We asked staffers at children’s publishing houses to tell us about their favorite children’s or YA book they read this year. Our only condition: it couldn’t be a book that their company had published. Here we present their recommendations—happy reading!
Jenne Abramowitz, editorial director, Sourcebooks Fire, Young Readers, and Jabberwocky
I loved Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden by Christy Mandin for the way it celebrates the kind of uniqueness that some people may find weird, and shows that sometimes weird can be wonderful and that there’s always someone out there who’ll like the same flavor of weird that you do. Plus, it shows the ugly way a group of closed-minded people can seem louder and bigger than they actually are, which feels especially relevant right now. This book made me laugh, made me feel, and most of all, made me want a poison garden of my very own!
Jenny Kimura, associate art director, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
I devoured Krystal Sutherland’s The Invocations early this year and I still think about it. The Invocations is a spooky mystery-horror with three lovable but flawed protagonists, who come together to solve a string of murders that’s impacting all of them, and a really interesting magic system based on deals with demons. I’d taken the book with me on vacation, and I ended up reading it late into the night, refusing to go to bed until I’d found out what happened next. I was a huge fan of Sutherland’s previous novel, House of Hollow, for its brilliant world-building and fast-paced writing, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
Ariel Richardson, senior editor, Chronicle Children’s Books
Cookie Time by Jessie Sima! And I love it not just because I share a name with one of the protagonists. What a fun adventure through time—it’s like Back to the Future for kiddos, with dinosaurs! The jewel-toned illustrations glow, I love the heartwarming relationship with Grandpa, and homemade cookies at the end always make for a satisfying ending. The iridescent foil on the jacket is *chef’s kiss*. It’s so hard to get time travel right in any form, but especially in a spare form like the picture book.
David Levithan, publisher/editorial director, Scholastic
Even months after reading it, I’m still marveling at what Randy Ribay accomplishes in his novel Everything We Never Had. In my experience, it’s nearly impossible to pull off four rotating, related points of view in four distinct time periods, and even harder than that to make all four protagonists sympathetic, especially when they’re at odds with each other. It’s a phenomenal achievement, and even more so because it doesn’t read like it’s intended as a Phenomenal Achievement. It’s a powerful, gripping family story, balanced on a foundation of an obscure piece of history that shouldn’t at all be obscure... and hopefully this novel will go a long way to remedying that, like the best of YA literature can.
Calista Brill, editorial director, First Second
I found K Is in Trouble by Gary Clement on the “new arrivals” display at my small-town library. Bless them. I read a lot of graphic novels for kids (professional hazard) so it’s always a thrill when a book in this category genuinely surprises me. With old-world cruelty-humor a-plenty, this book unspools the hilarious, strange, and poignant misfortunes of a hapless kid who just can’t catch a break. It’s Kafka by way of Gorey by way of Sideways Stories from Wayside School and I am obsessed. Please read it—everyone deserves a moment with that chased-by-an-angry-mob-while-toting-a-talking-fish scene. Happy holidays and you’re welcome.
Karina Williams, editorial assistant, HarperCollins
This past fall I read When You Reach Me [Rebecca Stead’s Newbery winner from 2009] for my book club and I absolutely loved it! The narrator is such a lovingly authentic and hilarious 11-year-old girl that you fall in love with her instantly. I couldn’t get enough of the mysterious time-traveling element as well as the book’s commentary on kindness, compassion, making others feel seen, and making things right. The ending blew me away, and I highly recommend this to anyone who’s breathing because I truly don’t think there’s anyone who couldn’t like it.
Erica Stone, manager, library marketing, Random House Children’s Books
While browsing the shelves of a local indie bookstore, one binding caught my eye simply labeled Corner by Zo-O. Pulling it from the shelf, I sensed I had discovered something special. Opening the book, I immediately noticed that all the action unfolded at the dreaded gutter of the picture book layout. As I flipped through the pages, the illustrations played with light, showcasing the main character, a crow, busily building his home. This captivating story, which is almost completely wordless, delves into the ideas of creativity and connection to the place you call home. It is sure to encourage readers to express themselves within their own spaces.
Rachel Zugschwert, EVP, marketing and associate publisher, Lerner Publishing Group
My five-star read this year was When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill. It’s full of both loss and hope, and far more relevant at the end of the year than it was at the beginning when I read it. It was the kind of reading experience I rarely have anymore, the kind where you continue reading while walking to the kitchen to make tea, even if it makes you crash into things, because you can’t stand to put down the book for even that length of time.
Kristin Rasmussen, district sales manager, Scholastic
My Hive: A Girl, Her Grandfather, and Their Honeybee Family, adapted from Meredith May’s excellent memoir The Honey Bus, and illustrated by Jasmin Dwyer, is the story of a lonely girl bonding with her grandfather and finding family through beekeeping. The gorgeous illustrations help capture the tremendous connection that the girl in the story has with the natural world and the grandfather who shaped her vision of that world. Within the wider themes, you can also find excellent details on bees and beekeeping that will appeal to any nature-loving child. It’s pure joy.
Amanda Gaglione, editorial assistant, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
This year, I adored reading Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta. While I’ve always been interested in sci-fi, the genre often feels intimidating to me and sometimes lacks the representation I look for in a story. Being able to lose myself in a sci-fi world centering queer women was a real gift for me as a queer reader and editor. As I co-read this with my partner, literally passing a physical copy back and forth, we couldn’t stop sharing our favorite lines with each other. There are few things more exciting than reading a book with a voice that transcends the page, one with a POV character who feels at the same time incredibly relatable and like nothing you’ve heard before. Gearbreakers has two. If you like feral girls, brooding sapphic romance, found family, and battles that feel exhilaratingly fresh, pick this one up immediately. Reading this felt like watching Alien for the first time, except in this story the heroic woman isn’t fighting the monsters alone.
Cana Clark, marketing associate, Sourcebooks Kids
My favorite kids’ book this year was Lost Stick by Anoosha Syed. Lost Stick feels like a PBS Kids cartoon—whimsical and colorful with a neatly-wrapped narrative and a sense of humor that can even appeal to an older audience. When a coworker invited me to read a stack of books for her mock-Caldecott list, Lost Stick was a standout. Milo the dog’s love for his owner Louise and his determination to find her the Stick really charmed me, especially when he traveled the world just to hunt down the missing Stick (much to Louise’s dismay). It’s funny and endearing, with truly unique illustrations.
Emily Daluga, editor, Chronicle Children’s Books
Hands-down my favorite read of the year was The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Washington. I love a good horror story, and this one felt both so original and also reverential to the movies of Wes Craven in its strong voice and self-awareness of the slasher genre—which is such a hard thing to do well, but this book totally pulls it off! The monster was spine-chilling, and there were moments that truly made me gasp (often in public, since I mostly read on the subway!). But I think the thing I loved most was Devon’s character. As a twin myself, there was a lot that rang true to me, and her complicated relationships portrayed in the book—with her sister, her friend group, and her crush—all felt so grounded and made this story one that’s really stuck with me.
Suzi Hough, field sales rep, HarperCollins
One of my favorite picture books of 2024 is The Giant on the Shore by Alfonso Ochoa, illustrated by Azul López. It has inspired so many interesting discussions with my three-year-old. The titular character is never seen directly, but his massive presence is revealed in the richly tactile illustrations through footprints, shadow, and other creative ways. It’s a story about new experiences and the hesitation and excitement that comes with them, finished with an ambiguous ending that invites further contemplation from the reader.
Tamara Grasty, young adult editor, Page Street Publishing
I finally got around to reading Pet by Akwaeke Emezi. This is one of my friend’s favorite books of all time, so I knew I had to get to it eventually. It is so short and somehow manages to do so much. It takes the heavy topic of how to identify and deal with abusers and their victims existing within your chosen and loved community. I am in awe of Emezi’s vision: with a focus on Black community, disability and accessibility, trans and queer identity, alternative and multigenerational family structures, this is one of the most compelling utopic setups I’ve ever read. If you somehow haven’t read this, or like me, have just been meaning to for years, this is your sign to finally give it a read!
Jesseca Fusco, editor, Millbrook Press
My favorite book of 2024 is Spooky Lakes: 25 Strange and Mysterious Lakes That Dot Our Planet, written and illustrated by Geo Rutherford. I love how browsable this book is—for kids and adults alike. Rutherford’s paintings are beautiful and detailed (and dotted with tiny ghosts that give readers plenty to search for in the pages). The lakes featured in the book are diverse, including cenotes, a lake trapped under two miles of ice, and even a lava lake. A very cool book inspired by Rutherford’s TikTok series Spooky Lake Month.
Ariel Stevenson, production associate, Random House Children’s Books
There is so much to love about Mismatched: A Modern Graphic Retelling of Emma by Anne Camlin, illustrated by Isadora Zeferino, that I’m not even sure where to start! I met the illustrator for this graphic novel at New York Comic Con this year (she was incredibly nice and gracious) and gushed for too long about her beautiful and vibrant artwork. There’s even a separate case cover for the hardcover edition that has the cutest flowers (definitely take a peek at it). In this queer retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma, we get to follow Evan and his cast of classmates and friends as he attempts to matchmake them. Evan is tenacious and headstrong and the most lovable main character (and he’s a makeup influencer!). I also fell absolutely in love with Davi, the best friend/love interest. He teased and criticized Evan but had hearts in his eyes the whole time. This story is so fun, and the author does a great job of juggling a large cast of characters and their subplots with our main character Evan and his growth and development. I can’t recommend this graphic novel enough!
Liz Szabla, VP and associate publisher, Feiwel and Friends
Farmer Eva’s Green Garden Life by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, illustrated by Christy Hale is the lovely true story of a woman farmer who cultivates magic and beauty in her land with respect to nature and science. All the creatures who inhabit the soil contribute to microbes that make the land richer in nutrients. In these times of farm-to-table popularity, Farmer Eva takes us to our roots, literally. The lush artwork by Christy Hale is beautiful and tactile. A beautiful ode to working—and loving—the land.
Andrew Aguirre, administrative assistant, publicity, HarperCollins Children’s Books
Every now and then, I read a picture book that reminds me just how impressive this medium is. This year, magic stuck with I Can Open It for You by Shinsuke Yoshitake. I saw the cover on the Kirkus site and was pulled in by the friendly, homey art style. This is a story of a kid contending with where he stands in a grown-up world through his struggles with opening snack packaging. His parent assures him that when he’s bigger he will be able to open plenty of things. The book hits the perfect balance of silly and sweet, with plenty of fun, outlandish examples of things that can be opened—small and big. It’s the relatability that makes the story so special, with Yoshitake brilliantly reminding adults of the days of being dependent on our caretakers, and assuring kids that they won’t stay small forever. I was so moved by the experience that upon finishing the book I went straight to my snack cabinet to see what I could open up!
Debra Dorfman, SVP, global licensing, brands, media, Scholastic
I read a lot of good books this year, but the best YA title that I read at least once a year for the past six or years is Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor & Park. I have recommended this book to my daughter, all of her friends, all of my friends. I love the raw honesty, emotional rollercoaster, and the beautiful relationships. It takes me back to high school, my first love and how complicated life was (or at least it felt that way at the time). I long for that feeling again sometimes and this book just transports me.
