alone in an old barn surrounded by his treasures, until the day his...
Stella & Marigold
Barrows, Annie
Paper Book
From the creatorsof the New York Times-bestselling Ivy + Beancomes a fun and funny new series about two small sisters with very big imaginations. Generations of readers have fallen in love with Ivy + Bean, which has sold over 8 million copies and been adapted into a popular Netflix Original...
The day I fell into a fairy tale
Miller, Ben
Paper Book
From actor, author, and comedian Ben Miller comes an illustrated middle grade fantasy adventure that's "entertaining fairy-tale fun" (Kirkus Reviews) following a brother and sister who stumble into a magical new world--perfect for fans of Half Upon a Time and Land of Stories!
Towed by Toad
Awan, Jashar
Paper Book
An American Library Association Geisel Honor book * An American Library Association Notable Children's Book Hop on a tow-truck ride with Toad as he learns that everyone needs help sometimes, even the helpers! The first in a picture book series for fans of Frog and Toad and Little...
A galaxy of whales
Fawcett, Heather
Paper Book
A perfect summer read about whale watching and friendship both lost and found, from the author of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries and The Islands of Elsewhere When Fern hears about a photo contest with a big cash award, she decides she'll enter and win! After...
Katrina Hyena, stand-up comedian
Kohn, Sophie
Paper Book
An early chapter book about a laughing hyena who yearns to be a stand-up comedian that will have kids rolling with laughter When the spotted hyenas in Katrina's clan laugh, it's meant as a warning to alert the clan that danger is near. But that's not why Katrina laughs. Katrina laughs...
Roswell Johnson saves the world!
Colfer, Chris
Paper Book
★ A New York Times bestseller!  ★  A USA Today bestseller! ★ An IndieBound bestseller! ★ From #1 New York Times bestselling author Chris Colfer comes a funny, heartfelt,...
Gamerville
Christmas, Johnnie.
Paper Book
A video gamer's championship aspirations are dashed when his parents send him to Camp Reset, where electronics are forbidden and you're forced to socialize, eat healthy, and spend time outside. Gamerville is a timely and vulnerable exploration of the importance of human connection...
Nancy Spector, monster detective 1 : the case of the missing spot.
Martin, Stephen W
Paper Book
Intrepid eight-year-old detective Nancy Spector and her talking dog, Jinx, search high and low for an invisible dog in this laugh-a-minute, fast-paced graphic novel perfect for fans of Dungeon Critters and The Mighty Jack. The Invisible...
The new girl
Calin, Cassandra
Paper Book
This funny, feel-good middle-grade graphic novel about change and acceptance will be a hit with fans of Guts by Raina Telgemeier, Pizza Face by Rex Ogle and Dave Valeza, and Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang. Goodbye, old life... Lia and her family are...
Plain Jane and the mermaid
Brosgol, Vera
Paper Book
Already love Vera's work? Don't miss her first novel Return to Sender! A New York Times Best Children's Books of the Year An NPR Best Book of the Year On ALA's 2024 Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List
The Ribbon Skirt: A Graphic Novel
Mukwa, Cameron
Paper Book
A joyful coming-of-age middle-grade graphic novel by debut Indigenous creator Cameron Mukwa about the journey of a two-spirit kid who wants to create a ribbon skirt for the upcoming powwow.Ten-year-old Anang wants to make a ribbon skirt, a piece of clothing typically worn by girls in the...
Make art with nature
Pixley, Pippa
Paper Book
Artist Pippa Pixley shows children how to make amazing art with materials found in nature in this hands-on book. Get creative and make incredible pieces of art using rocks, wood, berries, flowers, and leaves in this nature craft book for children ages 7-9.  Find...
Mushrooms know : wisdom from our friends the fungi
George, K.
Paper Book
An adorable, STEM-themed picture book for kids 4 to 8 that reveals the wisdom mushrooms have to teach us. Mushrooms always wear their thinking caps. They know so many things. This vibrant and informative book shares the fascinating lessons that fungi can teach us: that...
The beginner's guide to manga and anime : learn the history, explore the art, meet the creators
Takeda, Shuichiro
Paper Book
Become an anime and manga expert with this must-have beginner's guide! It's packed with compelling history and fascinating facts that both new and longtime fans won't want to miss! Manga and anime are a whole lot more than just comics and animation from Japan. They are massive pop-culture...
Kid musicians : true tales of childhood from entertainers, songwriters, and stars
Stevenson, Robin
Paper Book
A 2025 National Parenting Product Awards Winner Inspiring, relatable, and totally true biographies tell the childhood stories of a diverse group of musicians, including Taylor Swift, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Styles, Mariah Carey, Yo-Yo Ma, Paul McCartney, and 10 other influential...
Lego timelines : a visual journey through ten decades of Lego history
Hugo, Simon
Paper Book
Celebrate more than 90 years of LEGO play with LEGO® Timelines! Embark on an epic tour through ten decades of history - from before the iconic LEGO brick to today's amazing sets and beyond. Pore over pages packed with more than 70 illustrated timelines...
Priya's kitchen adventures : a cookbook for kids : with recipes that you (yes, you!) can make
Krishna, Priya
Paper Book
From the beloved New York Times bestselling author of Indian-ish and Cooking at Home, an illustrated cookbook for kids and their parents that draws on Priya's childhood experiences traveling the globe with her family. With delicious recipes and laugh-out-loud stories, Priya's...

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