The Best Children’s and YA Books of January
by the Brightly Editors
New year, new books! With 2022 in the rear-view mirror and a shiny new year ahead, it’s time to get excited about all the fantastic books coming your way this month. Whether you want picture books to add to your child’s bedtime routine or heart-pounding adventures to sweep your tween or teen off to new worlds, we have it covered. Here are the best books of the month.
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Picture Books
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Beyonce: A Little Golden Book Biography (Presented by Ebony Jr.)
Available from:Introduce your child to one of the biggest superstars of all time — Beyoncé! Little readers will learn about her childhood, how she got started in show business, and how she rose to fame and became a beloved role model. Ebony — a magazine for Black children — presents this exciting Little Golden Book biography.
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Bluey: Fun and Games: A Coloring Book
Available from:Bluey fans will love this coloring book based on the popular animated show. With over 60 pages featuring Bluey playing, eating, and spending time with family, young artists will have plenty to keep them occupied. It’s an excellent screen-free boredom buster for kids ages 4-6.
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A Boy and His Mirror
Available from:This empowering story about self-acceptance should be on everyone’s “to-read” list for 2023. The other kids at school tease Chris for his long, curly hairdo. Hoping for insight, he looks into a mirror and, with the help of a mysterious woman, learns to appreciate his unique style. Rhyming text and gorgeous illustrations make this book a delight to read.
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Uni the Unicorn: Tooth Fairy Helper
Available from:A little girl loses a tooth, but the Tooth Fairy doesn’t think she can visit the girl that night. Thankfully, Uni the unicorn can help. Uni and the Tooth Fairy work together — and use a little magic — to get the job done.
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What Does Brown Mean to You?
Available from:Colors have many feelings and meanings associated with them, but what about the color brown? One little boy notices the wonderful brown things around him, from coffee and fuzzy blankets to his dog and his family’s skin color. This sweet picture book celebrates the color brown and the beautiful things it represents.
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The Green Piano
Available from:Little music lovers will want to read this heartwarming story about Roberta Flack’s first piano. Young Roberta wants a piano more than anything, so when her father spots one in a junkyard, he doesn’t hesitate to bring it home and fix it up. This sweet, autobiographical picture book celebrates music, family, and the power of a thoughtful gift.
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Put Your Shoes On & Get Ready!
Available from:It’s good to have big dreams, but dreaming will only get you so far. Raphael G. Warnock shares his father’s advice in this picture book: “Get up! Get dressed! Get ready!” Whether going to school, working for his father’s junkyard business, or attending church, Raphael knew the importance of being appropriately dressed. This advice carried him through college and on to become a pastor and the first Black senator from Georgia.
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Very Good Hats
Available from:Kids that love putting things on their heads will adore this humorous book about hats! Hats are fancy fashion accessories, but fallen leaves, books, and pants can also make fabulous hats. Things like houses and pots have hats, too. This brightly illustrated picture book celebrates hats in all their forms through spare text and vibrant colors.
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I am John Lewis
Available from:Kids will love learning about Civil Rights activist and congressional representative John Lewis in the latest installment in the Ordinary People Change the World series. Readers will learn about Lewis’s childhood, inspiration, and accomplishments. Photos and facts accompany the cartoon-style illustrations that make this series so popular.
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A Is for Aretha
Available from:Celebrate Black women musicians with this gorgeous ABC board book. The women featured in this book were artists and activists whose efforts altered the landscape of the music industry. It’s a must-have for any young music lover’s home library!
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Chapter Books & Middle Grade
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Pizza and Taco Rock Out
Available from:Join a band featuring your favorite snacks with the newest installment in the hilarious Pizza and Taco series! The two foods pick instruments, select songs, and audition new band members. But being rock stars is more challenging than they expected! This early graphic novel series is perfect for kids ages 5-8 transitioning to independent reading.
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Rhinos at Recess
Available from:Jack and Annie head out on a new magical adventure to the savanna in South Africa where they save a rhinoceros from poachers. This action-packed book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Magic Tree House series will keep young readers glued to the page.
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Hands
Available from:From the author of What Lane? and Tight comes a poignant novel about a boy who must decide how to deal with an impossible situation. When his violent step-father walks back into his life, Trev must decide how to handle it — by focusing on the here and now or setting his sights on the future. This heartfelt novel about a boy finding his place and purpose is a must-read in 2023.
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YA
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Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute
Available from:If you want to read more feel-good books in 2023, this adorable rom-com is an excellent place to start. Bradley and Celine are ex-best friends who can’t look past their differences. But when they get paired up for a wilderness survival challenge, their friendship surfaces again, along with something more. This cute and funny romance novel is the perfect pick-me-up!
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Song of Silver, Flame Like Night
Available from:Secrets, fate, and ancient magic combine into a breathtaking fantasy novel from the author of the Blood Heir trilogy. In this series opener, ancient Chinese folklore comes to life as a girl named Lan teams up with Zen to search for the truth behind her magical powers. What they find will alter their kingdom and the world forever.
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Cool. Awkward. Black.
Available from:Get your geek on with this collection of short stories from some of the most beloved YA authors working today. These stories from Black creators tackle timely issues like racism, transphobia, and domestic violence. Whether you love sci-fi, historical fiction, or realistic fiction, you’ll find exciting stories to obsess over in this book.
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The Black Queen
Available from:Get your fill of spine-tingling chills with this YA thriller. When the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High gets murdered, Duchess wants justice. Determined to find the killer, Duchess sets her sights on the girl who had the most to gain from the murder—and befriends her. This novel’s twists, turns, and surprises will keep you guessing until the end!
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The Davenports
Available from:If you binge-read American Royals and crave something similar, add this novel to your “to-read” list. It’s based on an actual American family and centers on four young Black women finding their way through love and life in the early 1900s. Sisterhood, friendship, and romance combine into a dazzling historical novel of strong women who take charge of their destinies.
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How to Be a (Young) Antiracist
Available from:Ibram X. Kendi, the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling book for adults, How to Be an Antiracist, teams up with YA powerhouse Nic Stone to deliver the timely message to young people. Readers will feel inspired by the advice, anecdotes, and data — and feel empowered to create a better society.
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