inside: 31 exciting children’s books to read in January. we prefer unforgettable stories, creative plots and imaginative illustrations, and I bet you do too!
updated for 2022.
You are reading: January books for kids
click on each month to go directly to that list: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December.
January is the first month of the year and its name comes from the Latin word for “door”. think of January as the time to open doors to new possibilities and new beginnings.
Talk to your kids about why it’s a good time of year to make New Year’s resolutions, pick up a new hobby (it’s National Hobby Month), and pick up some healthy habits (January is also National Hobby Awareness Month). healthy weight month).
In the northern hemisphere where I live, January is also a great time to read about snow, ice, snowflakes, snowmen, and other winter activities. Likewise, it’s a great time to take a hot bubble bath (January 8 is Bubble Bath Day), eat hot soup for dinner (January is National Soup Month), and make room in your family calendar for creative projects (it’s international creativity month).
In what follows, I’ve provided a brief synopsis of each book to help you determine if it would be a good fit for your children. however, I’ve learned that my kids often surprise me by falling for unlikely candidates and turning down obvious stars (in my opinion).
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31 books for January
january 1st: over and over, charlotte zolotow
The first day of the year, or New Year’s Day, is one of the oldest holidays celebrated by many cultures since ancient times. on this day i like to read zolotow’s timeless classic about the passage of a year through the eyes of a girl. You have probably already noticed that the concept of a calendar year is too abstract for children. they mark the passing of the year through various holidays and associated activities. I have to give this book credit for first realizing the importance of traditions and making a big deal out of each holiday. When kids grow up, they may not remember many details about our daily activities, but I’m pretty sure they’ll never forget our celebrations.
january 2nd: wolf in the snow, matthew cordell
Looking for a good snow book? or a book about kindness, family and love? This 2018 caldecott award winning book is a favorite of all my kids. a snowstorm is happening in the field, and a little girl in a red jacket is lost in the snow. someone else is lost in the snow: a wolf cub. there are plenty of nail-biting moments, like when the girl runs into a pack of wolves, or when she nearly freezes in a storm. and the moment a girl, a wolf cub, and a mother wolf come together at a double table, we can’t help but hold our breath. This remarkable story is told entirely in pen and ink with wordless watercolor illustrations. each of us studied the pages of this book hundreds of times and never got tired.
January 3: The Snow Bear, Sean Taylor
This magical winter tale is a perfect read for this time of year. he feels good reading aloud on a cold day, especially when he’s curled up under the covers with his kids or having a cup of hot chocolate. In this story, two children build a snow bear that comes to life just in time to save them from a hungry wolf. did it really happen? His children will insist that he did it. we love the enchanting snowscapes, the magic and the mysterious ending. If you liked Astrid Lindgren’s Christmas in the Noisy Town as a child, you’ll definitely like this book.
January 4th: spaghetti and meatballs for everyone! marilyn burns (national spaghetti day)
Do you eat spaghetti? I occasionally eat a bowl of the gluten-free type, but I’m not a big fan. my kids, on the other hand, can eat spaghetti every day (especially with meatballs). when I told them that January 4th is National Spaghetti Day, they said we had to celebrate with spaghetti (of course). and I went ahead and put some spaghetti picture books on hold in the library. we liked the spaghetti and meatballs better because it’s a funny story about a family that eats together. Mr. and mrs comfort are hosting a family reunion, the spaghetti and meatballs are ready to serve, but there seems to be a bit of a problem with the seating arrangements. the book does a great job of putting abstract mathematical concepts of area and perimeter into a real life context.
related: powerful picture book discussion questions for the best storytime ever.
January 5: the blue songbird, vern kousky (national bird day)
This beautiful, lyrical book about finding your own song asks some tough questions: Who are you? what do you represent? What do you have to say that’s worth saying? but he doesn’t do it in a preachy way. is a heartwarming story of a young bird who leaves the nest to find a song only she can sing and returns home full of startling discoveries. the bird’s journey is given an amazing visual representation through watercolor illustrations. is one of the best children’s books to read today on National Bird Day.
January 6th: there’s a giraffe in my soup, ross burach (national soup month)
January is National Soup Month. There are so many fun books about soup that I had a hard time choosing just one, so I asked my kids for help. They chose that there is a giraffe in my soup. one of my sons said “i chose it because it teaches children not to panic in unusual situations”. and another pointed to a page where he says, “my soup is trying to eat me,” and said, “grown-ups never believe kids when they say that. so this book teaches adults a lesson: they had better start believing before the soup actually eats their children.”
So there you have it: develop a true appreciation of your child’s imagination while you can, and enjoy the puns and witty banter in this entertaining story. don’t forget to celebrate the whole month with lots of soup. the boy in this story is trying to eat tomato soup. our favorite soup is pumpkin and apple soup.
January 7: The Baboushka Tale: A Traditional Christmas Tale, Elena Pasquali (Orthodox Christmas)
It’s January 7th and your kids may be interested to know that 24 million Russian children still haven’t received their Christmas presents. what? It’s because Russian Christmas is on January 7. This folk tale is a great way to introduce children to legends from distant lands.
january 8: king bidgood in the bathtub, audrey wood (national bubble bath day)
This is the funniest bath time book you’ll ever read. the king of all the earth refuses to come out of his bathtub, despite the best efforts of his queen, a duke and a knight. the cheerful rhyming text is great for reading aloud. i read this book about a hundred times to my kids when i found out about a different edition that comes with a cd. The music CD with six beautiful songs makes the story even more amazing. And did I mention Caldecott’s medal illustrations that you’ll spend hours studying? king bidgood’s in the bathtub is perfect to celebrate today’s national bubble bath day.
See Also: The 10 Best Norse Mythology Books – Norse Mythology for Smart People
January 9: what do you do with an idea? kobi yamada
“Is this another one of those boring books you think we should read because it’s ‘educational’?” my kids complained when I mentioned I had a new growth mindset book to read. after reading it, they were pleasantly surprised! This inspiring story about a boy who learned that when you give your idea time and attention, it can change the world is nothing short of entertaining. And if kids also learn some powerful lessons about self-confidence, fear of criticism, and a critical voice in their heads, all the better. we love how the illustrations move brilliantly from blah colorlessness as the child tries to reject the idea of him, to delightful bursts of color as the child embraces the idea of him and lets him spread his wings.
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January 10: templatezilla, jerdine nolen (houseplant day)
Today is Houseplant Appreciation Day, and there is no better book in the world to read on this day than templatezilla. When a third-grade science teacher started a plant appreciation program, he told his students that “taking care of plants in this program brings more benefits than you might imagine.” does it ever! From the moment Templatezilla became Mortimer’s houseplant, suspicious things started happening all over the house. Mortimer even thinks that Stencilzilla can move on its own. Sinister? nope, pure fun! read this book. it’s so funny!
January 11: pinkerton, behave yourself! steven kellogg
Every day is a good day to read a fun book, but it’s especially good when the temperatures are low and everyone is cooped up. Steven Kellogg is an excellent comedian, and he is sure to entertain his son (and you) with this title. Pinkerton is a lovable Great Dane with very bad manners. he doesn’t come when he’s called, and even destroys mom’s slippers. when the family takes him to obedience school, he teaches other dogs to disobey. But when a nasty burglar breaks into the house, Pinkerton saves the day. you’ll have to read the book to find out how. I guarantee your kids will laugh hysterically and beg you to read it over and over again.
January 12: the snowflake sisters, j. patrick lewis
If you only read one book of poetry this month, make it this one. the plot, the rhyming verse, the play on words, and the intriguing illustrations combine to create a wonderful winter read. all my children want to reread this story over and over again, and i’m glad because reading the snowflake sisters is pure joy. “oh, let’s snow then, you and me, // while we have wet winds to fly, // while children come and go—// tongues inviting us to snow.” (Reminds you of T.S. Eliot’s love song of J. Alfred Prufrock’s lines, “Come then, you and me, when the evening stretches against the sky”?)
January 13: Because a little bug went ka-choo! rosetta stone (international skeptics day)
Today is International Skeptics Day, the holiday I love so much. it is very important to teach children to think critically about the things they hear, read or take for granted. I know a lot of adults who believe things just because they read about it online or hear about it on TV. The word “skeptic” comes from the Greek “to inquire” or “to look around”. people who challenge common assumptions become inventors and millionaires. Steve Jobs was one, as was Galileo.
In this fun book of rhymes, written by dr. seuss under a pseudonym, we hear a rather clever story that the author claims actually happened: “and that’s how it happened. believe me It’s true.” Ask children to look for evidence to support the author’s claim that it was true. Discuss the difference between accepting things at face value and employing a healthy dose of doubt.
january 14th: listen buddy by helen lester
I’m not entirely sure what exactly creates the attraction in this book, but all of my kids went through a stage where reading it several times a day was a must. the story is about a distracted bunny. his head is always in the clouds, which makes him very bad at listening. when his dad asks for a pen, the friend brings him a chicken, and when his mom asks for a slice of bread, he brings her a slice of… bed (yes, he used a saw. my kids love this part). But then something happens that teaches Buddy a lesson and improves his listening skills once and for all. what a fun way to send a powerful message that listening is an active choice.
January 15: the magic hat, mem fox (national hat day)
Celebrate National Hat Day by donning your funniest hat and reading this delightful book of rhymes. the magic hat appeared in the city out of nowhere and began to turn people into animals. a mother carrying a child became a kangaroo with a baby in a bag, and an old man asleep on a bench became a dancing bear. where will it stop? we love to sing together the repeated verse, “oh, the magic hat, the magic hat! He moved like that, he moved like that!” I also sing this part, moving the hat to the left and right of the baby’s head, before putting the hat on. she hates wearing hats, but not when she sings this verse.
January 16: dear dragon, josh funk (dragon day)
Today is Dragon Appreciation Day, one of our favorite holidays. we have so many favorite dragon books that we even made a whole list of them (dragon books for kids). dear dragon is a fun book about friendships. When George is assigned a pen pal named Blaise, he isn’t too thrilled because he doesn’t like to write. but he’s getting more excited about it as he learns more about blaise. Blaise loves to attack (obviously toy) castles, and Blaise’s dad won the local fire-breathing contest twice (too cool). Anticipation builds until the day of the pen pal picnic when George meets Blaise, who turns out to be a…dragon!
January 17: when martin luther king jr. wore roller skates, mark the weak country (martin luther king day)
celebrate martin luther king’s birthday with a good biography. This is the best biography of Martin Luther King ever written for children and the only one my kids didn’t proclaim “borrrr-iiing.” I can’t say enough good things about Mark Debilland’s biography series for children. he has a great talent for uncovering little-known facts that children can relate to and presenting them in a way that children find entertaining. he makes historical biographies fun. our current favorites are when walt disney rode a pig and when neil armstrong built a wind tunnel. In this title, we learn what Martin Luther King’s childhood was like, about his skates, and what shaped his worldview.
January 18: winnie the pooh, a. a. milne (alan alexander milne’s birthday)
today is the birthday of alan alexander milne, creator of winnie the pooh. This world’s most famous bear made its first appearance in 1925 in a short story about Milne’s son’s favorite teddy bear which he named Winnie after a bear at London Zoo (the original Winnie was a girl). The success of the story prompted the publication of the Winnie the Pooh book a year later. Interestingly, the Winnie the Pooh stories were intended for an adult audience, and Milne never read them to his son Christopher.
my favorite quote from the book is “you are braver than you think and stronger and smarter than you think”. and a favorite quote to think about is “people say nothing is impossible, but i don’t do anything every day”. If you don’t have time to read the full version, Disney created 5-minute Winnie-the-Pooh stories that might work better with your busy schedule.
January 19: Popcorn, James Stevenson (Popcorn Day)
james stevenson is one of my favorite children’s authors. Did you read his fried feathers for thanksgiving or emma? They are very funny and very inventive. In Popcorn, we find a very unusual collection of his poems for children by him. poems? straw. I noticed in the read-alouds that reading poetry makes some kids bored and restless, and I heard adults say “my kids don’t like poetry.” But were those children taught to appreciate and enjoy poetry?
my strategy is to start by saying that a poet’s job is to paint vivid pictures in our minds with the fewest words. I say, “Tell me if this poet did a good job. I will read you a short poem and you will tell me what images came to mind. What did you see in your mind’s eye? a poem in this collection begins with “it is the end of december. a cold wind blows. It is impossible not to tremble when reading these words. the poems often make us feel something: “chelsea is gone…her green necklace lies on her empty plate”. yes, it is about the death of a pet. other poems make us realize the truth of something we hadn’t noticed before: “the good thing about the bakery is that if you don’t see what you want, you will want what you see”. (by the way, today is popcorn day).
january 20th: three cheers for tacky, helen lester (penguin awareness day)
our favorite penguin in the world is tacky (“of course”). sticky is a penguin who can’t do anything like normal penguins, even when he tries. it’s okay; his mishaps result in comedic effects and hilarious consequences. and everyone loves him for it. there are a few more books in this series, some funnier than others.
See Also: The New Merle Haggard Anthology – Piano/Vocal/Guitar Artist Songbook | Hal Leonard Online
january 21st: the rag coat, lauren mills
Do you feel like scolding your children harshly when they ask for another toy or if they act entitled to have things go their way? I find that reading a book about children experiencing difficulties naturally opens the door to a productive discussion about appreciating what we have and not expecting all wishes to be fulfilled at once. This heartwarming story is about an eight-year-old girl who dreams of going to school. Her family is so poor they can’t afford to buy her a winter coat, and the Appalachian winter is cold. the neighbors find a creative solution to her situation, but it seems to have created a new problem for the girl. This book is incredibly well written and illustrated. Warning to parents of sensitive children: the parent dies.
January 22: The Oatmeal Boy, Jeanette Foster + Seven Silly Eaters, Mary Ann Hoberman (National Oatmeal Month)
Did you know that oatmeal is the most popular breakfast in the world? and that we buy more oats in January than at any other time of the year? therefore, January has been proclaimed national oatmeal month. I couldn’t choose between two great books on eating oatmeal. a book about a boy who didn’t eat oatmeal (The Oatmeal Boy) and a book about a boy who liked oatmeal too much (Seven Foolish Eaters). both books are fun to read aloud as a family, well written and illustrated, and open the door to a discussion about health and nutrition.
january 23rd: how to make an apple pie and see the world, marjorie priceman (national pie day)
There’s only one way to celebrate National Cake Day! eating cake, of course. oh wait, there’s another way: by reading an excellent book about cakes. There are many delicious books on this subject, but Marjorie Priceman’s on how to make an apple pie is an undisputed classic. What if you couldn’t buy ingredients for your cake at the store? you would need to travel the world and gather the right ingredients yourself. the charming illustrations are full of details that offer new discoveries with each rereading. there is a bit of ironic humor. If you have a map, you can learn geography by finding all the countries mentioned in the story. there’s also a bit of science involved (ie how salt is extracted from seawater and how sugar is made from sugar cane).
january 24th: going places, peter and paul reynolds (international creativity month)
January is International Creativity Month, and I can’t think of a better book on creativity and creative thinking than Go Places, written by the talented Reynolds brothers. the main idea of the book is to stop looking for a precise set of instructions, forget what others are building, shake off the culture of conformity, and let your imagination take you wherever it wants.
This is one of my favorite creativity books for kids! offers an excellent lesson wrapped in an entertaining format; It is really well written and illustrated. the book is a big hit with all my kids. every time we reread it, they hold their breath as if they really don’t know who will win the race. (After reading this book, go to a furniture store and ask them for a giant box. Give it to your kids to build their own go-kart. They’ll have a lot of fun!)
By the way, today is also National Peanut Butter Day. I know you’ll enjoy our science of peanut butter!
January 25: stop, go, yes, no! mike twohy (opposite day)
There are many children’s books on opposites, but none are as loved by all my children as this one. Geisel Honor Winner Mike Twohy has packed an incredible story (that I never get tired of rereading) into just 28 words! There’s only one word per page, but it’s enough to create a funny and clever story about an enthusiastic dog who wants to cuddle and a sleepy cat who doesn’t. the cartoon illustrations are great and add to the story.
january 26th: diary of a wombat, jackie wombat (australia day)
Whether you’re looking for a great book to celebrate Australia Day or want to inspire your kids to start a dairy, this book is for you. In this fun book, we take a look at the life of an Australian wombat and its interactions with humans. who knew wombats could be so mischievous and funny? the book concludes on an optimistic note that “humans are easy to train and make good pets.” All my kids say it’s one of the funniest children’s books they’ve ever read.
january 27: betty bunny loves chocolate cake, michael b. kaplan (chocolate cake day)
Celebrate Chocolate Cake Day today with our favorite book about chocolate cake. all my kids love this fun book about a bunny who loves a chocolate cake (maybe) too much. The watercolor illustrations are vibrant, the plot is dense, and it is a great pleasure for children to feel wiser than Betty Bunny. We love reading books featuring a cake so much that we made a list of our 20 favorite children’s books about cakes.
January 28th: good night, greg pizzoli
Greg pizzoli, award-winning author and illustrator, has done it again. he created a hilarious book with a funny story and entertaining illustrations. On good night, an owl dismantles his house to find the mysterious origin of the screeching noises that disturb his rest. according to my son, this story is about an overreaction. my daughter said the moral of the story is that sometimes you have to let things go and not finish what you started because “it’s smarter that way.”
january 29th: a snowy night, nick butterworth
You’re probably familiar with this classic winter scenario: It’s cold outside and animals come one by one to share the warmth of a small shelter. there are a lot of books on this subject. this one, however, has an unexpected solution to the problem of small space. It may not be as famous as Jen Brett’s Glove (a book with the same plot), but ultimately it’s much more satisfying for my kids because in this version everyone finds a comfortable bed for the night. This book is part of the series on Percy the Park Ranger, which has sold nine million books.
January 30: Rosie Revere, Engineer, Andrea Beaty (National Hobby Month)
Did you know that January is National Hobby Month? it is scientifically proven that hobbies make us healthier and happier. So why not pick up a new hobby this year?
Sit down with your kids and make a list of new hobbies you’d like to try. can we suggest tweaks? In Rosie Revere, Engineer, a bestselling author from Chicago tells the story in rhyme of a second grader who likes to invent things with items from a recycling bin.
It’s a great lesson that you don’t need fancy equipment or a science lab to do great things. all you really need to get started is a curious mind and some junk. in a playful way, this book teaches to accept limitations and celebrate mistakes. I’m also in love with the playful mixed media illustrations by celebrated British illustrator (and author) David Roberts.
january 31st: the ish, peter h. reynolds (inspire your heart with art day)
I am delighted to close this list with a suggestion for the day to inspire your heart with art. today offers a good excuse to visit an art gallery or ballet performance, do some messy art on the kitchen table, and of course, read a good book on creativity. it is very important to teach our children strategies to deal with criticism, perfectionism and detachment.
On the ish, a young boy’s creative flames are extinguished after his older brother laughs at his painting. The book has many powerful lessons for young artists, not the least of which is the notion that sometimes striving to get things right can end up killing the joy of doing it. is an entertaining book with a great plot and cute pen and ink illustrations.
See Also: The best books of 2015 | The Economist
Here is a list you can print and take to the library with you! Click on the link or the graphic to download your free PDF.