Spring is here, and a fresh new crop of books is in bloom! We’ve scoured the upcoming book lists and identified all the most intriguing new reads headed to shelves this month. Here are the April 2024 new books we’re most excited to check out.
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New Fiction Picture Books April 2024
Ahoy! by Sophie Blackall
Join a child and their grownup on a big-seas adventure, all without ever leaving the living room! This book is full of the joy of imaginative play and is sure to inspire some fantastic journeys of your own.
Buy it: Ahoy! at Amazon
Piper Chen Sings by Phillipa Soo and Maris Pasquale Doran, illustrated by Qin Leng
Little ones might not recognize author Phillipa Soo as one of the original stars of Hamilton, but they’ll love this story about a little Chinese American star-in-the-making who learns how to overcome stage fright with a little advice from her grandmother.
Buy it: Piper Chen Sings at Amazon
Bye Land, Bye Sea by René Spencer and Rodolfo Montalvo
Two children meet on a beach but soon discover they don’t speak the same language. Fortunately, they find ways to communicate and form a sweet friendship. Written in both English and Spanish, this bilingual read is a lovely bridge between two cultures.
Buy it: Bye Land, Bye Sea at Amazon
The Secret Elephant by Ellan Rankin
What would you do to keep an elephant safe when bombs fall from the sky? Would you bring it home with you from the zoo each night? One Belfast zookeeper did just that during World War II, and this is her enchanting story.
Buy it: The Secret Elephant at Amazon
April 2024 New Chapter and Easy Reader Books
Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller
Magnolia is resigned to a boring summer, but when she meets a new friend, Iris, they team up for fun and adventure. Together, they set out to reunite lost socks from Magnolia’s parents’ Laundromat to their owners, meeting a unique cast of characters living in various places around New York City. It’s a fun, funny, and sometimes poignant pick for new readers who love mystery and humor.
Buy it: Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All at Amazon
Reina Ramos: Tour Guide by Emma Otheguy, illustrated by Andrés Landazábal
Easy reader books have come a long way, now featuring diverse characters like Reina. In the latest edition of her adventures, she plays tour guide to a cousin several years older visiting from “the island.” At first, they can’t seem to make a connection, but soon Reina realizes she can share her city with her cousin just as he shares his tales of his homeland with her.
Buy it: Reina Ramos: Tour Guide at Amazon
Libby Loves Science: States of Matter by Kimberly Derting and Shelli R. Johannes, illustrated by Joelle Murray
We love easy readers that combine reading with other interests like STEM, making them terrific cross-curricular choices. The Libby Loves Science series teaches various STEM concepts (this one is about states of matter) through a fun story, in this case involving a new friend and an ice cream party. Kids will practice reading and learn science concepts and have fun doing it.
Buy it: Libby Loves Science: States of Matter at Amazon
The Weird Sisters: A Coop, Some Goop, and a Sandwich by Mark David Smith, illustrated by Kari Rust
This is the latest entry in the popular chapter book series about three witches and their 9-year-old friend Jessica. While working at the annual fall fair, they discover a prize show chicken has gone missing. They’ll need to team up to solve the mystery! This is a book that adults will enjoy hearing kids read aloud, since it’s full of puns and even some clever Shakespeare references.
Buy it: The Weird Sisters: A Coop, Some Goop, and a Sandwich at Amazon
New Middle Grade Fiction Books for April 2024
Winnie Nash Is Not Your Sunshine by Nicole Melleby
Amid some chaos at home, 12-year-old Winnie is sent to live with her grandma for the summer. She makes some friends her own age but feels like she can’t be her authentic self since her parents asked her to keep secrets—the biggest one being that Winnie is gay. She longs to attend the pride celebration in New York City and be herself for once, but how can she? This book deftly handles subjects that preteens face but might not feel comfortable discussing with adults just yet.
Buy it: Winnie Nash Is Not Your Sunshine at Amazon
The Other Side of Perfect by Melanie Florence and Richard Scrimger
White preteen Cody has a messy home life, and he’s internalized some racist attitudes from his parents. Wealthy Autumn comes from an indigenous family, and the two seem like an unlikely pair. But when Cody’s life takes a turn for the worse, Autumn and her parents step in to help, teaching them both about compassion, empathy, and the courage to explore your personal identity.
Buy it: The Other Side of Perfect at Amazon
The Wrong Way Home by Kate O’Shaughnessy
Twelve-year-old Fern and her mother have just left the only home that Fern has ever known, and she’s desperate to return. But as they start their new lives, Fern begins to realize that instead of growing up in a “sustainable futurist community,” she might instead have been part of a cult run by a man who lies and manipulates. Like many teens her age, she soon begins to value the ability to make her own decisions, and embrace the chance to live a life where her future can be the one she chooses instead of one that’s chosen for her.
Buy it: The Wrong Way Home at Amazon
A Little Bit Super (Short Story Collection)
We love short story collections for kids, and they aren’t always easy to find. This collection includes tales from some of the top middle grade fiction authors, each featuring a kid with a minor superpower. (Think always being able to tell if an avocado is perfectly ripe, or hearing the voices of animals at the pet store.) These stories encourage readers to embrace their own personal “superpower,” whatever it is that makes them unique and special. It’s a perfect theme for this age group, as they begin to explore who they are and find their place in the world.
Buy it: A Little Bit Super at Amazon
South of Somewhere by Kalena Miller
Twelve-year-old Mavis has grown up fabulously rich in Chicago, but everything changes when the FBI comes knocking and her mom goes on the run. Mavis finds herself living in the rural Midwest, babysitting to make money like so many teens her age. When she starts receiving secret messages from her mom, Mavis must determine if her mother is truly guilty, and whether she even wants to know the answer to that question in the first place.
Buy it: South of Somewhere at Amazon
April 2024 New Young Adult Fiction
Brock by Anthony McGowan
This is the first book in a collection of four related high-low novels written to be accessible and engaging to all teen readers, even those who struggle with their reading skills. Nicky and his older brother Kenny face down bullies, animal attacks, and the challenges of poor parenting in gritty adventures that start here and continues through the next three books: Lark, Pike, and Rook, each of which also stands well on its own.
Buy it: Brock at Amazon
What’s Eating Jackie Oh? by Patricia Park
Sophomore Jackie’s Korean American parents want her to attend an Ivy League college, but Jackie wants to be a master chef instead. She has the chance to make her dream come true on a reality TV cooking show, but soon realizes the judges expect her to focus on Asian cuisine because of her heritage. To win, she’ll need to convince them that her Korean background is just one part of who she is and what she cooks, and that Jackie Oh is just like anyone else: complicated, layered, and in search of something delicious, no matter where it comes from.
Buy it: What’s Eating Jackie Oh? at Amazon
Dark Parts of the Universe by Samuel Miller
Teens who love thrillers won’t be able to put this one down. A group of teens discover a dead body while playing an app-based adventure game. Each player has their own connection to the game, which sets its tasks based on their “intentions.” This small town is hiding secrets, and it’s up to this group of teens, led by Willy, to find the answers. Willy himself is on a journey to discovery and awakening, trying desperately to find the purpose he believes his life is meant to take.
Buy it: Dark Parts of the Universe at Amazon
King of Dead Things by Nevin Holness
Head to the magical dark side of London (but not the one Harry Potter knew) in this new book full of Afro-Caribbean folklore and influence. Eli doesn’t know who he is or where he comes from, just that he can heal with a touch. His friend Malcolm can wake people from the dead. When powerful forces threaten to take away their magic forever, they must join together to fight them off, saving their powers and their chosen family in a desperate battle against evil.
Buy it: King of Dead Things at Amazon
Trajectory by Cambria Gordon
Fans of historic fiction will welcome this new read, set during World War II. Jewish math wiz Eleanor lives in the United States and worries about her relatives overseas. Soon after high school, she’s recruited to work on a top-secret weapon, one that takes her from Ivy League labs to Pearl Harbor and then to the skies over the Pacific. Along the way, she and her Black friend Alyce are confronted with issues like segregation, sexism, and antisemitism. This book is a fascinating look at both civilian and military life for young women during World War II here in the United States.
Buy it: Trajectory at Amazon
New Graphic Novels and Nonfiction for All Ages April 2024
Survival of the Fittest by Rebecca Donnelly, illustrated by Misa Saburi
Welcome to the ultimate game show, where creatures face off to prove to the judges (sharks!) that their animal adaptations are the best. (Grades 1-4)
Buy it: Survival of the Fittest at Amazon
Continental Drifter by Kathy MacLeod
Kathy’s life is literally split in two. She has an American father and a Thai mother, and spends the school year in Thailand and the summers in Maine. Somehow, she doesn’t feel like she truly belongs in either place. This graphic novel brings each location to life through images and text, and Kathy’s life will be immediately relatable to many readers of mixed cultures. (Grades 3-6)
Buy it: Continental Drifter at Amazon
Wires Crossed by Beth Fantaskey, illustrated by ONeillJones
Everyone and everything around middle schooler Mia is changing, and she’s not sure she likes it. She’s excited to team up with old friend Tariq in an epic science competition, but their fellow teammates aren’t quite what she expected. To win, they’ll need to learn to know and trust one another, despite their differences. (Grades 3-7)
Buy it: Wires Crossed at Amazon
Shiny Misfits by Maysoon Zayid, illustrated by Shadia Amin
Bay Ann doesn’t let her cerebral palsy hold her back. But her amazing tap routine at the school talent show is spoiled when she’s distracted by her crush, who catches her when she stumbles. A video of the event goes viral, but all the attention is on Alyee for “helping” his classmate with a disability. What will it take for Bay Ann to be able stand out all on her own, the way she deserves? (Grades 3-6)
Buy it: Shiny Misfits at Amazon
Fake Chinese Sounds by Jing Jing Tsong
When fifth-grader Měi Yīng faces racist bullying, people tell her to just be nice to the bullies and they’ll go away. But Měi Yīng is tired of being “the nice one.” Can she find her voice and stand up to her bully? (Grades 4-7)
Buy it: Fake Chinese Sounds at Amazon
Punk Rock Karaoke by Bianca Xunise
Dive deep into the world of feminist punk rock, complete with mosh pits. Three young women begin to navigate the complexities of adult life against the background of the punk music scene, trying to make it big with their band while also making enough money to support themselves and their families. (Grades 10-12)
Buy it: Punk Rock Karaoke at Amazon
April 2024 New Nonfiction for All Ages
A Treasure of Measures by Mike Downs, illustrated by Joy Hwang Ruiz
At the age when kids are learning to count, a book like this is the perfect new read! It encourages little ones to count, measure, and quantify the world around them in a variety of fun and engaging ways. (Pre-K to Grade 1)
Buy it: A Treasure of Measures at Amazon
A Crown of Stories by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Khalif Thompson
Preschoolers aren’t quite ready to read Toni Morrison’s work itself, but they’re not too young to be inspired by her life. Learn how she went from being the only Black child in first grade—and the only one who could read—to a world-famous beloved author. (Pre-K to Grade 2)
Buy it: A Crown of Stories at Amazon
Earth’s Incredible Places: Grand Canyon by Susan Lamb, illustrated by Sean Lewis
Learn all about the geology, wildlife, and natural history of one of the world’s most majestic places. Readers will also discover the deep connection indigenous people have had to this land for centuries. (Grades 1-5)
Buy it: Earth’s Incredible Places: Grand Canyon at Amazon
Made in Asian America by Erika Lee and Christina Soontornvat
The story of Asian Americans begins millennia ago, long before America was even a country. Asian people have helped build this country (often literally) since its early days, but faced prejudice and injustice as they did. Explore the full story of the Asian American experience, told in terms that middle grade kids can comprehend and relate to. (Grades 4-6)
Buy it: Made in Asian America at Amazon
The Monarch Effect by Dana L. Church
Monarchs have become the focus of nature lovers and environmentalists in recent years, and they’re the one butterfly most kids can ID on sight. This book details their fascinating life, including the incredible migratory journey many monarchs make each year to winter in Mexico. Read part or all of it as part of your unit on the butterfly life cycle. (Grades 3-7)
Buy it: The Monarch Effect at Amazon
Witch Hunt by Andrea Balis and Elizabeth Levy, illustrated by Tim Foley
Today’s kids probably don’t think about communism much and have likely never heard of Senator Joe McCarthy. But the story of his communism “witch hunt” in the 1950s is not only fascinating, it has important implications and parallels in our society today. (Grades 5-9)
Buy it: Witch Hunt at Amazon
Say More: Consent Conversations for Teens by Kitty Stryker
Conversations around consent have taken center-stage these days, but author Kitty Stryker felt there was no fully inclusive book aimed at teens available. So she set out to write one. This is the kind of book that needs to be made readily available to teens everywhere as they begin to navigate physical and sexual relationships safely and responsibly. (Grades 9-12)
Buy it: Say More: Consent Conversations at Amazon
New Books for Teachers April 2024
Dare to Say No by Max Felker-Kantor
Most current teachers grew up in the D.A.R.E. program culture of “Just Say No,” and that program has had benefits over the years. But as this author argues, D.A.R.E. was also a big part of the controversial “War on Drugs,” leading to a fraught relationship between the police and many minority communities. Educators might feel a little uncomfortable as they read this new book, but it’s worth considering multiple sides on an issue that continues to cause major challenges in our society.
Buy it: Dare To Say No at Amazon
Profiles in Mental Health Courage by Patrick J. Kennedy and Stephen Fried
Teachers encounter students and families facing a variety of mental health conditions, including addiction. They’ll benefit from exploring the stories in this book, hopefully gaining empathy and understanding instead of feeling fear and dismissiveness.
Buy it: Profiles in Mental Health Courage at Amazon
This Part Is Silent: A Life Between Cultures by SJ Kim
More and more of today’s students have a variety of cultures in their backgrounds and often have difficulty knowing where they fit in. Reading about one author’s experience may help teachers gain a better understanding of the challenges some of their own students face each day.
Buy it: This Part Is Silent: A Life Between Cultures at Amazon
