As the year draws to a close, we enjoy asking staff from across the library system to share their favorite Kids books of the year. From picture books to chapter books, and from graphic novels to nonfiction – below are just a few of the Kids books published in 2025 that our SPL staff loved!
(Annotations are by staff or adapted from review sources as noted.)
PICTURE BOOKS
In Cranky, Crabby Crow (Saves the World) by local author Corey R. Tabor, Crow sits on a telephone wire as various animals approach, cajoling him into playing — but it turns out he has more on his mind than silly games! [-Kirkus]
Take a dip in a pool where everyone is welcome! Everybelly by Thao Lam is a unique, joyful celebration of bellies, bodies, and beauty. [-Kirkus]
Life’s busy enough for young Cecilia in The Interpreter, written by Olivia Abtahi and illustrated by Monica Arnaldo, as she has two full-time jobs: being a kid and interpreting for her Spanish-speaking parents. [-Kirkus] (also available in Spanish: La intérprete)
In Midnight Motorbike, written by Maureen Shay Tajsar and illustrated by Ishita Jain, an Indian mother and child zoom off on a nocturnal motorbike ride. A visual feast sure to have readers finding magic in the mundane. [-Kirkus]
In Carmen Agra Deedy and Raúl Colón’s The Peanut Man, Cuban refugee Coqui warmly recalls Emilio, the peanut man of her hometown, when she encounters a peanut vendor at a baseball game in Georgia, where her family has relocated. [-NoveList Plus]
“This picture book made me cry (in a good way).” [-Amanda]
Author Tasha Spillett and illustrator Daniel Ramire weave Two-Spirit self-expression and collective belonging into a beautiful tribute to Indigenous heritage in Raven’s Ribbons, which tells the story of a Cree boy who longs for a ribbon skirt. [-Kirkus]
When drips of water enter a cave, they pick up minerals, creating two “nubs” that become Stalactite & Stalagmite. Author & illustrator Drew Beckmeyer unfolds their tale, which spans millions of years, as a jaunty conversation between the two anthropomorphic characters as they witness major changes to the world. [-Kirkus]
“Aaron Becker’s evocative watercolor and pencil illustrations bring Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie’s heartwarming story, We Go Slow, to life. I love that this book shows intergenerational family connection, and how this can expand a child’s view of their city as a site of hope, belonging, and gentle reflection.” [-Bean]
Explore more of our favorite Kids books of the year, here:
Happy Reading and Sharing!