The Best Children’s and YA Books of January 2019
by Keith Rice
Celebrate the New Year by filling your bookshelves with some great books for kids of all ages! This month’s best titles include creative picture books, thought-provoking middle grade reads, rewarding young adult stories, and more.
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Picture Books:
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Animals
Inspired by the incredibly popular The Kids’ Picture Show YouTube channel, Animals is a fun and engaging way to help your little one explore the animal kingdom and discover some new words.
(On sale: 1/8/19)Available from: -
My Heart
Available from:Kindness and empathy are among the best traits we can foster in our children and My Heart, the latest from author and illustrator Corinna Luyken, is a simple and lyrical guide to compassion and caring for readers of all ages.
(On sale: 1/8/19)Also available from: -
Superheroes Are Everywhere
Available from:Remind kids that superheroes really do walk among us with this picture book from Senator Kamala Harris. Sweet and uplifting, Superheroes Are Everywhere paints heroes as real people — from parents to teachers to famous activists — who make the world a better place for others near and far.
(On sale: 1/8/19)Also available from: -
Peter Rabbit 123
Available from:The timeless adventures of Peter Rabbit and friends have delighted children for generations. Peter Rabbit 123 introduces your little to the magic of Beatrix Potter’s beloved character as well as counting from one to ten.
(On sale: 1/15/19)Also available from: -
Dragon Night
Available from:This delightful and heartwarming tale from J. R. Krause is an ode to friendship. Georgie is afraid of the dark and his dragon is afraid of the knight — but together they help each other face their fears. Their magical night makes for a perfect bedtime adventure.
(On sale: 1/22/19)Also available from: -
Hands Up!
Available from:It’s never easy to know how to approach difficult, complex topics with your kids. Fortunately, there are trove of great picture books to help with just that. Hands Up! recasts a particularly charged phrase for people of color as one of caring, resistance, and triumph.
(On sale: 1/22/19)Also available from:
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Chapter Books and Middle Grade Books:
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The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA
Available from:This tale of the friendship between a white boy named Gabriel and Meriwether, a black WWII veteran, in the Jim Crow South is a thought-provoking and nuanced examination of race, tolerance, and the history of bigotry in the U.S. for middle grade readers.
(On sale: 1/8/2019)Also available from: -
Watch That Witch!
In the fifth installment of the Princess Pulverizer series, the titular character has finally found a shortcut to becoming a knight. The problem? It’s courtesy of a particularly bad witch. With all the wit, heart, and humor that fans of the series love, this one is not to be missed.
(On sale: 1/15/2019)Preorder from: -
The Whispers
Greg Howard’s middle grade debut is an emotionally resonant coming-of-age story centered on loss, identity, and friendship. Determined to solve the mystery of his mother’s disappearance, 11-year-old Riley sets out on an adventure that changes the way he sees the world forever.
(On sale: 1/15/2019)Preorder from: -
Everybody Is Somebody
Available from:In the final chapter in Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver’s bestsellingHere’s Hank series, Hank and his two best friends get the chance to guide a well-known author around the school. Hank has a secret, though — because of his reading struggles, he’s never actually finished one of the author’s books. The way he deals the problem makes for a fitting end to the beloved series.
(On sale: 1/29/19)Also available from: -
The Soccer Secret
This fourth chapter book in the Zach & Zoe Mysteries series sees the 8-year-old sports-loving twins unraveling a mystery and dealing with the rigors and triumphs of their traveling soccer teams.
(On sale: 1/29/2019)Preorder from:
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Young Adult Books:
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Let’s Go Swimming on Doomsday
After his family is kidnapped, Abdi is forced to become a child soldier in the hopes of winning back their freedom. Then a bombing gone wrong sends everything spiraling out of control and Abdi finds himself struggling to survive and come to terms with his present and past.
(On sale: 1/15/2019)Preorder from: -
Someday We Will Fly
Set during WWII in Shanghai, Someday We Will Fly is a heart-wrenching historical novel centered on a Jewish girl named Lillia. Forced to leave Poland, Lillia and her family flee to Shanghai, one of the few places to accept Jewish refugees without visas. This one’s a nuanced exploration of resilience and struggle in the face of unthinkable tragedy.
(On sale: 1/22/2019)Preorder from: -
Song of the Dead
This sequel to Reign of the Fallen sees Odessa forced to navigate a constantly shifting landscape of political unrest all while dealing with the fallout of necromancy being outlawed. As foreign invaders marshal against Karthia, Odessa and Meredy are thrust into what may be the fight of their lives.
(On sale: 1/22/2019)Preorder from: -
Parkland Speaks: Survivors from Marjory Stoneman Douglas Share Their Stories
Available from:Parkland Speaks is a vivid, poignant, and painful reminder of the effects of gun violence on young people and their communities, as well as a hopeful rallying cry for the next generation. It features a collection of poems, first-person accounts, letters, photos, and speeches about love, loss, and grief one year after the February 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
(On sale: 1/22/2019)Also available from: -
Come Find Me
With its compelling teen protagonists and a haunting mystery at its center, Come Find Me is a guaranteed page-turner. Nolan and Kennedy are each suffering through family tragedies when a mysterious radio frequency draws them together. But is the message — meant only for them — a warning of something coming, or something that’s already here?
(On sale: 1/29/2019)Preorder from:
