The Best Children’s and YA Books of October
by the Brightly Editors
Fall has arrived with its cooler temperatures, changing leaves, and new book collections! This month, you’ll find exciting new picture books from beloved children’s authors, fun and interesting stories for middle readers, and heartfelt YA to obsess over. So, grab a pumpkin spice anything and settle in. Here are the best children’s and young adult books coming your way this month.
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Picture Books:
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Busy Betty
Available from:Academy Award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon brings her energy to the page with her first picture book for children. Betty is a vibrant little girl who loves her dog more than anything. But when he needs a bath, Betty has to get creative (and get help from a friend) to get the job done.
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Meanwhile Back on Earth…
Available from:If you love Oliver Jeffers’s books, Here We Are and What We’ll Build, add this one to your “to read” list. With his signature humor and quirky illustrations, Jeffers takes readers through humanity’s historical highlights. This insightful and heartfelt book is an excellent addition to any child’s bookshelf.
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Calling the Wind
Available from:From the author of beloved picture books like The Invisible Boy and The Power of One comes a beautiful message of hope for children experiencing grief or loss. Calling the Wind is about a Japanese family grieving the death of a loved one. They all struggle to cope with the loss until they find a unique way to heal and move forward.
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Bluey 5-Minute Stories
Available from:Bedtime is perfect for spending a few minutes with your child’s favorite blue dog from Australia. This book includes six stories featuring the cast of Bluey, and each one takes about five minutes to read. If you’re looking for holiday gift ideas, add this one to your list!
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Namaste is a Greeting
Available from:Namaste means many things. For one little girl, it means showing kindness to a neighbor. This gorgeously illustrated picture book celebrates the culture of compassion and the significant impact small gestures can have. It’s a beautiful lesson for readers of all ages.
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This Book Is Not a Present
Available from:Avid and reluctant readers alike loved actor Max Greenfield’s first picture book, I Don’t Want to Read This Book. This companion book uses the same laugh-out-loud humor and wacky illustrations to deliver an interactive story in which the book tries to convince you it isn’t a gift.
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Green is for Christmas
Available from:Everyone’s favorite box of crayons is back with a hilarious holiday story. When Green tries to claim Christmas for himself, he sparks a debate among the rest of the crayons. The other colors think Christmas wouldn’t be the same without them, and they aren’t shy about it.
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Blue Bison Needs a Haircut
Available from:This hilarious picture book hearkens back to the days of the pandemic lockdowns when everything was closed, and personal grooming became experimental and wildly entertaining. When Blue Bison goes for his regular haircut, he finds the barber shop (and every other shop) closed. Unable to get a haircut, he turns to his family and friends for advice and learns that patience and creativity go a long way.
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Chapter Books & Middle Grade
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She Persisted: Wilma Mankiller
Available from:Kids who want to make a difference will love this inspiring true story about the first woman to become the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. Readers will learn about Wilma Mankiller’s childhood, the obstacles she faced, and how she persisted and fought for her Nation’s rights.
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The Sleepover Mystery
Available from:Fans of cute and cuddly stories will love the new installment in the Museum Kittens series. At the museum’s first sleepover event, a kitten named Bianca disappears from the festivities. The other kittens must follow the clues and piece together what happened so they can find her. It’s the perfect mystery story for growing readers ages 6-9.
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Pages and Co.: The Book Smugglers
Available from:As if this month couldn’t get any better, the fourth book in the New York Times bestselling series, The Book Smugglers, is now available in paperback! Send your kid on the latest adventure with Milo and Tilly as they race through stories and places, searching for the antidote to a mysterious poison. Now is the perfect time to catch up on or re-read this series before book five arrives early next year.
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A Seed in the Sun
Available from:Readers who enjoy novels in verse should add this book to their reading stacks. It’s about a young girl in 1965 California who joins the farm worker’s movement for better wages and working conditions. This inspiring story encourages readers to find their voice and advocate for themselves.
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YA
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A Scatter of Light
Available from:If you loved the National Book Award-winning and New York Times bestselling novel Last Night at the Telegraph Club, add the new companion novel to your reading list. Recent high school graduate Aria spends one transformative summer in California, exploring new friendships and learning more about herself and what she believes in.
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Pretty Dead Queens
Available from:The author of the YA thriller, The Ivies, is back with another hair-raising murder mystery for fall. A murdered homecoming queen, a revived cold case, a copycat killer, and a teenage sleuth combine in a bone-chilling mystery that will keep you reading through all hours of the night.
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Would You Rather? Teen Challenge Edition
Available from:Looking for some screen-free entertainment for your teen? Lindsey Daly filled this creative book with dozens of scenarios designed to make your teen think outside the box and come up with solutions. It’s an excellent book to have on hand for parties, sleepovers, or road trips.
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Maybe An Artist, A Graphic Memoir
Available from:New Yorker cartoonist Liz Montague shares her life’s story in this graphic memoir. Readers will laugh along as she grows, makes mistakes, deals with challenges, and learns who she is. This funny and heartfelt story is perfect for young artists and anyone who ever felt like they didn’t fit the mold.
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Henry Hamlet’s Heart
Available from:When you’re in the mood for a feel-good rom-com that will steal your heart, pick up a copy of this friends-to-lovers story. It’s about a boy named Henry who falls in love with his charming best friend, Len. Unsure of how to move their relationship out of the friend zone, Henry makes mistakes — and experiences a few firsts — along the way.
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We Are All We Have
Available from:Rania’s mother gets arrested and deported, leaving her alone and frightened. Along with her brother and a new friend, Rania heads out on a life-changing road trip filled with self-discovery, romance, and hope for the future.
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