2024 gives readers a warm welcome with notable new titles for young readers out this month, including a picture book celebrating a New York neighborhood, an illustrated middle grade novel featuring a secret crime-fighting organization, a YA graphic novel about an all-or-nothing bargain on love, and more.
Picture Books
Jordan Scott, illus. by Diana Sudyka. Holiday House/Porter, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-8234-5082-4. Ages 4–8. Scott writes of a relationship that grows between a child and a wonder of the natural world: an Icelandic glacier called Snæfellsjökull. The book received a starred review from PW.
Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem: The Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava
Gary Golio, illus. by E.B. Lewis. Calkins Creek, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-66268-055-7. Ages 7–10. Readers navigate the New York City neighborhood of Harlem through the lens of photographer Roy DeCarava (1919–2009). The book received a starred review from PW.
Fighting with Love: The Legacy of John Lewis
Lesa Cline-Ransome, illus. by James E. Ransome. S&S/Wiseman, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-5344-9662-0. Ages 4–8. Married collaborators Cline-Ransome and Ransome chart the life of civil rights activist and politician John Lewis from his Alabama childhood to his adulthood advocating for the rights of African Americans. See our In Conversation with the duo. The book received a starred review from PW.
Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller
Breanna J. McDaniel, illus. by April Harrison. Dial, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-593-32420-2. Ages 5–8. The creators chronicle the life of influential librarian Augusta Baker, starting with her Baltimore childhood through her career as a librarian. The book received a starred review from PW.
I Am a Masterpiece! An Empowering Story About Inclusivity and Growing Up with Down Syndrome
Mia Armstrong, illus. by Alexandra Thompson. Random House, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-593-56797-5. In her autobiographical debut, the 12-year-old actor, model, and activist shares her experience living with Down syndrome. See our q&a with Armstrong.
Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues: The Extraordinary Life of James Baldwin
Michelle Meadows, illus. by Jamiel Law. HarperCollins, $19.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-06-327347-4. This picture book highlights the life of Baldwin, including his work as a writer, activist, and a Black, queer icon. Ages 4–8. The book received a starred review from PW.
José Feeds the World: How a Famous Chef Feeds Millions of People in Need Around the World
David Unger, illus. by Marta Álvarez Miguéns. Duopress, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-7282-7952-7. Ages 4–8. This biography of philanthropist chef José Andrés foregrounds how his background and career led to his founding of the World Central Kitchen.
Just One More Sleep: All Good Things Come to Those Who Wait... and Wait... and Wait
Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell. Philomel, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-593-52704-7. Ages 3–7. In the latest picture book from longtime collaborators Curtis and Cornell, a child counts down the days until their next birthday with anticipation. See our q&a with Curtis.
Antwan Eady, illus. by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey. Knopf, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-593-48057-1. Ages 3–7. As a grandfather gets older and is no longer able to run his farmer’s market stand, his grandson helps take over and the community comes together in support. The book received a starred review from PW.
Janelle Harper, illus. by Frank Morrison. Viking, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-593-52630-9. Ages 4–8. A young protagonist travels through the Bronx, spotlighting all their favorite qualities about their neighborhood. The book received a starred review from PW.
Beatrice Alemagna. Hippo Park, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-66264-050-6. Ages 4–8. Alemagna chronicles the rich relationship that develops between a child and the scab that forms on their leg after a tumble.
Sandra Fay. Holt/Godwin, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-2507-7609-9. Ages 4–8. This STEM-centric tale introduces a trio of tardigrades who leave home to explore the big wide world but must avoid the Big Hairy Wolf Spider. The book received a starred review from PW.
Shauntay Grant, illus. by Jenin Mohammed. Quill Tree, $19.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-06-309391-1. Ages 4–8. A brown-skinned child shares the affirmating experience of wrapping her hair with her headwrap. The book received a starred review from PW.
Melanie Conklin, illus. by Leah Hong. Roaring Brook, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-250-81654-2. Ages 4–8. A child learns to appreciate the virtue of patience. The book received a starred review from PW.
Liana Finck. Rise x Penguin Workshop, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-5936-6040-9. Ages 3–5. New Yorker cartoonist Finck puts a new spin on the concept of clueless grown-ups in her picture book debut. See our q&a with Finck. The book received a starred review from PW.
Middle Grade
Meredith Ireland. Bloomsbury, $17.99 (288p) ISBN 978-1-54761-260-4. Ages 9–12. Korean American adoptee Emma Davidson uses her magical powers to reconcile the fallout between her best friend’s parents, in hopes that her bestie won’t have to move.
A.J. Sass. Little, Brown, $16.99 (368p) ISBN 978-0-316-50617-5. Ages 8–12. After reading online that having a routine can help alleviate anxiety, nonbinary 13-year-old Shai Stern is determined to implement their “new-normal plan” to get their life under control. The book received a starred review from PW.
Wade Hudson. Crown, $18.99 (256p) ISBN 978-0-593-64777-6. Ages 8–12. Black middle schooler Lamar Philips dreams of becoming a famous filmmaker and plans to make a documentary about his grandfather. But before he can begin filming, Gramps is killed in a shooting, and the city demands justice.
A Royal Conundrum (The Misfits #1)
Lisa Yee, illus. by Dan Santat. Random House, $14.99 (288p) ISBN 978-1-9848-3029-6. Ages 8–12. Olive Cobin Zhang is recruited for an experimental group of covert child operatives and befriends her fellow operatives as they work together on their first investigation. Read more about Yee and Santat’s collaboration on the series starter here.
Sherri Winston. Bloomsbury, $17.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-5476-0850-8. Ages 9–11. Sharkita is sent to live with her mother after a stint in foster care and worries that despite her mother’s promises that things will be different this time, things have not changed. The book received a starred review from PW.
Ben Guterson, illus. by Kristina Kister. Little, Brown/Ottaviano, $16.99 (384p) ISBN 978-0-316-48444-2. Ages 8–12. Tween Zander Olinga discovers the shopping destination Number Nine Plaza while visiting his grandfather; however, strange occurrences, old legends, and the arrival of a possibly demonic entity named Darkbloom put the Nine’s reputation—and very existence—at risk.
Young Adult
Kristin Dwyer. HarperTeen, $19.99 (336p) ISBN 978-0-06-308858-0. Ages 14 and up. Grieving the loss of her father, Atlas James joins the Bear Creek Community Service program where she finds the chance to honor her adventurer father and turn her life around. The book received a starred review from PW.
Kate Weston. Simon & Schuster, $21.99 (384p) ISBN 978-1-6659-3794-8. Ages 14 and up. In this story told via diary entries, Kat Evans balances her desire to be an “excellent feminist” with crushes, bullies, and mental health struggles. See our q&a with Weston.
Sajni Patel. Disney/Riordan, $18.99 (416p) ISBN 978-1-368-09268-5. Ages 14 and up. Sixteen-year-old Manisha is imbued with snake-like power after being assaulted and utilizes her new ability to seek vengeance. The book received a starred review from PW.
L.L. McKinney. HarperTeen, $19.99 (352p) ISBN 978-0-06-298626-9. Ages 13 and up. In this retelling of the Charlotte Brontë novel, after Black 19-year-old Jane Eyre takes a job as governess for Edward Rochester, her friendship with his daughter and secretly confined wife lead her to question her employer’s intentions. The book received a starred review from PW.
Allison Saft. Wednesday, $20 (384p) ISBN 978-1-250892-83-6. Ages 13 and up. Dressmaker Niamh Ó Conchobhair must choose between her relationship with high-society groom Kit or her duty to the working class when she uncovers secrets among the royals. The book received a starred review from PW.
Emma Lord. Wednesday, $20 (320p) ISBN 978-1-250-90399-0. Ages 12 and up. Recent high school graduate Riley Larson decides to spend the summer checking off items on her Getaway List by visiting her estranged best friend Tom in New York City. But their friendship soon shifts as they try to carve out a future for themselves amid their blossoming feelings for one another. See our q&a with Lord. The book received a starred review from PW.
Dinesh Thiru. HarperTeen, $19.99 (368p) ISBN 978-0-06331-051-3. Ages 13 and up. While trying to survive in a world of constant rainfall, 18-year-old Jin Haldar agrees to dive down and raid the drowned ruins of Las Vegas for a hidden cache of gold. The book received a starred review from PW.
Gene Luen Yang, illus. by LeUyen Pham. First Second, $25.99 (352p) ISBN 978-1-62672-810-3; $17.99 paper ISBN 978-1-250-90826-1. Ages 14 and up. In this graphic novel collaboration, Valentina Tran makes a bargain with her imaginary friend Saint V: find love within the year or give up her heart to Saint V, who will protect it from further pain. The book received a starred review from PW.
Ann Fraistat. Delacorte, $19.99 (464p) ISBN 978-0-593-38221-9. Ages 12 and up. Libby Feldman and her family move into her mother’s childhood home, a crumbling Victorian mansion with a history of mysterious disappearances. When Libby and new friends dive into the dark pasts of the house’s former residents, they discover that the sinister truth is tangled with their own buried traumas. The book received a starred review from PW.
Edited by Taylor Byas, Erica Martin, and Amber McBride. HarperTeen, $19.99 (160p) ISBN 978-0-06-322528-2. Ages 13 and up. This poetry collection gathers 37 writers who seek to encapsulate the depth and diversity of Black experiences through poetry. The book received a starred review from PW.
Carolina Ixta. Quill Tree, $19.99 (368p) ISBN 978-0-06-328786-0. Ages 14 and up. Best friends Belén and Leti navigate an unplanned pregnancy and financial precarity during their senior year. See our q&a with Ixta. The book received a starred review from PW.
Kamilah Cole. Little, Brown, $19.99 (400p) ISBN 978-0-31653-463-5. Ages 12 and up. Chosen by the Gods, Faron Vincent and her sister Elara are trying to help the queen keep the peace with the Langley Empire, which only years prior attempted to destroy their island. When Elara bonds with one of the Empire’s dragons and must travel back with them, the siblings try to uncover ways to break the bond while they’re separated for the first time. See our What’s the Buzz? article on Cole’s debut. The book received a starred review from PW.
Jumata Emill. Delacorte, $19.99 (400p) ISBN 978-0-593-65185-8. Ages 12 and up. When Black 17-year-old Amir Trudeau finds himself the prime suspect in a high-profile murder case, he works with his half-brother Marcel to find the true culprit and repair their strained relationship. The book received a starred review from PW.
Sally Nicholls. Walker Books US, $17.99 (256p) ISBN 978-1-5362-2319-4. Ages 14 and up. In this novel set in 1896, the friendship of teens Tirzah, Sophia, and Polly are chronicled via letters after they leave boarding school and embark on separate lives. The book received a starred review from PW.
