Best books for toddlers, young readers, teens: A holiday guide

Side by side photos of Reese Witherspoon, Max Greenfield and Ada Limón.

By Lorraine Berry

Nov. 25, 2024 3 AM PT

Reese Witherspoon, Trevor Noah and Max Greenfield are out with new kids books.
Poet laureate Ada Limón has a soothing bedtime story for little ones.
Marisha Pessl delivers a smart novel that teens won’t be able to put down.

Are you looking for the next great book to give to a child in your life? From toddler to YA, The Times has you covered with recent offerings that make for fine gifts and family reads.

Among them: Books from Reese Witherspoon, who returns with another captivating “Busy Betty” adventure; Trevor Noah, who delivers an all-ages fable about maternal love and a child’s creativity, and Max Greenfield, who tells the story of the anxious Max, who just can’t fall asleep. Songwriter JD McPherson makes kids laugh with his ode to the holiday’s most dreaded (but useful!) gift, and U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón turns her Jupiter-bound poem into a work of wonder for kids of all ages.

Exceptional works by noted children’s authors abound here: Teen readers will get lost in novels whose plots take place in settings that include a possible future climate for our planet, an empire under threat, secret locations during World War II, inside the Gothic house of a cult writer, and on the road with a touring musician.

The books are a pirate’s chest of treasures for kids, whether they’re being read to by adults, or independent readers seeking laughs and adventure. Panthers and pine cones, ravens, little deer, elephants and dragons offer their company for curious kids, while some of the difficult things about being a youngster are made easier by stories that offer comfort. And mysterious strangers lie behind the doors of an old hotel.

Escapades await in these books.

The cover of Trevor Noah's book "Into the Uncut Grass." A boy and his teddy walk through grass

“Into the Uncut Grass”
By Trevor Noah (writer) and Sabina Hahn (illustrator)
One World: 128 pages, $26 | On Bookshop.org

Trevor Noah, the former “Daily Show” host and memoirist, worked in close collaboration with Hahn to bring to life a modern fable about obligations and adventures and familial love. A little boy and his bear, Walter, resent Saturday morning chores. They decide to run away into an enchanted land where magical creatures provide entertainment but also life lessons on choices and the people who love us. Inspired by his own childhood struggles with his mother’s rules, Noah offers this book in recognition of all that she taught him.

An illustration of a night sky with yellow circles in different sizes sprinkled around it and a green ribbon runs through it.

The cover of "In Praise of Mystery" shows an illustration of a person in a basket with an open book as a balloon above Earth.

“In Praise of Mystery”
By Ada Limón (writer) and Peter Sis (illustrator)
Norton Young Readers; 32 pages, $19 | On Bookshop.org

In October, NASA launched the Europa Clipper to explore Jupiter and its moons. America’s poet laureate, the incandescent Ada Limón, was asked to write a poem that would be inscribed on the spacecraft. Now, accompanied by stellar illustrations from Peter Sis, it has been issued as a children’s book. A soothing story to send little ones on their sleep journeys.

Poonam Mistry's "The Midnight Panther" tells of a black cat that feels plain next to his striped and spotted cousins.

The cover of Poonam Mistry's "The Midnight Panther" shows a stylized panther and orange flowers.

“The Midnight Panther”
By Poonam Mistry
Candlewick Press; 48 pages, $19 | On Bookshop.org

In one of the fall’s most delightful picture books, a sad black panther feels unseen and unloved because he is so plain next to his big cat cousins’ stripes and spots. But the moon illuminates the secret of his own beauty, and teaches Panther to love himself. Mistry’s illustrations provide multiple patterns of light and color for kids to explore. A stunningly beautiful book.

An illustration of a blue skinned sad child's face under a blue blanket.

The cover of "Good Night Thoughts" is an illustration of a sad blue children in bed holding a teddy.

“Good Night Thoughts”
By Max Greenfield (writer) and James Serafino (illustrator)
G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers; 32 pages, $19 | On Bookshop.org

If you, or a child in your life, are plagued by running thoughts that prevent you from going to sleep, this book by “New Girl” actor Max Greenfield is for both of you. James Serafino’s art crowds the first pages as Greenfield’s character gallops behind his anxious brain. But as the little boy practices skills for calming himself, shades of blue accompany him into sleep.

The cover of "Busy Betty & the Perfect Christmas Present" shows a girl in a party outfit with a dog and a plate of treats.

“Busy Betty & the Perfect Christmas Present”
By Reese Witherspoon (writer) and Xindi Yan (illustrator)
Flamingo Books; 40 pages, $20 | On Bookshop.org

Reese Witherspoon continues her popular “Busy Betty” series with this Christmas sugary goodness. When Betty discovers she has no money to buy gifts for her family, she and best friend, Mae, decide to convert their lemonade stand into a cookie stand. When Frank the dog gets into the Christmas spirit, mayhem ensues, and Betty uses her problem-solving skills for a perfect solution. Yan’s illustrations capture Busy Betty’s energy.

Cover of "Raven Gets Tricked" shows an illustration of a raven in a tree and a deer near a basket amid snow.

“Raven Gets Tricked”
By Andrea Fritz
Orca Books: 32 pages, $22 | On Bookshop.org

Spaal’ the Raven and Smuy the little deer are neighbors who live next to the Salish Sea. The little deer struggles to find food as winter approaches, and her raven friend refuses to share its bounty. In this tale accompanied by her own gorgeous illustrations, Fritz presents children with a common problem: How do any of us get our friends to share? Smuy offers a clever exchange to Spaal’, and this comic tale is inspired by the Pacific Northwest’s Coast Salish culture.

The cover of "A Voice in the Storm" shows an illustrated bear and a rat in a storm.

“A Voice in the Storm”
By Karl James Mountford
Candlewick Press; 40 pages, $19 | On Bookshop.org

Mountford captures the inexpressibility of emotions when one is small. In this forest fable, Rat panics when her friend Jackdaw sees that she is sad and runs off into the woods just as a huge storm moves in. Rat nearly comes to harm, but then encounters Bear, who offers company while they wait out the thunder. As Bear helps her talk about her fears, Rat gains the courage to tell her friends about her scary feelings.

“Grampy’s Chair”
By Rebecca Thomas (writer) and Coco Apunnguaq Lynge (illustrator)
Annick Press; 40 pages, $19 | On Bookshop.org

The holidays are a time for family joy, but they can also bring fresh pain for those who’ve lost a loved one in the previous year. Thomas and Lynge combine to illustrate loss as told by Grampy’s chair. The chair watches over “My Love,” the little girl who misses the grandfather who treasured her. The tale moves from the loneliness of a young girl’s grief into her pleasures provided by memories and the embrace of a chair that continues to hold her as she grows.

The cover “Socks: A Kid’s Christmas Lament” is an illustration of a child in Pjs holding red socks near a Christmas tree.

“Socks: A Kid’s Christmas Lament”
By JD McPherson (writer) and Anika Orrock (illustrator)
Walker Books US; 40 pages, $16 | On Bookshop.org

Songwriter JD McPherson worked with Anika Orrock to craft this fun holiday read about gift-list expectations. A little kid who sneaks down the stairs early Christmas morning launches into a funny rant when he discovers socks. But as the sun comes up and he notices his family gathering around the tree, he sees that maybe socks make a great gift after all.

An illustrated spread from Devin Elle Kurtz's book "The Bakery Dragon" shows dragons making bread.

The cover of "The Bakery Dragon" is an illustration of a small dragon looking up at a pile of baked goods.

“The Bakery Dragon”
By Devin Elle Kurtz
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers; 48 pages, $19 | On Bookshop.org

Ember the tiny dragon wishes to be like the other dragons, who all possess hoards of gold that they guard with their great fire-breathing strength. One night, a new type of gold attracts his attention. It’s the golden pastries and breads within the shop of a kind-hearted baker. Milk and cookies will make a great accompaniment for those sharing this tale full of Kurtz’s delectable illustrations of baked goods and the sweet lessons Ember learns about kindness.

The cover of "A Pinecone!" is an illustration of a child gathering pinecones from a tree.

“A Pinecone!”
By Helen Yoon
Candlewick Press: 32 pages, $19 | On Bookshop.org

Going for a walk with a child is to discover a whole world that you no longer see. Yoon captures the comedy as a little girl focuses all of her attention on picking up pine cones while in the background chaos, her dad struggles to control a rambunctious, muddy dog. Daddy’s attention on the dog means that he fails to notice just how many pine cones a determined little girl can find. Yoon’s story is pure joy.

The cover of “When the Stammer Came to Stay” is an illustration of a boy and girl standing alongside a door.

“When the Stammer Came to Stay”
By Maggie O’Farrell (writer) and Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini (illustrator)
Walker Books US; 72 pages, $19 | On Bookshop.org

American readers may know O’Farrell best for her Women’s Fiction Prize for 2020’s “Hamnet”. Although she has written previous books for children, this is her most personal. Warmly illustrated by Terrazzini, it’s the tale of Min and Bea, two sisters who go in search of answers. Min entertains her family with her stories, but when she develops a stammer, she retreats. O’Farrell teaches children how to accommodate the differences that are a part of all of us.

The cover of "The Hotel Balzaar" is an illustration of a girl with a parrot on her shoulder while she leans on a balustrade

“The Hotel Balzaar”
By Kate DiCamillo (writer) and Júlia Sardà (illustrator)
Candlewick Press; 160 pages, $18 | On Bookshop.org

Two-time Newbery winner DiCamillo returns with this delightful story about Marta, who lives at the titular hotel. Her mother works in housekeeping, and Marta spends her days talking to guests and roaming the halls. When she meets the countess and Blitzkopf the parrot, the magical stories she hears helps her to solve a painful mystery. Black-and-white drawings by Sardà create a Gothic atmosphere.

“Heir”
By Sabaa Tahir
G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers; 512 pages, $22 | On Bookshop.org

National Book Award winner Tahir garnered a vast teen audience with her “An Ember in the Ashes” fantasy series. In “Heir” she returns to the same world to tell a new story. The journeys of Aiz, Sirsha and Quil — an orphan, an outcast and a prince — intertwine as they confront evil. In search of a killer who preys on children and is the scourge of the Empire, they must each overcome individual challenges and brave life-threatening danger against the forces of power and greed. This is another page-turning fantasy thriller from a star writer.

“The Bletchley Riddle”
By Ruta Sepetys and Steven Steinkin
Viking Books for Young Readers; 400 pages, $19 | On Bookshop.org

Bletchley House, the secret location of Britain’s World War II code-breaking team led by Alan Turing, is the setting for this exciting historical fiction novel co-written by Sepetys and Steinkin about Jakob Novis, a 19-year-old who works on the campus, and his 14-year-old sister Lizzie. While Jakob bends his brain cracking codes, Lizzie is immersed in her own puzzle: What has become of Wilma, their mother, last seen in Poland? Riddles upon riddles drive the plot forward, and as Nazi bombs rain down on England, can Lizzie and Jakob save all that they love?

“Under All the Lights”
By Maya Ameyaw
Annick Press; 320 pages, $20 | On Bookshop.org

Ollie Cheriet is living out his dreams of stardom after one of his songs goes viral. Sent out on a music tour and offered a record deal that would help his financially challenged family, he should be on top of the world, but anxiety and stage fright create seemingly insurmountable barriers for the young performer. He finds companionship with his touring partner, Jesse. As his relationship with Jesse grows, he is confronted by homophobic fans and the burden of fame while he explores his bisexuality.

The cover of "Dust" is an illustration of a young woman's face in an orange cast.

“Dust”
By Alison Stine
Wednesday Books; 320 pages, $20 | On Bookshop.org

Stine’s adult novels have brilliantly imagined climate futures. Her first YA title continues these themes through the eyes of Thea, whose family farms in drought-stricken Colorado. Home-schooled by her parents, Thea, who like Stine is hard of hearing, is further isolated by her parents’ refusal to adapt to her disability. With the farm failing, Thea gets a job at a cafe where she meets Ray, who uses sign language because of his own deafness. Stine has penned a compelling novel about love and a world decoded with new language.

The cover of "Darkly" is an illustration of an hour glass surrounded by an ornate frame.

“Darkly”
By Marisha Pessl
Delacort Press; 416 pages; $20 | On Bookshop.org

Pessl burst upon the adult literary scene with her debut, “Special Topics in Calamity Physics,” her ubersmart twisty murder novel. “Darkly” is a YA ubersmart twisty novel about a group of teenagers chosen to find a beloved late author’s missing manuscript. Isolated on an island off the English coast where the author had lived in a labyrinthine mansion, the teens must work together while competing separately for a life-changing amount of money. This is the book that will keep teens reading far into the night.

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