New Kids’ Books

Be Brave, My Baby Boo

Author: Nicola Edwards

Illustrator: Natalie Marshall

Year: 2026

Genre: Board Book

Age: 1 – 4

More info: Part of the You’re My Little series

Plot

It’s time for Halloween, but Baby Boo is frightened of the holiday. So his sweetly spooky family helps him face his fears.

Why Kirsten loves it

This board book is bright and cheerful and not at all scary. The perfect introduction to Halloween for a toddler, especially one that might be scared!

Find this book in: Baby and Toddler Halloween Books / New Halloween Books for Kids in 2026 / New Kids’ Books

Who’s There, Little Elf?

Author: Teresa Bellón

Illustrator: Teresa Bellón

Release Date: September 29, 2026

Genre: Board Book

Age: 1 – 4

Plot

Another interactive picture book for our list, this one introduces the many faces of Christmas. From a smiling elf to a twinkling tree to Santa himself!

The Little Book With No Pictures

Author: B.J. Novak

Year: October, 2026

Genre: Board Book

Age: 0-3

More info: #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

Plot

The Book With No Pictures is one of my favorite kids books. It is such a fun play on language and made my kids laugh when I read it over and over.

Why Jackie loves it

This book is perfect for the littlest readers with “MOO like a cow” and “Eat the book- yum, yum, yum!” As a speech therapist, I love books for kids that play with words and sounds.

Find this book in: New Kids’ Books

The Bakery Dragon: Snack Time

Author: Devin Elle Kurtz

Release Date: February 2, 2027

Genre: Board Book

Age: 0 – 3

More info:

Plot

Ember the dragon is now in board book form! She loves a snack, but she’s not sure what she wants to eat.

Busy Buckaroos On the Ranch: A Finger Trail Book

Author: Marcie Roche

Illustrator: Fhiona Galloway

Release Date: July 20, 2027

Genre: Interactive Board Book

Age: 2 – 5

Plot

Learn about life on the ranch with little hands that walk through it. This interactive story is perfect for hand-eye coordination as little ones trace the trails on each page with their fingertips.

Trunk-or-Treat

Illustrator: Conor Rawson

Release Date: July 13, 2027

Genre: Board Book

Age: 1 – 4

More info: Part of the MiniMe series

Plot

These are the cutest Halloween board books for little ones. With cute cutouts across the 5 pages, it’s the perfect introduction to Halloween for babies.

The Haunted Playground

Author: R. J. Palacio

Illustrator: Brett Helquist

Year: 2026

Genre: Picture Books

Age: 4 – 8

Plot

In this charming picture book by the author of Wonder, ghosts and children alike play on the local playground on Halloween night!

Why Kirsten loves it

The illustrations are gorgeous on this sweet, fun story. I love seeing ghosts and phantoms alongside kids in cute PJs. The audiobook version is narrated by Neil Patrick Harris, and he does a wonderful job. Gifted by PRH Audio.

Find this book in: Fun Playground Books / Halloween Books for Kids / New Halloween Books for Kids in 2026 / New Kids’ Books

The Bakery Dragon and the Giant Cookie

Author: Devin Elle Kurtz

Illustrator: Devin Elle Kurtz

Year: 2026

Genre: Christmas Picture Book

Age: 4 – 8

More info: Bakery Dragon #3

Plot

Ember, everyone’s favorite dragon baker, is delivering cookies for the holiday season. During a storm, he falls into the chimney of a grumpy giant. While trying to respect the giant’s wish for quiet, he bakes some incredible GIANT cookies and melts the giant’s cold heart in the process.

Why Kirsten loves it

The stunning illustrations always get me with this series. Bakery Dragon is such a color-saturated work of art, and the story of kindness even in the face of animosity is one kids and adults alike should pay attention to. Also, I think this book needs a recipe because I want those cookies! Gifted by Random House Kids.

Find this book in: Best Christmas Books for Kids / New Christmas Books for Kids / New Kids’ Books

Help I’m Being Eaten by a Bear

Author: Neil Sharpson

Illustrator: Dan Santat

Year: 2026

Genre: Picture Book

Age: 3-7

More info: Caldecott Medalist Illustrator

Plot

When the main character in the book gets a pair of traveling pants, he decides to take a trip to Alaska. He thinks he knows what to do to avoid being eaten by a bear, but the guidebook was not complete.

Why Jackie loves it

I laughed out loud reading this book, and the illustrations are fantastic. But as fun and silly as this book is, it is also a book about defying expectations and unexpected friendship.

Find this book in: New Kids’ Books

The Fart Book

Author: Todd Harris Goldman

Illustrator: Todd Harris Goldman

Year: November 17, 2026

Genre: Picture Book

Age: 4-7

Plot

Everybody farts or so this book declares. This hilarious book looks at all the people and animals who fart daily- calculating millions of farts a day.

Why Jackie loves it

This is a hilarious book with great illustrations that made me laugh. I think kids will laugh out loud with this fantastic book.

Find this book in: New Kids’ Books

Once Upon a Slime

Author: Kathy P. Kelly

Illustrator: Erica P. Kelly

Year: January 5, 2027

Genre: Picture Book

Age: 4-8

Plot

Shelby the snail lives in the land of fairy tales and is looking for her happily ever after. None of the fairy tales she visits seem right for her. She is a little too slimy. Will she ever find where she belongs?

Why Jackie loves it

What a cute book this is. Everyone deserves to find their place and Shelby the snail is not exception. Shelby visits Cinderella and other princes and princesses tryin g to find her place.

Find this book in: New Kids’ Books

Kix: The Goal Getter

Author: Pete Oswald

Illustrator: Pete Oswald

Release Date: March 2, 2o27

Genre: Picture Book

Age: 4-8

More info: Player Pack #1

Plot

The first in a new Pete Oswald series is on the way! The new series is set at Player Pack Academy, where Kix is a star on the soccer field. When a new girl arrives, Kix worries she’ll be replaced – can she learn to work with the new girl on the field?

A Sorta Fairytale

Author: Tori Amos

Illustrator: Demelsa Haughton

Release Date: April 6, 2027

Genre: Picture Book

Age: 4 – 8

Plot

In a prequel to her bestselling story, Tori and the Muses, we see Rose Dover’s light dimming at the hands of a bad man. Tori, Greg the Raccoon, and the critters of the Emerald Forest build a piano to create music to heal Rose.

Pizza and Taco: Scariest Sleepover Ever!

Author: Stephen Shaskan

Illustrator: Stephen Shaskan

Release Date: July 21, 2026

Genre: Early Reader Graphic Novel

Age: 5 – 8

More info: Pizza and Taco #11

Plot

Pizza and Taco are back with a spooky story just in time for Halloween! They’ve planned the perfect sleepover, all their friends have come over, and now it’s time for ghost stories. No one will get scared, right?

Karen’s New Year: A Graphic Novel 

Author: Ann M. Martin

Illustrator: DK Yingst

Release Date: October 6, 2026

Genre: Graphic Novel

Age: 7 – 10

More info: Baby-sitters Little Sister #13

Plot

In the latest graphic novel of the Baby-sitters Little Sister series, Karen wants to make a New Year’s Resolution, and she wants everyone in the family to make a resolution too. But soon Karen becomes the resolution police and it causes tension with her family.

You Are the Boss of This Book

Author: Josh Lieb

Illustrator: Kevin Cornell

Year: November 3, 2026

Genre: Early Readers

Age: 4-8

More info: Lieb is a seven time Emmy Award Winner

Plot

This is a choose your own adventure for younger readers. There are magicians, and tarantulas, cats, and time travel- all in a castle with a dungeons and dragons style story.

Why Jackie loves it

Read it together or let your little one read the book, but no matter how you read this book, you can let your little one take the lead. There are so many ways to read this story, and it is funny every time! This is a unique story from an Emmy Award winning writer.

Find this book in: New Kids’ Books

Wonderland (Level 1)

Author: Mo Willems Workshop

Illustrator: Mo Willems Workshop

Release Date: January 26, 2027

Genre: Early Reader

Age: 5 – 8

More info: Book 1 of The Pigeon Wants to Read

Plot

Pigeon wants to read, and he wants your help! With these reimagined classic stories, Mo Willems has come up with the perfect early readers.

The Rite of Aphrodite

Author: Rick Riordan and Kyle Lukoff

Release Date: March 30, 2027

Genre: Fantasy

Age: 8 – 12

More info: Camp Half-Blood #2

Plot

The second in the new series by Rick Riordan tells the story of Aphrodite’s child, Harper. Harper can’t escape the day he went to live with his grandparents after his father was taken by the police, and he’s hoping Camp Half-blood will be a fresh start. But he gets in trouble the first night and thinks there might be a secret he’s not being let in on about The Wild Zone.

Mr. Lemoncello’s Wondermous Christmas Gift

Author: Chris Grabenstein

Year: 2026

Genre: Middle Grade Fiction

Age: 8 – 12

More info: Mr. Lemoncello’s Library #7

Plot

Eloise is the new girl at school, and she’s upset that her Christmas won’t be very merry, but when she befriends Clarence, she starts to look on the bright side. After attending a Mr. Lemoncello’s Library holiday party, she discovers a key that lets her have full access to the wonderful library, so she decides to head there on Christmas Eve while her mom is at work in the hopes of cheering up her holiday spirits. But once there, she discovers a puzzle with a prize that could make her Christmas truly magical.

Why Kirsten loves it

This delightful Christmas story was everything I have come to expect from a Mr. Lemoncello’s library book. It featured a clever mystery, fantastical elements, a nice moral, and plenty of puzzles to solve. As always, I particularly appreciated the reference to modern books.

Find this book in: New Christmas Books for Kids / Christmas Chapter Books / New Kids’ Books

The Grimlore Game

Author: Kalyn Josephson

Release Date: September 22, 2026

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Age: 8 – 12

More info: The Grimlore Game #1

Plot

Being billed as Mr. Lemoncello meets The Addams Family, this fantasy puzzle book for middle graders looks perfect for mystery and fantasy lovers. Kit Devlin is an orphan from a cursed family whose wealthy grandpa just died. All her relatives have turned up to get their share of the inheritance, only to find a magical game instead. Kit needs to solve the mystery of the family curse AND win the game to get all the answers to change her life and win the inheritance.

Midnight at the Vampire Inn

Author: Lindsay Currie

Release Date: January

Genre: Middle Grade Mystery

Age: 8 – 12

Plot

Andie and her family have just moved into her grandmother’s Bed and Breakfast to help care for her. But her grandmother’s home is vampire-themed, and things are definitely going bump in the night. Can Andie and her new friend, Harry, get to the bottom of the problem before they have to shut the B&B down?

Regina and the Knaves

Author: Bonnie Maisen

Release Date: January 19, 2027

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Age: 10 – 14

More info:

Plot

Regina goes to boarding school by day, but at night, the 13-year-old is one of the most notorious thieves in Solaris City. Her goal is to get the lumencoin her parents left for her, but she needs a crew to help – enter the knaves, the only crew better than her. If she can help them on their heist, they’ll help her with hers.

The Last Mermaid of the Mississippi

Author: Emily Berge and Spencer Thielmann

Release Date: April 6, 2027

Genre: Middle Grade Debut

Age: 8 – 12

More info:

Plot

Jocie lives in her favorite place, a trailer park in Iowa right next to the Mississippi, which has a smaller river where a mermaid lives. But when developers buy the trailer park, Jocie decides to capture the mermaid to stop the sale, because she can’t possibly move from the only place her mom knows to look for her.