30 Newly Published Kids Books for Cozy Fall Reading
For kids, the new year doesn't start with a ball drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve, but with the first day of school—a new teacher, new classmates, new shoes, and new school supplies. The fall publishing season brings a similar buzz to our library shelves with new authors, ideas, and stories. It's the perfect time to connect kids with exciting books that will engage and delight them as we all settle into a season of cozy reading. Below are thirty recently (or about-to-be) published books from picture books, to early readers and chapter books, to middle grade (8–12), that we think they'll love.
Picture Books
Magnolia Flower
by Zora Neale Hurston; adapted by Ibram X. Kendi; illustrated by Loveis Wise
Born to parents who fled slavery and the Trail of Tears, young Afro Indigenous girl Magnolia Flower sets off on a journey in her quest to be free and connect with others, proving how brave one can be when leading with one’s heart
Meanwhile, Back on Earth: Seeing Our Place in Space
by Oliver Jeffers
Part history of the world, part guide to the universe, this fascinating picture book has a father and his two children blasting off into space to look back at the Earth and the conflicts that have taken place since the beginning of time.
Maya's Song
by Renée Watson; illustrated by Bryan Collier
Introduces young readers to the life and work of Maya Angelou, one of the most important American artists in history whose words have uplifted and inspired generations of readers.
The Three Billy Goats Gruff
by Mac Barnett; illustrated by Jon Klassen
The first in a groundbreaking new collection of fractured fairy tales, this brilliantly crafted, hilarious twist on the beloved classic finds three goats putting their horns together to cleverly outsmart a hungry troll.
Kimchi, Kimchi Every Day
by Erica Kim
Whether round and crunchy like a kimchi pancake or pinched and plump like a kimchi dumpling, there are so many ways to enjoy this Korean traditional dish. Explore the different ways to eat kimchi in this fun, rhyming tale that also teaches the days of the week.
Still This Love Goes On
by Buffy Sainte-Marie; illustrated by Julie Flett
Based on Sainte-Marie’s song of the same name, Still This Love Goes On combines Flett’s breathtaking art with vivid lyrics to craft a stunning portrait of a Cree worldview. At the heart of this picture book is a gentle message about missing our loved ones, and the promise of seeing each other again.
Brown is Beautiful
by Supriya Kelkar; illustrated by Noor Sofi
On a hike with her grandparents, a young Indian-American girl makes note of all the things in nature that are brown, too. From a nurturing mother bear, to the steadiness of deep twisting roots, to the beauty of a wild mustang, brown is everywhere! On her way, the girl collects the beautiful brown things she encounters as mementos for a scrapbook to share with a very special new addition to her family—a baby brother!
Farmhouse
by Sophie Blackall
Step inside the dollhouse-like interior of Farmhouse and relish in the daily life of the family that lives there, rendered in impeccable, thrilling detail. Based on a real family and an actual farmhouse where Sophie salvaged facts and artifacts for the making of this spectacular work, page after page bursts with luminous detail and joy.
Patchwork
by Matt de la Peña; illustrated by Corinna Luyken
An ode to the richly varied tapestry of experiences and identities that make every child unique.
That's MY Sweater!
by Jessika von Innerebner
When her mom decides to hand down her FAVORITE sweater to her baby brother, Olivia starts to slowly unravel as she sets in motion a plan to get it back.
Early Reader & Chapter Books
Marya Khan and the Incredible Henna Party
by Saadia Faruqi; illustrated by Ani Bushry
With her eighth birthday coming up, Marya claims she is having an epic henna party, so now she must convince her family to make it happen and work to pull it off, but everything Marya does seems to end in disaster.
The FRUSTRATING Book!
by Mo Willems
In The FRUSTRATING Book!, Zoom Squirrel wants to feel brand new emotions. The Squirrel pals know just what to do! But what happens if Zoomy doesn’t like these new feelings? Do you know more about feelings than the Squirrels do? You will by the end of this book!
The Flamingo: A Graphic Novel Chapter Book
by Guojing
A little girl arrives, excited for a beachy vacation with her Lao Lao. The girl and her grandmother search for shells, chase crabs, and play in the sea, but when the girl finds an exquisite flamingo feather in her grandmother's living room, her vacation turns into something fantastical.
How To Eat a Book
by Mrs. & Mr. McLeod
One by one, Sheila, Gerald, and Geraldine are eaten . . . by their books. This peculiar turn of events flings them far and wide. Sheila escapes the weight of the world entirely, while Gerald braves the wonder of seeing it up close. And Geraldine, well, Geraldine turns as terrifically terrible as she possibly can.
Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story of Us
by Lauren Castillo
Living on a tiny island with only a stuffed animal for company, a lonely Hedgehog embarks on a quest in the aftermath of a storm and makes new friends who help her discover the power of courage and teamwork.
Busy Betty
by Reese Witherspoon; illustrated by Xindi Yan
As she tries to give her big, smelly dog Frank a bath, which becomes more impossible by the minute, Betty learns that she can accomplish anything with perseverance, teamwork, and one great idea.
The Further Adventures of Miss Petitfour
by Anne Michaels; with illustrations by Emma Block
With her sixteen cats and the aid of a tablecloth as a makeshift balloon, Miss Petitfour soars over her charmingly eccentric village, encountering adventures along the way. One never knows where the wind will take her in this delightfully seasonal collection of magical outings.
Shark Princess
by Nidhi Chanani; color by Elizabeth Kramer
Meet Kitana—a Shark Princess and the first of her kind. Her allergy-ridden, best friend, Mack, wants to be one too, but he worries that his sharp teeth and big sneezes make him too dangerous to be a princess. With Kitana's help, Mack realizes his unique shine. When Mack puts on his crown for the first time, these Shark Princesses are ready to explore the ocean and embark on a fintastic adventure!
Oh, Sal
by Kevin Henkes
With nothing about this holiday season making her happy, Sal discovers that life is full of surprises while dealing with the new baby hogging all of Mama’s attention, her obnoxious older brother and a missing Christmas gift.
Booker the Library Bat: The New Guard
by Jess M. Brallier
Booker the bat, new to his job as a security guard at the Joanine Library, foils the attempted theft of pages from one of the collection's rare books.
Middle Grade
The Door of No Return
by Kwame Alexander
When his brother represents Upper Kwanta in a wrestling contest, resulting in the unthinkable, 11-year-old Kofi finds himself fighting for his life, which sends him on a dangerous journey across land and sea, and away from everything he loves
Odder
by Katherine Applegate; with illustrations by Charles Santoso
Odder spends her days off the coast of central California, practicing her underwater acrobatics and spinning the quirky stories for which she's known. She's a fearless daredevil, curious to a fault. But when Odder comes face-to-face with a hungry great white shark, her life takes a dramatic turn, one that will challenge everything she believes about herself--and about the humans who hope to save her.
Monster Club
by Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel; art by Ronald Kurniawan
Twelve-year-old Eric “Doodles” King discovers a long-lost vial of magic ink that brings to life the monster he created for Monster Club, an epic role-playing game Eric and his friends developed together, which could be the key to saving his parents’ amusement park and their marriage.
The Civil War of Amos Abernathy
by Michael Leali
Amos Abernathy lives for history. Literally. He’s been a historical reenactor nearly all his life. But when a cute new volunteer arrives at his Living History Park, Amos finds himself wondering if there’s something missing from history: someone like the two of them.
Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting
by Roseanne A. Brown
Staying with her hippie aunt and cryptic-obsessed cousin in Nowheresville, Maryland, after a witch destroys her family’s home, 12-year-old vampire slayer Serwa must prepare for the biggest battle of her life, while also dealing with mean girls and algebra.
The Stars Did Wander Darkling
by Colin Meloy; illustrations by Carson Ellis
In a sleepy seaside town in 1980s Oregon, Archie Coomes and his friends are convinced that an unknown evil has been unleashed on the town after his dad's construction company opens the cliff beneath the old Langdon place--widely believed to be haunted--and the adults in town begin to act strangely.
Shot Clock
by Caron Butler and Justin A. Reynolds
After the death of his friend, Tony must work to make the basketball team, but when he gets the chance to join the squad as statistician, he must grapple with honoring the memory of his basketball-loving friend while also trying to fit in on the team.
1-2-3-4, I Declare a Thumb War
by Lisi Harrison and Daniel Kraus; illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino
As the 100th anniversary of the electrocution of the town's most infamous killer approaches, an anonymous text message lures five twelve-year-olds to the cemetery, inspiring the first meeting of the Graveyard Girls and setting the stage for a terrifying tale from Whisper that they will never forget.
Iveliz Explains It All
by Andrea Beatriz Arango; illustrations by Alyssa Bermudez
Twelve-year-old Iveliz is trying to manage her mental health and advocate for the help and understanding she deserves, but in the meantime, her new friend calls her crazy and her abuela Mimi dismisses the therapy and medicine Iveliz needs to feel like herself.Leon the Extraordinary
by Jamar Nicholas; color by Bonaia Rosado
In the city where Leon lives, superheroes—and supervillains—are commonplace. So how does an ordinary kid like Leon, who has no superpowers himself, become the superhero he wants to be? When all his classmates suddenly become obsessed with a new phone app that turns them into zombies, Leon gets his chance to prove that using his brain and following his heart can save the day.
