Some years ago a writer friend challenged us to read 100 books in a year. Well, since I retired, I've been reading more -- this year I actually counted and it was over 300 books.
Here's the list of Children's books I read in 2024:
PICTURE BOOKS
Bingham, Winsome. The Walk. Illus. E.B. Lewis. NY: Abrams BFYR, 2023.
Brown, Tameka Fryer. That Flag. Illus. Nikkolas Smith. NY: Harper, 2023.
Cohen, Tziporah and Yaara Eshet. Afikomen. Toronto, Canada: Groundwood Books, 2023.
Frazee, Marla. In Every Life. NY: Beach Lane Books, 2023. (2024 Caldecott Award)
Genhart, Michael. Spanish is the language of my family. Illus. John Parra. NY: Neal Porter
books/ Holiday House, 2023.
George, Karen. What happened to you? NY: Little Brown and Co, 2021.
(2024 Schneider Book Award. This has an excellent page in back that helps an adult
handle it when their child asks that question)
Giddens, Rhiannon. We could Fly. Illus Briana Mukodiri Uchendu. Sommerville, MA:
Candlewick Press, 2023. (2024 Corretta Scott King Award)
Gilbert, Frances. Can you hug a forest? Ills. Amy Heuron. NY: Beach Lane books, 2003.
Harrison, Vashti. BIG. NY: Little Brown and Co, 2023.
(2024 Corretta Scott King Illus. honor, Corretta Scott King Illus. author Award,
Caldecott Award.)
Hedlund, Julie. Song after song – the musical life of Julie Andrews. NY: Little Bee books, 2023.
HO, Richard. Two New Years. Illus. Lynn Scurfield. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2023.
(2024 Sydney Taylor Award)
Hopkinson, Deborah. Cinderella and a mouse called Fred. NY: Anne Swartz books/ Random
House, 2023.
Lazar, Tara. Flat Cat. Illus. Pete Oswald. NY: Flamingo/ Penguin, 2023. (2024
Leung, Julie. The Truth about Dragons. Illus. Hanna Cha. NY: Henry Holt and Co, 2023.
(2024 Caldecott honor book & Asian American Picture Book Award)
Que, Joanna and Charina Marquez. Dancing Hands, a story of friendship in Filipino sign
language. Illus. Fran Alvarez. Translated by Karen Llagas. San Francisco: Chronicle
books, 2023. (2024 Schneider Book Award)
Reynolds, Jason. There was a party for Langston, king o’ Letters. Illus Jerome and Jarrett
Pumphrey. NY: Atheneum Books for young readers, 2023. (2024 Corretta Scott King
honor award for illustrators, 2024 Caldecott honor award.)
Rogers, Kim. A letter for Bob. Illus: Johathan Nelson. NY: Heartdrum/ HarperCollins, 2023.
(2024 American Indian Youth Honor Book. Bob is the family car)
…. Just like Grandma. Illus. Julie Flett. NY: Heartdrum/ HarperCollins, 2023.
(2024 – Ezra Jack Keats Award)
Sotomayer, Sonia. Just ask! Be different, be brave, be you. Illus. Rafrel Lopez. NY: Philomel
books/ Penguin, 2019. Each disadvantaged child talks a bit about their disability with
their last sentence leading into the next child’s part.
Subramaniam, Suma. The runaway Dosa. Illus Parvati Pillal. NY: Little Bee books, 2023.
Tabor, Corey R. Simon and the better bone. NY: Balzer + Bray/ HarperCollins, 2023.
(unusual placement of words and pictures. Based on Aesop’s ‘The dog and his reflection”
by holding the book sidewise you realize that the bottom page actually shows a
reflection of the dog on each double page spread.
Thompkins-Bigelow, Jamilah. Salat in secret. Illus. Hatem Aly. NY: Random house studio,
2023. (2024 Golden Kite)
Trejo, Jesus. Papa’s magical water-jug clock. Illus. Eliza Kinkz. (no address): Menerva/ Astra
BFYR, 2023. (2024 Pura Bel Pre Award)
Wallmark, Laurie. Rivka’s presents. Illus. Adelina Lirius. NY: Random house, 2023
Weissman, Elissa Brent. Hanukkah upside down. Illus. Omer Hoffmann. NY: Abrams Books for
young readers, 2023. (2024 Sydney Taylor Award)
Wynter, Anne. Nell plants a tree. Illus. Daniel Miyares. NY: Balzer + Bray/ HarperCollins,
2023. (2024 Ezra Jack Keats Award)
NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS
J 306.362 Alexander, Kwame. An American story. Illus. Dare Coulter. NY: Little Brown &
Co, 2023. (2024 Corretta Scott King picture book award)
J 551.09 Fox, Janet. Volcano Dreams a story of Yellowstone. Illus. Marlo Garnsworthy. Berkeley, CA: Web of Life Children’s Books, 2018.
J595.77 Heavenrich, Sue. 13 ways to eat a fly. Illus. David Clark. Watertown, MA:
Charlesbridge, 2021. (too many spiders for me)
J595.78 Burns, Loree Griffin. One long line, marching caterpillars and the scientists who
followed them. Illus. Jamie Green. Sommerville, MA: MIT kids press/ Candlewick press,
2024.
J597.92 Montgomery, Sy and Matt Patterson. The book of turtles. NY: Harper Collins,
2023. (2024 Robert F. Sibert award.)
J598.42 Salas, Laura Purdie. Finding Family, the duckling raised by Loons. Illus.
Alexandria Neonakis. Minneapolis, MN: Millbroook Press/ Lerner, 2023.
(2024 Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book.)
J813.54 Kunkel, Angela Burke. Make Way – the story of Robert McCloskey, Nancy Schon,
and some very famous ducklings. NY: Random house studio, 2023.
(2024 SCBWI Golden Kite award finalist) Although the book does mention several other
places in the world where Schon’s sculptures of the famous ducklings march, it doesn’t mention my favorite – Just outside the Westview Mall in Baltimore County, MD, near the White Marsh branch of Baltimore County Public Libraries.
J940.548 Boxer, Elisa. Hidden hope, how a toy and a hero saved lives during the
Holocaust. Illus. Amy June Bates. NY: Abrams BFYR, 2023. (2024 Sydney Taylor
Honor book award, 2024 Junior Library Guild)
I CAN READ
Bailey, Jenn. Henry, like always. Illus. Mike Song. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 2023.
(2024 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, 2024 Schneider Book Award.)
Tabor, Corey R. Fox has a problem. NY: Balzer & Bray, 2023. (2024 Theodor Seuss Geisel
Award)
Windness, Kaz. Worm and Caterpillar are friends. NY: Simon Spotlight, 2023.
(2024 Theodor Seuss Geisel honor book)
J – FICTION :
Anderson, M.T. (Tobin) Elf Dog & Owl Head. Illus. Junyi Wu. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick
Press, 2023. (2024 Newbery Honor Book)
Bow, Erin. Simon sort of says. NY: Disney/ Hyperion, 2023. (2024 Newbery Honor book,
Schneider Book Award)
Bell, Cece. El Deafo, superpowered edition. NY: Amulet books, 2023.
(Graphic novel. Won the 2015 Newbery honor medal and Eisner Award. Also 2024
Odyssey Recordings Award)
Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker. The Night War. NY: Dial books/ PenguinRandom House, 2024.
(Two times Newbery honor winner – and this one might get her a third.)
Brockenbrough, Martha. To catch a thief. NY: Scholastic press, 2023. (2024 Sid Fleischman
Award for humor. Unfortunately, it’s not funny, It’s a good read. It’s a good mystery,
but it’s not funny. I really don’t understand what humor the committee saw in this.)
Choldenko, Gennifer. The tenth mistake of Hank Hooperman. NY: Alfred A Knopf, 2024.
(excellent, although it ends positively, it made me cry = twice.)
Clayton, Dhonielle. The memory Thieves, a conjuror novel. (book 2) NY: Henry Holt & Co.,
2023.
Coe, Victoria. Fenway and the loudmouth bird, Make way for Fenway series. Illus. Joanne
Lew-Vriethoff. NY: Putnam/ Random, 2023. (2024 Golden Kite)
Durst, Sarah Beth. The spellshop, it takes a village to open a heart, and just one man to steal it.
NY: Bramble Book/ Tor, 2024. (Catalogued as Adult Fiction in San Diego, but it read
like a nice, clean young romance/ fantasy and I would have put it in either Youth (middle
school) or YA)
…. Spy Ring, can two friends find the treasure hidden by George Washington’s female spy?
NY: Clarion Books/ HarperCollins, 2024. (Catalogued as J Fiction)
Ecton, Emily. The great vandal scandal, companion to the Great pet heist. Illus. David Mottram.
NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2023. (2024 Golden Kite)
Eggers, Dave. The eyes & the impossible. NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 2023.
(2024 Newbery honor Award)
Hopson, Nasugraq Rainey. Eagle drums. NY: Roaring Brook Press, 2023. (2024 Newbery Honor
Book, American Indian in youth literature Award Honor, Notable book for a global
society, and more. Based on an Alaskan folktale by a Native American Inuplaq)
Magoon, Kekla. The Secret Library. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick, 2024.
(I predict lots of awards for this book, along with some controversy from the book
burners.)
Nayeri, Daniel. The many assassinations of Samir, the seller of dreams. Illus. Daniel Miyares.
Montclair: Levine Querido, 2023. (2024 Newbery Honor book)
Noah, Trevor. Into the uncut grass. Illus. Sabina Hahn. NY: One World/ Random House, 2024.
Phlean, Matt. A snow day for Plum! NY: Greenwillow books/ HarperCollins, 2023.
Pla, Sally. The fire, the water, and Maudie McGinn. NY: HarperCollins childrens, 2023.
(2024 ALA Schneider Book Award, and The One Book San Diego 2024)
Springer, Nancy. The case of the peculiar pink fan, an Enola Holmes Mystery. NY: Philomel
books, 2008. (now a movie along with the other Enola movies)
Strange, Lucy. Sisters of the lost marsh. NY: Chicken House/ Scholastic, 2021.
Valentine, Nicole. A time traveler’s theory of relativity. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books,
2019. (A great read for time traveling fans)
Yee, Lisa. The Misfits – a royal conundrum. (book 1) NY: Random House, 2024.
YA FICTION:
Boyce, Kristy. Dungeons and Drama. NY: Delacourt Press/ Random House, 2024.
(Even if you never have played D&D and never have participated in running a Play,
you’ll love this.)
J and Y NONFICTION
J 152.14 Perron, Lisa Varchol. Patterns everywhere. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press,
2023. (2024 Golden Kite award, finalist)
J 364.16 Day, Nicholas. The Mona Lisa vanishes - a legendary painter, a shocking heist,
and the birth of a global celebrity. Illus. Brett Helquist. NY: Random House Studio,
2023. (2024 Robert F Sibert Informational book award, Notable Children’s Books
award, Boston Globe/ Horn Book Award.)
J 614.518 Hopkinson, Deborah. The deadliest diseases then and now (true stories in focus).
NY: Focus/ Scholastic, 2021.
J 910.452 Sandler, Martin. Shipwrecked! Diving for hidden time capsules on the ocean
floor. Astra Young Readers, 2023. (2024 Robert F Sibert Informational book award)
J 940.64864 Fleming, Candace. The Enigma girls, how ten teenagers broke ciphers, kept
secrets, and helped win World War II. NY: Scholastic Focus, 2024.
(2024 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Robert F. Sibert honor book, Los Angeles Times book prize for Young Adult literature.)
PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHIES:
JB Abzug Aronson, Sarah. Abzuglutely! Battling, bellowing Bella Abzug. NY: Calkins
Creek/ Astra Books for young readers, 2024.
JB Baker. McDaniel, Breanna. Go forth and Tell – the life of Augusta Baker, librarian and
master storyteller. Illus. April Harrison. NY: Dial Books/ PenguinRandom, 2024.
JB Bartali Hoyt, Megan. Bartali’s Bicycle, the true story of Gino Bartali, Italy’s secret hero.
NY: Quill Tree Books / HarperCollins, 2021.
JB Cage Rogers, Lisa. Beautiful Noise, the music of John Cage. Illus. Ill Sung Na.
NY: Anne Schwartz books/ Penguin Random, 2023. (2024 Golden Kite Honor)
JB Caldecott Markel, Michell. Tomfoolery! Randolph Caldecott and the rambunctious
coming-of-age of children’s books. Illus. Barbara McClintcock. San Francisco:
Chronicle books, 2023. (2024 Golden Kite Award)
JB Child, Prudhomme, Alex. Julia Child becomes ‘The French Chef.’ Illus. Sarah
Green. NY: Calkins Creek/ Astra BFYR, 2022.
JB Cox Weatherford, Carole Boston. How do you spell Unfair!, MacNolia Cox and the national spelling bee. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick, 2024.
(2024 Coretta Scott King author honor book)
JB Kumar Gopal, Jyoti Rajan. Desert queen. Illus. Svabhu Kohli. Montclair: Levin Querdo,
2023.
JB Mitchell. Wallmark, Laurie. Her eyes on the stars, Maria Mitchell, Astronomer.
Illus. Liz Wong. Minneapolis, MN: Creston Books, 2023.
(backmatter extends onto the endpapers. NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book.)
JB Ormes. Todd, Traci N. Holding her own, the exceptional life of Jackie Ormes.
Illus. Shannon Wright. NY: Orchard/ Scholastic, 2023.
(2024 Corretta Scott King Award.)
JB Polgar. Wallmark, Laurie. The Queen of Chess, how Judit Polgar Changed the Game. Illus. Stevie Lewis. NY: Little Bee Books, 2023.
JB Valdovinos. Salazar, Aida. Jovita wore pants, the story of a Mexican freedom fighter.
Illus. Molly Mendooza. NY: Scholastic Press, 2023. (2024 Caldecott Honor)
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