For Kids
Children's Books for Year Round Gift Giving
Share a book with a child and give them the key to learning, discovering and the joy of being a lifelong reader. Chicago Public Library recommends these books, all published in 2012, as wonderful gifts for the special kids in your life at any time of the year.
We hope you will continue to visit the Chicago Public Library where you can make a difference by getting a library card and using it, reading aloud with a child twenty minutes a day and having these and other wonderful books in your home.
For Young Book Lovers | Stupendous Stories for Older Readers | Intriguing Information | For Reading and Sharing with the Whole Family
For Young Book Lovers
Another Brother
By Matthew Cordell
Feiwel & Friends, Ages 4-6
Being the oldest isn’t as easy as Davy thought, especially in a copycat family of funny sheep, but he’ll soon discover it can also be wonderful.
Boy + Bot
By Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino
Knopf, Ages 2-5
Sometimes it’s our differences that can bring us together as one young boy and his new best robot friend learn.
Builder Bugs
By David A. Carter
Little Simon, Ages 2-5
Bugs are digging, moving and hammering away in this pop-up book for the littlest construction workers.
Demolition
By Sally Sutton, illustrated by Brian Lovelock
Candlewick, Ages 3-5
These action filled rhymes depict destruction and construction as workers bring one building down and raise something special in its place: “Bang! CLANG! CRACK!"
The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?
By Mo Willems
Hyperion, Ages 2-6
Why can’t Pigeon ever get what he wants, even when he asks very politely?
Fire! ¡Fuego! Brave Bomberos
By Susan Middleton Elya, illustrated by Dan Santat
Bloomsbury, Ages 3-6
Read this rapido and experience all the aspects of the important job of being a firefighter.
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs
By Mo Willems
Balzer + Bray, Ages 4-8
This fractured and very funny take on a familiar story shows what can happen when a poorly supervised girl comes across some hungry but forgetful dinos.
Huff & Puff
By Claudia Rueda
Abrams, Ages 2-6
Take a deep breath and get ready as this interactive take on the classic tale of three pigs and one wolf will blow you away.
I Know a Wee Piggy
By Kimberly Norman, illustrated by Henry Cole
Dial, Ages 3-5
Follow this wily piggy all around a colorful country fair à la I-know-an-old-lady-who-swallowed-a-fly.
Let’s Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy
By Jan Thomas
Beach Lane, Ages 2-5
Will Cowboy be brave enough to sing his cows to sleep on this dark, dark night?
Lola Reads to Leo
By Anna McQuinn, illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw
Charlesbridge, Ages 2-5
Lola is a big help to Mommy and Daddy when taking care of the new baby by sharing her very favorite stories.
Rocket Writes a Story
By Tad Hills
Schwartz & Wade, Ages 4-8
After gaining some important and fun literacy skills in How Rocket Learned to Read this adorable pup and his favorite teacher are back and want to tell you all about it.
Surfer Chick
By Kristy Dempsey, illustrated by Henry Cole
Abrams, Ages 3-7
When her legendary dad teaches her to surf will Chick wipeout or ride some gnarly waves?
Z is for Moose
By Kelly Bingham, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
Greenwillow, Ages 4-8
Hey, Moose, this zany alphabet book isn’t all about “U”!
Stupendous Stories for Older Readers
Captain Awesome series
By Stan Kirby, illustrated by George O'Connor
Little Simon, Ages 5-9
Being the new kid in town can be hard, unless you have a superhero alter-ego, a partner in crime fighting, and a mission to "stop evil from eviling." MI-TEE!
Drama
By Raina Telgemeier
Graphix, Ages 10-13
Callie juggles all the drama surrounding her middle school musical in this humorously realistic graphic novel.
The False Prince
By Jennifer A. Nielsen
Scholastic, Ages 10-13
In this opener to the exciting “Ascendance” trilogy, an orphan thief must compete in a lethal contest where the future of the land may rest with someone who is not really what he appears.
The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom
By Christopher Healy
Walden Pond, Ages 9-12
Finally, here is the other (hilarious) side of the story as four Princes Charming team up to defeat a witch . . . but who really needs rescuing?
The High-Skies Adventures of Blue Jay the Pirate
By Scott Nash
Candlewick, Ages 9-11
Treasure Island meets Wind in the Willows in this appealing yarn about a band of bird pirates and their swashbuckling exploits.
In a Glass Grimmly
By Adam Gidwitz
Dutton, Ages 10 and up
These gruesomely good reinventions of well-loved folk and fairy tales are sure to delight readers who loved A Tale Dark and Grimm as well as new fans, too.
Katie Woo series
By Fran Manushkin, illustrated by Tammie Lyon
Picture Window, Ages 7-9
Katie Woo and her friends JoJo and Pedro get into (and out of) lots of trouble in this amusing early chapter book series for beginning readers.
The One and Only Ivan
By Katherine Applegate
Harper, Ages 9-12
This story of hope, humor, friendship and heart is narrated by a silverback gorilla living in captivity named Ivan.
eBook
The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano
By Sonia Manzano
Scholastic, Ages 9-13
This first novel by “Maria” from “Sesame Street” is set in the 1960s and shares a special perspective on the Civil Rights movement through the eyes of a young Puerto Rican teen.
Seraphina
By Rachel Hartman
Random House, Ages 12 and up
This rich and noble high fantasy tells of a decades-long struggle between humans and dragons in the voice of a court musician who sees mystery and romance all around her.
Audiobook | eAudio | eBook
Starry River of the Sky
By Grace Lin
Little, Brown, Ages 8-12
In the style of her Newbery Honor-winning Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Lin weaves elements of Chinese folklore into a beautifully written and artfully illustrated story about a boy learning how to grow up.
“Who Could That Be at This Hour?”
By Lemony Snicket
Little, Brown, Ages 9-12
Lemony Snicket is back with the first volume of his strange and wryly hilarious “autobiography”.
Wonder
By R.J. Palacio
Knopf, Ages 8-12
Auggie doesn’t look like other kids, which makes starting fifth grade in a new school a tough prospect, yet he and his classmates have a supportive and thought-provoking year.
Audiobook | eBook
Intriguing Information
The Beetle Book
By Steve Jenkins
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Ages 4-8
Young coleopterists are sure to be fascinated by these amazing cut-paper dissections of all kinds of beetles from all over the world.
Citizen Scientists: Be a Part of Scientific Discovery from Your Own Backyard
By Loree Griffin Burns, photographs by Ellen Harasimowicz
Henry Holt, Ages 8-12
With these activities for every season, kids can explore nature and contribute to the scientific world around them.
It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw
By Don Tate, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
Lee & Low, Ages 6-9
Get to know this amazing African American folk artist and former slave who began his artistic career at the age of 85.
Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95
By Phillip Hoose
FSG, Ages 10 and up
Talk about frequent flier miles . . . in its lifetime this one small bird has flown the equivalent of all the way to the moon and halfway back, and this award-winning author attempts to figure out how.
Robotics: Discover the Science and Technology of the Future with 20 Projects
By Kathy Ceceri, illustrated by Sam Carbaugh
Nomad Press, Ages 8-12
Step into the field of robotics with this awe-inspiring and educational look at the design, building, and operation of various types of robots with clever projects to create.
Sports Illustrated Kids Big Book of Why
Sports Illustrated, Ages 8-12
Armed with these hundreds of facts, young fans will be clamoring to see if they can stump the adult sports aficionados in their lives.
For Reading and Sharing with the Whole Family
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again
By Frank Cottrell Boyce, illustrated by Joe Berger
Candlewick
Buckle up for the much anticipated companion to the beloved story Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and ride along with the Tooting family in their aerial adventures across the globe.
eBook
The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit
By Emma Thompson, illustrated by Eleanor Taylor
Frederick Warne and Co.
This celebrated actress and storyteller has created some new adventures for young Peter, who is celebrating his 110th birthday, accompanied by lovely illustrations and an audiobook of Thompson reading the tale.
I Have a Dream
By Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Scwhartz & Wade
Nelson, a Coretta Scott King Book Award winner, is the perfect choice to visually and stirringly depict Dr. King’s famous speech, the audio of which is included on CD.
Just Joking: 300 Hilarious Jokes, Tricky Tongue Twisters, and Ridiculous Riddles
National Geographic Kids
Laugh the day away!
A Kiss Means I Love You
By Kathryn Allen, illustrated by Eric Futran
Albert Whitman
Charming photographs of Chicagoland families depict the many ways we communicate without saying a word.
Praise Song for the Day
By Elizabeth Alexander, illustrated by David Diaz
HarperCollins
This moving poem written for President Obama’s 2009 inauguration is brilliantly brought to life by this Caldecott Medal winning illustrator.