The Best Children’s and YA Books of December
by the Brightly Editors
Whether you’re looking for last-minute holiday gifts or books to snuggle up with during the winter break, December is an excellent time to visit a bookstore. From charming picture books to sweeping young adult fantasies, these books will keep the readers in your family warm and happy this winter. Here are the best books coming your way this month.
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Picture Books
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I Think I Can!: A Search-and-Find Book
Available from:Chug along with the Little Blue Engine in this adorable search-and-find book. Kids will love poring over the pages and pointing out their favorite train engine and her friends. It’s a fantastic boredom buster for little train lovers!
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The Princess and the (Greedy) Pea
Available from:If you’ve ever wondered how the princess felt the pea through the mattress, this book holds the answer. Told in the style of “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly,” this humorous story follows a ravenous pea as it gobbles down a full-course meal. When the pea tries to sleep it off under a mattress, it meets a princess who is upset about her missing dinner and lumpy bed.
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Bird Book for Kids
Available from:Color 25 birds from around the world and learn fun facts about them at the same time. Kids will love putting crayons to paper as they discover unique and fascinating birds like flamingos, swans, and hummingbirds. If your child enjoys this coloring book, check out the rest of the A Did You Know? Coloring Book series.
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar Loves [YOUR NAME HERE]!
Preorder from:Personalized picture books provide a memorable and irreplaceable reading experience for children. Now, your little one can be part of a Very Hungry Caterpillar story! This board book has spaces to write your child’s name so it appears in the story. It’s an excellent way to help your child establish a love for reading.
(On sale: 12/12/2023)
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Creep, Leap, Crunch! A Food Chain Story
Preorder from:Follow a complex and fascinating food chain through the pages of this beautifully illustrated picture book. Written in rich, rhyming poetry, this book delights readers as they watch the food chain play out and what happens when it gets interrupted.
(On sale: 12/12/2023)
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Grace’s Chinese New Year
Preorder from:Celebrate Chinese New Year with Grace and her family in this Step 2 Readers book. Grace eagerly helps her family prepare for the celebration by cooking, decorating, and watching fireworks. Simple, rhyming text and colorful illustrations make this an excellent choice for kids learning to read independently.
(On sale: 12/12/2023)
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The Met Art Sparkles
Preorder from:Budding artists will love this creativity-boosting craft book inspired by actual artwork found in The Met. Kids will learn about and practice art creation methods like pointillism, mark-making, weaving, and more!
(On sale: 12/19/2023)
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Small-Girl Toni and the Quest for Gold
Preorder from:Introduce your little one to beloved author Toni Morrison with this picture book that blends her biography with a fairy tale. Young Toni believes she can spin her stories into gold and sets out on an adventure to do just that. This beautifully illustrated picture book is perfect for kids who love reading, writing, and telling stories!
(On sale: 12/26/2023)
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![The Very Hungry Caterpillar Loves [YOUR NAME HERE]!](https://images.penguinrandomhouse.com/cover/9780593661055)
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Chapter Books & Middle Grade
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Who Was John Lewis?
Available from:When your kids learn about the Civil Rights Movement in school, they will enjoy reading this biography of John Lewis. He was an activist who supported Martin Luther King Jr. and served as Georgia’s congressman for over 30 years. Readers will learn about his childhood, influences, awards, and the steps he took to make a difference in society.
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Mayor Good Boy Turns Bad
Available from:Canine favorite, Mayor Good Boy, has had enough of being the star of politics and Hollywood. He embraces his bad-boy side in this hilarious third installment in the Mayor Good Boy graphic novel series. Mischief, humor, and surprises await for young readers!
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Oops, I Burped Mad Libs
Available from:Get your giggle on with these fill-in stories where potty humor takes center stage. The grosser the bodily function, the bigger the laugh. Kids will be in stitches as they complete these silly stories and read them to each other.
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The Last Rose
Available from:Mera must rescue her older sister Darlina from the Beast and his enchanted castle in this fractured retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Kids will love revisiting this beloved fairy tale and following Mera as she uncovers the mystery behind the Beast. This fourth book in the Sisters Ever After series will keep long-time fans and new readers captivated from beginning to end.
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Tasty
Available from:Young foodies, budding chefs, and aspiring food scientists will love this graphic novel about the history and legends behind their favorite dishes. Whether they love cheese, pickles, pizza, or Jell-O, kids will learn how each food became the tasty bites we enjoy today.
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Wonka
Preorder from:If your kid can’t get enough of the magical, musical movie Wonka, they’ll love this novelization of the film. The story retells the movie’s events, introducing readers to the young Willie Wonka, his ambitious dreams, and the quirky characters he meets. It’s the perfect book to read over the winter break!
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YA
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The Ruined
Available from:The much-anticipated finale of The Beautiful Quartet will sweep you into a world filled with romance, betrayal, magic, and war. Bastien leads the charge to protect the Winter Court while Celine looks for a time-traveling mirror, hoping to stop a war. YA readers will want to binge-read this breathtaking series conclusion.
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Caught in a Bad Fauxmance
Available from:A lakeside vacation, a high-stakes bet, and fake dating? Sign me up! This adorable rom-com is the perfect lighthearted read to keep you company over winter break. The neighborhood Winter Games at Lake Andreas turns competitive when rival families go head-to-head for the prize. To gather intel on each other, the teen boys from each family strike up a fake relationship — with swoon-worthy results.
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Her Dark Wings
Preorder from:Greek mythology meets dark romance in this utterly captivating YA fantasy novel. After a life-altering betrayal and her best friend’s death, Corey gets pulled into the Underworld, where nothing is as she imagined. Hades, the Fates, and her own dark powers lure her deeper into the land of the dead. Lush prose and breathtaking romance make this retelling of the Persephone myth a must-read!
(On sale: 12/12/2023)
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Where There’s Smoke
Preorder from:Pick this one up if you’re in the mood for a YA thriller with plenty of plot twists. After her father’s funeral, Calli finds a girl, alone and frightened, on her property. Calli thinks she is doing the right thing when she takes the girl home and helps her regain her strength. But when a detective shows up, and the townspeople start whispering, Calli realizes there’s more to the strange girl than she thought. Now, she wonders if her kindness put her in the crosshairs of a killer.
(On sale: 12/12/2023)
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