Holiday books: 24 wonderful new books for kids

“Six of Crows” by Leigh Bardugo

(Macmillan)

This bestselling book by Leigh Bardugo kicks off a new series in her fantastical world with a band of misfits undertaking a risky heist. (14 and up)

“The Conjurer’s Riddle” by Andrea Cremer

(Philomel)

A young woman leads a band of steampunk rebels in this alternate history, in which the British prevailed during the American Revolution; the sequel to “The Inventor’s Secret.” (12 and up)

“Untwine”

(Scholastic)

The first YA novel from MacArthur “Genius” Fellow Danticat is about Haitian American sisters — identical twins — told from the point of view of one who’s hospitalized. (age 13-18)

“The Rose Society”

(Putnam)

The second novel in the “Young Elites” series by bestselling author Lu finds antihero Adelina, driven by dark emotions, forming an uneasy alliance to do battle. (13 and up)

“Winter” by Marissa Meyer

(Feiwel & Friends)

The final installment in the “Lunar Chronicle” series remaking classic fairy tales pits a princess against her stepmother, the queen. (age 12-18)

“The Rest of Us Just Live Here” by Patrick Ness

(HarperTeen)

Gently ribbing the tropes of bestselling YA — chosen ones, vampire crushes — this tells the story of a normal high school senior trying to make his way in the real world. (13 and up)

(Quirk Books)

The magical, odd children of the bestselling series, illustrated by eerie and surreal photographs, try to stop a madman and save their headmistress. (13 and up)

Black Widow: Forever Red
Margaret Stohl

(Marvel)

A YA novel of Marvel’s Black Widow explains her backstory for Avengers fans old and new. (age 12-18)

“Honor Girl” by Maggie Thrash

(Candlewick)

At 15, Thrash went to Christian summer camp and, contrary to its gentile Southern traditions, she fell in love with a counselor — a young woman. (14 and up)

“Crenshaw”

(Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group)

Newbery Medal winner Applegate tells the story of a young boy who, when his family is threatened with homelessness, finds solace in his imaginary friend, a cat. (age 8-12)

“It’s Your World” by Chelsea Clinton

(Penguin Young Readers)

The former first daughter urges kids to make a difference in their communities by working on issues such as education, poverty and climate change. (10 and up)

“The After-Room”

(G.P. Putnam’s Sons BFYR)

The final book in a bestselling trilogy finds magical children Janie and Benjamin in the 1950s, fighting against nuclear weapons and trying to help friends in trouble. (10 and up)

“House of Robots” by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein

(Little, Brown and Company)

The second in Patterson’s humorous kids series sees young Sammy’s invention, a robot named E, fill in for his sister at school — until it breaks down. (age 8-12)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
The Illustrated Edition
J.K. Rowling, illustrated by Jim Kay

(Scholastic)

A new lushly illustrated edition of the Harry Potter novel that started it all. (8 and up)

“The Marvels” by Brian Selznick

(Scholastic Inc.)

Perfect for middle-school bookworms, this heavily illustrated 672-page novel by the creator of “Hugo” tells the story of an acting family in 18th- and 19th-century London. (10 and up)

“Secret Coders” by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes

(First Second Books)

Yang, winner of the LA Times Book Prize and a former computer science teacher, pens this graphic novel about a coding school for kids that contains more than a few mysteries. (age 8-12)

Big Bear Little Chair
Lizi Boyd

(Chronicle)

A stylish, playful book from bestseller Boyd that contrasts big and little for tiny tots. (age 3-5)

“The Very Hungry Caterpillar” Board Book and Holiday Ornament

(Penguin Young Readers)

This board book of the beloved colorful caterpillar comes with a cute wormy apple decoration for the Christmas tree. (age 1-3)

“Mixed Me!” by Taye Diggs

(Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group)

The “Private Practice” star’s career as as an author is off and running with his second children’s book, about an irrepressible mixed-race boy named Mike. (age 4-8)

The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep

(Crown)

Parents have made this book — newly translated from Swedish into English — into a worldwide bestseller over its reputation for putting kids to sleep. (age 3-7)

“Pippi Longstocking: The Strongest Girl in the World” by Astrid Lindgren

(Drawn and Quarterly)

For her 70th anniversary, everyone’s favorite pigtailed redhead returns in the complete paperback edition of these vintage comics. (age 4-8)

“Mango, Abuela, and Me” by Meg Medina, illustrated by Angela Dominguez

(Candlewick Press)

In a book that blends the two languages, Mia helps teach her grandmother English, and her abuela helps teach her Spanish, with a little help from a colorful parrot. (age 5-8)

“The Little Tree” by Muon Van

(Creston Books)

A story about a tree and the seed she sends away, which works as a gentle allegory for migration and family. (age 3 and up)

The Story of Diva and Flea
Mo Willems

(Disney Publishing)

A French dog and street cat become friends in Paris. (age 6-8)