New year, new books! Check out our picks of 10 cool January releases.
The Friendship War by Andrew Clements (out 1/8)
When Grace takes boxes of old buttons from a building her grandfather bought, she starts a fad at school that draws her closer to one friend, but further from another.
Never Caught, the Story of Ona Judge: George and Martha Washington’s Courageous Slave Who Dared to Run Away by Erica Armstrong Dunbar & Kathleen Van Cleeve (out 1/8)
A young reader’s edition of the National Book Award Finalist for Nonfiction traces the life of Ona Judge, a slave to George and Martha Washington who made the brave decision to escape to fugitive life in the North.
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart (out 1/8)
Living on the road in an old school bus with her dad after losing her mother and sisters, 12-year-old Coyote devises an elaborate plan to convince her father to make a first trip home to Washington state in five years, a journey marked by an eclectic group of passengers they meet along the way.
Max & the Midknights by Lincoln Peirce (out 1/8)
Aspiring knight Max teams up with a band of brave adventurers, the Midknights, on a madcap quest to save a kidnapped relative from a cruel king who is driving all the happiness out of the realm of Byjovia.
There Are No Bears in This Bakery by Julia Sarcone-Roach (out 1/8)
When Muffin, a cat, hears a suspicious noise at the Little Bear Bakery, his investigation reveals a hungry bear cub.
Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpre by Anika Aldamuy Denise & Paola Escobar (out 1/15)
A lyrical picture book portrait of New York City’s first Puerto Rican librarian describes how Pura Belpré moved to America in 1921 and became an influential writer and puppeteer who is celebrated for championing bilingual literature.
Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee (out 1/15)
Longing for adventure in the Thousand Worlds, away from the strict rules that force her to hide her descendancy from fox spirits, 13-year-old Min embarks on a quest to find her brother, who has been accused of abandoning his post to search for a mystical object of power.
I Heart Art: The Work We Love from the Metropolitan Museum of Art (out 1/15)
A chunky book featuring images of more than 120 beloved works from the Metropolitan Museum of Art is thematically organized under such subjects as people, animals, places and transportation and is complemented by brief introductory text.
Who Has Wiggle-waggle Toes? By Vicky Shiefman & Francesa Chessa (out 1/15)
Who says you have to sit still at story time? This book encourages toddlers and preschoolers to shimmy, shake, and stomp along with a story that’s both fun and filled with layers of learning!
Bear Needs Help by Sarah S. Brannen (out 1/22)
Needing help with his untied shoe, a lumbering young polar bear inadvertently scares away the other animals he approaches for help before two plucky birds step up with some friendly, if unconventional, advice.
