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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Relish the Season: A Weenie Book
Vernon, Katie
Paper Book
A loveable hot dog named Weenie gets ready for Christmas in this laugh-out-loud festive board book sure to be a holiday wiener! Weenie loves Christmas, but what's the merriest part? Can they pick just one? Oh where should they...
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...
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!"
Hey! Look at you! : a captivating mirror book
Boynton, Sandra
Paper Book
Hey! Look At You! is a play book with mirrors galore from the one and only Sandra Boynton! With mirrors and mooing and more, Hey! Look at You! invites readers to gaze into gigantic, animal-shaped mirrors to see themselves as Boynton's fan-favorite animals! It's a...
I love you so mush!
McLean, Danielle
Paper Book
An engaging rhyming book about friendship and love featuring adorable mushroom characters and a shiny red foil cover! Follow along with a joyful mushroom as they express their love for their friends in this engaging rhyming book that's all about friendship, fun, and spending time...
Teeny tiny unicorn
Matson, Rachel
Paper Book
An colorful "Be Yourself" twist on "The Teeny Tiny Woman" that's perfect for Pride month and all-year-round! In a field full of flowers, Beneath a rainbow bend, A teeny tiny unicorn Played with all her friends. This teeny tiny unicorn...
The cozy home : three-and-a-half stories
Dyckman, Ame
Paper Book
Join Bat, Cat, and Rat on their three-and-a-half sweet and silly roommate adventures in this hilarious "gift to reading" (School Library Journal, starred review), the first of a series, from New York Times bestsellers Ame Dyckman and Mark Teague. What happens when...
The good little mermaid's guide to bedtime
Sumner, Eija
Paper Book
Once upon an evening, a good little mermaid begins to get ready for bed. Once upon? No. Not once upon. I know what that means. And I'm NOT a good little mermaid. I am a PREDATOR! Thus begins our story of a little mermaid who is anything but good. Sleep? Sleep is for guppies! This little mermaid is 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 in the action-packed and funny Sherlock Society middle grade series from New York Times bestselling, Edgar Award-winning author James Ponti! Siblings Alex...
The mango monster
Mascarenhas, Derek
Paper Book
Someone is stealing from the family's mango tree! Could it be a mango monster? After waiting all year for mango season, Marianne is excited that the mangoes on their tree are ripe and ready to eat. She loves mangoes and plans to eat all of them. But when she and her sidekick cousin Zoe...
Towed by Toad
Awan, Jashar
Paper Book
Hop on a tow-truck ride with Toad as he learns that everyone needs help sometimes, even the helpers! The first in a new series for fans of Frog and Toad and Little Blue Truck! "No time, Pop! Can't stop!" Toad and his tow truck are always on the move to lend a...
Sarah Ponakey Storycatcher and Âhâsiw's Forest Powwow
MacMillan, Sita
Paper Book
A vibrant debut early chapter book series celebrating Cree culture and being true to yourself. Look for Book 2, Muskwa's Tipi Talks, coming in Spring 2025! Sarah Ponakey has moved to the city from her home community with her mom and it's the pits! She misses her Kôhkom, her best...
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...
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!
Elvis, Me, and the Postcard Winter
Gentile, Leslie
The first book in the series, Elvis, Me, and the Lemonade Stand Summer, won the City of Victoria Children's Book Prize and the Jean Little First-Novel Award. Winter rains have swept into Eagle Shores Trailer Park, and Truly is happily settling into a new life. A new...
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...
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,...
Crystal Cave
Deas, Nancy
Paper Book
In the small village of Sueño Bay, famous for its mysterious crystals and legendary Moon Creatures, friends Ollie, Kay, Jenna and Sleeves go searching for a secret and powerful crystal. When Ollie's grandpa becomes ill and Ollie faces the possibility of having to leave his home in Sueño...
Hilda and Twig: Hide from the Rain
Pearson, Luke
Paper Book
A brand-new adventure featuring our favourite blue-haired heroine Hilda, and her trusty deerfox companion Twig. Hilda and Twig would never let a bit of rain get in the way of an adventure, but it's different when your forest exploration is interrupted by a BIG storm.
Puffin and Penguin
Becker, Helaine
Paper Book
On his first day at his new school, Puffin is thrilled when Penguin is assigned to be his buddy - Penguin's the coolest kid in the school! But Puffin quickly learns that the coolest kid is also the busiest kid, especially with Penguin starring as King Midas in the school play. Puffin realises he's...
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...
Jupiter Nettle and the Seven Schools of Magic
Mandanna, Sangu/ Ballesteros, Pablo (ILT)
Paper Book
When you've dreamed of getting into the Seven Schools of Magic your whole life, what do you do when it turns out to be the worst thing ever? This heartwarming graphic novel adventure is perfect for fans of Harry Potter, The Okay Witch, and City of Dragons! ...
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
Instagram sensation and Tapas webcomic superstar Cassandra Calin makes her long-form debut with this funny, feel-good middle-grade graphic novel about change. Goodbye, old life... Lia and her family are waiting to board a flight across the Atlantic, leaving behind family,...
Plain Jane and the mermaid
Brosgol, Vera
Paper Book
A New York Times Best Children's Books of the Year An NPR Best Book of the Year A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year From Anya's Ghost and Be Prepared author Vera Brosgol comes an instant classic graphic novel that flips every...
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...
Alfie explores A to ZZ : a seek-and-find adventure
Drew, Jeff
Paper Book
Join Alfie the bookworm as he travels through the alphabet from A to Z in this interactive seek-and-find picture book adventure. Meet Alfie the friendly bookworm and his pet dust bunny, Betty! When Betty runs off, Alfie travels through each letter in the alphabet searching for...
Lifesize dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures
Henn, Sophy
Paper Book
Readers journey into the past and compare themselves to life-size illustrations of dinosaurs and other amazing prehistoric creatures in this interactive book. Come claw to claw with a Utahraptor, go head to head with a Diplodocus and compare your smile with a Tyrannosaurus rex's!
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
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 performers. Every superstar musician started out...
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...
Owls : who gives a hoot?
Backhouse, Frances
Paper Book
Owls are incredible creatures. They can see in the dimmest light, hear the faintest of sounds, fly silently and rotate their heads to look straight backward. Most owls are nocturnal, more often heard than seen. Even those that are active during the day stay largely out of sight. ...
Plant pets : 27 cool houseplants to grow and love
Allen, Beatrice Boggs
Paper Book
Eight-year-old Beatrice Boggs Allen (along with her mom, Belle Boggs) introduces the 28 easiest and most fascinating houseplants that any kid can grow indoors. Maybe every kid can't have an animal pet--but everyone can have a plant pet! That's the message of eight-year-old...
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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