The Best New Kids' Books to Read This Fall
Bird, Balloon, Bear by Il Sung Na
Buy it: $17.99, amazon.com
Grade level: PreK-K
Bird and Bear are searching for friendship when a bright red balloon appears, creating charming confusion in this sweet tale from Il Sung Na.
Little Excavator by Anna Dewdney
Buy it: $17.99, amazon.com
Grade level: PreK-K
Meet Loader, Dump Truck, Backhoe, Crane, and Little Excavator. There’s a job for everyone at the vacant lot that’s being transformed into a park.
Love Is by Diane Adams
Buy it: $15.99, amazon.com
Grade level: PreK-K
A young girl and her duckling are the focus of this sweet book, written by Diane Adams and illustrated by Claire Keane.
Goldfish Ghost by Lemony Snicket
Buy it: $17.99, amazon.com
Grade level: PreK-1
Lemony Snicket turns his pen to this book for young(er) readers. It's a story about Goldfish Ghost and his journey to the great beyond, a trip spent floating across the city in search of a friend and a home.
Pete the Cat and the Lost Tooth by James Dean
Buy it: $3.78, amazon.com
Grade level: PreK-3
Perennial favorite Pete the Cat returns in this tale of what happens when teeth go missing—and what happens when the tooth fairy needs help.
Goodnight Lab by Chris Ferrie
Buy it: $17.99, amazon.com
Grade level: PreK-3
This sweet scientific parody takes the kids’ classic Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown and relocates it to a research lab.
North, South, East West by Margaret Wise Brown
Buy it: $17.99, amazon.com
Grade level: PreK-3
This newly published book—about a little bird in flight—is by the author of Goodnight Moon and is sure to become a classic.
We’re All Wonders by R.J. Palacio
Buy it: $18.99, amazon.com
Grade level: PreK-3
This follow-up to R.J. Palacio’s fan-favorite Wonder continues the story of Auggie Pullman, a young boy with a facial difference, and his dog, Daisy. It also reminders readers to always “choose kind.”
We Are the Dinosaurs by Laurie Berkner
Buy it: $17.99, amazon.com
Grade level: PreK-3
Musician Laurie Berkner’s hit song “We Are the Dinosaurs” is paired with winning illustrations by Ben Clanton in this fun book that transports readers to the time of the dinosaurs.
Pete the Cat: Trick or Pete by Kimberly and James Dean
Buy it: $6.28, amazon.com
Grade level: PreK-3
This Halloween-themed Pete the Cat tale is a must for young readers’ October reading lists.
The Mermaid by Jan Brett
Buy it: $18.99, amazon.com
Grade level: PreK-3
This beautifully illustrated book dives under the seas off the coast of Japan to meet a young mermaid named Kiniro.
She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World by Chelsea Clinton
Buy it: $17.99, amazon.com
Grade level: PreK-3
Celebrate the historic, world-changing feats of women throughout America’s history with this triumphant retelling of 13 important and inspiring true-life stories.
Blue Sky White Stars by Sarvinder Naberhaus
Buy it: $17.99, amazon.com
Grade level: PreK-3
This beautifully illustrated book is a tribute to the American flag and the brave citizens and notable history that the flag represents.
Pete the Cat: Out of This World by James Dean
Buy it: $4.99, amazon.com
Grade level: PreK-3
Pete the Cat takes off for an adventure at space camp to learn about rockets, astronauts, and life in space.
You Should Meet: Katherine Johnson by Thea Feldman
Buy it: $3.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 1-3
Get to know Katherine Johnson, a brilliant NASA mathematician whose work helped put a man on the moon.
Magic Tree House: A Big Day for Baseball by Mary Pope Osborne
Buy it: $13.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 1-4
The Magic Tree House’s Jack and Annie are transported to 1947 for a baseball game in Brooklyn, New York in this time-traveling adventure story.
I Survived the American Revolution, 1776 by Lauren Tarshis
Buy it: $4.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 2-5
Through the perspective of 11-year-old Nate Knox, the I Survived series goes back to the Revolutionary War, when the 13 American colonies were fighting for independence from England.
Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder
Buy it: $16.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 3-7
Nine children live on Orphan Island, a mysterious place where each year, the eldest child is taken away by boat and replaced with a new child. Meet Jinny, who becomes the new Elder and awaits the boat’s coming.
The Hero Two Doors Down by Sharon Robinson
Buy it: $6.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 3-7
Based on a true story, this book introduces readers to eight-year-old Stephen Satlow, a young boy obsessed with the Brooklyn Dodgers. When Stephen's hero Jackie Robinson moves in two doors down, he can’t believe his luck.
The Last Panther by Todd Mitchell
Buy it: $16.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 3-7
Eleven-year-old Kiri’s unique connection with animals leads her to discover a Florida panther—part of a species thought to be extinct—and sets her on a journey of discovery and conservation.
Clayton Byrd Goes Underground by Rita Williams-Garcia
Buy it: $16.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 3-7
Newbery Honor-winning author Rita Williams-Garcia introduces readers to Clayton, a young boy passionate about the blues, who runs away in search of his beloved grandfather’s band, the Bluesmen.
Tumble & Blue by Cassie Beasley
Buy it: $17.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 3-7
Tumble Wilson and Blue Montgomery are charged to fix the mistakes of centuries ago when, legend has it, a golden gator named Munch altered the trajectories of their families' lives one fateful night in the Okefenokee Swamp.
Who Was Alexander Hamilton? by Pam Pollack
Buy it: $5.08, amazon.com
Grade level: 3-7
Introduce the kids to one of America’s Founding Fathers, Alexander Hamilton, and the extraordinary events of his life with this informative book.
The Castle in the Mist by Amy Ephron
Buy it: $16.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 3-7
The English countryside is the setting of this book. It’s about the adventures that young Tess and her brother, Max, find just beyond a mysterious gate in their aunt’s garden.
Girls Who Code: Team BFF: Race to the Finish! #2 by Stacia Deutsch
Buy it: $12.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 3-7
Learn about teamwork and coding in the second installment of the Girls Who Code series, which takes the team to an all-day hackathon of coding and problem-solving projects.
The Warden's Daughter by Jerry Spinelli
Buy it: $16.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 4-7
Jerry Spinelli’s latest tells the story of Cammie, a grandmother recalling the summer of 1959, which she spent at Pennsylvania's Hancock County Prison alongside her father, the warden of the prison.
The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Buy it: $16.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 4-7
During World War II, Ada and her brother, Jamie, navigate life in a crowded cottage amid the landscape of a country overwhelmed by the effects of war.
All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson
Buy it: $20.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 4-7
Through the eyes of 11-year-old Imogene—you can call her “Impy”—this graphic novel tackles starting public middle school (after years of being homeschooled) and learning to be proud of an unconventional family (Impy's parents work at the local Renaissance Faire). If you’re a fan, also check out Jameison’s Newbery Honor-winning book Roller Girl.
Patina by Jason Reynolds
Buy it: $16.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 5-8
Start with Ghost, Reynolds’ National Book Award finalist, and be sure to pick up Patina when it’s released on August 29. It’s the story of four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team who have vastly different backgrounds, learn to be teammates, and conquer challenges together.
The Metropolitans by Carol Goodman
Buy it: $16.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 5-8
Thirteen-year-olds Madge, Joe, Kiku, and Walt search the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a missing manuscript filled with Arthurian legends. When they begin to develop the traits of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, Morgan le Fay, and Lancelot, the kids begin to live the legend of the manuscript they’re searching for.
Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk
Buy it: $16.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 5-8
Meet 12-year-old Crow, a girl living on an island off the coast of Massachusetts with her neighbors Osh and Miss Maggie. Crow sets off on a journey of discovery when she sees a blaze of fire appear on the horizon. Also check out Wolk’s wonderful Newbery Honor book Wolf Hollow for more compelling adventures for young readers.
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
Buy it: $17.99, amazon.com
Grade Level: 8-12
Meet Dimple and Rishi, and then read on as they meet each other. The two Indian-American teens struggle with clashing expectations and newfound independence when their families attempt to arrange their marriage.
The Unlikelies by Carrie Firestone
Buy it: $17.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 8-12
12th grader Sadie becomes a hometown hero when she makes a heroic rescue and averts a tragedy. When she meets four other teenage heroes, they embark on a summer of anonymous good deeds.
Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee
Buy it: $18.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 9-12
When Tash and her Tolstoy-inspired web series go viral, she stumbles into the challenges that come with instant fame while attempting to navigate the tricky balance of work, fans, and life on the internet.
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
Buy it: $10.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 9-12
John Green’s much-anticipated new novel will be released in October. It’s about 16-year-old Aza and her best friend, Daisy, who team up to investigate a missing billionaire named Russell Pickett. Also catch up on John Green’s other great books, including Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars.
Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
Buy it: $17.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 9-12
Henry and Rachel work alongside each other in Henry’s family’s bookshop. After years apart, the two teens get to know each other again, falling in love while passing letters between the pages of the books that surround them.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Buy it: $17.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 9-12
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter lives in two very different worlds—home and school—and everyday, she navigates the challenges she finds there. When she witnesses her childhood best friend killed by a police officer, her world is turned upside down.
What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum
Buy it: $18.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 9-12
Kit and David strike up an unexpected friendship, and when Kit enlists David’s help in finding out the details of her father’s tragic car wreck, they stumble upon facts that threaten to derail their newfound friendship.
Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth
Buy it: $22.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 9-12
Veronica Roth’s latest introduces readers to Cyra and Akos, enemies trapped in a planet-wide conflict who are thrown together, causing them to question their alliances, their families, and what they truly believe about each other and the world they inhabit.
City of Saints & Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson
Buy it: $18.99, amazon.com
Grade level: 9-12
Tina and her mother fled the Congo, arriving in Kenya as refugees and beginning to build a new life together. When a tragedy reveals the crime and corruption of her mother’s employers, Tina embarks on a journey of revenge—and of discovering the truth about an event that changed her life.
Our picks for little ones, middle grade readers, and teens