The Best New Books for Kids Published in 2025

This set of three board books by prolific picture-book creator Jon Klassen, known for beloved titles such asI Want My Hat BackandSam and Dave Dig a Hole, introduces kids to a farm, an island, and a forest through their most essential parts. “When you pull out each book you can’t help but want to wander around the illustrations,” says children’s book illustrator Esme Shapiro. “Speckled into the fabric of the stories are unlikely additions, like a magical fire that will never go out, and a ghost that belongs to the forest.” Illustrator and author Brendan Wenzel also recommends this set: “This series masterfully speaks to children and their parents at once, and will leave you grateful for the mysterious little world in which you live, no matter what shape it may take.”

This new board book from Julie Flett centers on the human and animal act of play. “I love that the animals are described through verbs so that children can connect their own experiences to those of the animals,” says author and illustratorRuth Chan, who is also the parent of a toddler. “Flett is of Cree and Métis descent, and its importance is clear in her illustrated representation of the children and animals, as well as in the inclusion of Cree words throughout.”

“Sometimes you just need an over-sized, technicolor board book to pore over with your little one,” says children’s book illustrator Esme Shaprio (her new book is below). “Look Baby Lookneatly displays objects that you may find in different rooms in a house, cozied up to sweet and simple rhyming verses. The illustrations are mesmerizing, brightly colored, yet simple, printed with immaculate fluorescent tones. I could pore over them for hours!”

Drew Beckmeyer, who is both a children’s book creator and a schoolteacher, tells his latest story through the friendship of a stalactite and stalagmite who live, respectively, on the top and bottom of a cave over a long, long time. “I am always a sucker for science in narrative form, and for delightfully anthropomorphized natural objects,” says Jane Mount, artist and creator ofIdeal Bookshelf. “Plus, this book has lovely illustrations, including landscapes reminiscent of oldMilton Avery paintings.”

This gorgeous new book from children’s book veterans Matthew Burgess and Cátia Chien follows siblings from day to evening, as they await a fireworks display. “The poetic text pairs perfectly with the loose watercolor illustrations, building so much anticipation,” says artist, author and illustrator, Julia Rothman. “When the fireworks finally happen, there are bold and graphicboomsandpopson the page.” This is also a favorite of Mount’s, who says, “Cátia Chien’s illustrations are absolutely brilliant and a masterclass in integrating pictures and type. This book perfectly captures the fireworks’ exploding joy.”

Another highly recommended title from Burgess, illustrated by Doug Salati, is this book of fantastical poems coupled with imaginative, nostalgic illustrations. “This book has the uncanny ability to make you feel like you read it as a child, even though it only came out this year,” says Shapiro. “What I love is that you could open it up to any page, and fall into a world of dragon piñatas, an alligator on the A train, or a hippo taking a bath.” Artist and designer Erin Jang, whose kids are in fourth grade and high school, adds, “It’s the most delightful, creative, and insightful book of verse for young readers. This is my favorite kids’ book of the year! “

This is a tale of sisterhood, friendship, loneliness, and magic, created by the Spanish author and illustrator Julia Sarda. “The illustrations are gorgeous, trippy, and involved enough that you want to look at them over and over,” says Mount of Sardà’s tale, in which Carmela, the younger sister, discovers a witch mentor who opens the door to the fantastical.

“For those like myself who never tire of pretending a banana is a telephone, this book will fulfill your wildest dreams,” says Wenzel, who recommends this whimsical and heartwarming story about a small child who ends up deep in conversation with a gorilla on the titular banana phone. “Sterer and Hughes have created a masterpiece exploring how our imaginations connect us to others, no matter how far apart we may seem,” says Wenzel. “It’s funny, unexpected, and tender in a way that makes me tear up whenever I read it,” adds Chan.

“My 3-year-old, Georgie, is just starting to understand humor and the thrill of making people laugh, and this book lets her feel in on the joke,” says Alison Piepmeyer, a social media strategist and mom of two based in Brooklyn. This title from Neil Sharpson and Dan Santat lists out, with a comedic exhaustiveness, all the reasons why you must absolutely never trust fish. “There’s light-touch learning about animal classification woven in, but it never feels heavy handed. Mostly, it’s just joyful goofy fun (which is what I personally love at bedtime),” says Piepmeyer.

“This is a beautifully simple and perfect story. A little bear, used to a world of ice and white, finds a new friend — a brightly colored butterfly who teaches her not to fear the unknown and to embark on a small yet great journey,” says Francesca Rizzi, the founder and creator ofSullaluna, a curated bookshop and Italian bistro with locations in New York and Venice.

In tracing a child’s journey on a walk home from school, this book celebrates noticing the specialness even in everyday routines The images, created by husband-wife duo Daniel Salmieri and Sophia Haas, are boldly colored cut paper collages depicting everyday scenes on city sidewalks, parks, and playgrounds. “There is something so beautiful about how this book so perfectly captures the way a young child might see the world — in all its exciting little everyday details that we so often don’t even notice as adults,” says Chan. Dasha Tolstikova, a Brooklyn-based illustrator, says, “I pick this one up again and again and always find something new to look at. The language feels precisely right for a picture book listener — a rarity, I find.”

Rizzi also recommends this title about a lighthouse keeper who lives in the middle of the sea. “He is a remarkable person who dedicates his life to saving the lost and shipwrecked,” says Rizzi. You’d think he’d be lonely out there all on his own, but he has a secret friend who visits him when he least expects and most needs it.” This book is as much about selflessness and giving as it is about needing to be cared for, and the lighthouse keeper’s tenderness and character are conveyed through Mexican artist Mariana Villanueva Segovia’s gorgeous and unique illustrations.

Written and illustrated by Matt Forsythe, this story about a disobedient ghost who haunts and annoys a little girl named Aggie, is anything but your typical ghost story. It’s about unlikely bonds, navigating frustration, being playful, and learning to accept one another — even when the other is a ghost who irritates you. “This beautifully designed and printed book is equal parts charming, humorous, smart, and fun,” says Claudia Zoe Bedrick, publisher, editor, and art director atEnchanted Lion Books. “The soft, dreamlike pastel illustrations make this book a real delight to look at,” says Rothman.

This English-language debut, recommended by Bedrick, poses a question of humanity and compassion. Will anyone save a raggedy black kitten from oncoming traffic during rush hour in a rain storm? Set in bustling Seoul, this “Korean book in translation is charming, tender, and touching,” says Bedrick. “It’s the sort of book that gets read and read again. With bright colors and lively illustrations, it makes for a wonderful, tender-hearted gift.”

“Full of charm, fact, art, doodles, and playfulness, this gorgeous biography of Lear foregrounds the life and spirit of a man whose playful communion with children gave rise to nonsense as a literary form,” says Bedrick, publisher of Enchanted Lion, who released this title this year. The book introduces kids to Lear, a lover of words, natural history, and all things playful and fanciful, and celebrates the story of a lesser-known creator.

“This book celebrates how parks of all kinds bring together people, animals, and nature,” says Rizzi of these colorful depictions of real parks all over the world — “from Central Park to the Serengeti, the Great Barrier Reef, and beyond.” Majewski shows parks with playgrounds, some full of trees, others with topiary, and still more with paths littered with leaves. In each case, the parks are utilized and occupied differently, but share their role in connecting people with nature in some way.

“I picked up a copy ofThe Bear Out Thereat Type Booksin Toronto and stood by the book shelf belly laughing for about 10 minutes,” says Shapiro. The story, which feels like a fairy tale with a spin, tells about a little boy who is terrified of the bears in the forest, and all manner of chaos that follows. “I don’t want to give away the twist,” says Shapiro, “but I will say this book will leave parents and kids alike giggling and wondering…could there be a bear out there? Or worse — in here?” This book is a perfect read-aloud that invites adults to use their most dramatic voices.

“No book this year transported me back to the enormous feelings of being a child more thanBroken,” says Wenzel. This story is about a child, Mei Mei, overwhelmed with the guilt and sadness of breaking her ama’s favorite cup (which is then wrongly blamed on the cat). “Fang writes and illustrates in a way that feels true to a child’s version of the world, and reflects the huge mysteries and uncertainties and silliness of a child’s inner life (and also something essential about my own inner life as an adult),” says writer Bess Kalb.“Brokendeals with guilt and honesty and fear and family dynamics in a way that stays lighthearted without trivializing the stakes.”

This story about a flower, Belladonna (a.k.a. Deadly Nightshade), that slowly evolves to become poisonous from the inside out, is beautiful, poetic, and captivating. “Esme’s artwork is breathtaking, rich with folk-art touches and intricately hand-painted natural details,” says Rothman. “You can see every brushstroke on each blade of grass. The plants, animals, and insects all seem curiously alive, their bright eyes and funny little teeth full of personality.”

In this enjoyable and silly read-aloud, a hungry bear catches a fish named Eustace for lunch. When Eustace asks to be spared from consumption to return home to his girlfriend, the bear must consider what to do. “Will bear give in to the pleas? Will Eustace get eaten? Find out in this darkly funny book that’s worth picking up if even just for Eustace’s glorious side eye,” says Tolstikova.

While making friends comes easily for some, for others it’s a daily challenge. This is the case for Tomasso, who starts at a new school and struggles to make friends. Every day, his dad asks if he’s made a new friend, adding to the pressure. “Tomasso begins drawing faces on everyday objects — a milk carton, a ball, an eraser — and imagines them as his friends,” says Rothman. “When his father suggests inviting them all over for dinner, and Tomasso agrees, his father suddenly understands what’s really going on and tenderly plays along. This story truly tugs at the heartstrings. It’s the kind of book that stays with you.”

“My kids can recite the originalBuffalo Fluffalocover to cover so we were anxiously awaiting this follow up,” says Mollie Chen, a startup advisor and Brooklyn-based parent of two. This book brings a younger bison into Buffalo Fluffalo’s life, and he must adapt to the newcomer’s needs. Chen’s eight-year-old daughter, Lilly, affirms that Kalb’s message comes through: “Fluffalo finds out how much he cares about Puffalo because he spends time with him and bonds.” As with the first book, this one is full of clever and funny rhymes.

Life and the world seen through the eyes of Ellie, an elevator who, each day — from early morning until late at night — tirelessly observes, accompanies, and cares for a small community of people with different needs, hopes, and dreams. In particular, she watches over Thea: her first steps, her first day of school, the birth of a great friendship, and moments of sadness.

This is the second book in thegraphic novel seriesabout four Black, middle school best friends and is “highly relatable for anyone who has ever gone to middle school or will one day soon go to middle school. These girls are independent, industrious, delightful, and wholly themselves,” says Tolstikova.

In this fifth installment of Sophie Escabasse’s popularWitches of Brooklynseries, Effie, an orphan (who also turns out to be a witch), navigates the complexities of friends, family, and tween/teen emotions. “Effie and her friends are brave, quirky, and stubborn as they take on everything from curses to dragons,” says Chen. “Escabasse blends magic and whimsy with fun if-you-know-you-know New York and Brooklyn references. The latest installment is especially fun, with a foray to Governors Island and a tantalizing cliff-hanger.”

My kids are longtime obsessives of Raina Telgemeier’s graphic novels, includingSisters,Drama,Guts,andGhosts,which all deftly navigate the complexity of emotions of navigating family, illness, anxiety, and social pressures in different ways. In this new graphic novel, she teams up with cartoonist Scott McCloud to explore how a kid navigates creativity itself. A group of kids — each full of their own ideas — form The Cartoonists Club and explore what it’s like when friendship and creativity meet.

This comic story, which can also beread online, follows its heroic amateur diver, Dave, to the very bottom of the ocean. He must save his mom, who is lost there, from the monstrous creatures that lurk all around. The physical copy is worth getting or gifting, and invites a child to flip vertically to mirror the experience of diving deeper and deeper into the sea — all the way down to the abyss.

In this fourth book ofThe First Cat in Spaceseriesby Mac Barnett (this year’s National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature) and his longtime collaborator, Shawn Harris, the protagonist, a bio-engineered cat, continues on his nonsensical adventures. “This series is both completely absurd and also makes complete sense. My 6-year-old loves everything about it, from the toenail-clipping robot to the inexplicably named ‘Glumpfloozle,’” says Chen. “He reads them again and again, often giggling to himself.”

Fans of the very popular seriesThe Vanderbeekerswill delight in this new chapter book from Karina Yan Glaser. It follows two brave kids, Han Yu and Luli, through sets of parallel challenges, set 1,200 years apart in ancient China and Depression-era Chinatown in New York City. “There are adventures galore!” says Mount of this action-packed thriller. “It’s adventurous and heartwarming at the same time, and full of incredible historical facts I never knew about,” adds Chan.

“My daughter and I tore throughImpossible Creatureswhen it came out last year. It’s technically for kids but I loved it as much as she did,” says Chen. “Katherine Rundell creates a gorgeously textured world of fantastical creatures, larger-than-life characters, and a close-to-impossible quest. It’s also a not-so-subtle reference to the ways in which we’ve harmed our own environment, and some of the themes might be too dark for younger kids.”The Poisoned Kingis a welcome follow-up. “For my fourth grader, this was the most highly anticipated book of the year,” says Jang. “He devoured the author’s first book and could not wait to read this second one.”

For any kid who loves plants or puzzles, or can relate to being stuck somewhere they thought they didn’t want to be, Cornelia Funke’s bookcleverly weaves together fascinating botanical bits with the adventures of being a fish out of water. As city kids, my 8- and 10-year-olds liked this reverse nature-to-city adventure, and we all learned a ton of new information about trees and plants.

My daughter is somewhat biased to fall in love with this sequel to Sarvenaz Tash’sThe Queen of Ocean Parkwaybecause it’s set in our neighborhood, possibly even on our block. Beyond this,The Treasurepicks up with two tween podcasting sleuths and friends, who solve mysteries entwined into their building and community. This story of friendship and navigating family, culture, and one’s neighborhood, is fun and fast-paced.

In this posthumous publication of Italian author Gianni Rodari’s story, a young onion child takes on a fight against the villainous Prince Lemon. “The story is entertaining, the characters are unusual and great, and who doesn’t love an adventure story that also envisions a better world that is peopled by fruits and vegetables?” says Bedrick. “The illustrations are so mischievous, funny, and gorgeous, it makes it even more of a delectable read,” adds Chan.

“I’m excited to get this book for my son who is obsessed with playing New York Times games,” says Jang. “It’s the perfect gift for the teen who loves playing Wordle and Spelling Bee on their phone on their subway commute to school.” The beautifully designed hardcover book features a selection of the New York Times’ well-known puzzles along with some book-exclusive content.

This new activity book mixes art education with an array of drawing and puzzle-like activities, introducing over a dozen styles of portraits, from the abstract to graphical. “Each activity is inspired by a different artist, which is the perfect bridge for my son who loves to draw,” says Piepmeyer. “He gets to make art about art, and I get to expose him to some culture without forcing it.”

This adaptation ofAn Immense Worldtranslates science journalist Ed Yong’s book about the expansive world of animal sense into a version for young readers. “My high schooler is obsessed with Ed Yong’s writing and devoured the original version of this book — so I’m thrilled there’s an edition he can share with his little brother,” says Jang. This book offers a wealth of animal facts, like how leopard pee smells like popcorn, or why zebras really have stripes, while contextualizing the myriad ways all types of animals see, here, and experience the world. “This book makes a really special gift for the child who loves science, nature and animals.”

“If you are going to be tortured by a first-grader who did not inherit your low-grade arachnophobia, then the best you can do is this aesthetically pleasing and well-written book by the British conservationist Dr. Jess French,” says Kalb,. Each spread of this colorful compendium about bugs offers key facts and fun trivia, and “the super-close-up fine art photography in the bookalmostmakes the bugs look appealing,” jokes Kalb. “Not going to spoil it, but we are big fans of the Picasso Moth.”

My kids both covet the new edition of this every year, and I have to do a lot of negotiating to get them to share a single copy. The 2026 edition has a bold yellow cover, and in addition to everyone’s favorites records (longest nails and hair and most tattoos), features thousands of new ones, with sections on fantastic feats, sports, records set by kids, and feats of science and engineering.

“This book is for that 5 to 8 p.m. window when childcare is over, bedtime is looming, and I’m trying to avoid defaulting to screens,” says Piepmeyer. “It’s full of game ideas that require almost no supplies (or the kind that you already have stashed around your house) and each game is quick to set up. A few of our favorites are Monsters Under the Bend, The Floor is Lava, and Salad Bowl.”