This annual post brings together the 43 picture book & middle grade novels we celebrated in 2025. (Plus a few you might have missed in 2024.) Wow! Click on the titles and check out the fascinating behind-the-scenes stories and writing/Illustrating tips shared by the #kidlit creators who joined us.
(Perfect for Author Studies, Teacher friends.)
*Please note that many of the wonderful titles herein fit into multiple categories. Feel free to mix and match, and click the links to learn more!
Our VERY SPECIAL ICYMThem Book List 2025:
Reflections and Connections
Here & There by Thea Lu (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers)
Black Boy, Rise by Brynne Barnes Illus. Bryan Collier (Chronicle).
Planted with Love by Natasha Tripplett Illus. Adriana Predoi (WaterBrook / PRH)!
The Everything Trail by Meg Fleming Illus. Chuck Groenink (Beach Lane Books)
Before I lived Here by Stacy S. Jensen Illus. Victo Ngai (Neal Porter Books / Holiday House)
Ruby Maps Her World by Jane Yolen, Illus. Dow Phumiruk (Christy Ottaviano Books).
Dogs, Horses, and Kittens –oh my!
Trouble Dog by Carol A. Foote Illus. Larry Day (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers)
Ramon Fellini the DOG Detective written. illustrated, and translated by Guilherme Karsten (Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers)
I Love You Little Horse by Gianna Marino (Philomel)
Late Today by Jungyoon Huh, translated by Aerin Park, Illus. Myungae Lee (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers).
Imagination and Discovery
Orpheline by Katelyn Aronson Illus. Dow Phumiruk (Candlewick)
To Activate Space Portal, Lift Here by Antoinette Portis (Neal Porter Books)
A Universe of Rainbows, with work by 20 fantastic poets, curated by Matt Forrest Esenwine Illus. Jamey Christoph (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers)
Taking Care of Our World
Downtown Doors by Natasha Tripplett Illus. Leah Giles (WaterBrook/PRH)
The Black Mambas by author/photographer Kelly Crull (Millbrook/ Lerner)
Sharks Unhooked: The Adventures of Cristina Zenato, Underwater Ranger by Patricia Newman, Illustrated by Becca Hall (Millbrook),
Dark Skies by Lindsey Hobson Illus. Makenzie McCarthy (The Little Press)
Writing, Librarians, Books, and Word Play
If You Want To Write a Story by Jeff Mack (Neal Porter Books / Holiday House)
Hope Rode by Lauren Kerstein Illus. Becca Stadtlander (Union Square Kids),
So Many Books! by Sue Fliess & Ann Marie Stephens Illus. by Alexandra Colombo (Albert Whitman)
POP! Goes the Nursery Rhyme by Betsy Bird Illus. Andrea Tsurumi (Union Square)
Celebrations and Cultures
When Santa Wrote Back by Nathan Christopher Illus. Pablo Pino (Sourcebooks Wonderland).
We Are Lion Dancers by author/illustrator Benson Shum (Penguin Workshop)
The City of Jasmine by Nadine Presley Illus. Heather Brockman Lee (Harper Collins)
Goats Afloat by Lezlie Evans Illus. Julia Patton (Two Lions).
Inclusion, Kindness, SEL
Every Body Move! by Jenna Elyse Johnson Illus. Ananya Rao-Middleton (Barefoot Books),
SEVEN, a Most Remarkable Pigeon by Sandra Nickel Illus. Aimée Sicuro (Candlewick),
DUDE. Be Nice by Sarah Scheerger –with Brent and Jamie Camalich, Illus. Alex MacNaughton (Flamingo Books / PRH).
Henny Penny’s Weather Worries by Lynne Marie, illus. Wendy Carrick-Hadinger (Mac and Cheese Press)
Just Keep Going by Lynn Smith Illus. Lauren Gallegos (Sourcebooks / Jabberwocky)
Picture Book Biographies
The Glass Pyramid: A Story of the Louvre Museum and Architect I. M. Pei by Jeanne Walker Harvey Illus. Khoa Le (Atheneum/ Simon & Schuster)
No One Told Sandra Day O’Connor What To Do: The First Woman to Serve on the United States Supreme Court by Molly Golden Illus. Julia Breckenreid (Sleeping Bear Press)
Rock Star: How Ursula Marvin Mapped Moon Rocks and Meteorites by Sandra Neil Wallace Illus. Nancy Carpenter (Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books)
Making Light Bloom: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Lamps by Sandra Nickel Illus. Julie Paschkis (Peachtree)
Fascinating Nonfiction
The Traveling Taco: The Amazing and Surprising Journey of Many of Your Favorite Foods by Mia Wenjen Illus. Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong (Red Comet Press).
Big Boy 4014 and the Steam Team: The World’s Largest Steam Engine Roars Back to Life! by Marsha Diane Arnold Illus. Adam Gustavson (Sleeping Bear Press)
Sound: Discovering the Vibrations We Hear by Olga Fadeeva, translated by Lena Traer (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers)
Must-read Middle Grade
The Tontine Caper by Dianne K. Salerni Illus. Matt Schu (Holiday House)
Peachaloo in Bloom by Chris Raschka (Neal Porter Books/ Holiday House)
This Cookie Will Change Your Life by Ann Dee Ellis (Peachtree)
The Library of Curiosities by Jenny Lundquist (Holiday House)
Song of Orphan’s Garden by Nicole M. Hewitt (Feiwel & Friends)
Gyro and the Argonauts aka the BEST BOOK EVER WRITTEN*: *About a Kid Named After a Sandwich by Joshua Pruett (Volume 1 /Andrews McMeel Publishing)
#ShopIndie
Or check these books out of the Library (Request them if they don’t have them yet.)
and please leave a review online.
Again – huge thanks to all of the incredible #kidlit creators who joined us on the blog this year.
Happy and Healthy Book-filled 2026 to ALL.
To make sure you don’t miss our 2026 Book Birthday celebrations, beginning with Danna Smith’s Zenguin, you can subscribe to our blog on the right of this page.
See you next year with more wonderful books to celebrate!
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