37 New Release Kids’ Books for Winter 2022 to Celebrate

Llama Llama Colors by Anna Dewdney and illus. by JT Morrow– December 21, 2021

Anna Dewdney’s New York Times bestselling series continues with a new Llama Llama concept board book about understanding colors through food!

Llama Llama wants to paint but all he has is his lunch! Join the fun as he gets creative with his meal and makes a portrait of our favorite mama llama using orange carrots, green peas, and a few other items he sneaks from the fridge. Will Mama Llama be mad when she sees his colorful masterpiece?

Written in rhyme and illustrated by JT Morrow, this new Llama Llama colors concept board book is told through colorful food as Llama Llama makes art with his fruits and vegetables.

Hello, World! Garden Time by Jill McDonald

The latest in the hit Hello, World! board book series teaches toddlers all about gardens—with easy-to-understand facts about how plants grow and how gardening puts food on our tables.

Hello, World! is a series designed to introduce first nonfiction concepts to babies and toddlers. Told in clear and easy terms (“Roots spread into the soil below, and then a shoot pushes up out of the earth”) and featuring bright, cheerful illustrations, Hello, World! makes learning fun for young children.

And each sturdy page offers helpful prompts for engaging with your child. It’s a perfect way to bring science and nature into the busy world of a toddler, where learning never stops

Friendship is Forever (Books of Kindness) by Patricia Hegarty illus. by Summer Macon– January 4, 2022

Learning the importance of friendship is easy with this sweet board book that fosters social-emotional development..

The precious gift of friendship
is a thing to treasure.
Closeness, love, and loyalty
are things that we can’t measure.  

Learn new words while appreciating the value of quality time with this irresistibly illustrated board book that’s perfect for holidays and all year round!

Wonderful Babies by Emily Winfield Martin- January 4, 2022

Celebrate all kinds of babies with this original board book by Emily Winfield Martin–perfect for baby showers and fans of the New York Times Bestseller, The Wonderful Things You Will Be!

From sweet baby to wild baby, from snuggly baby to grumpy baby, this book captures the adorableness of a diverse cast of babies in all their moods. With simple text and irresistable art, this book will capture the hearts of parents and the youngest readers alike.

Hungry Caterpillar’s First Winter by Eric Carle– January 4, 2022

There are so many ways to spend a chilly winter day. Join The Very Hungry Caterpillar and explore everything winter has to offer!

Welcome winter with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and his friends in this sensory exploration of the season. Discover the very best of this time of year: snowy days full of play, the sounds of birds chirping atop a snowman, the smell of cookies fresh from the oven, and so much more!

You’re My Little Sunshine by Natalie Marshall– February 1, 2022

From the best-selling You’re My Little series comes the brightest and newest title, You’re My Little Sunshine! This colorful board book includes cut-outs and raised elements of cupcakes, sweet peas, pies, and more, paired with rhyming text to express the love between parent and child.

Cuddle Squeak Peek Cloth Book: Scholastic Early Learners (Touch and Explore)– February 1, 2022

An interactive cloth book ideal for early learning and motor skills development. Perfect for babies!

A novelty cloth book complete with interactive touches! Includes an easy-carry handle, backboard, and bright artwork.

Ideal for early literacy and for infants and toddlers developing their motor skills!

City Kitties by Rizwan Asad and illus. by Catling– December 3, 2021

When naughty little Mitten asks Nessie why she never falls for his tricks, Nessie answers with a tale of experience.

She’s “been there, done that!”

Told in gentle rhymes, City Kitties is more than a story about knowing the value of experience. It’s about knowing which experiences are truly valuable.

Love You By Heart by Peter H Reynolds- Jan 4, 2022

Acclaimed creator of The Word Collector, Happy Dreamer, Say Something, and Be You, #1 New York Times bestseller Peter H. Reynolds breaks new ground in this ultimate gift book format perfect for readers of every age. A poetic, universal, and joyful celebration of how we feel about the most beloved people in our lives — we love them BY HEART!

I love every smile, every blink,

I love you by heart.

I love your toes, your head, your nose,

I love you by heart.

The Year We Learned to Fly by Jacqueline Woodson illus by Rafael López– January 4, 2022

On a dreary, stuck-inside kind of day, a brother and sister heed their grandmother’s advice: “Use those beautiful and brilliant minds of yours. Lift your arms, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and believe in a thing. Somebody somewhere at some point was just as bored you are now.” 

And before they know it, their imaginations lift them up and out of their boredom. Then, on a day full of quarrels, it’s time for a trip outside their minds again, and they are able to leave their anger behind.

This precious skill, their grandmother tells them, harkens back to the days long before they were born, when their ancestors showed the world the strength and resilience of their beautiful and brilliant minds. Jacqueline Woodson’s lyrical text and Rafael Lopez’s dazzling art celebrate the extraordinary ability to lift ourselves up and imagine a better world.

Daddy Speaks Love by Leah Henderson and illus. by E.B Lewis– January 4, 2022

A moving tribute to the joy and grounding that fathers bring to their children’s lives.

On that very first day,
   Bundled in blankets,
   You cried to be heard.
   “Shh, baby bird, I’ve got you,”
   are Daddy’s first words.

I Am Golden by Eva Chen illus. by Sophie Diao– February 1, 2022

This joyful and lyrical picture book from New York Times bestselling author Eva Chen and illustrator Sophie Diao is a moving ode to the immigrant experience, as well as a manifesto of self-love for Chinese American children.

What do you see when you look in the mirror, Mei? Do you see beauty?

We see eyes that point toward the sun, that give us the warmth and joy of a thousand rays when you smile. We see hair as inky black and smooth as a peaceful night sky. We see skin brushed with gold.

I am Malala Yousafzai (Ordinary People Change the World) by Brad Meltzer and illus by Christopher Eliopoulos– February 1, 2022

The youngest ever Nobel Prize laureate, Pakistani women’s rights activist Malala Yousafzai, is the 26th hero in the New York Times bestselling picture book biography series for ages 5 to 8.

Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17 for speaking out against injustice even when it was terrifying to do so.

She was an ordinary Muslim girl who wanted to attend school, and she refused to stop protesting for her rights even after being attacked by a powerful group in Pakistan who wanted women to remain in the shadows. She continues to fight for women’s rights and free education for children all over the world.

The Digger and the Duckling by Joseph Kuefler– February 15, 2022

From the acclaimed author-illustrator Joseph Kuefler comes a companion to his popular picture book The Digger and the Flower. Perfect for fans of Peter Brown’s The Curious Garden and Kadir Nelson’s If You Plant a Seed, as well as readers who love the machines in Sherri Duskey Rinker’s Construction Site series.

Digger and the other big trucks love to build.

But when a lost duckling waddles onto the jobsite, Digger and his friends learn to do more than just scoop and hoist and push . . . They learn to become a family.

Share this beautiful picture book as a great introduction to taking care of the environment.

Everything Will be Ok by Anna Dewdney and illus. by Judy Schachner– February 15, 2022

The bestselling creators of Llama Llama and Skippyjon Jones bring warmth and humor to a story with a comforting message we could all use when times are tough: everything will be OK.

Nothing is going right for little bunny today.
His sandwich has jelly instead of cheese.
He’s lost his kite.
Ow! And he’s stubbed his toe!
But while some days can feel more sad than happy, there’s always a bright spot on the horizon. Anna Dewdney and Judy Schachner perfectly blend rhyme, humor, and comfort to show readers the way out of a tough spot–no matter if it’s big or small.

Katt vs. Dogg by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein illus. By Anuki López– December 13, 2021

In this funny and paw-some story, lifelong rivals Molly and Oscar are forced to team up and brave the great outdoors and help their families before it’s too late. Wilderness adventurers and expert trackers Molly the katt and Oscar the dogg go camping with their families: parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles. One big reunion! It would be fun if there weren’t so many rules to follow at the campsite. ATTENTION KATTS AND DOGGS: No crossing the border, or you’ll be asked to leave the Eastern Wilderness Reserve. If you’re still alive.

Molly and Oscar must outsmart the rule-makers when they discover that their katt and dogg cousins have run away together—for reasons only Molly and Oscar will understand. Now the clever pair must find and warn their cousins before all four of them are in need of a serious rescue mission.

Ada Twist, Scientist: The Why Files #1: Exploring Flight by Andrea Beaty, Dr. Theanne Griffith and David Roberts– December 14, 2021

A new addition to the Questioneers series, a full-color nonfiction early reader series based on the new Ada Twist, Scientist Netflix series!

Why do airplanes look the way they do? Why can’t birds fly when they’re first born? And why do some paper planes fly farther than others?

Ada Twist, Scientist: The Why Files is the perfect nonfiction resource for all these questions and more. Discover everything there is to know about flight from Ada Twist, Scientist—from information about creatures that fly, to the history of aircrafts, to modern technology that allows us to soar through the air faster than ever!

Based on the bestselling series and the new Netflix show, this nonfiction series is perfect for the youngest scientists of tomorrow!

Smart vs. Strong: Read to Read Graphics level 1 by Jill Esbaum and illus. by Miles Thompson- December 14

Two unlikely dinosaur friends get out of a sticky situation in the third book in the Thunder and Cluck Level 1 Ready-to-Read Graphics series!

Thunder is strong. Cluck is smart. Thunder is stuck in quicksand! Can Cluck think of a way to get him out?

Ready-to-Read Graphics books give readers the perfect introduction to the graphic novel format with easy-to-follow panels, speech bubbles with accessible vocabulary, and sequential storytelling that is spot-on for beginning readers. There’s even a how-to guide for reading graphic novels at the beginning of each book.

She Persisted: Oprah Winfrey by Renée Watson and Chelsea Clinton and Illus. by Alexandra Bolger– December 21, 2021

Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger comes a chapter book series about women who stood up, spoke up and rose up against the odds–including Oprah Winfrey!

In this chapter book biography by Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award-winning author Renée Watson, readers learn about the amazing life of Oprah Winfrey–and how she persisted. 

When Oprah Winfrey was growing up, her family expected her to become a maid like her grandmother. But she had different dreams. She went after them and turned her dreams into reality, becoming a media superstar and inspiring countless other people along the way.

Hide and Go Beak by Nancy Krulik illus. by Charlie Alder– January 4, 2022

A new young chapter book series about a chicken who loves math, science, and learning new things–by New York Times bestselling author Nancy Krulik for fans of Unlimited Squirrel and Bumble and Bee.

Chirpy is a young chicken stuck in the family coop. But she’s not like the other chickens who just sit around peck peck pecking all day. She’s intrigued by the children who come home from a place called school. They always look so happy! (Well, most days.)

So Chirpy sneaks onto the bus one morning, hides in the classroom . . . and discovers a true love of math. When she shares what she’s learned with the other chickens, they think she’s one kernel short of a cob. More…

Get Well, Crabby by Jonathan Fenske– February 1, 2022

This series is part of Scholastic’s early reader line, Acorn, aimed at children who are learning to read. With easy-to-read text, a short-story format, plenty of humor, and full-color artwork on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and fluency. Acorn books plant a love of reading and help readers grow!

Oh no! Crabby doesn’t feel well, and Plankton is determined to play doctor. But Plankton’s ideas aren’t always the most helpful. He takes his own temperature, wraps Crabby in bandages, and caters to Crabby’s increasingly outrageous demands. Will Crabby get better before Plankton finally loses his cool?

This timely story addresses a concern on every child’s mind — how can we help when our friends are sick?

With comic speech bubbles and full-color artwork throughout, Geisel Award Honoree Jonathan Fenske’s early reader series is sure to be a hit with new readers!

Investigators: Braver and Boulder by John Patrick Green

With their Very Exciting Spy Technology and their tried-and-true, toilet-based travel techniques, the InvestiGators are undercover and on the case! And on their first mission together, they have not one but two mysteries to solve! Can Mango and Brash uncover the clues, crack their cases, and corral the crooks—or will the criminals wriggle out of their grasp?

Unforgettable Logan Foster by Shawn Peters– January 4, 2022

Packed with superheroes, supervillains, and epic showdowns between good and evil, The Unforgettable Logan Foster from debut author Shawn Peter shows that sometimes being a hero is just about being yourself.

Logan Foster has pretty much given up on the idea of ever being adopted. It could have something to with his awkward manner, his photographic memory, or his affection for reciting curious facts, but whatever the cause, Logan and his “PP’s” (prospective parents) have never clicked. 

Then everything changes when Gil and Margie arrive. Although they aren’t exactly perfect themselves—Gil has the punniest sense of humor and Margie’s cooking would have anyone running for the hills—they genuinely seem to care.

In Every Generation by Kendare Blake– January 4, 2022

The first in an all-new series by New York Times best-selling author Kendare Blake continues the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer featuring the next generation of Scoobies and Slayers who must defeat a powerful new evil.
A new Slayer for a new generation…

Frankie Rosenberg is passionate about the environment, a sophomore at New Sunnydale High School, and the daughter of the most powerful witch in Sunnydale history. Her mom, Willow, is slowly teaching her magic on the condition that she use it to better the world.

But Frankie’s happily quiet life is upended when new girl Hailey shows up with news that the annual Slayer convention has been the target of an attack, and all the Slayers―including Buffy, Faith, and Hailey’s older sister Vi―might be dead. That means it’s time for this generation’s Slayer to be born.

Never After: The Stolen Slippers (Books #2)– February 1, 2022

Discover a new middle-grade fantasy saga from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Descendants series, Melissa de la Cruz, where real life and fairy tales collide!

Tossed back into the not-so-familiar fairy-tale world of Never After, Filomena Jefferson-Cho and her friends set off on another adventure . . . this time in search of Cinderella’s glass slipper. Or rather, glass slippers.

It turns out the classic story of Cinderella is full of lies—starting with how Cinderella herself is far from the innocent heroine everyone thinks she is. She is manipulative and cunning—willing to do anything to be the princess of Eastphalia. The real heroines of her story are her “wicked” stepsisters, Hortense and Beatrice, who aren’t actually wicked at all! More…

Spy School Graphic Novel by Stuart Gibbs and Illus. by Anna Sakar– February 1, 2021

Can an undercover nerd become a superstar secret agent? The first book in Stuart Gibbs’s New York Times bestselling Spy School series is now a graphic novel!

Ben Ripley may only be in middle school, but he’s already pegged his dream job: CIA or bust. Unfortunately for him, his personality doesn’t exactly scream “secret agent.” In fact, Ben is so awkward, he can barely get to school and back without a mishap.

Because of his innate nerdiness, Ben is not surprised when he is recruited for a magnet school with a focus on science—but he’s entirely shocked to discover that the school is actually a front for a junior CIA academy. Could the CIA really want him? More…

Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms by Jamar J. Perry– February 1, 2022

As the true Descendant, I command to open
The door to Chidani; it shall be broken

Magic awaits those who seek the queen’s peace
And all the suffering you feel will cease

Those who open the histories will hear a sound
What was lost has finally been found.

Cameron Battle grew up reading The Book of Chidani, cherishing stories about the fabled kingdom that cut itself off from the world to save the Igbo people from danger. Passed down over generations, the Book is Cameron’s only connection to his parents who disappeared one fateful night, two years ago. More…

A Comb of Wishes by Lisa Stringfellow– February 8, 2022

Set against the backdrop of Caribbean folklore, Lisa Stringfellow’s spellbinding middle grade debut tells of a grieving girl and a vengeful mermaid and will enchant readers who loved Kacen Callender’s Hurricane Child or Christian McKay Heidicker’s Scary Stories for Young Foxes.

Ever since her mother’s death, Kela feels every bit as broken as the shards of glass, known as “mermaid’s tears,” that sparkle on the Caribbean beaches of St. Rita. So when Kela and her friend Lissy stumble across an ancient-looking comb in a coral cave, with all she’s already lost, Kela can’t help but bring home her very own found treasure.  More…

Unseen Magic by Emily Lloyd-Jones– February 22, 2022

The trick to all magic is: you can only see it if you know where to look.

The magic-infused town of Aldermere is the first place eleven-year-old Fin has ever felt safe—and she’ll do whatever it takes to save her home when she accidentally unleashes a shadow self who wreaks havoc everywhere she goes. Emily Lloyd-Jones’s middle grade debut is an enchanting exploration of self-discovery and finding the place you truly belong. Unseen Magic is for fans of A Wish in the Dark and A Tangle of Knots. 

Aldermere is a town with its own set of rules: there’s a tea shop that vanishes if you try to force your way in, crows that must be fed or they’ll go through your trash, and a bridge that has a toll that no one knows the cost of. Some say that there may even be bigfoots wandering through the woods. More…

No Beauties or Monsters by Tara Goedjen– December 7, 2021

For fans of Stranger Things and Veronica Mars comes a new YA mystery about a girl whose desperate search for her missing friend unearths dark secrets, preternatural threats, and a truth that could ultimately tear her family, friends, and town apart.
Welcome to Twentynine Palms, where nothing is what it seems.
 Rylie hasn’t been back to the military base in Twentynine Palms since her father died. She left a lot of memories out there, buried in the sand of the Mojave Desert.

Memories about her dad, her old friends Nathan and Lily, and most of all, her enigmatic grandfather, a man who cut ties with Rylie’s family before he passed away. But her mom’s new work assignment has sent their family to Twentynine Palms again, and now, Rylie’s in the one place she never wanted to return to. More…

Fools in Love: French Twists on Romantic Tales by Rebecca Barrow, Gloria Chao, and Mason Deaver et al. December 7, 2021

Join fifteen bestselling, award-winning, and up-and-coming authors as they reimagine some of the most popular tropes in the romance genre. 

Fake relationships. Enemies to lovers. Love triangles and best friends, mistaken identities and missed connections. This collection of genre-bending and original stories celebrates how love always finds a way, featuring powerful flora, a superhero and his nemesis, a fantastical sled race through snow-capped mountains, a golf tournament, the wrong ride-share, and even the end of the world. 

With stories written by Rebecca Barrow, Ashley Herring Blake, Gloria Chao, Mason Deaver, Sara Farizan, Claire Kann, Malinda Lo, Hannah Moskowitz, Natasha Ngan, Rebecca Podos, Lilliam Rivera, Laura Silverman, Amy Spalding, Rebecca Kim Wells, and Julian Winters this collection is sure to sweep you off your feet. 

How not to Fall in Love by Jacqueline Firkins– December 21

A hardened cynic and a hopeless romantic teach each other about love in this swoony and heartful romance that’s perfect for fans of Tweet Cute and The Upside of Falling.

Harper works in her mom’s wedding shop, altering dresses for petulant and picky brides who are more focused on hemlines than love. After years of watching squabbles break out over wedding plans, Harper thinks romance is a marketing tool. Nothing more.

Her best friend Theo is her opposite. One date and he’s already dreaming of happily-ever-afters. He also plays the accordion, makes chain mail for Ren Festers, hangs out in a windmill-shaped tree house, cries over rom-coms, and takes his word-of-the-day calendar very seriously. More…

One True Loves by Elise Bryant– January 4, 2022

From the author of Happily Ever Afters comes another irresistible YA romantic comedy full of self-discovery and Black love—and a dreamy European cruise. Perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon, Jenny Han, and Stephanie Perkins, with crossover appeal for readers of Jasmine Guillory and Talia Hibbert romances.

Lenore Bennett has always been a force. A star artist and style icon at her high school, she’s a master in the subtle art of not giving a . . . well, you know what. But now that graduation is here, she’s a little less sure.

She’s heading to NYU in the fall with a scarlet U (for “undeclared”) written across her chest. Her parents always remind her that Black kids don’t have the luxury of figuring it out as they go—they have to be 110 percent prepared. But it’s a lot of pressure to be her ancestors’ wildest dreams when Lenore’s not even sure what her dreams are yet.

Serendipity: Ten Romantic Tropes Transformed by Elise Bryant and edited by Marissa Meyer

Love is in the air in Serendipity, a collection of stories inspired by romantic tropes and edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer.

The secret admirer.
The fake relationship.
The matchmaker.

From stories of first love, unrequited love, love that surprises, love that’s been there all along, 10 of the brightest and award-winning authors writing YA have taken on some of your favorite romantic tropes, embracing them and turning them on their heads. Readers will fall for this c

I Must Betray You by Ruth Sepetys– February 1, 2022

A gut-wrenching, startling window into communist Romania and the citizen spy network that devastated a nation, from the #1 New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray.

Romania, 1989. Communist regimes are crumbling across Europe. Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu dreams of becoming a writer, but Romanians aren’t free to dream; they are bound by rules and force.

Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer. He’s left with only two choices: betray everyone and everything he loves—or use his position to creatively undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe. More…

This Woven Kingdom by Teheran Mafi

Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology.

To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.

The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world.

Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Tomi Adeyemi, and Sabaa Tahir, this is the explosive first book in a new fantasy trilogy from 

Sunny G’s Series of Rash Decision by Naveep Singh Dhillon– February 8, 2022

Sunny G’s brother left him one thing when he died: His notebook, which Sunny is determined to fill up with a series of rash decisions. Decision number one was a big one: He stopped wearing his turban, cut off his hair, and shaved his beard. He doesn’t look like a Sikh anymore. He doesn’t look like himself anymore. Even his cosplay doesn’t look right without his beard.
 
Sunny debuts his new look at prom, which he’s stuck going to alone. He’s skipping the big fandom party—the one where he’d normally be in full cosplay, up on stage playing bass with his band and his best friend, Ngozi—in favor of the Very Important Prom Experience. An experience that’s starting to look like a bust.
 
Enter Mindii Vang, a girl with a penchant for making rash decisions of her own, starting with stealing Sunny’s notebook. When Sunny chases after her, prom turns into an all-night adventure—a night full of rash, wonderful, romantic, stupid, life-changing decisions.