2024 Staff Picks for Kids

Picture and chapter book readers alike are sure to find reads on this year’s Staff Picks list of children’s titles. Dive into beautiful artwork, magical worlds, adventure, and more!

Be sure to also check out our Staff Picks lists for Teens and Adults to find fresh reads for the other readers in your life. And if you’re looking for more recommendations for your young reader(s), subscribe to our genre-specific newsletters, browse thousands of read-alikes and mood-inspired recommendations on Novelist, or try our My Next Read service to receive a custom list of titles from one of our librarians. HCPL’s littlest readers can also sign up for our 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge to help develop their reading skills and love of books! Browse our conveniently curated book kits to get started.

PICTURE BOOKS

• Ahoy! by Sophie Blackall – recommended by Fritz D. at Sandston
• The Artivist by Nikkolas Smith – recommended by Alicia A. at Library Administration
  • A young boy uses art to facilitate change in his community. As you might guess, the art is fantastic.
• The Bakery Dragon by Devin Elle Kurtz – recommended by Rachel S. at Fairfield
• Be, Black Girl, Be by Taylor Darks – recommended by Naila P. at Tuckahoe
  • A simply wonderful book highlighting the joys and beauties of being a Black girl in the world. The calming, vibrant illustrations pair well with poetic messages of assurance, affirmation and well-being. 
• BIG by Vashti Harrison – recommended by Amanda S. at Library Administration
• Catside Up, Catside Down: A Book of Prepositions by Anna Hrachovec – recommended by Lisa K. at Glen Allen
  • Tiny knitted cats adorably illustrate new words and concepts.
• Five Stories by Ellen Weinstein – recommended by Marie R. at Gayton
• The Honeybee by Kirsten Hall, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault – recommended by Drew C. at Gayton
  • This book explains the basics about bees, including how they pollinate, how they dance to give directions to other bees, how they make honey, and how readers can help bees thrive. The energetic, fast-paced rhymes, combined with the colorful illustrations that radiate joy, are guaranteed to have you smiling after the first page or two. A wonderful delight of a book.
• Ho'onani: Hula Warrior by Heather Gale – recommended by Kareemah H. at Varina
  • Based on a true story, Ho'onani: Hula Warrior is a celebration of Hawaiian culture and an empowering story of a girl who learns to lead and accept who she really is--and in doing so, gains the respect of those around her.

• The Leaf Thief  by Alice Hemming – recommended by Lauren M. at Libbie Mill
• Luigi, the Spider Who Wanted to Be a Kitten by Michelle Knudsen – recommended by Ashby C. at Gayton
• Millie Fleur's Poison Garden by Christy Mandin – recommended by Kendall H. at Library Administration
• The More You Give by Marcy Campbell – recommended by Courtney M. at North Park
• Mr. S by Monica Arnaldo – recommended by Rachel P. at Tuckahoe
• My Powerful Hair by Carole Lindstrom – recommended by Aimee H. at Glen Allen
• Pride and Joy: A Story About Becoming an LGBTQIA+ Ally by Frank J. Sileo – recommended by Beth C. at Fairfield
  • A story about standing up to bullies and being an advocate for this community to stop the hate that's still continually spreading.
• The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad – recommended by Cammy K. at Varina
• Remember by Joy Harjo illustrated by Michaela Goade – recommended by Kelsey C. at Varina
• Roy is Not a Dog by Esmé Shapiro – recommended by Logan F. at Gayton
• Sinclair: The Velociraptor Who Thought He Was a Chicken by Douglas Rees – recommended by Bunny H. at Twin Hickory
• Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book!) by Julie Falatko – recommended by Genevieve H. at Gayton
• Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry – recommended by Bridget O. at Gayton
• We Are Definitely Human: A Book by X. Fang– recommended by Amy C. at Tuckahoe
  • A delightfully humorous picture book that illustrates kindness and acceptance.
• We Want a Dog by Lo Cole – recommended by Gina F. at Gayton
  • A fun, frolicking book full of doggie antics and clever rhymes. A great read for dog lovers of any age!
• What's Inside a Bird's Nest: And Other Questions about Nature & Life Cycles by Rachel Ignotofsky – recommended by Barbra S. at North Park
  • What I love about this gorgeously illustrated picture book is just how accessible the information is for pre-schoolers to early elementary-aged children. It can be read simply or children can dig more deeply into the schematics and further reading recommendations with their adults. 
• The Wishing Flower by A.J. Irving and Kip Alizadeh – recommended by Audrey R. at Libbie Mill
  • This title really captures the innocence and joy of children, friendship, and what relationships are like for young children.

CHILDREN'S

• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery – recommended by Gina F. at Gayton
• Baby-Sitters Little Sister: Karen’s School Picture by Katy Farina – recommended by Bridget O. at Gayton
• The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Sophie Blackall – recommended by Savannah T. at North Park
  • A medieval story that follows the mysterious journey of Beatryce, a young girl who has the gift of writing, reading, and prophecy. She forges a friendship with a goat named Answelica, a sad monk, and a young boy with a sword, all of which help her on her long mission to confront the King. 
• Black Star by Kwame Alexander – recommended by Drew C. at Gayton
  • In this historical fiction pick written in verse and set in the 1920s, Charley Cuffey is a girl who spends her days throwing wicked fastballs in neighborhood baseball games and listening intently to her grandfather’s stories of their family’s African heritage. Alexander excels at creating memorable characters you care about as well as sprinkling lots of historical references throughout the plot. Charley’s is a story that sticks with you.
• Boy 2.0 by Tracey Baptiste – recommended by Alicia A. at Library Administration
  • I love a good superhero story! After landing in his latest foster home, Coal learns that he can turn invisible. A hopeful and heartwarming tale.
• The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: 14 Amazing Authors Tell the Tales by Chris Van Allsburg – recommended by Julie S. at Glen Allen
  • Fourteen tales based on illustrations as imagined by fourteen esteemed authors. Phantasmagorical!
• Coraline by Neil Gaiman – recommended by Ray K. at Fairfield
  • A well-constructed world and compelling narrative to get lost in.  
• Curlfriends: New in Town by Sharee Miller – recommended by Beth C. at Fairfield
  • You don’t have to change yourself to make others like you. If they don’t like you for who you are, they don’t deserve your friendship.
• D&D Dungeon Club: Time to Party by Molly Knox Ostertag; illustrated by Xanthe Bouma – recommended by Naila P. at Tuckahoe
  • Friendship, identity, and teamwork are just a few of the main themes spotlighted in this captivating, imaginative graphic novel. Readers following the story are encouraged to dream big, embrace incoming change, and stay true to themselves.
• Detective Beans: The Case of the Missing Hat by Li Chen – recommended by Lisa K. at Glen Allen & Rachel S. at Fairfield
• Ferris by Kate DiCamillo – recommended by Amy C. at Tuckahoe
  • A quirky, heartwarming middle-grade novel.
• Garlic and Vampire by Bree Paulsen – recommended by Savannah C. at Library Administration
• Garlic and the Witch by Bree Paulsen – recommended by Laren V. at Libbie Mill
• The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett – recommended by Kendall H. at Library Administration
• Haven: A Small Cat's Big Adventure by Megan Wagner Lloyd - recommended by Bunny H. at Twin Hickory
• Hike It: An Introduction to Camping, Hiking, and Backpacking in the U.S.A. by Iron Tazz – recommended by Courtney M. at North Park
• The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo – recommended by Trisha K. at Fairfield
  • I really liked this title because it felt like a modern interpretation of a classic storytelling style, and I thought the ending was really sweet!
• Knightley Academy by Violet Haberdasher – recommended by Kathryn K. at Tuckahoe
• Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall by Lynn Brunelle — recommended by Ben O. at Gayton
  • This was a fascinating book packed with information and facts. Best of all, it was succinct and understandable without being oversimplified.
• Lion Dancers by Cai Tse – recommended by Nideria B. at Varina
• Lost and Found by Shaun Tan – recommended by Jason T. at Fairfield
  • Tan challenges us to look more closely and remember what we lose in the humdrum of life. 
• Matilda by Roald Dahl – recommended by Genevieve H. at Gayton
• Mexikid by Pedro Martín – recommended by Amanda S. at Library Administration
• The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon – recommended by Kelsey C. at Varina
  • The audiobook is definitely worth the listen—McKinnon and her sister narrate it in her trademark humorous style!
• Odder by Katherine Applegate – recommended by Ashby C. at Gayton
• Orris and Timble by Kate DiCamillo – recommended by Marie R. at Gayton & Erica T. at Glen Allen
• The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko – recommended by Logan F. at Gayton & Mary S. at Tuckahoe
• When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed– recommended by Cammy K. at Varina