Erin Dealey

Looking for inspiration (and fun!) for the New Year–and beyond?

This is a Happy New Year/ #Gratitude post full of books by my East/West Literary “siblings”– with endless thanks to my agent and E/W founder Deborah Warren, as well as Ana Crespo and Karen Kilpatrick, who believed in our stories & illustrations from the start.

Grab some cocoa or sparkling cider and snuggle up with your young readers to

explore these amazing children’s books.

Click the links to learn more about each title.

Traditions & Celebrations

Feliz New Year, Ava Gabriella — Alexandra Alessandri, illus Addy Rivera Sondra (Albert Whitman)

Dear Earth…From Your Friends in Room 5 — Erin Dealey, illus. Luisa Uribe (Harper Collins) *Starts in January with a New Year’s Resolution.

The Half Birthday Book — Erin Dealey, illus. Germán Blanco (Genius Cat Books)

Lunar New Year — Natasha Yim, illus. JingTing Wang (Quarto)

I Don’t Wanna Hibernate — Anna Ouchchy, illus. Raahat Kaduji *Ground Hog’s Day

Perseverence

Just Keep Going by Lynn Smith Illus. Lauren Gallegos (Sourcebooks / Jabberwocky)

The Glass Pyramid: A Story of the Louvre Museum and Architect I. M. Pei  — Jeanne Walker Harvey Illus. Khoa Le (Atheneum/ Simon & Schuster)

Else B. in the Sea: The Woman Who Painted the Wonders of the Deep — Jeanne Walker Harvey & Melodie Stacey (Cameron Kids/ Abrams BFYR).  

A Life of Service, The Story of Senator Tammy Duckworth — Christina Soontornvat, illus. Dow Phumiruk (Candlewick)

Hope Rode — Lauren Kerstein Illus. Becca Stadtlander (Union Square Kids),

Friendship

Grow Up, Luchy Zapata —Alexandra Alessandri (Atheneum)

Falling Short –– Ernesto Cisneros (Quill Tree Books) *Look for Queso, Just in Time –coming in March 2026.

Stemosaurus —Andrew Root, illus. Mark Chambers (Two Lions)

Kindness

DUDE. Be Nice — Sarah Scheerger –with Brent and Jamie Camalich, Illus. Alex MacNaughton (Flamingo Books / PRH).

Just Flowers — Erin Dealey, illus. Kate Cosgrove (Sleeping Bear Press)

Little Troublemaker Makes a Mess — Luvvie Ajayi Jones, illus. Joey Spiotto (Philomel)

Little Troublemaker Defends Her Name — Luvvie Ajayi Jones, illus. Joey Spiotto (Philomel)

If your resolution is to Make the World a Better Place…

The Black Mambas — author/photographer Kelly Crull (Millbrook/ Lerner)

Washed Ashore –author/photographer Kelly Crull (Millbrook/ Lerner)

Away –Megan E. Freeman (Aladdin)

Of Words and Water: The Story of Wilma Dykeman – Writer, Historian, Environmentalist — Shannon Hitchcock, illus. Sophie Page (Reycraft)

“Big Blue Earth” series — Tory Christie, illus. Luciana Navarro Powell *fourth title coming soon!

Llama Llama Loves His Teacher — an Anna Dewdney book, illus. JT Morrow (Viking BFYR)

Sharks Unhooked: The Adventures of Cristina Zenato, Underwater Ranger — Patricia Newman, Illustrated by Becca Hall (Millbrook Press/Lerner).

Giant Rays of Hope – Patricia Newman (Millbrook Press/Lerner)

Planet Ocean: Why We All Need a Healthy Ocean —Patricia Newman (Millbrook Press/ Lerner)

If You Find a Fawn: A What-to-Do for Wild Wanderers — Kelly DuBay Gillis, illus. Wazza Pink (Disney Hyperion)

Believe in Yourself

Song of Orphan’s Garden by Nicole M. Hewitt (Feiwel & Friends)

Dressing Up the Stars — Jeanne Walker Harvey, illus. Diana Toledano (Beach Lane Books).

Black Boy, Rise — Brynne Barnes Illus. Bryan Collier (Chronicle).

Emma, The Work, Life, and Style of Emma Stone — Stacia Deutsch (Epic Ink)

“The Rescues” series — Charlie & Tommy Greenwald, illus. Shiho Pate (Red Comet Press)

Afro Unicorn books –– April Showers, Founder & CEO, Terrance Crawford, illus. Anthony Conley, Ronaldo Barrata.

Family

Remembering Sundays with Grandpa — Lauren Kerstein, illus. Nanette Regan (Beaming Books)

I Love You Little Horse by Gianna Marino (Philomel)

Saving Granddaddy’s Stories — Shannon Hitchcock, illus. Sophie Page (Reycraft)

Orpheline by Katelyn Aronson Illus. Dow Phumiruk (Candlewick)

Ramen for Everyone — Patricia Tanumihardja, illus. Shiho Pate (Atheneum)

Empathy & Understanding

Under the Broken Sky — Mariko Nagai (Square Fish)

Flipping Forward– Twisting Backwards — Alma Fullerton (Peachtree)

List of Ten — Halli Gomes (Union Square & Co.)

Dancing in the Storm –Amie Specht & Shannon Hitchcock (Rocky Pond)

A Day With No Words — Tiffany Hammond, illus. Kate Cosgrove (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)

Home for A While — Lauren Kerstein, illus. Natalia Moore (Magination Press ― American Psychological Association)

Tenacious: Fifteen Adventures Alongside Disabled Athletes — Patty Cisneros Prevo, illus. Dion MBD (Lee & Low Books)

Hilwa’s Gifts — Safa Suleiman, illus. Anait Semirdzhyan (Candlewick)

If your resolution is to Learn Something New…

Before I lived Here — Stacy S. Jensen Illus. Victo Ngai (Neal Porter Books / Holiday House)

The City of Jasmine — Nadine Presley Illus. Heather Brockman Lee (Harper Collins)

Ruby Maps Her World — Jane Yolen, Illus. Dow Phumiruk (Christy Ottaviano Books).

Bats Beneath the Bridge — Janet Nolan, illus. Emily Cox (Albert Whitman)

The “Behold the ____”… series — Suzanne Slade, illus. Thomas Gonzalez (Peachtree)

Read More Books!

Jacob’s Missing Book – Sarah & Ian Hoffman & Chris Case (Magination Press)

When You Love a Book — Kaz Windness , illus. Heather Brockman Lee (Flamingo Books)

Llama Llama Loves to Read — an Anna Dewdney book, illus. JT Morrow (Viking BFYR)

Laugh More

There’s Something Odd About the Babysitter — Elayne Craine, illus. John Ledda (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)

The “Last Comics on Earth” graphic novels — Max Brailler, Joshua Pruett, illus. Jay Cooper, Douglas Holgate (Viking Books for Young Readers)

Goats Afloat by Lezlie Evans Illus. Julia Patton (Two Lions).

“Duck and Moose” early graphic novel series — Kirk Reedstrom (Disney Hyperion)

Sing!

She Sang for the Mountains — Shannon Hitchcock, illus. Sophie Page (Reycraft)

How to Sing a Song: A Poetic Picture Book About Music and Finding Your Voice — Randy Preston & Kwame Alexander, illus. Melissa Sweet (Quill Tree Books)

Searching for Mr. Johnson’s Song — Ariel Vanece, illus. Jade Orlando (Rocky Pond Books)

The Story of Olivia Rodrigo: An Inspiring Biography for Young Readers — Stacia Deutsch, illus. Maria Perera (Callisto Kids)

The Greatest Song of All: How Isaac Stern United the World to Save Carnegie Hall – An Inspiring Picture Book Biography About Protecting Community and Fighting for Equality — Megan Hoyt, illus. Katie Hickey (Quill Tree Books)

If your wish is Peace for All

To Activate Space Portal, Lift Here by Antoinette Portis (Neal Porter Books)

Listen, Wonder, Ask — Elly Berke, illus. Luciana Navarro Powell (Tilbury House)

Bartali’s Bicycle: The True Story of Gino Bartali, Italy’s Secret Hero — Megan Hoyt, illus. Iacopo Bruno (Quill Tree Books)

Snow Globe Wishes — Erin Dealey, illus. Claire Shorrock (Sleeping Bear Press)

America Gives Thanks — Bob McKinnon, illus. Thai Mai Phuong (Penguin Workshop)

Sweet Dreams, Night Animals — Gianna Marino (Philomel Books)

OR if you prefer not to make resolutions, what IF, on New Year’s Eve, we think of all the times we had to pivot this past year and celebrate the fact that we managed to move forward,

no matter what?

However you celebrate, friends, CONGRATS on getting through 2025.

To read more about the books listed in this post, check out past issues of the

East West Literary Agency newsletter.

Season’s Readings to all.

Next up on the blog:

We chat with Danna Smith to celebrate the Book Bithday of Zenguin,

illus. Sydney Hanson (Workman Kids)

See you in 2026!