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...
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...
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 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--a companion to the Theodor...
A flock of gulls, a chorus of frogs
Vickers, Roy Henry
Paper Book
Learn fun names for animal groups of the West Coast with a sturdy board book featuring the illustrations of Indigenous artist Roy Henry Vickers. Bright blocks of colour and tactile embossed pages bring the natural world of the wild West Coast to life. Accompanied by a rhythmic,...
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...
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,...
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...
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
A USA Today and National Indie Bestseller! From the creatorsof the New York Times-bestselling Ivy + Bean comes a fun and funny new series about two small sisters with very big imaginations. ...
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!
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,...
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...
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 On ALA's 2024 Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year From Anya's Ghost and...
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...
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...
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...
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. ...

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