My Favorite Reads of 2021

My Recommended Reads of 2021

Every year I put together a list of my favorite children’s books I read that year.

As in previous years, the books are broken down into age categories. This is definitely to make it easier for you to find appropriate books and not because I’m incapable of whittling the list down to something reasonable.

Books can make a great gift for kids, but with the supply chain delays this year, consider giving a gift card to your local Indie bookstore or bookshop.com.

Babies and Toddlers

Board books have chunky, easy-to-turn pages and short text that works well for babies and toddlers.

Board book recommendations, ages 0-2. CIRCLE UNDER BERRY by Carter Higgins and B IS FOR BABY by Atinuke and Angela Brooksbank

Circle Under Berry By Carter Higgins

B is for Baby by Atinuke and Angela Brooksbank

Picture Books

Picture books is often what people think of as “children’s books.” They’re short, fully illustrated, and great for reading aloud.

Fiction Picture books

Recommended reads for Fiction Picture book , ages 3-8. SOMETHING HAPPENED IN OUR TOWN by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and ann Hazzard.
DON'T HUG DOUG by Carrie Finnison and Daniel Wiseman
ON ACCOUNT OF THE GUM by Adam Rex
SECRET, SECRET AGENT GUY by Kira Bigwood and Celia Krampien

Something Happened In Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard

Don’t Hug Doug (He Doesn’t Like It) by Carrie Finnison and Daniel Wiseman

On Account of the Gum by Adam Rex

Secret, Secret Agent Guy by Kira Bigwood and Celia Krampien

Nonfiction Picture Books

Recommended reads for Nonfiction Picture Book, ages 4-8.
THE GIRL WHO NAMED PLUTO: THE STORY OF VENETIA BURNEY by Alice B McGinty and Elizabeth Haidle
SURVIVOR TREE by Marcie Colleen and Aaron Becker
BARTALI'S BICYCLE: THE TRUE STORY OF GINO BARTALI, ITALY'S SECRET HERO by Megan Hoyt and Iacopo Bruno
LET LIBERTY RISE!: HOW AMERICA'S SCHOOLCHILDREN HELPED SAVE THE STATUE OF LIBERTY by Chana Stiefel and Chuck Groenink

The Girl Who Named Pluto: The Story of Venetia Burney by Alice B. McGinty and Elizabeth Haidle

Survivor Tree by Marcie Colleen and Aaron Becker

Bartali’s Bicycle: The True Story of Gino Bartali, Italy’s Secret Hero by Megan Hoyt and Iacopo Bruno

Let Liberty Rise!: How America’s Schoolchildren Helped Save the Statue of Liberty by Chana Stiefel and Chuck Groenink

Middle Grade

Middle grade is usually what people think of for “children’s novels.”

Middle Grade Novels

Recommended reads for Middle Grade Novel, ages 8-12.
Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera 
e Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family by Sarah Kapit
Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park
Planet Earth is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos

Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera

The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family by Sarah Kapit

Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park

Planet Earth is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos

Middle Grade Graphic Novels

Recommended reads for Middle Grade Graphic Novel, ages 8-12.
Twins: A Graphic Novel by Varian Johnson and Shannon Wright 
The Leak by Kate Reed Petty and Andrea Bell 
When Stars are Scattered by Omar Mohamed and Victoria Jamieson 
ll Summer Long by Hope Larson

Twins: A Graphic Novel by Varian Johnson and Shannon Wright

The Leak by Kate Reed Petty and Andrea Bell

When Stars are Scattered by Omar Mohamed and Victoria Jamieson

All Summer Long by Hope Larson

Young Adult

Young adult is written with teen protagonists, but many adults read them too.

Recommended reads for Young Adult Books, ages 13+. 
The Inheritance Games (series) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 
Go With the Flow (graphic novel) by Karen Schneemann and Lily Williams 
Cemetery Boys by Aidan Thomas
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

The Inheritance Games (series) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Go With the Flow (graphic novel) by Karen Schneemann and Lily Williams

Cemetery Boys by Aidan Thomas

Truly Devious (series) by Maureen Johnson

More Book Recommendations

Want more book recommendations? I have plenty!

2020 Gift List of Books For Kids
2019 Kids books for every age and stage
2018 List of Books to give to kids: Kids books for every age and stage: Baby to Teen and everything in between

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