Holiday 2022 Gifts: The Best Books for Kids Ages 6 - 8

Holiday shopping is here, and I love finding the perfect gift for everyone on my list—especially if it involves books!

Whether your kid loves activity books, journals, picture books, or early reader chapter books, this holiday shopping guide has excellent gift ideas for any emerging reader on your list!

Little Black Girl

by Kirby Howell-Baptiste, illustrated by Paul Davey

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Kirby Howell-Baptiste fills this children’s picture book with empowering words, encouraging little Black girls worldwide to dream big and work hard. The story follows a little Black girl through her journey of entering a robotics contest at school and facing challenges with courage and resilience. Does she have the grit and determination to finish her project?

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Shark Princess

by Nidhi Chanani

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If your child is a Narwhal and Jelly fan, they’ll love the new Shark Princess graphic novel series! With vibrant and fun illustrations, this early reader book focuses on inclusivity and being yourself!

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Miles Lewis: King of the Ice #1

by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Wayne Spencer

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Miles Lewis: King of the Ice, a spinoff of the Jada Jones series, is about a boy who loves anything STEM related. But he is less than excited when his class goes on a field trip to the ice rink to learn about physics. To make matters worse, Miles has never ice skated before. Will he enjoy the field trip or embarrass himself?

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How to Catch Santa

by Jean Reagan, illustrated by Lee Wildish

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The How To series is wildly popular, and kids adore this Christmas tale! After waiting all year, it’s finally Christmas Eve, and time to catch Santa. Take a peek at the special holiday tips, tricks, and traps the kids set up for Santa. Sweet, hilarious, and filled with holiday cheer, your family will love this one!

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Magic Tree House: Dinosaurs Before Dark Graphic Novel

by Mary Pope Osborne, illustrated by Kelly Matthews and Nichole Matthews, adapted by Jenny Laird

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The Magic Tree House books are back in possibly their best form yet — graphic novels! Jack and Annie get whisked away by the mysterious tree house to the prehistoric past. Two questions loom in their minds. Will they ever get home? And, are they safe around these gigantic dinosaurs?

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An Anthology of Aquatic Life

by Sam Hume

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From the deepest parts of the ocean to the smallest puddle, so many aquatic lifeforms can be found below the water’s surface. In An Anthology of Aquatic Life, readers will uncover more than 100 different living things, learn fascinating facts about the plants and animals living in the ocean, and get immersed in detailed photographs and striking illustrations. And don’t let the learning stop here; be sure to check out the entire DK Children’s Anthologies series to explore topics from dinosaurs to the mysteries of the universe!

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Scaredy Squirrel in a Nutshell

by Melanie Watt

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My girls love these books about a squirrel who’s afraid of everything and how things are never as scary as he imagines. In this story, Scaredy Squirrel is content to stay in his tree forever and never face any obstacles. Unfortunately, his plan to remain a tree hermit ends when a bunny forces him out of his tree and into the unknown — the ground!

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Knock-Knock Jokes and Silly Stories for Kids

by May B. Gigglin, illustrated by Jeremy Nguyen, foreword by Toby Price, contributions by Brightly

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If I were a betting woman, I would dare say that everyone loves to tell a good joke — kids included. This book brims with hilarious, kid-friendly jokes and silly stories to get everyone laughing. The jokes progress in length and reading difficulty throughout the book, helping kids increase their reading skills and confidence!

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The Highlights Book of Things to Draw

by Highlights

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You can never go wrong with Highlights when looking for great activity books. This one is perfect for kids who love drawing. It's packed with over 175 activities, how-tos, games, and more sure to get any kids' creative juices flowing.

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Cookie and Broccoli: Book of Secrets

by Bob McMahon

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I’m always looking for graphic novels for younger readers, and this story about two elementary school friends, Cookie and Broccoli, is a delight. In this installment, Cookie and Broccoli discover the importance of trust and what it means to keep a secret. At the end, readers can solve a secret coded message!

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Iggy the Legend

by Annie Barrows, illustrated by Sam Ricks

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From the bestselling author of Ivy and Bean, Annie Barrows brews up another fun-loving series about Iggy! In the fourth installment, Iggy feels like he gets into trouble no matter what he does, good or bad. But he can’t understand why everyone gets upset when he does something legendary! Find out what it is when you pick up this book.

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Charlotte and the Nutcracker

by Charlotte Nebres, illustrated by Alea Marley

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This gorgeous Christmas picture book was released last year and did not disappoint! It’s based on the true story of Charlotte Nebres, the first Black girl to play Marie in the New York City Ballet’s annual Nutcracker production. With its stunning illustrations and heartwarming story, this book charms readers of all ages.

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Pizza and Taco: Who’s the Best?

by Stephen Shaskan

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This fun early graphic novel series has full-color illustrations and features Pizza and Taco, two best friends with many unique characteristics. In this first book, the two friends try to decide who is the best and get their friends to vote on it. Geared toward 4- to 7-year-olds, this beginning reader chapter book will make them eager to read more!

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My First Gratitude Journal

by Creative Journals for Kids

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Being grateful is a trait that can get you a long way in life, and what better time to practice gratitude than when you are young? This gratitude journal includes writing and drawing prompts on each page, making it a fun and fast way for kids to reflect on their day and record what they’re grateful for.

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Fun with 50 States

by Nicole Claesen, illustrated by Candela Ferrández

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I love finding good activity books for my kids, and this one hits all the right notes. Inside, you’ll discover surprising and delightful facts about the United States and over 100 exciting activities about the 50 states.

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The Real Santa

by Nancy Redd, illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow

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From the author of the bestselling book, Bedtime Bonnet, comes another children’s picture book for Christmastime. Join a Black family as they embark on a journey to discover what Santa looks like. This cozy holiday story will warm your heart.

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She Persisted: Wilma Mankiller

by Traci Sorell and Chelsea Clinton, illustrated by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint

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The bestselling She Persisted series features biographies of influential women throughout history, like this one about Wilma Mankiller from the Cherokee Nation. She educated herself on the hardships and injustices of her people and spent her life fighting for Native rights. If your child loves learning about famous individuals, this series is an excellent place to start.

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The Case of the Curious Scouts

by Veronica Mang

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The Secret Spy Society series is an enchanting series about a group of girls solving mysteries together. A handful of fashion moguls get robbed, and the three friends want to get to the bottom of the puzzle. Their search leads them to a scout troop with a peculiar leader. Is he the culprit, or is he just an eccentric scouting enthusiast?

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Johnny Boo and the Silly Blizzard (Johnny Boo Book 12)

by James Kochalka

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This little ghost isn’t scary. In fact, he’s pretty remarkable. Plus, he has Boo Power (this means he can say “boo” loudly). He also has a pet ghost, Squiggle, and they have many adventures together. This series has 12 books, so your early reader will have plenty of hilarious stories to keep them busy.

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Jack & Santa

by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Greg Pizzoli

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I love the Jack series because they are easy to read, with a big font and spare text. In this holiday story, Jack discovers that his antics have landed him on the naughty list, and he’s worried that Santa will bring him a lump of coal. So, he makes a last-ditch effort to prove he belongs on the nice list.

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Happy Narwhalidays (A Narwhal and Jelly Book #5)

by Ben Clanton

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My girls and I have listened to the Narwhal and Jelly audiobooks multiple times and checked out the series from the library more than once. This Christmas story is a home run! Narwhal and Jelly get festive with lots of singing, cooking, gift shopping, and being together. It’s the perfect book choice for a kindergartener or first grader.

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Astronomy Activity Book for Kids

by Aurora Lipper, illustrated by Victoria Stebleva

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Get out of this world with this amazing astronomy activity book for kids. Former NASA scientist, Aurora Lipper, guides kids through space with exciting facts, coloring pages, drawing activities, seek-and-find, word puzzles, and more!